The Insiders (The Insiders Trilogy #1) - Tijan Page 0,17

reading whatever was on the screen. “I really have to go.” He stepped to the side, then stopped. “Oh. I called yesterday and you should have clothes upstairs for you. If they aren’t in the room you want, just mention it to Marie. She’ll have the staff switch everything for you.”

One more pause, one more look back. “Do you need anything from me?”

I needed my mom. I needed all of this not to have happened. I needed a new father.

I forced a smile. “Not a thing.”

“Okay.” And he was gone.

Yes. Not a thing …

TEN

I was snooping. No shame here.

An hour later, I was in his bedroom. He had his own library in there, and his own balcony. Not to mention the bed. The bed! It was big enough for five people to sleep in it.

“We kill cats here.”

I jumped as I was shutting the balcony doors, and whirled.

I thought it was Kash, but it wasn’t. Someone else.

My insides instantly knotted, seeing who it was, recognizing who it was.

Matthew Francis leaned against the door frame, a smirk on his face, dressed like he was going to a nightclub. Low-hanging jeans. A leather jacket. A shirt underneath that was one of those where they bought them already ripped. His hair was messily rumpled, though I was sure there was hair product in it. The jacket added a little more bulk to him than I had noticed the night before, but he was still gangly.

“You kill cats here?”

His eyebrows went up. His smirk turned knowing. “So you are Kash’s mystery guest, and you’re already snooping around?”

I broke out a tentative grin. “Still curious about the cat comment.” Splaying my hands out to my side, I tucked them behind me and glanced down.

It was a nervous movement, but damn. My brother was talking to me.

“I’m Matthew Francis. Kash works with my father.” He was eyeing me up and down, dissecting me. There was frank curiosity and a slight flash of anger mixed in. He raised his hand up, a drink there, and took a sip. Hissing, baring his teeth from the burn, he coughed and then put his hand back down. His fingers transferred so he was holding the glass by the top of the rim, and his head went back up, resting against the door frame. “Kash is the king of secrets and mystery around this place, so the way I figure, you’re either running from someone or something else is going on.” He straightened from the doorway. “Which is it, little cat? I introduced myself. Now you introduce yourself.”

My nostrils flared as I straightened to my fullest height. My head rose. My chin squared against his and I rolled my shoulders back. He took everything in, a flare of surprise in his eyes, but he masked it deftly.

“I’d imagine that if Kash wanted you to know who I was, he would’ve told you.” I wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to say, but I had a feeling if I rattled off his entire Wikipedia page he wouldn’t be impressed. He would be suspicious.

I had the names and dates and lies to spew out. Aunt Judith. Uncle Martin. Cousin Stephanie. Bad breakup. Kash and I kept in contact when he visited them from when he was four year old till he was eight. There was nothing in those files about why he stopped, so I’d have to bluff there as well, but I would.

Kash had underestimated my brother. He was suspicious, enough to seek me out within an hour of being on the premises.

“I saw you at the hotel. You were in the elevator with Kash.” He lowered his head until he was more normal. He must’ve bought at least a little of what I said. “If you were there and you were Kash’s girl, why didn’t he walk you to your room? If you really knew Kash, he never would’ve let you go to your room alone. He can be a protective asshole sometimes.”

Damn.

I opened my mouth. I wasn’t sure what I was going to spew, but it was going to be as much a surprise to myself as to him … and then someone else spoke for me.

“She’s not my girl,” Kash drawled behind Matthew.

Aw, shit.

I was busted by both of them, and looking at Kash, I gulped.

His eyes were glittering at me. His jaw was clenched. His mouth tight. The guy was pissed, and a wave of awareness crashed over me. This was like seeing him walking into