The Rebel King (All the King's Men Duet #2) - Kennedy Ryan Page 0,101
can explain.”
He grabs my wrist, flipping my hand over and forcing my fingers open. The bra, garish in the morning light, falls to the floor. He doesn’t let my wrist go, but squeezes.
“You little bitch,” he says through gritted teeth. “Him? Him, Lennix? Miss I Never Fuck My Candidates. You hypocrite. What a cliché you turned out to be.”
“Glenn, you’re hurting me,” I whisper because I don’t want to alarm the guard, who will rush him if I show any sign of distress.
The door opens behind us, and I close my eyes, already knowing how ugly this will get, and blaming myself.
“What’s going on?” Maxim asks.
I look over my shoulder, and he takes in the whole scene at a glance, from my bare feet and the bra on the floor to Glenn’s fingers manacling my wrist.
“Get your damn hands off her, Hill,” he says, every word a knife aimed and hurled at Glenn’s head. He strides over and pulls me out of Glenn’s grip, glancing at my wrist, where Glenn’s fingerprints have left livid red marks. I see the snap happen in his head and position myself in front of Glenn.
“Doc,” I say, pressing my hand to his bare chest.
He looks past me to Glenn and then to the guard in the corner, who’s on his feet, but apparently unsure how to best intervene, and awaiting instruction from Maxim.
“You just stood there? While he did this to her?” The guard opens his mouth, but Maxim puts up one silencing finger. “Don’t. I’ll deal with you later.”
He turns a brimstone glare on Glenn. “You are fucking fired and lucky I don’t shove my fist down your throat. If you ever touch her again, mark her again, I’ll black ball your ass so hard you won’t find a job sweeping floors. Am I being clear with you?”
“You fire me because I dared to touch your little whore?” Glenn snarls. Maxim lunges, but I push against his chest.
“Don’t.” I grab his chin and force him to meet my eyes. “Please let me handle this.”
“Let you handle this?”
“I’m his boss, Maxim. I should deal with it.”
“My boss?” Glenn scoffs, turning to press the button to call the elevator. “I’m glad you turned me down. There’s no telling where that pussy’s been.”
Maxim steps around me and grabs Glenn by the collar, lifting until he’s on his tiptoes. The guard pulls Maxim back by the elbow, forcing him to release his hold on Glenn.
“Sir, that’s not wise,” he says. “Mr. Hill, you should go. Now.”
Glenn steps onto the elevator as soon as it comes and stabs the button until the doors close.
“What did he mean, you turned him down?” Maxim asks, his voice velvet-covered steel.
“Really? That’s what you focus on?”
“When did he ask?”
“Yesterday after you left.”
“You should have told me.”
“Exactly when would I have had time to tell you, Maxim?” I ask, pitching my voice too low for the guard to hear. “You started growling and fucking as soon as you entered the room last night.”
He closes his eyes and grips the back of his neck. “I told you he was into you.”
“I missed it. I’m sorry.” I stuff the torn panties deeper into my pockets. “I need to go catch him.”
“Catch him?” He takes my elbow. “You don’t go anywhere near him, Lennix.”
“It’s my job, Doc. I can handle myself.”
“And that’s how this happened?” He lifts my wrist between us, showing the marks Glenn left. He stares at the bruises forming, pulling my wrist to his lips. “Dammit, Nix.”
“I’m okay.” I need to get this situation under control. “I’ll take Kimba with me, but I need to catch him before he leaves. I have to remind him he signed an NDA, and is legally obligated to keep his damn mouth shut.”
“You’ll take him.” Maxim nods to the guard. “Call someone else up here. You go with her.”
I roll my eyes, call the elevator, and brace myself for the shit storm ahead.
46
Lennix
“Maybe let me do most of the talking,” Kimba says as we’re standing outside Glenn’s hotel room. “This needs to be handled diplomatically and firmly.”
“And you don’t trust me to be diplomatic and firm?”
“I trusted you to keep this from ever happening.” There haven’t been many times when Kimba has been truly irritated with me over the years, but her displeasure is sketched on her keen features now. “If you couldn’t be celibate, I told you to be discreet. Leaving the candidate’s room with your bra in your hand and your panties in your pocket