Page 36 of Brutal King

“No,” I quickly said. “We’ll pay them a fair wage.”

“But if we want to keep...” Kobe was cut off when his phone rang. He looked down at the screen. “I have to take this. I’ll be right back.”

He stepped just outside of the office. “Yeah, Axel. What is it?”

While I continued to chat with Trent, I had one ear tuned into Kobe’s conversation.

“What did she do now?” Kobe said. “Right. Don’t let her get to you, bro. You know how girls can get.”

Who were they talking about?

“Yeah. I hear you, man, but...” Kobe grunted as he listened to his brother. “Forget Layla and everything she does. We’ll fix this. Don’t worry about it.”

So it was Layla that was getting under the Kings’ skin. Good for her. I wondered what she’d done to get them so on edge.

“I’ll leave right now and be there before you know it,” Kobe said. “Sure thing. See you.”

He walked back into the office. “Family matters,” he said, showing us his phone. “I have to get going.” He looked at me. “We’re finished with the budget anyway. Might as well head back.”

Trent leaned back and held his hands up. “I’m certainly not going to hold you back.”

Kobe looked at me, his eyes telling me to get up and go with him.

“Go ahead, Kobe,” I said. “I have a few candidates in mind for Executive Chef. I’m on a roll and don’t want to stop now. I’ll catch up with you later.”

He stared at me, his jaw tight.

I turned to Trent. “Do you think you could drive me back to the Academy when we’re through?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Kat,” Kobe said. “I’m sure Mr. Trent has better things to do than to drive out to our campus.”

“Oh, no,” Trent was quick to say. “Actually, I have some errands to run out of town. It would be a pleasure to have your company on the drive down, Katrina.”

Kobe pressed a discontented grin. “Right.”

“Well then, it’s settled,” I said as I got up, grabbed Kobe’s arm and escorted him out to the dining room.

“I really don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be alone with him out here,” Kobe said.

“And I really don’t think it’s any of your business what I do,” I countered. I opened the door and shoved him out. “I’ll see you on campus and let you know what I’ve accomplished here. See you later.”

I closed and locked the door before he could argue more.

“Kat,” he shouted as he tried to open the door. “Kat, wait. Listen.”

I ignored his pleas and turned to go back to Trent’s office.

“Come back here.Katrina.Kat.Kat!”

Chapter 11

Kat

JUST BEFORE ROUNDING the corner to go to Trent’s office, I glanced through Ginger’s dining room and out the vast windows that looked out onto the magnificent view.

Kobe had reached his car and was sitting in the driver’s seat, fuming. He buckled his seatbelt, started the car, then glanced at his watch and turned the engine off. He opened the car door and seemed ready to step out, but he closed the door, slammed his open palms on the steering wheel and started the car again.

After another long moment, Kobe finally backed out of the parking space and slowly drove off the lot.

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