Page 10 of Rival for Rent
And clearly, he’d only climbed higher since then.
I frowned. “And your friends? You’re sure they’re safe?”
“Jesus Christ, the Michaelsons aren’t going to murder me during Act I,” Kai snapped. “I’m just sucking up to them so they’ll donate to the center.”
He glanced behind him, clearly hoping they hadn’t heard that. They were still pretending to read the playbill in the woman’s lap, but their postures were way too stiff to be natural, and the playbill was upside down.
The house lights dimmed again. Kai turned back to me, face tense. “Just go, Mason. Please. Is that what you need me to do? Beg? It never worked before, but I’ll fucking try if it’ll help. I need tonight to go well.”
Never worked before? What the hell did that mean?
I didn’t understand his words, but I could read the look on his face—desperate, pleading, and raw. And suddenly, I knew I was doing more harm than good. I still wanted to know what had driven him to hire protection, but now wasn’t the time.
I nodded. “I’ll go.”
He didn’t thank me. Just turned and walked back to his friends like I wasn’t even there.
I slipped out of the box, but I didn’t leave. Instead, I posted up across the hall, arms folded, eyes on the door. If I couldn’t stay inside, I could still keep watch from here. After all, nothing said ‘subtle security presence’ like a guy in a T-shirt glowering at velvet wallpaper.
The usher gave me a confused look, but I returned it with one that said I meant business. He walked away. Good. You could never be too careful.
The next hour dragged. I didn’t look at my phone. Didn’t fidget. Just stood there, still and quiet, practicing the breathing techniques I used to teach the guys for staying awake on watch. Boredom wasn’t an excuse to slack off.
When intermission came, I stepped back and let the hallway fill with people, keeping ten or so bodies between me and Kai at all times. It wasn’t ideal—not great for protecting him—but at least I had eyes on him.
The second act felt even longer. I passed the time thinking. Trying to figure out what the hell had happened.
First, why the bodyguard? Why Heartbreakers Anonymous instead of a proper security firm? Amir’s recommendation alone didn’t explain it.
Second, why the hatred? Kai and I hadn’t spoken in over a decade. If this was about high school, what had I done? I’d never even managed to date Ava. I’d crushed on her, sure, but that was it. Nothing ever happened.
But the look Kai had given me—pure fury—felt deeper than that. Like he knew everything. Like he’d followed me overseas and seen what I’d done—and what I hadn’t.
I shivered. That was ridiculous. It was just my guilty conscience creeping in again. But the feeling settled between my shoulder blades like a knife, sharp and silent. I shifted against it, annoyed, then forced myself to stop.
Eventually, the show ended. A swell of music, applause, and cheers. People left their boxes and began to fill the hallway.
I stepped forward again. I didn’t care if Kai saw me now. If he wanted to yell, fine. I was going to make sure he got home safe, one way or another.
And he did see me—right away. As soon as he stepped out of the box, his eyes locked on mine. His nostrils flared, and he walked away quickly, leaving his companions behind.
I pushed through the crowd to catch up, and reached him on the stairs leading down to the lobby, that damned itchy feeling still crawling between my shoulders.
“Good performance?” I asked when I reached his side.
He didn’t look at me. “I told you to go.”
“I did go. I just didn’t say how far.”
He turned then, eyes blazing. “I don’t get it. Do you get some kind of sick pleasure from this? Didn’t you get enough of tormenting me in high school?”
Nothing like arguing about childhood trauma in front of five dozen strangers wearing rented tuxes. Though with this crowd,they probably weren’t rented. You probably needed to own five just to buy a ticket.
“Tormenting you?” I asked, baffled, as the staircase spilled us into the packed lobby. People pressed around us, but I stayed close. “What are you talking about?”
He stared at me, stunned. “Are you serious right now?”
“I’m seriously trying to figure out what I did to offend you, if that’s what you mean.”
