Page 37 of The Kingpin's Omega Lover
The elevator chimed, but neither of them paid much attention. Garvey was in the lobby, and no one ever came up without permission. The current scene faded into a black screen for what would have been the broadcast commercial break. Kensley paused it and said, “Sorry, bladder relief.”
“No problem.” Malori was used to the constant interruptions, and he couldn’t fault his friend for what had to be just as irritating to Kensley. He remembered how it felt to have a growing human pressing against his internal organs.
While Kensley was gone, Garvey entered the living room with a white delivery box in his hand. It was cut open, and Garvey didn’t appear alarmed, only curious. “Package came addressed to you, Mr. Cann.”
“Me?” Malori hadn’t received anything directly in the mail since a magazine subscription he’d had as a teen. “What is it?”
“Looks like a DVD, sir. I opened it, because that’s protocol, but that’s all that’s in the box.”
Malori stood and approached. Accepted the slender box. His name and the building’s address was printed in careful black lettering, along with ATTN: Kingston Penthouse. No return address, postmarked in the city yesterday. Overnight Mail stamped on the other side of the box. “I didn’t order anything.”
“If you aren’t expecting mail, then I should alert Mr. Kingston.”
“Okay.” Malori didn’t know what package procedures were around here, and it made sense. Especially when only a handful of people knew Malori was alive and living here. He ran his fingernail over the rough cardboard where Garvey had slit the box open. “Um, is anything written on the DVD?”
“No, sir, it looks like the kind you burn yourself on the computer.”
His stomach rolled unhappily. “Then please, call King. I don’t think I want to look at it without him.”
“Yes, sir.” Garvey stepped into the lobby to make the call.
When Kensley waddled back into the living room, Malori was still staring at the box, unable to even look at the DVD, much less view it. “What’s that?” Kensley asked.
“I don’t know, but it came addressed to me.”
Kensley’s eyebrows furrowed. “From who?”
“Doesn’t say. I didn’t order anything.”
“We should call?—”
“Garvey is calling King.”
Kensley wrapped one arm around Malori’s waist. “Do you think Aleks sent it?”
“Who else would?” His lunch churned sharply and threatened to revisit him. “No one could film inside the Farm, as far as I know, but what if he did anyway?”
“I mean, if, um, customers couldn’t film, what if Decker and his crew did? Maybe Marta got hold of it and this is a threat from her organization?”
“But there’s no direct connection between me and Marta.” Malori hadn’t been held prisoner and auctioned off by Marta like Kensley. He’d fallen asleep at home and woken up at the Farm. Malori shivered, and sharp spikes rippled across his neck and shoulders. “I don’t know if I want to watch it. Whatever it is.”
“You don’t have to. Come on, let’s sit. It could be a while before King gets here.”
“Yeah.”
They did sit, close together, arms wrapped around each other, the offending package on the coffee table. Neither of them could manage pressing Play on their show again, and eventually the DVD player switched to power saver mode. Malori didn’t know how much time passed, only that he began feeling the need to pee before King finally strode into the living room.
He stopped in front of them and knelt on his left knee. “Are you both all right?”
“Yeah, just weirded out.” Malori pointed at the box. “I haven’t touched the DVD.”
“Good.”
“Where’s Bishop?” Kensley asked.
“Handling something delicate for me,” King replied gently. “Once I’m alerted that he’s finished, I’ll let him know what’s happening here. Unless it’s some sick prank.” His tone of voice said that was unlikely. “One moment.”
King left and returned quickly while putting on a pair of latex gloves. Once he had them snug, he examined the exterior of the box. The disc slid around inside. King opened the cut flap and tilted the box. The single disc rolled out into his palm. No writing on either surface, only a generic brand mark. He looked inside the box then put it on the coffee table.
