Page 31 of Hearts Etched in Glass
“When did you learn of this?” he snaps.
“Now. I brought Marcus to make sure the identity is the same Ronald.” I glance at Kenneth as he stands to tidy his suit jacket.
“Well, let’s get ready for war, because I’m fucking done,” he remarks. Bobby steps closer to him and sits in the chair beside the head of the table.
“I thought we couldn’t kill him,” Bobby mutters, as Kenneth lets out a small cackle.
“When we had our original meeting to sign the paperwork, your little stunt assisted me. In a small portion of the terms, it says that upon the death, accidentally dismemberment or incapacitation of the older, Mr. McKinley, all his business assets with us will transfer to me. Not his family. Not his sons. He signed the papers so quickly after you caused a ruckus. So, thank you.”
Bobby lets out a bellow of laughter. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Serious about what?” says whom I presume is Mr. McKinley, as he walks into the room with his sonRonald. His voice causes terror to race down my spine, as an horrible feeling settles in the depths of my gut.
No.
His voice.
He takes a glance me and narrows his eyes, but looks back at Kenneth and Bobby. “What is serious? Is it about our business?”
“Take a fucking seat,” Kenneth says, tone laced with vile malice.
“Excuse me?” Mr. McKinley shouts, but before another word can be muttered, Kenneth stands, reaching into his suit pocket and throwing an adder at Mr. McKinley.
My body begins to tremble at the recognition of Mr. McKinley being my dom. His voice makes my stomach turn and acid rises to the back of my throat. The snake shoots past Mr. McKinley’s shoulder and onto the ground safely. Kenneth walks around the table to retrieve the snake. It curls around his wrist, as Kenneth pets its head.
“You have been keeping things from us, Mr. McKinley and your son performed a grave sin by harming one of our masseuses,” Bobby explains, then Kenneth forcesMr. McKinley into the chair, as Bobby does the same to Ronald.
“So. You think you can play us for fools?” Kenneth remarks as the snake coiled around Kenneth’s wrist climbs up and atop Mr. McKinley’s head.
“No. No! What is this? An ambush? What did we do?”
Ronald stays quiet as his father pleads.
“Well, we saw what you did to our Jameson. How dare you lay a finger on her. How dare you try and force her to do anything she doesn’t want and disrespect her! And disrespect our business.” Then I take it upon myself to smack the side of Ronald’s head as Kenneth looks at him with indifference. “Maybe we should let the adders have their way with you?” I mention as Ronald holds his ear, whimpering.
“We also didn’t realize you had a connection tomyTilly. Thanks for your transparency,” Bobby sarcastically says.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, I don’t know a Tilly and as for that girl, Jameson, she asked me to. She wanted this roleplaying, kidnapping, sadistic scenario.”
“This is not the proper place forthat. We do not perform those type of services. And I hate when people lie to me, it is pathetic.” A furious tone seeps from Kenneth’s lips.
Mr. McKinley’s eyes flicker to me and I cannot help the sour face that stares back at him in challenge. Then the snake snaps in his face, but Kenneth pulls back before it may latch onto his hooked nose.
“How may we make things right?” Mr. McKinley begs, his hands laced together with pleading eyes, as Kenneth steps away from his shaking body.
Silence fills the room.
“I think we should strap dynamite to each of your chests and watch you explode,” Bobby offers, as Kenneth sits back at the head of the table, admiring his snake.
“Brother, rein it in. Just hold on with any crazy suggestions at the moment,” Kenneth says.
“We should all go hunting!” Ronald suggests, a suspicious smile adorns his face.
“You want to make amends by hunting? That just makes me want to huntyou.” The snake slithers across the table, before he crawls into a tight ball.
“We have private property, supplied with many animals, you can take whatever trophy you’d like. We may have a feast and even get your kill mounted for you as a sincere apology. How does that sound?” Mr. McKinley pleads with laced hands, the vein in his forehead pulsating.
“Fine. Now get out of my sight.” Kenneth waves them away as they scamper out of the room.
