Page 96 of Tease
Beau claps his hands on his knees. “I have no idea. There have been no signs of a threat toward anyone.”
I continue to stare around the room, wondering what the fuck has happened to Kailey and Ajani.
Carter’s stare comes to me. “Do you know anything, Jared?”
“Absolutely not. I would’ve never left town if I thought something was gonna happen to Kailey.”
Carter nods as a phone on his desk rings. He answers, pauses a beat, then says, “Bring him down.”
Beau looks over at me and leans in next to my ear. “Be prepared. You’re about to witness things that you can never speak of outside of this room.”
“As long as it helps find them, I don’t care what has to be done, or what’s needed from me.” I lean back against the couch. My chest has been aching ever since we got on the airplane tocome back home. I rub at it, unable to believe that my time with Kailey has been cut short. It doesn’t even make sense.
The double doors to the office burst open, slamming against a wall on each side. A beaten and broken Mathew King is being dragged in, and the men place him right in front of Carter’s desk. Mathew tries to get up, but one of the men kicks him. “Stay the fuck down. On your knees.”
Carter stands from behind the desk. “What have you done, King?”
Mathew spits blood onto the floor and then looks right at me. “It’shis fault.”
“What the fuck?” I shout. “I haven’t done anything!”
Holy shit. Is he about to set me up?
Carter shakes his head at the men starting to surround me on the couch, and they back away, but still pull their guns from their waistbands.
Carter rolls up his sleeves and walks over to Mathew, punching him right in the face. He goes down, but sits back up. “I’ll ask you again. What did youdo, King? Don’t make me torture it out of you, because you know my reputation. You know what I’ll do to anyone who hurts my family.”
“I didn’t know they’d take Ajani. I swear. The Collector wanted KC. That’s what I know.”
Carter punches him two more times in the face, then grabs his hair and knees him right in the face. His head hangs back as the men hold him up.
“But that’s part of the problem. Your family knows, untouchables arenotto be touched.”
Mathew tries to stand up, but is pushed back down again. “Being untouchable is reserved for family!”
“KCisfamily. Now where are they? I might make your death quick if you tell me.”
“I didn’t know she was family, and Ajani must’ve gotten taken because they didn’t recognize her…”
Mathew then glares at me and yells, “I could’ve protected her. But then you had to show up and fuck everything.Youkilled her!”
No. She can’t be dead.“What?” I start to lunge for Mathew.
Carter looks at Beau. Beau puts an arm around me, holding me back.
“You heard me. I had everything set. The plan worked out perfectly, and I was able to keep her. She wasmine, protected byme. But then, Kailey wasn’t mine anymore, was she?”
Carter gets in Mathew’s face. “She didn’t need your protection. She hadmine! KC is like a second daughter to me.” He shakes his head before continuing to punch Mathew in the face. I see a tooth land on the ground.
One of Carter’s men walks over and taps him on the shoulder. “Boss, we need his help to find them.”
“Who did you help, King? Who took the girls?”
“I can’t tell you that. You’re gonna kill me anyway.”
“That’s true. I am going to kill you. But if you help me find Ajani and KC, I won’t kill your whole family line.”
Mathew shakes his head.
