Page 11 of Lethal King

My frustration immediately turns to my uncle. In response, the cat cuddled against his chest curls its back. My hackles rise too.

As if I wasn’t jumpy enough already.

“Let’s not raise our voices,” Maksim insists, holding the kitten tighter.

“Yeah, your majesty,” Mel joins in, wiping a bead of sweat from her pale forehead. “Be quiet, or you’ll scare your subjects.”

“What. The. Hell. Is going on?” I repeat, ignoring my sister’s attempt at banter. “What is that thing doing here? What are you doing here?”

Maksim and Mel both share a side-eyed glance. Neither of them seems particularly bothered. It’s infuriating. Don’t they understand why they can’t be here?

“You want to answer first or should I?” Maksim asks.

“I’ll go first,” Mel shrugs. Turning her hazel eyes to me, she blindly scratches the black furball’s forehead. It seems to calm the creature down but it does nothing to help ease my concerns. “I’m here because it’s my big brother’s big day. The day he’s crowned king of our mafia empire. Anointed ruler of the underworld. Named boss of the Kilpatrick–“

“Enough,” I interrupt. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I clamp my eyes shut. “I get the point. But you weren’t invited.”

My headache worsens.

“You think that would stop me from sneaking out to be here for you?”

“It’s not safe.”

With that, Mel’s gaze slides from me over to our uncle. “You hear that, Uncle Maks? There he goes again. A king who doesn’t trust his people.”

“I’m not king yet,” I remind her. Stepping forward, I plant two fists into the hard oakwood of my desk. The black cat hisses.

“Stop. You’re scaring the poor thing,” Mel coos. Reaching out, she urges Maksim to hand her the kitten.

He complies.

“Be careful,” he quietly mutters, as if Mel isn’t the gentlest creature either of us knows.

“I will be,” Mel assures him. As expected, she coddles the little black ball, and it immediately sinks into her loving arms, hackles dropping.

But mine stay raised.

A fearsome pulse is pounding behind my skull. My fingers curl and uncurl as I consider the true consequences of what’s happening.

We’ve been compromised.

“I trust my people,” I insist, grimacing. “To an extent. But there isn’t anyone I trust more than myself. And I didn’t have time to plan the security for tonight’s ceremony. Not with everything else going on. That’s why I didn’t invite any family. To ensure their safety. To ensure your safety.”

“I’m sure your men have done a good job,” Mel naively suggests. Bending her neck, she nuzzles her nose against the precious package in her arms.

“Have they?” I question. “Because it seems like there’s already been a breach.”

Mel lifts her eyes back up at me. But before she can respond, Maksim steps in.

“You put your men in a tough spot,” he explains. “Do you know how hard it is for them to say no to your father’s daughter, to your sister?”

“Is it harder than doing their job?”

“Apparently so.”

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Mel pushes back. “No one let me in here. I had to sneak through security, just like anyone else would.”

“Shit,” I curse. “That makes it even worse. Maksim, tell the men my coronation is canceled. If Mel can slip through the perimeter, then there’s no telling who else could.”