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I refilled my glass. “Maybe initially.”
“It’s like you want to get killed.”
“Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world,” I said before I took another drink. “But that’s not the reason for my visit tonight.”
“So it gets better…” He rubbed his palms together, his elbows on his knees.
I crossed my legs, letting one ankle rest on the opposite knee. It would be easy to rush this conversation and sprint to the hotel to shove my dick in Laura’s mouth, but business came first. “Bleu says you don’t talk much anymore.”
Benton lifted his head higher and looked at me. “My relationship with my brother is none of your concern.”
“Is it because he works for me?”
Benton never answered.
“That’s not fair, Benton.”
“It’s not who he worksfor. It’s who he associates with.”
“You think you’re better than us? Let’s not forget the only reason you’re sitting there is because a condom ripped.”
“You want me to shoot you again?”
The grin that entered my face was unstoppable. “Don’t ghost your brother. He’s the only family you’ve got left.”
“I have a family—a wife and a daughter.”
“You know what I mean. Just because he earns his money in criminal ways doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be able to come over here and spend time with you and Claire. If someone wants to make something happen, they’ll go after me. Bleu is just a foot soldier. I’m the commander. He’s not going to lead trouble to your doorstep. He’s not going to get Claire taken.”
Benton dropped his gaze and looked at the decanter. “I wish he hadn’t gotten involved…”
“I don’t blame the guy for wanting riches. We all do.”
“But it comes at a hefty price.”
“What price is that? Because I haven’t paid a dime.”
He lifted his gaze and looked at me again. “You don’t see it.”
“See what?”
“What it’s done to you.”
My eyes locked on his face, not blinking, just staring. “What’s it done to me?”
Benton looked at the fire, giving a sigh like he wished he hadn’t said anything.
“What’s it done to me?” I repeated, feeling the anger constrict my throat.
He took a deep breath before he spoke. “You take these risks because you’ve got nothing to lose. You’ve already accomplished the impossible, so now, there’s nothing left. May as well go after the Skull King because it doesn’t matter whether you live or die. You’ve proven to yourself that you aren’t worthless, and now that you’ve done that, you have nothing else to live for. It’s as if…you aren’t even alive anymore.”
* * *
It was the same room as last time.
The Royal Suite. Ten thousand euros a night.
I entered the living room and stripped off my jacket along the way. Raindrops had pelted the back window, the sound quiet against the double-paned glass. A couple lamps were on, but for the most part, the room was an array of shadows.
