The Damaged (The Insiders Trilogy #2) - Tijan by Tijan

I threw him a dark look.

He meant “interesting” in the way that a wolf would play with its food. Melissa, Liam, Dax, even Hoda—they weren’t on the same level as Matt and his friends. They were less jaded, more pure in their world. If they mixed with us, we’d ruin them. I knew it, and gritting my teeth, I hated it. I should’ve fought against coming to Naveah. Torie and Tamara fit in both worlds, and if we had stayed away, this wouldn’t have happened, but I saw the spark in Matt’s eyes.

He was interested. His gaze swept back over Melissa, and I saw where his interest centered on.

“Shit.”

Kash moved up against me again, his hand on my side, anchoring to me.

It was his turn.

He spoke over my head. “Camille Story.”

Matt’s head snapped to attention, whipping to the person Kash was talking to.

I frowned at that. Matt had dated the blogger, but he answered my question when he stepped away from the table. “You’ve changed,” he said. His tone was confused. I couldn’t tell if he appreciated the change or not. Then his face clouded over and he growled, “Get the fuck out of here!”

He didn’t like the change.

At his tone, Chester, Tony, and Guy were no longer amused bystanders. All three slid out of the booth, taking Matt’s side, and all three were glowering at the girls. I’d never seen Guy without some sort of grin on his face, but I was seeing it now, and he was menacing.

I remembered the first time I had met Tony and Chester.

They’d been intimidating then, and that same air was moving around them again.

Melissa and Liam both stopped talking, feeling the change and cluing back in to the next exchange happening.

Hoda cursed, her hands darting to her mouth then falling back in front of her.

Camille blanched as she lifted her chin up. “I came in for assistance, with a friend of mine.”

“Fuck whoever you came to assist. Get out of this club. You were banned long ago.”

Chester drawled, “I’d leave. You’ve done pieces on all of us.”

Tony’s face was glacial ice, as was his tone. “Or stay. Have a drink. Let’s get to know one another.” His eyes were mean, and Camille paled all over again.

A man was coming up the aisle toward the table. He paused, his gaze sweeping, and that’s when Kash moved.

He set me aside and moved around me, his hand lingering on my stomach. He waited, not stepping away, and I looked up.

His gaze was on me. He said one word. “Stay.”

I nodded.

He turned toward Camille and Hoda, his hand leaving my stomach.

At Kash’s movement, everyone paused. All eyes went to him.

Camille looked like she was watching a dragon rise up over her in real time. Hoda’s gaze was on him too, her head cocked to the side, and she was back to biting her lip.

Kash motioned for the man, who was wearing a business suit. He was older thirties, dark hair swept to the side. Lawyer. His entire walk and how he was taking everything in, no-nonsense and brisk. Nothing fazed him.

Kash raised his head up. “You have it?”

The man climbed up the stairs to where everyone was. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a stack of papers. He looked between Hoda and Camille and asked, “Which one?”

“The blonde.” From Kash.

The man nodded. “Yes.” He handed the papers to her. As soon as Camille’s hand closed on them, he said, “You’ve been served.”

Hoda gasped.

Camille couldn’t pale any more, but her hand started shaking.

The lawyer guy didn’t care. He released the papers and stepped back. “You are being sued. See you in court, Ms. Story.” He nodded to Kash and left.

Simple as that.

Matt started laughing. “Couldn’t figure out why you were waiting. Now I get it.”

Chester and Tony gave Kash appreciative looks.

Guy laughed. “Savage.”

Kash’s glare ripped into Camille Story. “You and Miss Mansour will leave the premises. Now.”

That was it, too. No other words. No chiding or threats or anything. He didn’t explain what was in those papers. Nothing. Just “You need to leave,” and the dismissal was almost as humiliating as her getting served in front of everyone. Either way, she’d been stupid to come here and she knew it.

Her face changed so it was beet red. She was steaming.

Since she didn’t move right away, Kash motioned to Connor. “I want them out. Now.”

The guards descended.

“Hey. Wait a minute…” Liam was frowning. He made a move to help them, but Kash severed him with a look.

“Miss Mansour and Miss Story have both been notified that they were banned from these premises. Both broke that order.”

“But they came because Melissa sent out a nine one one call. They were trying to help—”

Kash cut him off. “You came. Your friend came.” His eyes moved to Dax and included Shyam. “And a third showed. That was enough.”

The girls hadn’t moved. The guards hadn’t pushed it.

Kash clipped out, “Remove yourself or my guards will remove you.”

Hoda’s eyes sought mine. They were seething, and, her mouth tightening, she stormed out. Camille hesitated, her eyes sweeping over Matt, and a flicker of emotion was there. Brief. Then gone. Matt saw it, and his eyes went cold.