“I need to have a little talk with Niko,” the guy says. “A private talk.”
“After what I heard you say at that party, you’re not getting anywhere near Niko.”
“Who thefuckare you?” I roar as I approach them.
“Great. One of Knox’slegitimatesons wants to come stick his nose in this, too?” the guy says. “Does the name Cal Thorne ring a bell to you, or are you so self-absorbed you can’t remember me, either?”
Thorne.
Dad did mention someone he called Thorne, only a couple of times.
Thorne reaches into his jacket pocket and I see a flash of metal reflecting the light from the lamp post nearby.
My heart skips a beat as cold fear floods my veins.
He has a knife.
“I didn’t recognize you with the shaved head,” Niko says. “But I remember you. You were a dick to my mother every time you and that lawyer met up with her. Can’t imagine what the fuck you want with me.”
“Your dear old dad had promisedmemoney that I never got to have,” Thorne says. “And I know you got a nice, cushy payout when Knox died.”
“He doesn’t owe you a penny,” Sevan says.
I see the gleam of the metal again as Thorne twirls the knife in his hand.
“That depends who you ask,” Thorne says.
“Why go to him?” I call out.
Sev turns to cut me a warning glance. “Stay away from him, Wes.”
“Why him, and not me?” I say louder, crossing the stone deck.
“Because you and your father have had half of the CEOs in the country bribed for years. Certainly every CEO at this dinner.Youare a spoiled kid with resources. Niko, on the other hand…”
It’s like the ground is shaking beneath me.
That earthquake, causing a tectonic shift.
Sev’s expression drops into confusion, just for a split second, as he looks back at me. “That bribery claim can’t be true,” he whispers.
“We need to talk about that,” I tell him.
“Give me the money I fucking deserve, or the Crimson administration finds out everything,” Thorne says. “I don’t just have receipts. I have videos. Phone calls. Onyx House will be dead overnight.”
“You won’t do that,” I say. “If you expose what Dad did, you’ll have to answer for it, too. You were involved, weren’t you?”
Thorne glares at me. “I’ll go down with all of you. And it’ll be fucking worth it.”
He suddenly flicks the knife open and gets his arm around Niko’s neck from behind, holding him like a hostage with the blade at his throat.
My heart drops.
Sev leaps into action, gripping at Thorne’s arm.
No.
No.