The Damaged (The Insiders Trilogy 2)

A zap of energy was in the air, and all heads turned as a path opened toward the stairs leading to our booth.

There was my man.

Kash Colello had arrived.

Seriously intense eyes, eyes that were dark and fixed on me, and I couldn’t tell from the nightclub’s lighting, but I had firsthand knowledge how his usual cognac-brown eyes could go to simmering midnight if he was in the right mood. And that mood was either being pissed off or being turned on.

Based on how his strong jawline was set, and how his broad and defined shoulders seemed rigid, I was going with the first mood. It also didn’t help that the lights were flickering and casting shadows that played over his high cheekbones. I still melted on the regular if I saw water dripping down them.

Honestly. They were delicious to look at.

Mix them with his lips, very delectable and kissable and lickable lips—

I was thinking I shouldn’t be getting turned on by watching Kash stalking over here, looking like he was going to lay into someone.

I couldn’t help myself.

That body, and how he was moving toward us, did things to me.

Another thing I knew from personal experience was that body of his. He was ripped, with barely an ounce of fat on him.

Yes, indeed. Kash Colello was very blessed with some fan-fucking-tastic genes.

He was almost stalking forward, but he was moving with a lithe, predatory motion to him. There was no expression on his face. He was locked down, but he was angry. His eyes were almost glittering. Tony and Chester both sat up straighter. Tony’s hand clenched into a fist on the table. Even Guy, who was still wearing an easygoing smile, was wary. His eyes dimmed a bit, and his jaw tightened, but he did it all while grinning.

Kash walked up, his eyes still on mine, lingering, before sweeping over the rest of the table.

The girls had both stopped their ministrations, their eyes glued to Kash, and their jaws slackened.

His gaze paused where the girls’ hands were under the table before he growled, “With Bailey here? You serious?”

Tony jerked, slamming into the back of our booth, jostling the rest of us.

The girl’s hand jumped back up to the top of the table. She was blinking, looking dazed, but color was coming to her face. Her gaze moved to mine before she lowered her head, her hair falling forward to cover her face.

“She stayed. It’s not our problem.”

Tony was an idiot. He was talking back to Kash, so he was more than an idiot. He was a moron.

Guy’s grin lessened. Then a chuckle came from him as he, too, seemed shocked at what Tony said.

Kash’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t move. He didn’t lean over the table. His face didn’t show anything, but when he spoke, Tony knew, I knew, everyone knew. Tony had just made a very, very stupid decision.

“I had a meeting with your father today.”

Those words were whispered from Kash, but everyone at the table heard. And everyone took notice, because Kash was reminding Tony in a very simple way that he was connected to him in a way Tony couldn’t touch. He was connected to his family’s money.

He was above Tony’s family—way, way above.

There was a reason Kash had remained hidden as long as he did. When he came out of the shadows, the entire world took note. They took note of his connections, his wealth, and he was catapulted into being even more powerful than my father—and that said a lot.

Anyone who had ties to Calhoun Bastian should instinctively be feared.

Kash made this point. “His company is going to go bankrupt. He wants me to come in, pour money into the company and save it.” Now he moved, stepping closer to the table, his eyes never moving from Tony’s.

Tony seemed to suck in his breath.

Kash leaned forward, placing his hands on the table so he was in Tony’s space, invading it and pushing him down. “I’ve not made my decision if I want to save your father or not. Keep being you and you’ll help me make that decision.”

Keep being a dick. Keep being a douche. Keep just being Tony and Kash wouldn’t save his father’s company.

Tony’s jaw clenched. His hand was still in a fist, but he swallowed. His Adam’s apple moved up and down, and air hissed from him as he forced his hand to relax on the table, right between where Kash had put his hands.

I knew that’d all been intentional.

Move in. Force your presence on them. Remind them you control them. Remind them they are not as dangerous as you are. These were all moves that Kash was doing. He was reminding Tony of that fact right now.

Tony was the small guy here, and Tony hated it.

“Sorry, man.”

Tony backed down, but it was visibly costing him.