The Insiders (The Insiders Trilogy 1)

Doubt filtered over Matthew’s face, his eyebrows pinching together. “You’re always shoving your way into my places.”

Places. Matt had more than one?

Matt was still speaking. “You never give a shit if I’m pissed or not.”

“That’s different.”

A snort. “How?”

“Because you’re a dumbass that usually needs me to either kick your ass or someone else’s ass around you. That’s why.”

I waited, expecting a retort from my brother. None came. He nodded, running a hand over his head and gripping his neck for a moment. “That’s fair.” A corner of his mouth curved up, and he went back to studying me. “But seriously. Who is she?”

Kash let out a sigh, grabbing his shirt. “She’s a friend from the family. My family. Bailey Hayes.” He bundled his shirt up in a ball and threw it at Matthew, hard. It was enough to smack against his chest from across the room. “That’s all you need to know. Respect her wish. She ain’t here on vacation.”

My eyes darted to him, my body warming.

There was that protective asshole that Matthew commented on, but it was regarding me. I knew it was a lie. He was helping with my cover, but I couldn’t deny that it felt nice to hear it. I almost wished it were true.

“How you going to handle Victoria?”

Victoria? Kash had mentioned her earlier. I waited to see what he’d say, but he only jerked a shoulder up, before unbuckling his jeans. “I’ll handle her.” He paused, raking us both with a look. “Can you both get out? I need to change my pants.”

Matthew started laughing. “Now I know she really ain’t your girl.” He nodded to me, still smiling. “Come on, Little Mystery. If you’re going to snoop in Kash’s place, you’re not going to find the right spots. I’ll show you where he keeps the good booze.”

My gaze skirted to Kash at the snooping word, but he didn’t seem to mind. His head cocked to the side, his fingers waiting, holding on to his waistband, he looked annoyed. Trailing after Matthew, I tried to wrap my head around everything.

My brother was right in front of me.

He had caught me, questioned me, then tried to grill me. Now he was showing me where Kash hid his booze, which wasn’t a secret place at all. Down the hall. To the kitchen. He wound around the island to the pantry, and that was where a whole row of bottles was shelved.

“Wow,” I deadpanned, waiting in the doorway as he grabbed a few of them. “You’re right. I never would’ve found those.”

He shot me a grin, going past me and setting them on the island. “It’s the only place with fun stuff in Kash’s house.”

He turned to me.

I thought he needed to go past me for glasses, but he didn’t. He only leaned down, purposely getting in my space, and his eyes were hard. His words were blunt. “I don’t know what the fuck’s going on, but I know something is. If you actually did know Kash, you would’ve known he keeps all his real shit in his downtown apartment.”

Oh.

Crap.

“Why do you keep thinking I was snooping?”

“You were.”

Yeah. Well. “Why do you insist that I was looking for the ‘real shit’? How do you know I wasn’t up there because he has a freaking library? Did you see those bookshelves? Sue me. I like reading. Hide some books somewhere, and I’ll sniff ’em out. Hidden talent of mine.”

He straightened his back again, sneering in disbelief. “Whatever you say. You’d know he only uses this house when he’s forced to stay on the estate, which ain’t that often. Another fact I know you don’t know about my boy, so why don’t you cut the bullshit. Nerd aside, who are you? Really.”

I let out a sigh.

Kash was padding barefoot down the hallway and starting to cross the room. He had changed into sweatpants that fell low on his hips. Matthew’s back was to him. He didn’t know Kash was there, and I frowned slightly, a brief flash of familiarity nagging at me. Kash walked so quietly, he was soundless.

He had covered for me in his room, but this was the real test.

A dark warning flared in Kash’s gaze. I ignored it, meeting my brother’s gaze, and I shifted back a step so I could think. “Fine.” I made sure my voice cracked. “You’re right.”

Triumph flooded over his face. He narrowed his eyes. “Still waiting.”

“But you’re wrong about most of it. I don’t know Kash that well, but I do know his family. I was neighbors with Judith and Martin.” I paused, wondering, “You know them?”

He stiffened. “Kash doesn’t talk about his family, hardly ever.”

So he really was a mystery, even to them? Even if he grew up with them, as he said?

“I was good friends with his cousin, Stephanie.” I didn’t pause to ask if he knew her. I was betting he didn’t. “And anyways, I am going through a hard time right now. It’s a bad breakup, okay?” My voice wobbled. My bottom lip trembled.