King Me (King Me Duet 1)

“I’m not leaving New York until those results are back,” I said.

Connor sighed. “We figured you’d say this.”

Then it hit me. “Are you kicking me out of the hotel? Because that’s fine. I’ll find my own place.”

Bailey gave her husband the side eye before saying, “We aren’t kicking you out.”

“The hell we aren’t,” Kalen barked back.

Lizzy held up a hand. “I have a better idea. You can stay at my old place.”

Connor immediately spoke up. “No. He can stay at my place in Soho.”

Lizzy held firm. “That doesn’t make sense for what you’re about to offer.”

That piqued my interest. I would have asked, what offer, but Connor countered her. “Then my Manhattan place.”

She patted his hand that rested on her shoulder. “That’s ours and with all the customizations you have there, it makes more sense for him to stay at my place. You know I’m never going back there and would have sold it, but Matt wanted a place to crash when he’s in New York.”

The way they looked at each other when she mentioned the customizations made me wonder.

“Fine,” Connor said before looking at me. “You can stay at Lizzy’s old place. It’s a two bedroom in Manhattan about a five-minute drive from here without traffic.”

“What’s the offer?” I asked.

Kalen took the lead. “We know about your training in the Air Force. We know about certain missions where you conveniently had emergency landings in enemy territory.”

What the fuck? How could they know this? That was top level, classified, most of the world didn’t know the Air Force had a covert team, information. Especially when that team had only been created when I was enlisted.

He didn’t stop there. “The point is, I have mate that owns a security firm. He could use a guy with training like yours with the added benefit that you can fly planes and helicopters.”

“Who says I’m looking for a job? I have one flying planes for my uncle—our uncle.”

“True,” Connor agreed. “But based on your background, I bet you’re bored. And with everything going on we need someone with your specific skills.”

Something wasn’t making sense. I called them out on it. “Kalen said he had a mate. But now you are saying you.”

“I did. We hire security through Griff. We need someone to run the old man to appointments for treatment at the hospital. With the virus the way it is, having him flown there will limit his contact with anyone.”

“Treatments?”

Connor shook his head. “Sorry, until we can figure out how you fit into the family, that’s need to know.”

I wanted to roll my eyes. “What makes you think I’m a good candidate for the job?” Why would they want me alone with our father?

“Seeing as you would be flying the helicopter, your life would be in jeopardy if you tried anything. Besides, his nurse or one of us would accompany him as well.”

“How does that fit with security?” I asked.

Kalen said, “If things work out, we may ask you to take our wives or kids places they need to go. We’ve had some trouble in the past and we want someone who can handle themselves with them at all times.”

There had been some stories in the news. All of them had been unsubstantiated.

Connor handed me an envelope. “Here is an offer and documentation you would need to fill out. We can give you a couple of days to think about it.”

I opened the manila envelope and took out all the paperwork, holding back shock when I saw the salary offer. “Like I said, I have a job. I can’t do this full time. Uncle Ted may need me to fly a charter for his clients.”

“Do you fly internationally?” Kalen asked, interest piqued. “We have a corporate jet.”

“It depends on the size of the jet. Though Grant’s more your guy for that,” I said, still looking at the amount they were willing to pay me.

“We can work out a daily or hourly rate. You think about it.”

Lizzy pulled out keys to the place in Manhattan. “Here. This will get you access.”

Connor gaped. “You had this planned?” he asked his wife.

She only shrugged.

“You’ll have the hotel tonight. I bet you still have things there,” Bailey said.

I really liked her even more than the rest.

“My place has a garage where you can park your truck. And thanks again for the ride the other day,” Lizzy added.

“No problem. And congrats,” I said to the new parents.

She smiled up at Connor. “Our son is the spitting image of his father.”

His jaw tightened and she patted his hand again. There was something there I couldn’t put my finger on. He didn’t seem at ease with his new role as father.

“One more question?” I asked, trying to break the tension. I got to my feet. “How does our father feel about this arrangement?”