Shadow of Blood [VegasPete]

Chapter 18

Kinn watched as his guards fanned out around the room while he was getting comfortable in the lounge. A girl walked up to the table as soon as he sat down to put a glass on it, before opening a sealed bottle of Chivas Royal Salute and pouring him a finger of it. She bowed to him, then stood to the side, just out of hearing distance.

Kinn lifted the glass and smelled the liquor before sipping it, letting it roll on his tongue, enjoying its taste. He glanced to the side when he saw some movement at the door, then looked down at the amber liquid in his glass as the man walked up on the stairs to the raised platform to sit on the other side of the glass table.

He was around his late forties but already portly from his indulgences, his salt and pepper hair thinning at the sides. He had strong features that may have been considered handsome in his youth but now an arrogant grimace distorted his face as he unbuttoned his dark blue suit jacket and watched the girl walk closer. He just looked at her, his eyes sliding down on her body before sending her away with an annoyed hand movement. She looked at Kinn as she turned, then left the room through the service door at the back when he nodded.

"I'm surprised that you invited me here." The man pointed at the poles on the platform next to the lounge. "From my understanding, this isn't to your... taste."

"We thought you would feel more at home here." answered Kinn, taking another sip of his drink.

The man frowned for a moment, before he tilted his head to look at the younger. He was wearing the face of a man who thought he was becoming dirty just by being in the same room with the other.

"We?" his eyes slid over Kinn's guards as if searching for someone.

"Me and my... partner..." Kinn scowled a little ath the word.

"Your partner?" The man's disgust was very apparent now as he talked "Bringing that to your meetings now? Not a surprise that you are getting weak, boy."

Kinn's fingers clenched around his glass, but he didn't react otherwise. He was used to these kinds of jabs after all, even if they got more personal ever since he stopped hiding his relationship. At least Porsche wasn't in the room now to hear it.

"I think he meant me."

The man turned his head at the voice and watched as Vegas walked up the two stairs, then sat on the other edge of the same side where Kinn was. He was wearing a dark navy, almost black silk shirt under his black suit jacket. He had his hair styled to the side, away from the right side of his face, some locks falling before his eye.

"I think you know each other." said Kinn, looking at the man when he didn't say anything and just continued to frown at his cousin.

"Not personally."

Vegas looked almost amused as the other measured him, his eyes lingering on his scars, before sliding off his frame and looking at Kinn once more.

"Teaming up? That is very different from how your father ran his business."

"But now our fathers are dead." Vegas put his arms on the back of the couch while he talked "It's strange isn't it, how the older generation seems to be replaced one by one."

"I'm surprised to see the first family bowing to the second." the man continued to talk while still looking at Kinn, but the other didn't react to his bait.

"I bet not as surprised as we were when we found your men at Sai Mai." Vegas smirked as the man turned his head to look at him "You were told to keep your business to Rangsit as part of our deal."

"The deal I made with Korn." the older one relaxed into the seat and made a swiping gesture at his lapels as if removing some dirt "A deal that should be renegotiated now."