Page 116 of Vicious Knight

Caspian and I sit next to each other, while Kai sits in front of us.

“You certainly keep a man like me in business.”

“What have you got for me?” I don’t have time for chit-chat or his riddles tonight.

“Not a lot, I’m afraid. Your uncle is a very secretive man. I guess that’s what makes him so fitting for his line of work.”

I raise my brows. “For a hundred thousand you better have something useful to tell me.”

The tick in his jaw tells me he doesn’t like what I said, and if I were anyone else I wouldn’t live long enough to take my next breath. “Aleksander is making a special blend of fentanyl.”

“Fentanyl?” Caspian looks from Kai to me, narrowing his eyes. “That makes no sense.”

It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s similar to morphine but a hundred times stronger. People use it to manage pain but it sells for a pretty penny on the streets. Especially when it’s mixed with other street drugs.

“How did you find this out?” Caspian asks.

“I have sources from the logistics company he’s used before. They’re expecting a shipment of this fentanyl in three months’ time. Aleksander made the order yesterday.”

“The Knights already have an alliance with the Ramirez cartel, who produce fentanyl,” I cut in. Aleksander has the world’s finest at his beck and call. That’s why this makes no sense.

“Perhaps Aleksander has his reasons for getting it somewhere else,” Kai surmises. His expression holds the same air of mischief as before. I can never tell if he’s being completely open and honest, or if he’s holding things back.

“You sound like you might know more than you’re saying.” I level him a hard stare.

“That is all I know, young one. Men like your uncle are good at hiding secrets, so what you need to ask yourself is what is he hiding from you this time? What might he not want you to find out?”

I’ve asked myself those questions already. But as simple as they are, he’s right. Men like Aleksander are good at hiding secrets.

And now we know he’s cooking up some special blend of fentanyl.

What for?

“Keep an eye on this for me. I’ll pay you more. More than him if he finds out we’ve been around here.”

Kai dips his head. “You know where my allegiance lies.”

“Of course.” Bastard. He’s trying to tell me that if Aleksander pays him more than he thinks I can pay, he’ll screw me over.

I stand, signaling the meeting is over, and Caspian follows.

We let ourselves out and wait until we’re outside the club before we speak.

“My father is a man of many mysteries.” Caspian shakes his head. “Why would he need to get fentanyl supplied by a black-market dealer who’s banned from associating with the Knights?”

“It’s something he wants to hide from us. I’m going to keep my eyes on Claudio.”

“What can I do?”

“Keep an eye on your father. It’s easier for you to do it.”

“Sure.”

I hate vague shit like this. It leads you to that make-or-break moment where most people are stumped.