Page 53 of Brutal King

Kobe

I WAS ANGRY BEYOND reason. That my father would stoop so low as to vandalize Lee’s restaurant had me gripping my steering wheel as I drove back to the Academy. Yes, my father was actually in town, at the Academy because of the Academy’s annual competition to find the best student chef on campus. Axel just so happened to be competing, although he’d won every single year. This year, however, rumor had it that Kat’s roommate, Layla, was a real threat to his winning streak. As the officiant of the competition, Dad was in town instead of traveling all over the world with Mom, visiting his restaurants.

I had to see him. I had to come face to face with him and hear it from his own mouth. I had to hear how he justified such an act. He was in town, conveniently, and he did see The Lees’ empire as a major rival. Even enough to keep me away from Kat. Perhaps he really wanted me to stay away from Kat enough to sabotage her restaurant.

She had every reason to not trust me. If she only knew what my father would do, she’d keep away from me too.

But Vandalism. Damn it.

I parked near the administration building and rushed into the building.

“Is my dad in?” I asked his secretary.

“Good morning, Kobe,” she said. “Yes, but he’s on a conference call. Maybe you could come back in twenty minutes or so.”

“No,” I said. “It can’t wait. I have to talk to him.”

“Let me see if...” She picked up the receiver of the phone on her desk, but I rushed by before she could warn my dad.

Pushing the double doors open, I barged into his office.

“... I told you. It doesn’t matter. I want only the best. My customers expect the best.” He glanced up at me and waved me to one of the red leather chairs facing his desk.

Instead of sitting down, I crossed my arms over my chest and stood directly in front of him. He smiled at me and once again gestured to the chair, but I stared him down without a hint of amusement.

After a moment, he let out a frustrated sigh. “Excuse me, gentlemen, but it appears that I have a family emergency to tend to. I’ll contact you all shortly.” He ended the call. “What’s going on, son?”

“Are you still feuding with them? Are you so insecure that you would actually sabotage one of their restaurants? Come on Dad. That’s so low... even for you.”

He leaned back in his leather chair and looked at me with a stern yet confused glare. “Do you want to tell me what you’re talking about?”

I pulled out my phone and showed him the photo of the wall with our name all over it. “This. This is what I’m talking about. Our name... your name, spray painted all over the office of Mr. Lee’s newest restaurant. Man, I knew you hated the Lee family, but this is ridiculous.”

He steepled his hands and looked at me... that annoyingly arrogant look.

“Are you going to try to tell me that you didn’t know Mr. Lee was opening a new restaurant not far from here; Ginger.”

He nodded. “Yes. I’d heard about that.” He chuckled deep in his throat.

“I fail to see what’s so funny.”

“It simply amuses me to see how low Lee can go. To accuse me of vandalizing his restaurant. How pathetic.”

“You simply can’t stand the competition, can you? So you have to keep him from opening. What are you really afraid of, Dad?”

“I’m not afraid of Lee.”

“Then what? What could possibly push you to do this?”

Errol King pounded his fist on the desktop and stood, his face red as he stared at me. “It would suit me fine to see all his restaurants destroyed. As a matter of fact, destroying the Lee family would be a pleasure as well.”

“How can you say that?”

He looked at me with hard eyes, his face even redder with anger. “Have you ever known them to be kind to their competition? No. They don’t mind at all. They don’t mind coming into a neighborhood and destroying their rivals. Don’t forget, Kobe.” He waved a stern finger at me. “Lee destroyed our dear friend’s Oyster House in Hong Kong.”

“Hong Kong?” I shot back. “Dad, the Oyster House had to close when China took over Hong Kong. They were unable to survive under the new government regulations. You just find it more convenient to blame Lee, just like you always do.”

He grunted.