Chapter Eleven

The next day Kiora opened the door of her apartment to see Russ standing there.

“Russ!” She exclaimed hugging him tightly, “What are you doing here?”

“Danny sent me. You ARE my partner.” He teased and she stood back to let him in her apartment,

“I know, but he didn’t want you here.”

“He does now, Jackson’s with me to help out.” Russ shrugged,

Kiora flopped down on the couch; “My father’s going to drive me crazy.” She sighed laying back on the couch.

“Even more crazy when you hear about this new assignment.” He said tossing a folder in her lap.

Kiora sat up straight, “I’m not done with JC yet!”

Russ gave her an empathetic look. He knew Kiora’s relationship with her father was strained as it was and it was always his job to keep it together. “It’s a quickie. Manager that went bad. It’ll take us two days tops.”

“What if it screws up JC?” She asked as she opened up the folder to read over the papers,

Russ smirked, “You’re good, you won’t.”

She rolled her eyes, “I’m so glad he trusts me so much.” She stretched out on her couch as she went over the file. She had a feeling that Russ had more to tell her. Kiora looked at him over the side of the folder, “Care to share?”

Russ knew she would pick up on the fact that there was something else he needed to tell her. “Oh yeah, Danny J is coming to Orlando for a while.” He said as nonchalantly as possible.

“What? Why?” She asked looking up from the papers. Her brother had enough places to get into trouble back in LA.

He shrugged, “I have no idea. He decided that LA wasn’t exciting enough.”

Kiora then knew exactly why her brother was coming to Orlando. “I can’t clean up after him if I’m in Florida.” She retorted going back to her reading.

Russ sighed at the age old argument between them, “Why do you?”

“Because he’s my brother Russ. I can’t let him go.” She explained for the millionth time. Unfortunately, Russ never accepted that explanation.

Russ knew how hard Kiora worked to keep Danny J out of trouble. More than once it had landed her in the emergency room. “One of these days he’s gonna take you down with him.”

Kiora didn’t even look up from the folder, “He won’t, I’m good, remember?”

Russ rolled his eyes, he knew he would never get through to her. “No one’s THAT good.”

“I’m not having this discussion with you Russ.” She said trying to end the conversation, but Russ didn’t take the hint.

“You’re not much of a partner if you’re dead or in jail.” He retorted, trying to appeal to the practical side of her.

“Quit it Russ.” She said sharply and he knew he was pissing her off. Of course that never stopped him from pushing it further.

“Kee-”

“No.” She said shortly and got up from the couch. “Come on, let’s get this case over with.”

Russ sat there for a moment staring at Kee. He hated the fact that the people that she called family didn’t give a shit about her. Her brother and father didn’t deserve to have her in their lives. She was the most important person to him, she was his family and he’d do anything for her. “Kay, let’s go.” Russ sighed dropping their argument and following her out of the apartment.

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