The Game of Bedfellows

"Kelsey, I'm not letting you take the wine inside! This isn't up for debate! Even if you beg, it's not happening!" "But Troy, this is the only way! My parents divorced, and after my dad got arrested, I lost contact with him. I don't even know if he's still in that prison or how he's doing. My mom doesn't care about him at all, but I do! His birthday is coming up, and I just want to find out where he is!" Kelsey Jenkins said, her voice rising with emotion. "You know what kind of place that is? My boss said those are his guests. They might be able to help, but it's not guaranteed. You can deliver the wine, but getting back out? That's the hard part!" Troy Johnson snapped back, pointing toward the VIP room and slamming the bottle of wine onto the desk beside him. His outburst caught the attention of a few people standing nearby, who turned to glance their way. "I have to do this," Kelsey said firmly. "I'm going in whether you let me or not." "Kelsey!" Troy shouted, grabbing a glass off the table and hurling it to the floor. It shattered, scattering tiny shards that grazed Kelsey's knee. It didn't hurt, but it tickled. She lowered her gaze, but the determination on her face was undeniable. "Do you even know who he is? That man has powerful connections in both business and politics. He's dangerous. I only told you because you said you had no other option. If I'd known, I would've kept my mouth shut so you could never find him." "Why?!" Kelsey's eyes welled up with tears, her voice shaking as she faced Troy. "He might not mean anything to my mom, but he's still my father. I just want to go to Hillcrest and find out the truth about why he was locked up. What did I do wrong?!" That thought had been growing inside her for twelve years, a seed that had finally blossomed into an unstoppable force. Kelsey knew that if she didn't go now, she'd never find the answers she was searching for. "It's me who lost a father, not you. Thanks for worrying, but even if he's a criminal, he's still my blood. I have to go!" After her parents divorced, her mom remarried, and Troy was her stepfather's son. Troy was sweating now. His eyes bloodshot, he stepped closer and looked down at Kelsey, speaking slowly, "Do you even understand what kind of people they are? Once you get mixed up with them, things will spiral out of control, and you won't be able to fix it, Kelsey. Just wait a little longer and let me figure something else out. Don't act recklessly!" Kelsey fired back, "Troy, I've already waited twelve years! My dad is in his fifties now. If I don't find him soon and uncover the truth, I might never see him again." She continued, "I was just a kid when he was taken away, and my mom never told me a thing. Besides, she's moved on with her life. I don't want to drag her through that pain again. Let me handle this on my own. Don't get anyone else involved." Since the divorce, her father had been hers and hers alone. He no longer had any connection to her mother. Troy sighed, his resolve weakening. Fine. If this was the only way, maybe they had no choice. It was the one thing Kelsey had wanted for years, so he figured he might as well help her out this once. Troy grabbed a bottle of wine from the shelf, placed it on a tray, and handed it to her. "If you're dead set on going, just go ahead. But this is the last time I'm helping you. Call my name if something happens. I'll be right outside," he said. She wasn't his biological sister, but their relationship had always been solid. Hearing Kelsey speak like that made Troy feel conflicted. They rode the elevator in silence. As it ascended, neither of them said a word. "Room 509," Troy finally spoke. "There are four men inside. The one sitting in the middle is the one we talked about. Be careful, and if anything goes wrong, call me immediately." Kelsey noticed the tension in his expression. She smiled softly. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." When they reached the door of room 509, Kelsey handed her coat to Troy. Underneath, she was wearing tight-fitting clothes. The other women around were in dresses, but she didn't have time to change into one, so she could only leave her coat outside. Holding the tray in one hand, she knocked with the other. A voice called from inside, "Come in." Kelsey opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit room. She paused for a moment to adjust to the low light before scanning around. There were more people than Troy had mentioned—four men and three women, with the women clearly there to entertain. The man closest to the door was in a white shirt. He noticed her first. As she leaned down to set the bottle on the table, she heard him call out to another man in a teasing tone, "Hey, Nikolas, take a look at this one. She seems fine." Kelsey stood up straight, her eyes following the white-shirted man's gaze. The man named Nikolas sat in the middle, with the seat next to him noticeably empty. The moment she entered, she noticed that there was one woman missing. So, that's where the missing woman was supposed to be—right beside him. He turned his head slightly, giving Kelsey a quick once-over. Their eyes met, and the man let out an almost mocking laugh before saying in a low voice, "I can't see her clearly." It was him—the man they had mentioned before. His deep eyes were shadowed by the dim light. Even with the darkness, Kelsey couldn't ignore the undeniable presence he exuded. The man's chiseled face didn't detract from his striking good looks. His piercing blue eyes held an unreadable emotion as he lazily swirled the glass in his hand. His black shirt hung loosely around his neck, adding extra allure to his charm. Kelsey knew instantly—this was her target. The room was filled with music, and someone was singing karaoke, but she caught his words loud and clear. The man in the white shirt, Barney Farrow, chuckled as he turned to Kelsey. "What are you waiting for? Nikolas wants you to come closer!"