by A. J. Macey
If he found out I was attracted to him, I was so fucked.
Theo
The bedroom door down the hall slammed, the startling sound echoing through the now empty living space. My fists clenched tighter, and my jaw ached from grinding my teeth. She got the last word in, damn it. Only Mila Walker could do that and get away with it, my traitorous mind thought gleefully, but I ignored the thought.
Glancing around, I took in the space in more detail now that I didn’t have her breathing down my neck or glaring a hole in the side of my head for being in her space. It was a nice house, sleek and well decorated, not something I would have expected for a Phantom, thinking they had no class or style. I mulled over her admission about the house, and I sighed, realizing it was as good a plan as any.
If I was honest, it was the best plan we had at the moment. Not that I would ever tell her that. She’d never shut up about it. On the same note, I was irritated, wondering if the Phantoms had any kind of self-preservation.
“I mean, seriously, who the hell lets their archrival stay with them?” I muttered.
Apparently, Mila does.
Shaking my head, I dislodged the little minx from taking my focus and dug out my phone. It only took a few rings before Sam’s voice filled the speaker.
“What?” Rolling my eyes, I bit back my snarky comment and stuck to explaining.
“There’s been... an unforeseen complication,” I told him.
“With the information?” he snapped in frustration, his grumbling quiet over the line.
“No, that went fine. I’ll send it your way soon. What happened was after that.”
There was a beat of silence.
“Well, what happened?” he huffed, clearly expecting me to continue.
“Ran into Mila Walker,” I started, moving to pace the length of the living space. “Some inspectors came by as we were leaving and tried to arrest her for murder.”
“How is that our problem?”
Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.
“Apparently, whoever actually killed the guy had an accomplice. And since I had the most unfortunate of fucking luck, they tried to arrest me, too.”
“Wait, are you saying she didn’t kill whoever?”
“She says she didn’t, but she’s a Phantom, so her words about as useful to me as eating soup with a fork.”
“Alright, next point of contention. You were arrested?”
I knew he was grinding his teeth in irritation based on the short and clipped tone he was using.
“Not exactly,” I hedged with a grimace. “We’re safe, but I’m not sure what the next move should be or what the hell we’re going to do.”
“Jesus, your brothers and you are giving me grey hair,” Sam muttered.
Chuckling, I couldn’t argue. “Hate to break it to you, Sam, but you’ve been going grey for a while now.”
“Fuck off and stay safe until we have a plan in place. I’ll poke around and figure out what the hell happened and which inspectors are investigating. Send me all information you know or remember when you pass over the intel from our contact.”
“Until then?”
“Try not to kill her?” he offered helpfully before hanging up.
Groaning, I tossed the phone haphazardly onto the couch.
Damn it, second time today, I didn’t get the last word in. I’m losing my touch.
5
Mila
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I opened the bedroom door and stepped into my living space. Theo stood in the middle of the room, lips pursed in a harsh scowl, his eyes sharp. I cocked a brow at him when his focus snapped to me, silently wondering why he was agitated. Well, more so than when I stormed off earlier.
“Like what you see?” he snapped with a cocky smirk.
“Ugh,” was all I could bring myself to respond with. Ignoring his surprised expression, I walked into the kitchen, too tired to deal with this bullshit. I opened cabinets to find the ingredients needed for a meal.
“What are you doing?” he asked, no animosity in his tone, only curiosity.
I chuckled and looked over my shoulder, the tinkling of the spoon against the mugs I’d procured mixing with my laughter.
“Making lunch and hot chocolate,” I explained honestly. Turning back around and reaching up, I popped onto my tiptoes and snatched the new bottle of Bailey’s. I was vaguely aware of Theo watching me, but I forced my tense muscles to relax. If he was going to attack me, he would have done so while I was in the shower and vulnerable.
At least, that’s what I kept telling myself as I dumped a shot of alcohol in each mug.
“Here,” I offered, holding out one of the drinks. “And no, I didn’t poison it.”
His eyes narrowed, but he took it gingerly.
Better than I expected. Taking a long sip of my chocolatey beverage, my eyes fell in a moment of relaxed bliss—only for it to be ruined when my stomach tightened painfully with hunger.
“What do you want to eat?” I asked.
“Why?”
I huffed, glaring at him. “Because I’m hungry, and I’m going to make something, but if you’d rather starve, go right ahead.” Waving away Theo’s annoying behavior, I started chopping vegetables and heating a well-oiled pan over the stove.
“I’ll just have whatever you’re going to make. I’m not picky,” he stated.
I didn’t bother responding, choosing to nod instead. The tension between us was already awkward, and I wasn’t keen on making it worse by talking. Theo thought the opposite.
“What are you making?”
“Stir fry. Fast and simple.” I shrugged as if it explained everything.
“Fast and simple? You’ve literally just spent the last ten minutes chopping veggies and meat.”
I snorted. “If you think ten minutes is long and arduous, I feel bad for any woman who unfortunately tumbles into your bed.”
“We’re talking food, not sex,” he noted dryly. “But I’m curious why your mind is on my cock.”
As I tossed food into the pan, my face burned, and I was thankful to be facing the stovetop with my back to Theo. I could practically feel his self-assured smirk and didn’t want to give away that I had, in fact, been thinking about him while I was in the shower.
“I don’t,” I told him coolly. “Just wondering if all the Kings’ have such shitty sex skills or just you.”
He growled, and a smirk spread across my face. He was silent for a long moment, so I focused on finishing the dish. I had just removed the pan from the burner and stepped over to the cabinets when I felt warm muscles brush against my back. Stilling, my heart ratcheted up until it was thundering in my ears. Adrenaline pooled in my veins, readying for whatever he might do.
“Would you like to find out?” he murmured in a deep rumble. I couldn’t suppress the shiver that worked down my spine. He chuckled, a wash of warm air flowing down my neck. I turned, narrowing my gaze on him.
So close, I realized a little too late. His face was only a few inches from mine as rich brown eyes took me in, seeming to look right through me. His hands came to rest on the counter on either side of my hips, and as he moved closer, the scent of cedar and mint surrounded me.
“Why on Earth would I want that?” I challenged, hoping I sounded more flippant than I felt. My heart was galloping, and my body was taut as I tried to breathe. Unfortunately, my words were breathy. Traitorous bastards.
“Hm,” Somehow, he leaned even closer until our bodies were pressed together. I tried to hook onto the anger from earlier, the disgust of wanting anything remotely sexual with him, but it was as if my mind and body had run away from me. “I think you know very well what I can do, seeing how you’re so attuned to the sexual tales of the King family. I could make you scream, make you utterly fall apart, Mila.”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, a wave of need coiled throughout me.
Guess I was right earlier about Theo staying here.
I am so fucked.
> Theo
It took everything in me to not smirk in triumph. Trapped between me and the counter, Mila’s pupils were blown out wide as she stood there frozen. It was a picture worth committing to memory, even if I had never intended to pester her like this. She was my rival, my family’s enemy. I hated her, but I wanted her just as much if my throbbing cock pressing into her hip was any indication.
“Cat got your tongue, love?” I taunted. Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say. Her dazed expression shifted to a seething scowl. Shoving my chest, Mila knocked me away from her.
“You can talk a big game, King, but there is no way I’d give into someone I despise,” she spat, her fists tightening until her knuckles were stark white against her golden tan skin. “I only have enough energy to fight off one dick, I’m told to like and fuck. I don’t need you adding to that fucking number.”
A red-hot poker lanced through my gut, and I sneered. I tried to quell the strange possessive urge to demand answers but couldn’t stop the words from leaving my lips.
“Who?”
“Why the fuck do you care?” she shouted.
“Who are you supposed to be fucking?” I hissed, stepping closer.
The tension was thick in the air, both of us glaring and panting in our anger, but she refused to answer. Once again, she stormed off, leaving me alone in the living space of her house.
“Fuck,” I muttered, grabbing the wooden utensil left on the counter and chucking it across the room. The clattering of it hitting the wall filled the room but did little to minimize the cold urge to find out who Mila was talking about. It was a startling notion, especially about a Phantom. The two of them had always been at each other’s throats, so it wasn’t odd to be threatened by a new player taking her focus away from their verbal spats.
Right?
Groaning in frustration, I hunched over and braced my hands on the counter. I missed her lean body between my arms. My still-erect cock twitched behind the denim. Resigning it wouldn’t go away without assistance, I turned and headed to the bathroom.
She may not have given in, but that doesn’t mean I can’t use my imagination.
6
Mila
I found myself, once again, staring at the master suite with the urge to punch something. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was pissed at Theo or the fact I was so turned on, my panties were slick against my skin. I tried to take a few deep breaths, willing the feeling of him against me out of my thoughts, but it was no use.
Growling, I stormed to the bed and climbed up, settling myself against the pillows and headboard. Shucking my pants, I was left in only my lace underwear and tank top.
If I am going to be hot and bothered about him, I might as well just get it out of my system.
Once and for all.
I was already seated at the table with a half-drunk cup of coffee and an empty bowl of cereal when Theo stirred from his sleep. As he shifted on the couch, he groaned, and I resolutely refused to acknowledge how much the guttural sound affected me. Once and for all, I reminded myself.
“Morning,” he murmured when he realized I was sitting only a few feet away.
“Morning.” My voice level, not harsh but not too friendly.
“How long have you been up?” He glared at the coffee pot as if he couldn’t understand how it was almost empty. Shaking his head, he grabbed another mug and poured the remaining liquid.
“Few hours.”
His brow rose in a silent question as he sat across the table, but I focused on sipping my third cup of the day. We didn’t speak for a while, more worried about being fueled on caffeine than conversing.
The one thing Theo was keen on doing was staring at me. It was hard to avoid looking at him, but even as I did so, his gaze was burning against my skin. Finally, after a long ten minutes, I huffed in annoyance.
“What?” I questioned sharply. All he did was cock a brow, which only made me want to scream, but I ground my teeth and took a deep breath. “Is there something you want to discuss, or are you going to just stare? It’s typically considered rude, you know.” Theo chuckled, setting his mug down and leaning forward to brace his forearms on the table.
“I wanted to talk about yesterday.” At his words, I struggled not to pale. “The whole murder charge you’re adamant you didn’t do?” he clarified, but I didn’t miss the sparkle in his eyes at my reaction.
Bastard.
“What would you like to know?” I murmured suspiciously.
“Well, seeing as how I am also wanted for questioning, I would like to know what the hell happened to get to this point,” his tone was dry as he stared at me.
Sighing, I nodded, struggling to get my thoughts together.
“Travis Dorchester, the man who was murdered, had been around the Phantoms’ complex, associating with one or two members, neither of who was me,” I tacked on with a finger in the air to clarify. “I honestly have no clue what they were doing together. I wasn’t privy to the information.”
“Wasn’t privy? Aren’t you the next in line?” he asked, honest confusion filling his words.
At least, I’m not the only sensible one when it comes to family business.
Theo
Mila chuckled, the sound cold and callous, and a shiver trailed down my spine. I hadn’t expected my question to upset her, but whatever I said clearly impacted her precarious mood.
“That’s what I thought as well,” she murmured, leaning back and bringing her knee up to brace her foot on her chair. “Why the fuck I’m telling you, of all people, but apparently, that’s not the plans my father had in mind.”
“What did he plan then?”
She stayed silent, which only made me more curious.
“Anyway, something went south between Travis and the men he was conversing with at The Phantoms. One day, they were pissed, hissing under their breath about ‘that bastard gets what’s coming to him.’ Though that isn’t necessarily anything new to hear. I’m sure I don’t have to explain a lot of them harbor anger issues.”
“Who were the men Travis was working with?” I asked, tucking away the agreement about anger because the Auckland Kings were very much the same in that respect.
“And I should tell you... why?” she countered with a frown. “How the hell do I know you won’t turn all this information over to the inspectors for a chance to get away clean and leave me to pick up the slack?”
I ground my teeth and held back the urge to shake some sense into her.
“I’m in this with you, whether or not you believe that,” I told her, shocked to realize I actually meant it. “The Kings have been through worse.”
“And?” she asked as if that wasn’t enough of a reason.
“Why would I risk possibly still being implicated by going behind your back? Or worse, painting yet another target on me from the Phantoms? Not to say I don’t enjoy going toe to toe with your ilk, but I try to avoid it as much as possible. I value my sanity and my life.” I huffed at the end of my tirade, leaning back against the chair, mimicking her slumped position.
“Hm,” was all she said before finally nodding and shifting to stand. “I’m going to think about it, see if I can remember anything else.”
I considered arguing, demanding her to stay to tell me more, convince her to explain whatever she was hiding, but I bit back the urge. Whatever it was, I vowed I would find out soon enough.
When I was alone, I stood and snatched my cell off the couch, opening the secured email app to check for messages from Sam. There was nothing new, so I took a moment to send a quick check-in. Before I closed the app, I opened another message to Sam to look into Mila and her past. I may want to believe her story about the house and history, but my curiosity was all-encompassing.
I was determined to know everything about her.
7
Mila
The ceiling was just as bland as it was five hours ago when I flopped back on the bedding and started staring at it. The house was qui
et, the only noise the occasional car passing by. The mixture of silence and lack of visual stimuli allowed me to dissect the last day’s events.
First, and somewhat arguably, the most important to was what my father wanted. There was no way in hell I would marry Stephen or anyone else unless I truly wanted to. The issue was no one went against the boss—no one.
Not even his own daughter.
A sickening sense of dread twisted my stomach. Out—getting out was the only way to not go through with it. How the hell do I get out without getting killed or worse? That led me to the next two events that happened yesterday—charged with murder alongside Theo and well, the aggravatingly sexy man himself.
Could I? I growled, suddenly restless. Shoving off the bed, I paced. Theo said he was in this with me and had connections. Yeah, but what’s to say he wants to waste them on you? I shook the doubts away and on a whim, decided it truly was my best option, at least until the murder charges were dropped. I could figure it out after that.
Maybe I could move to America.
“Let’s get this over with,” I muttered, steeling myself before I could back out, and strode out of the bedroom. Theo was lounging on the couch, flipping through a paperback he must have found on my shelves.
“Mila,” he greeted, not moving from his reclined position. His eyes darted at me over the top of the book.
“As much as I hate to say this,” I started, swallowing the acid creeping up my throat. “I need your help, and you need mine.”
“With?” Theo’s face stayed blank, not giving me anything to work with, so I continued, hoping this wouldn’t be a terrible idea.