The King Brothers- The Complete Series

by G. Bailey

  "It's strange seeing you smile so much," I say, tracing his lips with my finger, while Jake lightly snores on my shoulder.

  "I have a damn good reason now, angel," he says, making me blush. Elliot plays with my hair, making me sleepy, while Harley talks to Izzy.

  "So what's your friend, Tilly, like?” he asks.

  “She has just turned twenty, and she is a book editor. She and Devon, her older brother, work together. They own a publishing business. She joined him a year ago, after her university writing course was done. She loves her job and, well, she is a brilliant person. You'll like her, and oh! She has the brightest-red hair you’ll ever see, and it's real," she tells him, and us.

  "Are her brothers all red-heads, then? Boys never look hot with red hair. Except for that guy in Game of Thrones. You know, the big wildling," I say, and Elliot squeezes my knee, making me look at him with a questioning stare.

  He doesn't reply, just looks forward, which makes me think it might have been about calling another guy hot.

  "No, they look like their dad; they all have dark-blond hair, like yours. I think I know what guy you mean, but there’s only one love for me in that show," she comments.

  “Let me guess, Jon Snow?” I ask, and she nods as Blake tickles her.

  “I feel like I know her already, from what you’ve told us,” I say, changing the subject when the guys look like they want to kill us. I guess listening to your girlfriends talk about other guys being hot is not fun.

  "You'll love her. She says anything that comes to her head, like you do, but she is so bubbly. I can’t remember ever seeing her upset about anything. She could just make everything better."

  "I don't say everything, you guys would be scared of me if I did," I say, and everyone laughs.

  "Last week, you commented about my hair after I woke up and told me I looked like my hair had been fucked instead of me," Izzy says flatly.

  "So? It did," I say, and the boys laugh.

  “Blake’s mum was there. She came over to make us breakfast,” Izzy says with a playful glare. Elliot laughs next to me, and I grin.

  "Angel, I like that you say what you think; not a lot of people do anymore," Elliot says, kissing my forehead.

  “Maisy just texted me and said their flight has been delayed. They aren’t sure how long they will be,” Harley says, drinking from a bottle of water.

  “That sucks. Let’s hope they don’t lose their suitcases, that always happens when something goes wrong,” Izzy replies.

  "Oh, that reminds me, I need to borrow an outfit to go home in tomorrow, Izzy," I tell her.

  "Sure, but why?" she asks.

  "Elliot had trouble working out how to get my clothes off once I was handcuffed,” I tell her, and her eyes widen.

  “You know, you’ll have to remember to get me naked first or I might run out of clothes," I tell Elliot.

  Harley coughs as he chokes on his drink, and Izzy goes bright-red as she hides in Blake's chest, laughing.

  Elliot belts out a loud laugh, and I cover Jake’s little ears.

  I sit back and shrug, realising maybe I am a little too honest, and maybe my friends are right.

  71

  Allie

  “Last dance,” I say to the group of twenty women and the one guy in front of me.

  This is my Saturday class, and it’s nice to be teaching them today. I move through the dance, watching everybody as much as I can. They copy nicely, and I start the song again, letting them do it on their own as I go around the room, correcting what is needed.

  “Nice job, guys. See you next week,” I say, picking my towel up to wipe my head. I grab my bag after rolling the mats up in the room and putting them away.

  Izzy and Maisy aren’t in class today because Maisy said Jake kept her and Seb up all night teething, and Izzy has gone to help so they can get a little sleep. Poor little man. I will pop into the shops and get him some ice lollies to sooth his teeth. Hopefully, I can find the sugar-free baby ones I’ve seen Maisy give him.

  “So? You finally got what you wanted?”

  I turn from locking the cupboard door and see Lily walking over to me. She looks perfect, as usual; her long, red hair in a bun, while she’s wearing tight jeans and an even tighter, blue top.

  “What?” I ask.

  “Elliot. You finally have him to yourself,” she says, stopping close to me.

  “Yes, I do,” I reply. I don’t mean it sound cruel, but I know it does. Lily always knew how I felt about Elliot, but she started dating him anyway. We stayed friends, but she was never a good friend to me. I think she just kept me close so she could keep me away from Elliot.

  “Don’t expect it to last long. I knew he always wanted you, but it was me he always came to. I know all about your father.” She steps closer.

  Elliot told me that Lily used to come to The Cage. He said he never really cared that she was there. Nothing like the reaction I got when I went. I don’t understand how she could go and watch him fight all those years and still be a bitch to him by cheating on him.

  “I know because Elliot invited me to every fight. He wanted me there, and he was my best friend. Feelings like that don’t just go away. Did he tell you we planned our future together? The club he bought, I helped him choose,” she says, trying to make me jealous. I hate that it is working.

  “I don’t have time for this. You’re a two-timing bitch and a crappy friend,” I tell her and walk around her to the door.

  “He won’t stay away from me. Just wait and see,” she says behind me.

  I don’t believe a word. I know Elliot isn’t crazy enough to go back to her. He would tell me if he saw her; at least, I hope he would. I don’t have any exes around, but I would tell him if I was chatting to one.

  “Can I have a word, Allie?” Harley asks me as I walk outside the room. Harley is dressed in a blue suit, which gives him a scary mixed with sexy appeal. His hair is long, and I’ve never seen it down; he keeps it in a knot at the back of his head, and he sometimes has braids down the side. Harley has a slight stubble, which suits him.

  Why did God have to make all the King brothers so attractive?

  “Sure, what’s up, Harley?” I ask him, thankful for the distraction from Elliot’s ex.

  “My office,” he says, nodding his head in the direction of the right corridor, and I follow him as he walks toward his office. Harley shuts the door behind me, and I take a seat in the chair opposite his desk while he takes his seat on the other side.

  “Why do I feel like I’m back in first school and I’m about to get told off?” I ask, and Harley laughs.

  “No idea. I want to speak to you about your dance classes.”

  “Oh, go on then,” I say, leaning back in my seat.

  “The instructor who was meant to take over from you, can’t. I’ve had over fifty children and parents sign up on a waiting list for more dance classes. Everyone has asked for you. I want to offer you a job.”

  “That’s a lot,” I say.

  “Yes, it is. The job would be very well-paid, and you would have your choice of the new rooms or the one you have. You would be given a free gym membership and be able to hire a dance assistant. We would be able to offer new classes in the week.”

  “I'll have to think about it. I’m in university now, and I have a few more years before my course is finished,” I tell him.

  “I understand. I will find someone else until you finish. But, if you change your mind, let me know.” Harley nods, a simple smile on his face as he leans back in his chair.

  “Thank you, Harley,” I say, and he nods.

  “One more thing.”

  “Yes, what’s up?”

  “Does your father know about you and my brother?” he asks me.

  “Kind of, but not that we are still together. It’s complicated,” I say, looking away. It’s not like I can tell him about my dad’s warning.

  Harley would make us break up. I know he would do anything to save his brother from any
harm, and as much as I never want Elliot harmed, I can’t make him leave me again. I just can’t.

  “Just be careful, Allie. Also, how did you get that ringtone stuck on Elliot’s phone?” Harley asks me.

  “Oh, it’s an app. It changes the ringtone back, and it just looks like a game app. So even when Elliot buys a new iPhone, it sends the app over. That ringtone is never not going to be funny. I have no plans to tell him,” I say, and Harley laughs.

  “I think I need to borrow this app for Luke’s phone. The little shit keeps eating my salted caramel chocolates. He doesn’t even like them, he just does it to piss me off. Can you send me the link later?” he asks, and I nod, laughing.

  “I have something for you both,” Harley say and pulls out a drawer in his huge desk, looking in it as I wait. He hands me an envelope.

  “What is it?”

  “Open it.” He laughs.

  Inside are some school photos, one of me and Elliot when we were around eight. We were both laughing, and Elliot was pulling a pigtail of mine. I used to love pigtails when I was that age. The rest are our school photos, we used to sit together, until he started hating me.

  “When were these taken? I don’t even remember this day.”

  “It says ‘sports day’ on the back. I found a box of photos in the spare room the other day when I was sorting it out. I don’t know who took them and printed them, but I thought you would like that one.”

  “I really do, thank you, Harley,” I say, slipping it into my bag.

  “A cake would be a great thank you,” Harley suggests.

  “You Kings are all the same. It’s all about food with you guys.” I shake my head, standing up.

  “Lemon cake is my favourite. With icing,” he replies, not caring.

  “I like you, Harley King. I might even add a casserole in as well.”

  “Welcome to the family, Allie,” he says with a laugh as I walk out.

  72

  Elliot

  "Black coffee and one of those peanut cupcakes, thanks," I say to the woman behind the counter at the local coffee shop.

  "Always the same order,” a sweet voice says behind me, and I turn to see my ex, Lily, smiling up at me.

  "Yours is a mocha, right?" I ask, remembering her favourite drink. Despite the fact I wasn't with her for the right reasons, I did try to be good to her.

  "Yep." She smiles, looking happy.

  "Hey, can I have a Mocha too?" I turn, asking the woman who, again, just nods before walking off.

  "Thanks. You didn't need to do that," Lily says, looking down.

  "I know," I say quietly, feeling guilty about how things were between us. I led her on for years, knowing I would never love her. That she was just a distraction.

  "Can we talk?" she asks, taking her drink off the side while I pay.

  "Sure." I glance at her before taking my stuff over to a seat. Lily sits opposite me, looking nervous.

  "You all right?" I ask, having no idea why she wants to talk.

  "Yes, I guess. I'm just sorry. Look, I shouldn't have cheated on you. I always knew why you were with me, and I wanted someone to actually want me first."

  "Right. No, you shouldn't have, but what I did was just as bad. I shouldn't have used you like that, and I'm sorry, too," I say before taking a sip of my hot drink. I have actually cheated on her over the years. Not because I wanted to, but because they paid my father for me. I hated myself for it, but I never went looking for anyone else until we broke up. It only happened a handful of times, and I was lucky because I know Harley had it worse.

  "So, you’re happy now? With Allie?" She smiles, looking relieved.

  "Yes," is all I say, because I don’t want to discuss my feelings for Allie with my ex.

  I think I'm in love with her. I haven't been able to say it out loud because what I feel for Allie has scared the crap out of me.

  "Good. I've met a guy at university." She blushes and places her hand over mine on the table. I move my hand away.

  "That's good, Lil," I say, using the nickname I always called her.

  "I really loved you, but now I understand that it wasn't enough. I hope Allie makes you feel that way. Can you tell her I’m sorry about the other day? I was jealous and angry. I should have been a better friend to her," Lily says, standing up and holding her drink.

  "I'm moving to my auntie’s, so I don't think we will see each other again. I'm glad we talked. I am sorry for the mess I caused, but I hope I can leave us as friends," she says, and I nod.

  Lily leaves while I sit back and think more about my relationship with Allie. It's difficult with her father, the man I want to kill for what he did to my family.

  A kid runs past my table to the front of the shop, and I hear his dad shout, “Come here, Mike, you silly kid.”

  "Kid, come here," Arthur’s voice carries across the room at his apartment.

  I want to say no, but I'm here with Dad and I can't. I can't because Harley was meant to come, but Dad broke his arm and Harley won't tell me why. I think it's to do with Dad’s new girlfriend. I glance over at her while she is making out with my dad. It's gross to see, considering she has very little clothes on. My dad doesn't care, and I've seen the way his girlfriend, Frankie, looks at Harley sometimes. It’s like he is food. Frankie is pretty with short, black hair, but she is very skinny. She has marks all up her arm. Harley won't tell me what they are, but I’m fourteen, not stupid. I know it’s drugs. I have seen Dad putting those needles in his arms. They make him crazier than usual.

  "Boy!" Arthur shouts louder, making me flinch, and I walk over to stand in front of him. Arthur has a young girl sitting next to him, she looks around eighteen. She seems spaced out while Arthur runs his hand up and down her leg.

  "Have you kissed a girl yet, boy?" he asks, drinking his beer. I blush, thinking of Allie, Arthur’s daughter, at my school. With her blond, wavy hair and pretty, blue eyes, she looks like a doll, and I can't stop thinking about her.

  "No, sir," I answer, knowing if I call him anything else, my dad will beat me for it. He loves Arthur, calls him his brother when they aren’t even brothers.

  "Lucy, give him a kiss," Arthur laughs, and my dad joins in behind me.

  Lucy stands up in front of me and presses her cold lips to mine. I want to cry and scream that this isn't what I want, but I don't. I just stand there.

  "Good, now go wait in my bed." He smacks her ass as she practically runs to the bedroom upstairs.

  "Remember, boy, I’m watching you, and you now owe me." Arthur laughs, walking past me while I sag in relief that he is gone.

  The noises behind me are loud, and I know my dad is having sex with his girlfriend. I just stand with my back to them, too scared to move because I don't want to see.

  I flinch, wiping the sick memories I have of them both. I force myself to stand up, and I dump my cupcake in the bin, having no appetite for food right now. I lean my hand against the steering wheel in my car after getting in, knowing there is only one person I need right now to help me relax.

  I pop to the florist on the way to Allie’s apartment, picking up twenty red roses, which Izzy told me are her favourite. This is the third time I’ve brought her flowers, I must love her. I'm that crazy about her that I asked my sister a load of questions so I knew what gifts to get her. To say Izzy was shocked would be an understatement.

  I knock on the door when I get there, twenty minutes later, and a tired-looking Blake opens the door.

  "Good, you’re here. Allie and Izzy have a bug. I'm not feeling good, dude," Blake says before running off, and I hear him throwing up in the bathroom. I want to help, but I know it will be worse for him to have me watch him get sick. I leave Blake to it and find my girl in bed. It's clear she is ill, as she doesn't even notice me come in. Why the fuck didn’t she text me or tell me?

  "Oh, Allie," I mutter, feeling her hot forehead as she sleeps. She is covered with a blanket, and there's a bucket of sick on the floor next to a pile of wet hand towels.
She is sweating loads, so I take off my jacket and put down the flowers.

  I clean the room first, getting her a clean, empty bowl and a glass of water. I call our family's private doctor, and he agrees to come over in an hour for a price that I don't care about.

  I strip Allie, who only mutters something, and change her into clean pyjamas. I find a clean blanket for her, a thin one so she doesn’t get too hot. I haven’t been in her bedroom here before. It doesn’t surprise me that nearly everything is pink and bright. That’s Allie for you.

  I leave Allie for a second longer than I want to and go knock on Izzy and Blake's door. No one answers so I go in, finding them both in the same condition on the bed. Gage comes back while I’m leaving Izzy’s room to get my phone from Allie’s.

  “They are all sick. If you want to get sick too, stick around,” I say, and he shakes his head.

  “Anything I can do?” he asks.

  “Nah, I’m sorting it,” I tell him. I don’t like him, and I don’t want him helping my girlfriend, best friend, or my sister.

  “Sure, I'll. Err . . . be back soon.” Gage leaves as quickly as he came.

  I grab my phone from my leather jacket.

  Me: Izzy, Allie, and Blake are ill and I could use some help looking after them. Elliot.

  I text this to Blake's mum, Summer, who is a nurse, and I know she will want to help. I’m really fucking lucky I have her number because of a joke with Blake years ago when I threatened to ask his mum on a date. I wasn’t serious, but it was fucking funny at the time.

  Blake's mum: Be there soon. Keep them in bed.

  I put my phone away before going to empty the bowl by Izzy’s bed and finding a new one for Blake, who is in bed. They are both fast asleep, but Izzy wakes up when I'm checking her forehead.

  "Elliot?"

  "I'm here. I've got a doctor coming soon, and Summer is on her way. One of you should have called." I sigh.

  "I was fine this morning, but then I suddenly wasn't. God, I feel like shit," she mutters, making me smile.

  "You look it," I say plainly.