The King Brothers- The Complete Series

by G. Bailey

  "You can stay with me," she says, practically jumping up and down as she pulls me into a hug.

  "Sorry, beauty, she can't. Allie’s room is already rented out, and I signed the contract. I forgot to tell you," a tall, blond man, who I recognise from Izzy’s photos, says as he comes to stand next to Izzy while I look him up and down.

  Damn, Izzy is a smart girl. He is hot with a muscular build and a small waist. He has this whole surfer look going on. Standing next to Izzy, they look like the perfect, California blond couple. Like they should be advertising surfboards or something.

  "Good choice," I whisper to Izzy, making her laugh.

  "She can stay here; Elliot's room is empty now, and we have others," Harley says, making everyone look toward him, including me. I don't think he ever stopped looking at me, and it's making me want to squirm under the pressure of his gaze. It's like he knows what I'm running from, and that scares me because no one can know. I ran from France, and from that man, so that people wouldn’t know. I only need a place to stay for a little while until my family comes here, and I hope I’m strong enough to tell them. The thought of telling them anything is making me feel sick.

  "I can stay in a hotel. I don't want to put anyone out," I say, knowing my tone sounds as nervous as I feel.

  "I insist," Harley says, and I know he isn't asking now.

  The man is powerful, and I'm smart enough to know I need to be somewhere safe for a little while just in case my past finds me. This could be a good place to hide, to make sure he doesn’t find me. There’s no doubt he will look into my old home and find out I was friends with Izzy. I’m just hoping none of Izzy’s past can find her here.

  "Well thanks, I’ll pay rent, of course," I say, knowing that I have more than enough to pay for a little while. I am lucky my career is going well enough that I can dip into my savings, but I know long term, I’ll need to plan things out.

  "No, you won't. Izzy can sort out bed sheets for you," Harley says with one more look at me before walking away. I stand in shock for a second before realising I can’t do that. I won’t owe any man anything again.

  "Hey! I will!" I shout at his back as he disappears out of the room, and I hear a chuckle from Harley in the kitchen, damn if his laugh isn't sexy, too.

  "Well, it's nice to meet you, Tilly. Izzy has told me all about you since she came here," the man with the boxes says, holding out a hand for me to shake.

  "You must be Elliot" I guess, remembering Izzy sending me photos of him next to a bike. I shake his hand with a friendly smile, which he returns, well almost.

  "I'm Blake, but you've guessed that," Izzy’s boyfriend says as I let go of Elliot’s hand and look over at him.

  "Yeah, from the fact that missy, over here, has sent me pictures of everyone. That was Harley, right?" I ask, gesturing to the kitchen area. I knew he was good-looking from the photos, but they didn’t do him justice. He is hella hot in person, too.

  "Yes, but tell me all about France and why you're here early." Izzy is practically bouncing up and down in excitement as she talks, making me laugh. I did miss her.

  "Come on, then." I smile and mentally rerun my excuse for being here over and over in my head. It’s not that I don’t trust her, but I just can’t tell her now. I hate lying, but I just can't tell her, or anyone. Not yet.

  She takes my hand, leading me into a big living room area. It's fitted with three leather sofas and a big, old fireplace in the middle of the room. The room has light-brown walls, which match the dark wooden flooring throughout the house. There are two bookcases by the big window, filled with old-looking books, which I will have to have a look at, and the window shows off the impressive garden full of flowers.

  Izzy pulls my arm, so I sit down next to her on one of the sofas, and she starts asking me questions, going a mile a minute. "So? Why did you come earlier? Why not wait? Are you okay? Why didn't you call me?"

  "Beauty, maybe let her speak first," Blake interrupts with a smile at Izzy, who looks over at him as he sits on the sofa opposite us.

  "Yes, sorry. I’m just so happy to see you. Video chats, phone calls, and emails aren’t enough," Izzy says with a little blush, and I squeeze her hand.

  "No, I get it, and it's just work. I have a new client, and it was easier to meet him here than fly back home," I lie, well slightly. I do have a new author who needs edits done and wants to meet, but I don't need to meet her to edit her book. I can always video call if needed.

  "Right." Izzy raises an eyebrow at me, reminding me how she always knew when I was lying when we were younger. I know she is about to call me on it, but I shake my head softly and she squeezes my hand. I have no doubt she will demand to know everything later, but for now, she is letting it go.

  "What do you do for work?" Blake asks into the silence of the room, changing the subject.

  "I’m an editor. I work for myself, which is nice, and I've edited one book that's now an international bestseller," I say, smiling at the thought of how lucky I got with that author. It’s been challenging to set up a client base, but I’m now fully booked for the next two months, and more and more orders are coming in. I also design book covers as an additional job, but it takes too much time when I would rather be editing.

  "That's really impressive, Tilly," Blake smiles.

  At that moment, a wave of sickness hits me hard, like it has been doing all damn week. I know I have to eat something or I will end up throwing up. I rip my bag open to find my ginger biscuits and pull out two. I glance up to see Izzy and Blake looking confused as I eat the second biscuit.

  Damn, another lie; it’s not like I can tell them the truth, so instead I say, "Sorry, I haven't eaten all day and, well, I get sick if I don't eat."

  "Okay, no worries. How about I go and cook us some breakfast?" Blake asks, still looking a little worried as he and Izzy share a strange look.

  "Thanks, I would like that," I answer, and he kisses Izzy on the head as he walks out.

  "You going to tell me the truth now?" Izzy asks the moment the door shuts.

  "No, and please just let me talk to you in my own time. I can't. I just can't," I say, breaking into a sob I can't control.

  The last two weeks have been so hard to stay strong to get here. The last week has been a nightmare of finding my way here and making sure I couldn’t be followed. My family must have been so worried when they saw the note I left them. I will call them soon, when I can tell them.

  Izzy pulls me into her arms and says, “I don’t care why you’re here, but when you’re ready, we will talk because I'm worried. I love you, Tilly, you’re my sister, even if we're not related."

  I nod, wiping my eyes as I pull away.

  "I will, I promise." It's not like I can’t tell her, as in a few months, she will guess. Izzy’s phone rings, and she gets it out of her jean pocket.

  “Luke, Tilly is here!” she says when she answers. “You remember Tilly? The girl I grew up with, the one who went to France?” She pauses to listen, then continues. “That’s brilliant, and okay, tell him congrats. Yeah, that’s great.” There’s another small pause before she responds again. “Okay, see you soon and I will, bye,” she says, putting the phone down.

  “Luke says hi.” She beams at me. "Look, you met Elliot, right? Well, he just got news that he can open his new club this Saturday. Do you want to go? It will be great, and maybe you might meet someone," Izzy says with a wink.

  But the thought of finding anyone at the moment only has the adverse effect of reminding me of my ex. “Sounds good,” I say.

  “Let’s go and make sure Blake hasn’t burnt the kitchen down.” She laughs, holding a hand out for me.

  84

  Tilly

  When we walk into the kitchen, I’m surprised by how modern it is with its light-wood cabinets and a massive, kitchen island with stools dotted around it. The appliances all look expensive, too, but my attention is drawn to Harley, who is sitting on one of the stools. I watch as he loosens his tie a little and
shifts in his seat, almost like he knows I’m looking at him. He is concentrating on his paperwork so he doesn't notice us come in. I sit on a stool opposite him, and Izzy goes to help Blake cook.

  Harley slowly looks up, and my attention fixates on his dazzling, green eyes. There isn't a touch of any other colour in them, just a pure-light green, and it's fascinating. I always thought Izzy’s eyes were a pretty colour. Apparently, she got that from her father’s side.

  "I took your bag up to your room," he tells me after an awkward silence.

  "Thanks. I'm still paying rent," I tell him firmly.

  "No, you’re not," he replies smoothly, almost like he expected me to say that as he puts his paperwork into his briefcase on the table.

  "I am," I mutter louder, and he gives me an amused look. "You can try, and I will just send it back to you." He smirks, leaning back in his chair. Even when he’s clearly challenging me, he is so damn attractive.

  Someone clears their throat behind me, and I turn to see Blake handing me a plate. I accept it and see Izzy with a small smile on her face as she brings some sauces over to us.

  "Why don't you offer her that part-time reception job? That way you both win," Blake offers as he walks to his own seat and holds a chair out for Izzy. That’s sweet.

  "Thanks, Blake, but I can still pay rent," I say, thinking about it. It’s going to be bad enough being around Harley all the time, and I’m likely going to do something stupid like try to kiss him. Or even worse, blurt out how hot he is.

  "That could work. I own a local gym and, two days a week, I need a receptionist to help out. I would drive you there until you sort a car out,” Harley says.

  "All right. That could work around my other job," I say before thinking about it at all. It was like a natural reflex to say yes to him. I mentally sigh and take a bite of the scrambled eggs on toast. Damn, Blake can cook; lucky Izzy.

  "What do you do?" Harley asks, standing up and putting his briefcase on one of the counters by the door.

  I can’t take my eyes off him, and I know I need to. Being attracted to my best friend’s brother isn’t a good idea at the moment. Plus, if my ex follows me here, I need to leave.

  "I'm a book editor, it's a work at home job most of the time. I have a few clients I'm working with currently," I tell him as he gets a bottle of water from the fridge.

  "Impressive, for someone your age," he comments, seeming more interested in looking at me now.

  "It's impressive to own a successful business at your age," I compliment him back, because it is. He can’t be much older than I am, and he owns his own business as well as looking after his brothers and sister, from what Izzy has told me.

  "I have to get to the office. I hope you settle in well," he says before walking past me. I swear I feel his fingers lightly touching my back as he passes me, but I could be imagining things. Or hoping.

  "I’ll be back tonight, Iz. Are you staying over?" Harley asks from the doorway.

  "No, I can't because I have class in the morning and I can't miss it. I’ll be back tomorrow after class for a few days," she says, turning slightly to wink at me.

  "All right, Luke and I can keep your guest busy tonight." Harley sighs, sounding like he would rather be doing anything else.

  "Forget it, I’m tired. I’ll just go to bed early," I say a little too harshly, and I know it’s not really much to do with him but more of my hate for being in this situation. Harley picks up on my tone straight away and smiles.

  "See you tonight, Tilly." With that, he walks out of the room and we hear the front door shut not long after. Did he not just listen to me?

  "You'll like Luke, he has a thing for tattoos, like you," Izzy says around eating her eggs. I remember Izzy telling me Luke is her younger brother and that the twins, Elliot and Sebastian, are only a little older than her.

  "I don't have a massive thing for tattoos," I protest.

  "You have four, and one is all the way from the top of your back to your bum," she points out, and she is right. That’s my biggest tattoo, and it’s a mixture of small vines and flowers of different colours. It took over a month for them to do, as it’s so detailed. My other tattoos are much smaller, like the one in the middle of my wrist, which is a fox, like my last name, Fox. All my siblings have one in the same place, and it only fills me with regret that I couldn’t speak to them before I left. That I couldn’t explain why I need to hide from my ex, their best friend.

  "Well, you have one, too," I whisper, knowing some of her brothers don’t know Luke tattooed her thigh a while ago.

  “What’s your real name? As I’m guessing Tilly is a nickname?” Blake asks as we all finish eating.

  “I don’t tell people my name, it’s horrible, so it’s Tilly,” I tell him.

  “What happens when you get married? Everyone will hear it then,” he replies, picking up the empty plates and taking them over to the side.

  “It’s not that bad anyway,” Izzy says, laughing when I glare at her.

  “It’s horrible, and I’m not getting married anytime soon ... so no one will know,” I say, making them both laugh.

  "Anyway, let me show you to your room," she says.

  I stand up and take my empty plate to Blake as he turns the water on.

  "Okay," I reply as I smile at my oldest friend. I didn’t realise how much I missed her because she has always been more like a sister to me than a friend. I love my brothers, all three of them, and I’ve felt the same kind of love for Izzy.

  Izzy leads me up the giant, wooden stairs and to a long corridor. There are quite a few doors and a little personality, as it’s all filled with paintings of flowers and beaches by the looks of it. I can see another staircase at the end of the corridor, and I wonder what’s on the next floor. Izzy leads me straight to the right and opens a door. The bed is the first thing I see as it’s huge and takes up most of the room with its big, wooden frame, and there is a large wardrobe in the one corner as well. There's a matching wooden box at the end of the bed and a chest of drawers under the window.

  "This one has its own bathroom, so that’s why he gave it to you rather than a spare room." Izzy opens the door to show me a small en-suite shower room with a toilet.

  "I have to pay rent now, this room is incredible," I say, looking around and seeing the cardboard boxes in the corner with a bed store’s company name on them. The bed must be pretty new.

  "Harley is the most stubborn man I've ever met, but what did you think of him?" Izzy asks me, a slightly calculating look running over her face.

  “Handsome, smart, and, well, kind to invite me here, but he clearly isn't aware of how stubborn I can be," I say as I cross my arms, and Izzy chuckles.

  "I guess not." Izzy laughs, coming over and turning serious for a second. "You sure you’re okay?" she asks as she pulls me into a tight hug.

  "I am now, that's all that matters," I whisper, and I feel her tense, pulling back to look at me.

  "Right. Well, I have to get back to my apartment to study, so I’ll see you tomorrow?" she asks.

  "Tomorrow." I nod.

  With another hug, she lets me go and shuts the door behind her. Finally, I let the tears fall; not because I'm upset, but because I know I'm safe, for now.

  85

  Harley

  "Elliot, leave," I say as I hold the door to the basement open, and my dad looks over at me while my loud voice echoes around the room.

  Elliot is twelve, fucking, years old, and Dad is beating the shit out of him. Elliot raises his head off the mat as Dad’s fist stops mid-air at my comment, and I know I'm about to get fucking hell for stopping this.

  They pull apart as Dad stands up, as does Elliot, but far more scarily. His dark hair is matted to his head with sweat, and blood is pouring out of his nose onto the blue mat on the floor. Elliot's arms hold his chest, and I know I will have to make sure nothing is broken later. I'm sure Dad’s 'training' could have been worse if I hadn’t come back sooner. I only went out on a bloody date f
or one night. I should have known Dad would take the chance to teach them without me here to stop him. He always does this because he knows I will stop him, and then he will have to punish me instead, which I think he is getting bored of doing since I’ve gotten older. And stronger.

  "Go on, little boy," Dad taunts, walking away as Elliot rushes past me out the door, not making any eye contact.

  I will have to call the school tomorrow and tell them he isn't coming in for a few days until his ribs, or whatever the fuck else Dad has done, have healed. The fact he moved so quickly out of the room gives me hope that nothing is too wrong.

  "You never learn, Harley. Always protecting them like the little shit you are," Dad says, walking over to me as I shut the door behind me. The last thing I need is for the kids to hear any of this.

  Dad grabs his bottle of whatever and drinks a load while he watches me, clearly calculating something.

  "Tomorrow, you’re fighting for me. You won't lose," he tells me before pouring himself another drink.

  "What?" I ask in horror as I hope he isn’t thinking what I’m thinking.

  "Don't act fucking dumb, Harley. You’re the best I've seen when you fight those boys I find for you. Your brothers can't last two seconds," he spits out.

  "That's because they are against adult men who fight for a living. They are kids, Dad. Don’t you give a shit about us?" I shout.

  "You will do it, and they will learn." Dad shrugs, drinking more.

  “Are you not even going to answer my question? Are we just here to win fights for you in The Cage? Is that the only reason you kept us around after Mum left?”

  “Don’t talk about that bitch,” he says, throwing his glass into the wall. I don’t even flinch as it smashes.

  "Tomorrow," he says, walking past me, and the reek of alcohol nearly makes me choke as he walks past. He stops as he opens the door and looks back at me.