JAMES: A Night Of The Kings Novel

by Shayne Ford

  I breathe out a small laughter.

  “What’s so fucking funny?” she snaps, annoyed.

  “You...”

  She flicks her eyes away from me and glances out the window.

  The car comes to a smooth stop as I pull in front of our home.

  JAMES

  * * *

  All my life, women were a one-way street to me.

  I’ve initiated, demanded and taken, whenever and whatever I have fancied. Granted, I’ve never looked for much variety, the women I have craved, fitting neatly into one category.

  Beautiful, willing and forgettable.

  Some call them sluts. I call them God’s gift to man.

  Life can be a struggle and a bore, more so without them. For many men, myself included, they are a good enough reason to pull out of bed in the morning and go out there and chase whatever the hell we’re chasing.

  To men like me, these women are the dangling carrot. They are the sweet reward, whether we are honest enough and bold enough to recognize it, or not. They feed the animal in us and give us a taste of what the life might had been before the righteous people took over the earth.

  With this being said, I know who they are, and how much they can give. I don’t misjudge them and I never disrespect them. I take them for what they are. And I enjoy them a lot.

  In my defense, that’s all I know.

  I had my first round of escorts as a teenager. I got a good taste of them as they were spilling over from my father. And then, growing up, I went through an assortment of prissy girls, the princesses who’d cluttered our parties. No matter how well-behaved or strictly educated they were, they found me irresistible. They couldn’t say no to me, so they dropped their panties and let me have them.

  Getting women of my liking was never a problem.

  In time, I got a better grasp of who I was, and I started to pick them dirtier and dirtier, knowing full well, that some immaculate angel would never cut it.

  Once in a while, when the fucking amounts to nothing, it dawns on me there must be more than that, yet somewhat I doubt there’s a woman who can hold a sway over me, so I put the thought to rest.

  I fuck. I move on. I don’t dwell. And I never settle.

  “She kissed you?”

  Ed’s eyes pop widely, almost falling out of his head.

  “Mmm-hmm. Clean kiss. No tongue.”

  “Does she know who you are?” he asks.

  “She has no fucking idea,” Lex chimes in.

  “And you let her go?” Ed asks.

  “I did, and you should do, too.”

  I toss my drink back.

  “I’m going home,” I say, pulling out of my seat despite the fact that the night has barely started.

  “So early?”

  “Yeah. I’m not in the mood,” I say.

  Lex rises to his feet as well and joins me. We stroll across the club, people nodding to us left and right as we leave Red’s.

  Ed follows us shortly.

  “I drive,” I say and Lex hands me the keys.

  Minutes later, we exit the town and turn onto the road that takes us to the Dark House.

  I roll the window down. The evenings get cooler as the summer draws to an end and the fall settles in the meadows.

  We drive in silence, our minds drifting away.

  Twenty minutes later, we roll past the gate and follow the gravel road that snakes through clusters of trees, slips by the guest house and ends at the round driveway sprawling in front of the Dark House.

  The place is quiet and shrouded in darkness, not many members of the staff working here these days. They come in when needed, but never when we’re here.

  We climb out of the car, take the stairs and enter a large foyer. A second door makes the transition into the spacious living room. I stop at the bar to fix drinks while Ed pulls away and vanishes in one of the bedrooms.

  Lex and I walk on the patio overlooking the lake. We slide the drinks onto the table and sink into the chairs.

  “Is he okay?” I ask.

  Lex takes a mouthful of bourbon.

  “Yeah, he’s fine. He hasn’t slept in forty-eight hours. That’s all.”

  I light up a cigarette and set my eyes on the water.

  “So, what’s the story, James?”

  “What do you mean?” I murmur, evading his eyes.

  “You act differently since we’ve run into that girl.”

  “It’s nothing... It doesn’t have anything to do with her.”

  “Why is she off limits then?”

  I glance at him.

  “You seem interested...” I say, studying his eyes.

  “Unlike you, I wouldn’t have a problem to get to know her better,” he says as he brings the glass to his lips.

  He grins wolfishly behind the rim as he takes a swig, and I let out a soft chuckle.

  “I don’t have a problem. It’s just that I don’t need her. That’s all.”

  He sets his glass on the table and staples his fingers together.

  “Who said anything about using her? Daria’s given us plenty to work with.”

  He pauses, and I shake my head.

  “Nah... I don’t want her for something else either.”

  “That’s the best way to get her out of your system.”

  A smile sneaks in his voice.

  “She’s not in my system.”

  He leans back into his chair and remains quiet for a few moments, observing me.

  “She is not,” I say firmly, at the same time flashing a sly smile. “Just because she kissed me doesn’t mean she’s gotten under my skin. I gulp half of my drink, wincing as the alcohol burns the roof of my mouth and goes down my throat. “Come on, now. You know me better than that.”

  “That’s why I’m saying. I’ve never seen you so affected by some girl’s innocent kiss. And she may be a girl, but there’s a woman buried inside her. And that woman’s hot as hell,” he says, and I feel a rush inside my body.

  She sure is.

  Those round full tits on her, her tapered waist, and long legs, and then the gap between her thighs. I’d love to press my tongue between her folds and lick her slit until she shudders, and then to grab her ass and fuck her madly.

  And then her face…

  Long sandy blonde tresses framing those amber-green eyes, the glint of wildness buried in their depth. And then her mouth... so perfect. To kiss... and fuck... and kiss again.

  I lick my lips.

  I’m getting hard.

  “She’s too much of a headache,” I say. “I’m truly not interested. And no matter what you say, she’s not that important,” I say, my words in stark disagreement with my thoughts and the growing bulge between my legs.

  “That’s good to know. If she’s not the problem, then... Do you have second thoughts?”

  “No, I don’t,” I say. “I’ve started this shit, remember?”

  His eyes stay on me for a few moments.

  “Okay,” he says, still a bit suspicious.

  He drinks the last drops of alcohol, tosses his glass on the table, and pushes his chair back.

  Standing, he pats my shoulder.

  “I’m sure, sooner or later you’ll get between her legs,” he says, a smile creasing his lips.

  “Go fuck yourself, Lex,” I say, laughing, curling the empty cigarette pack into a ball and throwing it at him.

  He ducks out of its way and lifts his middle finger as he walks to his bedroom.

  5

  RAIN

  * * *

  “You kissed one of the Kings?”

  Eve’s cheeks turn red matching her nail polish as her hands pile up on top of her mouth, her eyes flashing sheer astonishment.

  The early afternoon spills warm light in her hair, the glow hugging her face. I set the cup of chocolate on the patio table and grab an almond cookie.

  “It was more like a goodbye kiss,” I say, my voice soft and tinged with emotion.

  “I can’t fucking believe
it. You touched his lips... with your lips?” she asks, and I chuckle, her words bringing back the memory of that very moment in time.

  James' image flashes in front of my eyes, awakening a sweet yearning that’s been building in my body for a while.

  Mesmerized, she looks at me, her eyes filled with curiosity, innocence and so much excitement. We’ve been waiting for this moment for so long. She’s more impatient than I am, although I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been thinking about it lately.

  Call it happenstance, but the whole men and sex thing took a big detour when it came to the two of us. We may be chock full of knowledge, but the real experience skipped us completely.

  It’s not as if we’ve purposely delayed it. For the most part, we didn’t care. We felt good the way we were. I guess we weren’t ready, or maybe we haven’t met the right man.

  Eve has tried her luck with relationships. Some lasted more than the others. Most guys weren’t interested in sexless dates, and despite being so anxious to get it over with, she felt she didn’t find the right guy for the task.

  “Yes, I did touch his lips, but I can’t tell for sure if he is one of the Kings. They looked like them, but I didn’t see their bikes, and because they sort of ambushed me in front of Red’s, I couldn’t figure out what kind of car they drove either.”

  “I don’t know other men who look like that. Not in this town, anyway,” she says, drawing her own conclusion, resenting a different possibility.

  A sound drifts to us from inside the house, making her shoot a glance at me.

  “Is she home?” she asks quietly.

  “No, no... Don’t worry. She’s not home.”

  “So what was she doing there anyway?” she asks.

  Cocking my head to the side, I raise an eyebrow and flash a suggestive smile.

  She chuckles.

  “Never mind. Why would I even ask you something so stupid? Of course, that’s why she was there. The woman is relentless.”

  She pushes her black frame glasses up her nose, tucks her hair behind her ears, and leans forward, her eyes glinting with mischief.

  “So, did they say anything in particular to you?”

  “Nope.”

  “Nothing about their house or the legend that’s been making the rounds?” she asks giddily, and I break into laughter.

  “Why would they bring that up? And no, I didn’t ask them. That would’ve been a great piece of conversation. Hey, so and so, my friend and I would like to know if orgies take place in your house.”

  I pause, and we share another snicker.

  “How do they look?” she asks, leaning back in her chair.

  I fluff up a pillow, tuck it behind my back, and sink into it.

  “They look like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

  I give her a detailed description of their faces, the color of their hair and eyes, and briefly, an idea of their personalities as much as I could grasp.

  “So they look like the fucking Kings,” she says, wide-eyed.

  “They do, but the story must be a hoax. There’s no way they keep women in that house to have their way with them when the club is packed with tail. They walked into that club as if they owned the place.”

  The corners of her mouth lift with a smile.

  “You liked it,” she says, living vicariously through me.

  “Yes... I did,” I murmur, and look away.

  A moment of silence slips between us.

  “What if...” I say, thinking out loud.

  “Yes?”

  “We pay them a visit?”

  She looks at me, baffled.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Not really paying them a visit, but rather checking that place out...”

  “As in trespassing?” she asks, her eyes twinkling, her mind spinning with possibilities.

  “Yeah. A spying mission,” I say, terrified and thrilled at the same time.

  “You’re crazy. What if they catch us? We can end up in jail...” she says, not believing half of it.

  “No, we won’t. They didn’t strike me as the kind of men who have the cops on speed dial.”

  “It may be worse if they do their own justice,” she says, smiling mischievously.

  “Doing justice how?” I ask, playing her game.

  “They can chop us and feed us to the fish,” she says jokingly, and my chest rocks with laughter. “Or worse,” she says, a naughty smile stretching across her lips.

  “What’s worse?” I ask, pretending I have no idea what she’s talking about.

  “They could have their way with us,” she says under her breath as if we’re already caught and in their home, at their mercy.

  I waggle my finger at her.

  “You have quite the imagination.”

  “Oh, wait...”

  She presses two fingers against her lips.

  “This was the plan all along,” she says, the next second our crystalline laughter tearing the silence.

  A flock of ducks takes off from a nearby lake, spurring more giggling.

  “If that’s the case, sign me up...” she says, her eyes sparkling playfully.

  “That’s not what I had in mind.”

  “I can no longer wait. My looks are already fading...” she says, and we snicker uncontrollably, missing the sound of the main door opening and closing.

  Suddenly, her smile falls off her face, her chin repeatedly pointing to someone behind my back.

  “Can I talk to you for a second?”

  My sister’s angry voice echoes behind me.

  I toss a glance over my shoulder, and my teeth clench.

  She clasps her hands on her hips and shoots Eve a stare that makes her leap out of her chair and dash to the door.

  “I’ll talk to you later,” she says, sliding soothly behind Daria’s back, at the same time twirling her finger in the air next to her head.

  My eyes follow her, my face void of expression as I stifle a smile.

  “What do you want?” I ask dryly, shifting my focus back to Daria.

  “Inside, please,” she barks and steps to the side, waiting for me to vacate the patio.

  “What’s your problem, sis?”

  She motions to the door.

  “I’m not in the mood,” she snaps. “Get inside.”

  I extract myself from my chair, stroll by her and head to the kitchen. She’s tailing me, her shoes rapping annoyingly loud against the marble slabs.

  I pour myself a glass of water and take a gulp before I place it on the table and hurl a glance at her.

  “Who were you with, last night?” she asks, her fury simmering in her eyes.

  I lean against the counter, brace the smooth, cold tiles with my hands, and gaze at her, silent.

  Her eyes drill me with a venomous stare.

  I press my lips in a tight line before I answer.

  “Nobody.”

  “That’s not nobody,” she says, raising her voice, her words punching me in my stomach.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “This is serious, Rain.”

  I shoot her a glare.

  “I bet it is, so enlighten me. What exactly is so serious? Me asking for help or you fucking someone in Red’s basement?” Her eyes widen, filled with anger and disbelief, her face white as paper. “How many were there? One, two or more? You spent some time down there. And why did ask me to pick you up when you knew you were busy?”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “Oh... So you were busy?”

  “It’s not your damn business.”

  “I could say the exact same thing.”

  Her eyebrows pinch in a frown, her gaze scorching me.

  “I know how to take care of myself, Rain. You, on the other hand, have no idea. This is not about me being mean. I’m really concerned about you.”

  “Oh, are you now? That’s completely new to me,” I retort, irony threading through my voice.

  “I’m not joking. Someone saw you i
nside the club last night.”

  My lips curl into a clever smile.

  “Hmm... Let me guess. Was it the pharaonic Goddess who took the order at my table by any chance?”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  She blinks several times, briefly averting her eyes.

  “It was her, isn’t it? Who’s she? One of your friends? Classmates? She’s older than me, but her face looked familiar––”

  “I told you it doesn’t matter.”

  “Did she tell you I had to wait until the man you were with pulled you off his cock?”

  Her chin begins to tremble, her lips turning bloodless, her face livid.

  “Fucking bitch...” she growls, no sisterly concern left in her voice, her words coming out as fast as the slap landing on my face.

  My head jerks.

  “Are you fucking crazy?” I shout. Shocked, I bring my hand to my face, rubbing my cheek. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  “I’m trying to protect you, Rain,” she says.

  “Protect me?! You just hit me, you crazy bitch.”

  I twirl away from her and pace to my room, her heels rushing after me. I push the door open and dart to the closet.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Away from you.”

  “Where are you going??” she screams, her eyes looking crazy.

  I look at her as if she lost her mind, which is not completely out of the question.

  “Eve’s,” I say, hoping she’ll calm down.

  “Do you know who those men are?”

  I pull an embroidered peasant gauze tunic on me and tie it loosely at the neckline.

  “Is that what you’re going to wear?”

  She runs her eyes down on me, taking in my shorts and the sheer top.

  “Are you telling me what to wear, now? You must’ve lost your fucking mind. I’m going next door. I’m not strolling downtown, and by the way, don’t call me to pick you up. I’ll take my bicycle.”

  I snatch my phone and my house keys and head for the door.

  She takes a side step and blocks the doorway.

  “I asked you something,” she growls, her voice vile, and anger boils in me.

  “No, I have no fucking idea who they are, but since you know every single cock in town, I expect you do, so why the hell do you bother me with your stupid questions?”