King’s Castle

by Goode, Ella

  “You’re so full of shit, Hayden Weston.” She shakes her head at me.

  “If you think you have all the answers then why the hell are you asking me?” She folds her arms over her chest and keeps on staring at me. She’s done the same thing since we were little kids. She has the patience of a saint and will wait me out until I spill the truth.

  “We didn't have like all the way sex.” I give, only a little though. It’s clearly not enough because her face doesn't change. “I could of had sex.”

  “No you couldn't have.”

  “I could have! I know you’re the doctor and all but I know how to have sex.”

  “Of course you know how sex works. I gave you the sex talk.” Touche.

  “Then why are you acting like I wouldn’t have had sex?”

  “For you sex is love. You’re not having sex with anyone unless you think that person has staying power.”

  “Not true. You know where we live. There is no one in that town to even have a quicky with.” I retort. This is a fact.

  “You’re so full of shit. Ethan’s been in love with you for years and he is not hard on the eyes.” I make a gagging face. Ethan is in love with my vagina. I’ve known him since grade school when his family moved to town. There isn’t a girl left in our small town that he hasn't slept with or tried to sleep with. He only wants to hook up with me because I’m a challenge to him. One he’d never conquer. Hope I’m not on his bucket list because there’s no way he’ll be checking that off it.

  “I just haven’t had sex with King yet because he is demanding to know my name!” I declare.

  “I can’t believe it.” Danny shakes her head at me again. “A man wanting to know your name before you have sex.” I glare at her. I’m supposed to be the sarcastic one between the two of us. Why is she stealing my moves?

  “Aren't you supposed to be mad or something? He keeps on kissing me and saying I’m staying here. He unpacked my things and put them away!” I try and reason with her. King is the enemy. He may be a big sexy one but he’s still the enemy nonetheless.

  “I want you to stay.” She gives a shrug. “You need out of that town. It’s stifling you. You need to spread your wings someplace new.”

  “Speaking of ditching town I’m going to beat the shit out of this Brandon.” She cringes at the mention of his name.

  “I don’t want to talk about him right now.” I see a defeated look on her face. It has me backing off the subject of him. It’s not a look I’m used to seeing on my sister. She’s always so put together and fearless. She has such a spark for life and for anyone to try to put a damper on that has my blood boiling.

  “We can just go home,” I suggest. Even as I say the words they taste like dirt in my mouth.

  “Hay bales.” Danny lets out a long sigh before dropping down onto the loveseat. “We grew up there. Doesn't make it home.” She says the same thing she’s been saying to me for years.

  “Don’t you want us to live closer to one another?” I bite my lip.

  “I’m not leaving you.” She reaches up grabbing my hand pulling me down to sit with her. “I’m not abandoning you.”

  “Why you gotta use the A word.” I roll my eyes. “You’re not a head doc. Don’t be psychoanalyzing me. You only took a few of those classes.” That makes her crack a smile which makes me happy. She reaches over, taking my hand in hers.

  “Come on, Hay Bales, it will be an adventure. Something new for the both of us. Whaddya say?”

  “You really want to stay here? I know you don’t want to talk about Brandon right now but you can’t let someone run you off from your life.” As much as I hated my sister living in a big city that gave me anxiety just thinking about it, I hate it more that some man ran her off.

  “Don’t get me wrong. Brandon gave me a nice shove to leave. He’s the head of the hospital. No one listened to what I had to say about him.” She makes a disgusted face. I try and keep my face passive. Both of us don’t need to be mad. “But I wasn’t fond of that hospital anyway. I feel as though I could be doing more. Really helping. I can do that here, Hay Bales. I really want to make a difference in people's lives and I think this is where I am meant to do it.”

  “They do seem to be doing some good around here.” I admit. “And it’s only a long drive for me to get here.”

  “Yeah, but you could stay.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

  “Maybe I need to get back to Ethan.” I elbow her in her side, teasing her.

  “Coming in!” King announces before the door flies open a second later. “Sorry.” He looks a little sheepish about barging in but he still did it. “Who’s Ethan?”

  “You going to help me talk my sister into staying?” Danny asks him, ignoring his question.

  “You’re supposed to be on my side!” I smack her jean covered thigh.

  “That hurt.” She smiles big as her eyes dance with mischief. “Hayden.” My mouth falls open and I know she’s calling my bluff.

  Chapter Thirteen

  King

  “Whatever I’m paying you, it is clearly not enough. Please give yourself a raise,” I say to Hayden’s sister Danny. I didn’t expect this kind of support but I appreciate it. I thought she might give me a fight on me wanting her sister but I am glad she is on my side. I can use all the help I can get when it comes to Slick.

  She smiles warmly. “Nice to see you again, King.”

  “So you’re taking the job? Not just staying here for a little while?” Hayden ping pongs her eyes between me and her sister.

  “Offered her a job when she reached out about coming here to begin with,” I confirm. Convincing doc was easier than I thought it would be, but that was primarily because of the stalker. She needed to get away and I promised good pay, an opportunity to help other women, and protection against the stalker.

  “Why didn’t you tell me all this?” she demands of her sister.

  Doc lifts her shoulders. “I did tell you. I wrote you a letter saying I was leaving the hospital and coming up to King’s estate.”

  “No. Why wouldn’t you tell me about him? The job.” Hayden jerks her thumb in my direction.

  Doc looks perplexed. “Why would I tell you about King?”

  “Because he’s...the....person,” Hayden flounders.

  I lean back against the door jamb and fold my arms across my chest. I, too, am interested in the answer. “The person?” I prompt.

  “You be quiet,” she snaps. Returning her attention to her sister, she says, “Why didn’t you tell me about the person who hired you? I want to know that you’re safe.”

  “No one safer than me,” I drawl. “You should know that by now.”

  She covers her ears. “Just because we kissed a little doesn’t mean I trust you.”

  “Hayden,” chides her sister.

  “What?” Hayden drops her hands to her lap. Annoyance flashes across her beautiful face. “Kissing means nothing these days. People kiss strangers. Pick them up and have one night stands.”

  Doc picks up her sister’s hand. “Maybe people do, but you don’t. You like stability. That’s why you live in that same town we grew up in and didn’t want to move to the city with me even though Millsville has nothing good for either of us.”

  I file all of this information away. Hayden was from a small town like this one and she wanted to put down roots. That’s pretty much the reason I set up shop here. Away from the crowds of people, I could create a private community that would last for a long time.

  “You’re my sister. We’re supposed to stick together,” Hayden wails in frustration.

  “All right.” Doc twists away from her sister and pins me with a serious stare. “What are your intentions with my sister?”

  “Marriage,” I say immediately. From the moment I saw Hayden, I knew that she was the one I built this place for. Her, me, our family and the people that needed to be taken care of. It’s a place my mom needed and never had. Hayden was going to help build it with me. She’s not aw
are of that yet, but it’ll come.

  “What?” yelps Hayden.

  Doc appears unsurprised though. “How many exes have you had?”

  “None.” Another easy question. “I was in the military for a while and then when I got out of that, I came up here, bought a few thousand acres and started building cabins.”

  “None?” Doc says, her eyebrows lifting.

  “None?” echoes Hayden.

  “None,” I repeat.

  “He just didn’t date. Like Ethan, he just sleeps around,” Hayden declares.

  Ethan again. I narrow my eyes. I’m going to need a full dossier on him.

  “Ethan dated. He always had a girlfriend but he also cheated on the girlfriend all the time,” Doc clarifies.

  “Who is Ethan?”

  “This guy who was always sniffing around Hayden. He wanted her because she wouldn’t climb into his probably diseased bed,” Doc says.

  “This the boyfriend you were going to call?”

  “No. Obviously not.” Hayden sticks her little nose in the air.

  “Boyfriend? Since when do you have a boy--”

  “Wow. I’m hungry,” Hayden cries. “When are we having dinner?”

  So there’s no boyfriend and her name is Hayden. All the pieces are falling perfectly into place. There aren’t any barriers to sliding inside of her wet cunt tonight. Well, none other than her virginity but that won’t be an issue. She was ready for me to take her earlier today and she’ll be ready for that breach tonight.

  “Right now. I came to tell you it’s ready.” I pick up the coats off the hooks along the wall and hold them out. Doc gets up and shoves her arms through the first one and I drape mine over Hayden’s shoulders, taking the moment to bring her body close. Even through the padding and down, I can feel the warmth of her small body. My dick stirs. Tonight, we’re gonna get a good taste of what it feels like to be inside her slick heat. I won’t last long--not the first time, but I’ll make it up to her in rounds two through five. “For the record,” I murmur against her hair, “I do not have one night stands.”

  “How many night stands do you have?” Doc asks, picking up on my words.

  “None. I’m like Hayden. I like stability.”

  Doc holds out her fist and I bump it with mine, leading to a loud, disgruntled sigh from Hayden.

  “I can’t believe you’re jumping ship like this,” she says. “We’re sisters. You’re supposed to back me up on everything.”

  “I am backing you up, Hay Bales. We didn’t grow up calling Millsville ‘Shittsville’ for nothing. The town is a dead end for you. You hate the city, like small towns, crave stability, and you can have it all here. Why do you think I sent you the address to this place?”

  “Because I would’ve hunted you down like a dog if you hadn’t.”

  “That and because I want you to be with me and if it takes you falling for a guy like King, then so be it.” She looks up over Hayden’s head and fixes a serious gaze on me. “But if you hurt my sister, I will come into your room at night with my scalpel and cut off your mistletoe and holly.”

  I wince and pull Hayden closer. “I promise on all the holiday ornaments that Cyn put away last week I will not hurt Hayden.” I jerk my chin. “Why don’t you go on ahead? The stew’s getting cold.”

  “I’m hungry, too,” Hayden complains as she watches her sister walk out the door. The minute the door shuts, I spin Hayden around.

  “You have five seconds,” I inform her.

  “For what?”

  “To lodge any objections you might have to spending the night in my bed with my cock between your legs.”

  Her cheeks turn red, but she doesn’t back down. “I’m not going anywhere tonight but this cabin with my sister.”

  “I mean, okay, if you want your sister to watch, I don’t care. It’s a little odd, but even your father standing here with a shotgun isn’t going to keep me away from you. Not tonight or any night after.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Hayden

  I stare up at King and his all too handsome face. “Fine. I’ll stay in your bed while I’m here.” I’d show both my sister and King that I can have random sex if I want to. They have no idea what they are talking about. I don’t relate sex and love. Wait. If King is saying that he relates, wouldn’t that mean; I stop that thought dead in its tracks. King can not be in love with me. Can he? His words imply that he is but he’s only known me for a minute.

  “Glad we have come to an agreement.” He steps to the side, opening the cabin door for me. He wraps an arm around me as we exit. I let him because he’s big and warm and it’s freezing outside. I’m just stealing his warmth that’s why I nestle into him. For that reason and that reason only. “You do know you’re staying here indefinitely. I don’t think you’re grasping that fact, Slick.”

  “I can’t leave right now.” I motion towards the snow that is once again falling. It never really stops around here. It’s beautiful. This whole place really is. No wonder my sister so easily agreed to take a job here. This place is kind of perfect. What all of these folks are doing here for these women warms my heart. King may have a smart mouth but he has a big ole kind heart.

  “Whatever you want to tell yourself, Slick.” He pulls me more into his body. I find myself melting more into him.

  “So you been in love before then?” I ask King, hoping for some reason he denies it. If he’s into this whole love equals sex thing then that must mean he has relationships with the women he sleeps with. That must be why he said he likes stability. He probably meant that he only gets it on with girls he really likes or loves. Why does that sound worse than one night stands? At least with one night stands there aren't any feelings involved. It is all pleasure and lust. With stability comes love and for some reason that doesn’t sit well with me.

  “I love Cyn.” He offers.

  “That doesn't count. She’s your cousin.” I elbow him in his side because I don’t know if he’s trying to sidestep my question or if he can see that I might be a little jealous so he’s teasing me.

  “Can’t say I ever loved someone I wasn't related to.” His confession makes me feel a little better. I probably shouldn't enjoy someone not experiencing love in their life but I find I might be a little selfish when it comes to this. Oh god. I’m the jealous type.

  “Me either.” I admit. “Boys are gross.” I look up at him with a teasing smile.

  “That they are.” He reaches for the back door to his place pulling it open for me. “Good thing I’m all man.” I can’t even argue with that. Not that I’m given a chance to even if I wanted. His mouth lands on mine before I can say a word. He kisses me deeply. I let out a small sigh into his mouth. My hands reach up to his chest so I can dig my fingers into his coat. There I go, clinging to him again. How am I ever going to leave here if every time I’m near King I can't seem to let him go? My mouth smarts off one thing but my body does a whole other and I’m pretty sure he knows it.

  “Eat then bed.” King says pulling his mouth from mine looking pissed about it. I can already smell the stew. My stomach grumbles at the scent but I’m hungry for more than food. I can totally do this. Prove them wrong. I can have a fling.

  “You’re letting all the cold air in.” I hear Cyn yell from inside the house. I let go of King stepping in from the doorway so he can close the door. She pops her head around the corner to look at us. “Are you two always going to be like this?” She teases but I catch a wishful look in her eyes. I don’t think it’s really for us but a longing of her own. I don’t know her too well but hopefully one day she’ll confide in me. Wait a second. I shake my head at that thought. When did I decide I was staying long enough to form bonds?

  “Jake here?” I ask, being a smartass or maybe it’s that I want to see what’s going on there. Cyn’s eyebrows furrow at my question before she heads back into the kitchen.

  “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes.” She tosses over her shoulder as I watch her leave the roo
m. Guess she doesn’t want to talk about it. I instantly feel bad for poking at her.

  “If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” King yells to her back. I watch as she raises her arm and her middle finger at him. I smile, immediately feeling a sense of relief at her response.

  King takes my hand guiding me through the house and back into the kitchen area where I see my sister and Jake talking. Cyn keeps peeking over at them while she stirs the soup. I let go of King’s hand to go over to Cyn to pretend I want to see what’s in the pot.

  “Not her type.” I whisper to Cyn as my way of a peace offering. She flicks her eyes to meet mine. I know she wants to ask how I can be so sure but she can’t bring herself to do it. I get it too. We both put up these hard fronts. At this moment I feel connected to her. “You’d be more her type if you know what I mean.” I give Cyn a wink before I declare loudly. “Smells good. Anything I can do to help?”

  “I think I’ve got it.” She gives me a smile. I nod heading over to the table that is already set. King is already sitting at it watching my every move. I try to walk past him but he snags me around the waist pulling me down into his lap. This time I let him because that’s exactly where I want to be.

  For now anyway. Since this is totally just a fling I tell myself. King holds onto me tighter. I’m pretty sure we both know that I’m a liar.

  Chapter Fifteen

  King

  “Your bedroom is nice. I didn’t really get a look at it before.” Hayden smooths a hand across the comforter. She can barely bring herself to look me in the eye. She’s nervous.

  I lean back against the dresser and give her some time to settle down. “Built this cabin by myself. It was originally only the living room and the kitchen. I bunked down on the sofa out there for a long time.”

  “You didn’t have plans to make it a retreat right away?”