High Stakes (The Kingdom Book 2)

by Groom, Nikki

  “Well, that wasn’t an option. Your place or mine.” Spike sighs. He’s bossy tonight proving to Lottie that he can, and will, take care of her. And as much as she protests and argues back, I think she secretly likes it when he takes control.

  I catch Lottie’s lips curl upwards just a fraction, and it reaches her eyes making her look mischievous. “I want to stay here.”

  “Don’t make me spell it out for you … Your place …” He pauses and looks to me with a wink. “Or mine?”

  Lottie pouts and drops her shoulders like a teenager that can’t get her own way. “Can’t we go out for—”

  Lottie doesn’t get to finish her sentence before Spike picks her up and tosses her over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift. She squeals and he slaps her ass. She continues to shriek as Spike marches with her slung over his shoulder all the way to the door. He opens it skillfully one handed “Say goodbye, Lottie,” he instructs.

  “BYE!” she shouts through her laughter.

  Dana grabs up Lottie’s purse and shoes before pulling the door shut behind them all, and I can still hear Lottie laughing and screaming until the elevator descends.

  I turn and curl myself into Denham. His warm body envelops me, and somehow makes me relax and feel sleepy. I sigh a contented breath and nuzzle into his chest.

  “You must be tired, huh?”

  “Yeah,” I answer. He strokes my hair and rests his chin carefully on the top of my head avoiding the bump that’s still there from where I fell. “You going to tell me what happened with Lottie’s boss?”

  “Nope.” He stiffens momentarily then changes the subject. “How much did you drink today?”

  “I don’t know. Two, maybe three glasses …”

  “No more for you.”

  “Yes, dad. Why won’t you tell me?” I ask. I know it’s pushing him and I don’t know why I even want to know, but the fact that he won’t tell me makes me more curious.

  “Because you don’t need to know,” he answers with finality. “You need to eat. Then rest. You’ve had some pretty strong painkillers and a real nasty concussion over the last twenty four hours, and I don’t think it would help to add more alcohol into the mix.”

  I can’t help but grin at him. I don’t actually want any more to drink today anyway. It’s been a long, tiring day. I’m drained emotionally and physically, and now my limbs are starting to protest. I give up on questioning him about Lottie’s asshole boss. He’s right, I don’t need to know. It’s over and done with.

  “Is it time for bed yet?” I ask.

  “Arianna. If you want to go to bed, you can go to bed. I might be looking after you, but I am not your parent, and you don’t need to ask if you can go to bed.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to sleep on my own.”

  “What makes you think I’ll let you sleep on your own?”

  “I was hoping you would say that. Can we stay here?” I look up at him with my arms still wrapped around his waist and catch a sparkle in his eyes.

  “We can stay wherever you want, Ari.”

  AFTER SETTING UP THE television in his bedroom for me, Denham called down for food to be sent up and instructed me to rest for the evening. He spent most of the evening stretched out on top of the bed covers, by my side, but had to answer a lot of calls. It made me realize how much time and dedication it takes to run The Kingdom. Time that he has been spending with me instead; which probably makes his day more difficult when he does get to work. I know I need to work on finding some independence. I need some time out from our whole crazy bubble, because as much as I love being with him, I still need to find me again.

  After eating, we watched old black and white movies, and made out like teenagers. It was perfect, other than the headache I had, and the ache in my ribs, which made it hard for me to get comfortable. I try my hardest to remember what happened after Denham left me, but nothing comes back. It’s just one of those things that I may never have an answer for, so I should really let it go, but it’s bothering me. I drift off to sleep with my head resting on Denham’s chest, soothed by the rhythmic way he strokes my hair, and lets his fingers entwine around loose curls.

  When I wake, the morning light is streaming through the window. I’m confused for a second, as it doesn’t seem like two minutes ago I was lying on Denham watching silly movies. I glance to his side of the bed. He is flat out on his back, on top of the covers, still fully clothed. He’s clutching his cell phone in his hand, and frown lines are etched deeply across his forehead. I’m restricted by the covers trapped underneath him, but I wriggle as close to his side as I can and drape my arm across his chest. He stirs, places his cell on the nightstand, and cups his hand gently around the back of my head, all without even opening his eyes.

  “Good morning, Stunner,” He groans in a gruff, sleepy voice.

  “Morning.” I smile. This is most definitely my favorite way to wake up.

  “How did you sleep?”

  “Like the dead.”

  “Ari,” he scolds.

  “What?”

  “You didn’t sleep like the dead. You slept like a baby … or …”

  “Okay, okay! I’m sorry!” I giggle.

  “How do you feel today?” he asks, brushing a stray curl from my forehead.

  “Well, I’ve only been awake for all of three minutes, but my head’s not cloudy, and I actually think I feel pretty good. Almost normal.”

  “Is that possible?” he teases.

  “Hey!” I slap his chest but not hard and he pretends it hurts, curling his knees up and groaning.

  “You wounded me. I need to be kissed better, and made breakfast.”

  “Oh really …”

  “Yes.” He rises to a sitting position, and I roll onto my back as he swings a leg over my waist so he’s straddling me. His hands rest either side of my head “The only thing that will make me feel better is bacon, coffee, and croissants, aaaaaaaand kisses,” he says in his husky morning voice. He dips his head and brushes his lips across mine. He then trails gentle, barely there kisses across my cheek and along the sensitive spot underneath my ear which makes me shiver. “I’ll take them all after I’ve had a shower.” He springs off and lands on his feet, giving me a wink and disappearing into the bathroom.

  “You’ll take them all?”

  “Yes, only because they will be given freely and in abundance,” he says, chuckling as he disappears.

  I contemplate following him into the shower, but I decide to surprise him and start on breakfast instead, before he gets back out.

  I throw on one of Denham’s white button-down shirts, over my tank and boy shorts. It smells of him, and I’m instantly comfortable in it. In fact, I don’t think he’ll be having this shirt back any time soon.

  I rummage through the cabinets to find that Denham does not have very much food here at all. He isn’t the domestic god he wants me to believe, and unless I want a protein shake for breakfast, we either need to eat out, or call room service. Then it dawns on me that in the little time we have spent together, I don’t know what he likes to eat for breakfast. I don’t even know what his favorite food is. We don’t know very much about each other at all. Which is fine, just odd, given how comfortable we are in each other’s company. We have plenty of time to find out the little things. The things that make us tick, and the likes and dislikes that make us different from everyone else, and somehow similar to one another.

  Coffee, I know for sure he likes coffee in the morning. He’s made us coffee countless times, and I know he takes it black.

  “Holy fuck,” His deep voice resonates behind me; he hasn’t showered away the gruff sleepiness in his tone. I turn and find his eyes roaming the length of my legs. I smile shyly, trying not to feel embarrassed about the way he eyes me so freely, but I just can’t help it. My first instinct is to cover up, and even after him drumming it into me that I need to be confident and unapologetic, old habits die hard. I take in the damp curl that rests on his forehead, and the way he
smells fresh and sexy. I also notice the little water droplet that rests in the hollow just below his Adam’s apple, before it drops and makes its descent across his skin. Lucky droplet.

  I walk toward him, and push a mug of coffee into his hand. His lips are at my eye level, and when he parts them ever so slightly it triggers goose bumps down the back of my neck.

  “There’s nothing to eat in your fridge,” I say softly, resting my palm flat on his chest.

  “Who needs food when I have you in my kitchen, dressed like this?”

  I shake my head at him, and pick up my mug, gripping it between both hands.

  “You look fucking hot in my shirt Ari. In fact, I think you should always wear my shirt, and nothing else.”

  “Oh you do, do you?”

  “Yes. Well, apart from when you wear heels and diamonds, then you can lose the shirt.”

  “I’ll bear that in mind next time I wear my hoard of diamonds,” I reply, quirking an eyebrow at him. “I’m going to drink this on the balcony. Will you join me?”

  “Sure,” he says, stepping aside. “Ladies first.”

  I know he’s making me go first so he can watch me from behind. It takes me half a breath to propel my legs forward, but I do it, and it’s not as hard as I think. Each time it gets easier to let him look. Each time I enjoy it more when he looks. I even walk away with a little sway in my hips, and a smile on my lips.

  We sit at the bistro table, enjoying the morning sun before it gets too hot. Denham takes my hand from across the little table, and strokes the back of it with his thumb.

  “I have work to do today,” he sighs regretfully, “I’m sorry. I swear the fucking place would grind to a halt if I wasn’t here to crack the whip.”

  My eyes widen. “You have a whip?” I joke.

  “Yeah, darlin’. How’d you think I keep those lazy horses working hard?” He winks and smiles with such affection, I could kiss him all over.

  “So, will you be gone all day?” I ask, disappointed already.

  “Mostly. There’s so much to do. Crap to sort out. I tried to pawn it off on someone else but there are things that only I can do. I tried to get a hold of my mom to come sit with you, but she’s busy and Lottie and Spike aren’t picking up their cells. Probably be midday before they surface, so …”

  “Denham.”

  “I’ll pop back as often as I can—”

  “Denham!” I say a little louder and he stops talking. “I’ll be fine.”

  “I don’t want you on your own, Ari.”

  “I know, and I appreciate that. But, I have to be on my own sometime.”

  “What if—”

  “I’m not gonna pass out again.”

  “How do you know? We haven’t had the tests back yet. We don’t know what happened last time. What if you’re epileptic or something triggers it again, and next time you really hurt yourself?”

  I lift my mug to my lips and try to cover my smile. He’s sweet. He doesn’t like to think it, but he is.

  “What’s so funny?” he asks with a frown.

  “Nothing.”

  “What?”

  “You’re waffling,” I say. I place my mug down on the table and walk over to him. I rest my hands on his shoulders, squeezing his tight muscles, which are bunched from his concern for me. I kiss the top of his head, and let my lips linger there. “You’re so sweet,” I murmur.

  “Well, you’re just full of compliments this morning, aren’t you?”

  “Look,” I say, matter-of-factly. “I feel great today. I’m not going to go anywhere, or do anything while you’re gone. I’m not going to try and go to the gym, or go shopping or anything like that, yet. I’m just going to lounge around, maybe sketch a little. I should really call Beth, too. So go run your empire. Call me, text me. Whatever you like. But I don’t want you to worry about me.”

  I straddle his hips, inadvertently pulling his head into my chest to keep my balance. He raises his eyes to mine and grins.

  “Is this your way of taking my mind off the conversation?”

  I shrug. “Maybe.”

  “What other methods do you have in mind?”

  I pause, looking upwards and placing a finger on my chin. “Maybe, this …” I dip my head and press my lips to his. His lips are full, and wet from his coffee, and I let my tongue run along the length of his full lower lip. When his tongue darts out to meet mine, I tease him by moving and kissing my way along his smooth, clean-shaven jawline. “I thought maybe I’d also distract you with this,” I whisper softly in his ear, making him shiver, before I take his lobe between my teeth and pull gently. He tilts his head to let me have better access, and he groans deep in his throat as I suck and nip his soft, sensitive flesh. I smile inwardly knowing that I’ve found one of his weak spots, and the way he’s gripping the shirt tightly around my waist tells me he’s loving this. I kiss up and down his neck, and when he turns his head towards me, I capture his mouth. We kiss passionately, hungrily, and with a tenderness I can’t explain. I moan into his mouth and he swallows my soft noises, keeping them for himself, which is just how it’s intended. All for him.

  Denham’s cell phone buzzes across the table, and although I could ignore it and carry on like he is, it reminds me that he has things he should be doing, and my distracting him isn’t constructive towards his day.

  “You’re in demand,” I say against his lips.

  “Yes, you’re demanding.”

  “Not me.” I sit up straight and swat at his upper arm “Your cell, someone’s trying to get ahold of you.

  “I know. I heard it. I choose to ignore it. Now come and kiss me, woman.”

  “Now who’s demanding?”

  “I am. And you’re not doing as I asked.”

  “That’s because, as much as I’d like to stay here as your cave woman, you have a Kingdom to run.”

  “Why do I hate it when you’re right?” he grumbles.

  “No more than me, but I hate to keep you from your duties. I’ve stolen enough of your free time over the last few days, and I don’t think I should be taking up any more,” I say, climbing off his lap and taking his hand. “Denham, I want to find some kind of normal. I’ve never had it. I just want you to do your thing. I’ll do my thing and we can see each other in between, okay?”

  He stands and wraps his arm around my shoulder, then kisses the side of my head. “Okay. Come and see me out then, woman,” he smirks, making me chuckle.

  He stops in the doorway and faces back at me resting his bare forearms on the door frame.

  “Now, I don’t want you going far. Please don’t leave the building, Arianna. And if you want anything at all, call me … okay?”

  “Yes, captain. I’m going across the hall to shower, that’s it,” I answer with a curt nod of my head and a salute.

  “Okay, but no further. I mean it. I want you conscious and in one piece when I come back … which will be as quick as I can make it.”

  “Denham …”

  “Yes, I know, I know,” he says, pushing himself off the door frame, and cupping my face in his hands. “I just want you safe,” he whispers. He kisses me softly on the lips, three times.

  “Now go!” I order.

  “Be good.”

  “You too …”

  He presses the button for the elevator, and when the door pops open, Denham hesitates before getting in. He runs his thumb along his chin, seemingly contemplating something. Then he turns and jogs the four strides that it takes to get back to where I’m still standing in the doorway, and pulls me in for one last kiss. This kiss is not like the others. This one is full of passion and promise, and it’s me that now wants him to come back as soon as possible, and finish what he’s just started. He huffs and reluctantly his lips leave mine.

  “Make sure you’re wearing that when I get back. I don’t want you wearing anything more or anything less, got it?”

  I giggle. “Got it.”

  “Good.”

  Having nothing of m
ine in Denham’s apartment, I cross the hall to my apartment. I need my lotions and shampoos, and as much as I like to smell of Denham and his body wash, my hair is screaming out for my products. I grab up my cell, and the key cards to both apartments, and head for the door. A nervousness itches my skin, and I can’t put my finger on the reason why. It’s the first time I’ve been alone since I fell. It’s the first time I’ve been back in my apartment, alone, since I fell. It’s not that I’m not capable of being alone. I am. I’ve done it thousands of times before. I think it’s that I’m worried about the consequences. As much as I try and convince Denham that I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself, there’s a small part of me that’s worried I’ll black out again. I hate the fact that I can’t remember what happened, and that is what worries me the most. But, I may never know exactly what happened. It could have been any number of things and there’s no point dwelling on what might never come to light.

  I suck in a lungful of air before I slide the card into the reader. Panic reaches nearly an eight out of ten as the green light flashes and the door clicks open. It’s inexplicable and totally unwarranted but it’s there nonetheless. Once I push the door open wide and scan the room, the anxiety starts to subside, and my nerves settle somewhat. There’s nothing to worry about in this room. With the high tech CCTV all around The Kingdom, and the code being needed for the penthouse elevator, I’m safe. The only person I’m not safe from is myself, and right now I’m feeling physically fine.

  The drapes in my apartment are pulled open wide, and the morning light touches every part of the room. It really is a great room. Light and airy, no dark corners, no large intimidating furniture. Just a modern, clean living room with a homey feel to it.

  With every step further into the room, I feel a little less nervous. My body is giving me no sign that anything unexpected is going to happen and I start to relax. I grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator and open the doors to the balcony. The gentle breeze blows the wisps of hair around my face, and I look up to the bright sky. “Today is a good day. It’s going to be a good day,” I say to myself resolutely. The sun is shining; I’m here, feeling fine, and I have Denham King to look forward to later, what more could I want?