by Levine, Nina
She led me into her lounge room and we settled on her long couch. I instantly felt at home here. That probably had more to do with the fact I genuinely liked her, but her home was so cosy and inviting with the colour she had splashed here and there, and the plants scattered around. Not to mention, the framed prints on the wall that held a mixture of positive quotes and gorgeous artwork.
“I knew I liked you,” I said with a smile as I read one of the framed quotes. “I need to get some of these for my place.”
“They’re from a market. When I’m walking better, I’ll take you.”
“Thanks, babe.” I nodded at her hip. “How’s it all going?”
She rattled off the work she’d been doing on her rehab and the challenges she’d faced. She also detailed for me the concerns she had now she was back home and living alone. Her list wasn’t too long, though, and it contained challenges I could easily help her address.
We spent about twenty minutes going over everything, and when we were done, she exhaled a long breath and smiled. “I’m so glad I called you. I was kinda worked up over all this, but you’ve put my mind at ease that I can manage this on my own with just a little help. Thank you.”
I reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m just a call away, okay? Don’t hesitate to reach out.”
“I know, but I don’t want to intrude on your time when your sister is in hospital. And I know you’re busy with the kids and work.”
“Skye, it’s all good. Brynn is doing really well. I just visited her before I came here. They’ve moved her to a ward, and the doctors think she’ll likely be home by the end of the week. And even though my ex is being a dick because of King, he’s being more hands-on with the kids, so I have some free time. Also, besides all that, and besides the fact King paid me a lot of money to manage your rehab, I want you to know I’m here for you because I feel like we’re friends now.”
“Wait, go back. What do you mean your ex is being a dick because of King? Have I missed something there?”
“Oh,” I said, my mouth forming an O.
“Oh what?”
I suddenly felt a little nervous about having this conversation. I wasn’t sure if King would be down with me discussing our relationship with his sister.
She nudged me with her hand. “Spill, Lily, and don’t leave anything out.”
I made myself comfy, and as I crossed my legs, I said, “King and I are seeing each other.”
Her eyes widened as a huge smile landed on her face. “Oh my God! This is the best news! Tell me everything.”
I laughed. “Ah no. That would just be weird. He’s your brother. And honestly, I’m not sure he’d be happy to know we’re having this conversation.”
She frowned. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
“He might have preferred to tell you himself.”
“Look, I think we both know my brother isn’t a big talker. He wouldn’t give a shit that we’re having this conversation, because it saves him having it with me. But on top of that, let me just tell you one thing—King hasn’t dated for years. I think it’s probably been like seven years since he was in a relationship. You must mean something to him if he’s, umm, how do I put this without sounding crude… If he’s been back for more.” She cringed. “Sorry, that sounds awful, but that’s King.”
“Don’t be sorry. We are who we are, right?”
What she told me caused a rush of fluttery goodness in my belly. King and I hadn’t discussed past histories except for him laying down the law about me never mentioning another man to him again. I figured it wasn’t something he wanted to get into, and honestly, I wasn’t the type of woman who wanted to think about his past either. But I couldn’t deny that this new information Skylar had shared made me feel all kinds of happy.
I stayed chatting with her for another half hour before she said, “You should go. It’s not often you get a night to yourself. You need to make the most of it.”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to a long bath with a couple of glasses of wine and no kids harassing me.”
Her brow lifted. “Are you shitting me? Wouldn’t this be the perfect night to spend with King?”
I tried not to laugh. “Is this weird for you? I mean, discussing your brother’s sex life has to be weird.”
She shook her head. “No.” Shrugging, she added, “Sex isn’t something we’ve kept secret or never talked about. Hell, King was the one who had to give me the birds and bees talk when I was twelve. Annika was too busy with her boyfriends to do it. I remember him sitting me down and shoving me that What’s Happening To Me book before giving me the rundown on penises and vaginas and periods. He also took me shopping for my first bra, but Nik did come for that, too. He drew the line at talking me through my first period, though. He made Annika handle that. And let’s just say that he wanted nothing to do with discussing the loss of my virginity. I think he was ready to take a gun to the guy I was dating in year twelve.”
It was both funny and touching hearing how King had manoeuvred his way through that time in Skylar’s life. Funny because I knew the difficulties a parent faced when explaining puberty to their child, and from what she’d said, I imagined King had felt a little out of his depth, and that wasn’t something you often saw with him. But I was far more touched than entertained by her story. It peeled back more layers to the man I couldn’t stop thinking about. Layers I really, really liked.
By the time I made it to my car, I’d decided to call him. We hadn’t made plans for tonight because he’d said he had club stuff on, but I just wanted to hear his voice.
“Lily,” he answered the call in the way he always did when I rang. God, how I loved the sound of my name from his lips.
“Hey you,” I said, feeling all fluttery again. “I just wanted to call and say hi. See how your day has been.” It struck me that he never called me during the day to check in with me, but it didn’t bother me. I knew he was busy. And I was busy, too. King definitely wasn’t a man who was about needless interruptions.
He blew out a long breath. “It’s been long. Busy. Yours?”
I frowned at the exhaustion I heard in his voice. “Are you okay? You sound tired. And stressed.”
“I’m good. Tell me how you are.”
“Liar,” I murmured before answering him, “I’m really good. My first day back at work went well. Brynn’s doing great, and I just stopped by to see Skylar, and she’s doing well, too. And the best part of my day is that I now get to go home and enjoy the peace and quiet of no freaking children. Just me, a bath, and some wine. The only thing that would make it better was if you were in that bath with me.”
“Fucking hell,” he muttered. He didn’t say anything else, but he didn’t need to. I may not have known a great deal about King yet, but I’d worked out the inflections in his tone and his body language. And while I couldn’t see him, I could hear the desire in his voice.
“You busy right now? I could stop by for a few minutes if you aren’t. I won’t stay long.” My tummy knotted a little as the words fell out of my mouth. I didn’t want him to think I was trying to force my way in and steal his time when he was busy with the club. And I certainly didn’t want to come across as a needy woman who always had to be with her man, but damn, I really wanted to see him.
“I’m never too busy for you. Get your ass over here.”
And holy shit just like that, he caused an almighty whoosh of lust deep in me. He might have said a lot of filthy stuff to me, but he also had a way of saying exactly what I needed to hear sometimes.
“Okay,” I agreed softly and hung up.
He’s never too busy for me.
Oh God.
This man.
Chapter Seventeen
Lily
The club was partying tonight. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen. There had to be at least twenty guys and just as many women here, drinking and laughing as they celebrated something. I wondered if it was someone’s birthday, and then my mind jumped to t
he fact I didn’t know when King’s birthday was. There were a lot of things I didn’t know about him yet, and suddenly I wanted to know every last one of them.
A couple stumbled out the front door as I entered. His hands were all over her; they barely noticed me there. That was the kind of passion I’d always wanted in my life, and I smiled as I thought about King and how he’d given me that.
“Lily.”
I glanced up to find Devil standing in front of me, watching me with a smile that lit his face. “Hey, Devil, is King around?”
“You mean you don’t wanna hang out with me?” He winked as he said that. I also didn’t miss the slur in his words.
I grinned, liking this fun side to him. “I’m sure you’ve got someone willing to do that.”
His smile grew and his eyes flashed with happiness. “I do,” he said, turning to point towards a group of women. “She’s right over there.” I struggled to hear him over the beat of the music, but I didn’t miss the happiness in his voice that matched what I’d seen in his eyes.
I also didn’t miss seeing King who sat at the table next to the one the women were at. He was with two other guys, leaning back in his chair, beer in hand, legs stretched out in front of him, causal in a way that wasn’t normal for King. His eyes were firmly on me, watching with an intensity that was anything but casual.
Without another word to Devil, I drifted across to King, my mind and body completely focused on him and him alone. Being here in his clubhouse with all his people around him, and none of mine, nerves fluttered in my chest. Or maybe that was simply because of the way he watched me. I wasn’t sure. But I needn’t have been, because he put me at ease the moment he snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. The kiss he claimed eased any remaining nerves.
I shifted a little in his embrace to make myself more comfortable before grasping his face and saying a little breathlessly, “I like it when you do that.”
His hold on me tightened and he took a swig of his beer as his eyes dropped to my chest. “You wore that to work?”
I looked down at the V-neck blouse I’d worn today and then frowned at him. “What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s fucking see-through for one. And for two, it’s hanging so fucking low every asshole can get eyes on your tits.”
I arched a brow as I pulled away from him a little. “Whoa there, it’s not hanging low. And no one has had their eyes on my tits, thank you very much.”
It was his turn to lift a brow. “Of course they fucking have.” He ran the bottom of his beer bottle over the swell of one of my breasts, pushing the blouse to the side. The cool, wet glass left drops of water on my skin. It did little to cool the heat between us, though. “Your top falls to the side like a fucking hooker’s legs fall open. You bend over with a patient like you did with Skylar, and he cops a fucking eyeful.”
“I can assure you that does not happen.”
“Bullshit, Lily. Only a fucking gay man wouldn’t take an opportunity like that.”
“So you’re telling me this is what you did while I worked with Skylar in the hospital?”
“I didn’t get the chance. You didn’t wear this top.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I can’t tell if you’re shitty about this and trying to lay down the law about what I wear—which, for the record, if you are, don’t—or whether you’re just telling me how you feel about this, or whether you’ve had a few drinks and are simply sharing your thoughts as they come to you. I mean, I don’t think you’re shitty. You don’t really seem it, but help me out—tell me what’s going on here.”
“I’m not telling you what to wear. I’m just telling you your top is see-through and hanging low.”
“Seriously? That’s all that was?” I couldn’t work out if I was disappointed there wasn’t more to it, or if I was relieved he hadn’t tried to boss me about my clothes. And that made me feel like a crazy freaking woman. I mean, what woman wants to go to battle with their man over the clothes they choose to wear?
He shifted positions swiftly, catching me off guard. Sitting up straight with his body to mine, he reached his hand into my blouse and cupped my breast as he growled, “I don’t like anyone’s eyes on your tits but mine. Wear whatever the fuck you want, but I catch a motherfucker copping a look, he’ll wish he didn’t.”
I gripped his biceps, heat rushing through me. King’s possessiveness turned me on so damn much, and that was completely unexpected. On top of that, his public display of sticking his hand down my top also freaking turned me on. I’d never been with a man who did that kind of thing, and I decided then and there, I was all for it.
“King!” Someone called out to him, and he slowly turned to see who it was. It was like he didn’t want to take his eyes off me for even a second.
I dropped my gaze to his neck, inspecting the tattoos there. King’s body was covered in them, and each time I looked at them, I saw something extra. Today I realised the eagle tattoo on one side of his neck was layered with a skull and dream catcher underneath. I traced my fingers over it, admiring the beauty in the design.
King lifted his chin at the guy speaking to him before smacking my leg and saying, “I need to go have a conversation. I’ll be back soon.”
I moved off his lap so he could stand, and he strode purposefully out of the bar without another glance my way. I decided a drink was a good idea. I wasn’t an extrovert, and being surrounded by all these people I didn’t know was a little intimidating, so I made my way to the bar and waited a few minutes for the woman behind it to serve me.
The dark-haired woman met me with a smile. “What can I get you?”
“A Jack and Coke, please.”
Her smile grew as she pulled a glass out. “I’m impressed.”
I frowned. “With what?”
She slowed her movements and met my gaze with a serious expression. “The woman King’s dating has manners.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of that or of her. “What does that mean? Why wouldn’t I? And what makes you think we’re together?”
She grinned again and made my drink. Sliding it to me, she leant across the bar a little and said, “I’ve never seen King like that with a woman. Never seen him give his complete attention to one the way he just did with you. Everyone noticed, babe, because none of us have seen that. And let’s just say, King’s manners leave a lot to be desired, so I’m fucking impressed he managed to score someone who knows her pleases and thank-yous.”
Deciding I liked her style of honesty, I returned her smile. Lifting the drink, I said, “How much do I owe you?”
She shook her head and shooed me away with a flick of her hand. “Nothing. I’m pretty sure my boss would want your drinks on the house.”
A red-headed woman arrived at the bar, moving in between me and the man to my right. “Hey, Kree, two Jägerbombs please, honey.” Then turning to me, she hit me with a huge smile and said, “One of those is for you by the way, so don’t go anywhere.”
“For me?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I wanna have a drink with the woman who made King smile.” Before I could say anything to that, she reached for my hair and pulled a few strands to the side, and said, “Goodness, you need to tell me what products you use on your hair. It’s so silky. I do so much shit to mine that I swear it’s gonna start falling out.”
And just like that, this woman made me feel welcome and put me at ease. “Thanks for the drink. I’m Lily by the way, and I’m not sure I actually saw King smile today so you may be wrong there.”
She laughed. “Oh honey, you are gonna fit right in here. And yeah, your man totally smiled. You just missed it because you were too busy being all flustered by his hand down your top.”
I took the Jägerbomb Kree placed in front of me and lifted it up with a questioning look at the woman. “Two questions. What the hell is in this? And what is your name? I mean, by the time I’m finished with this drink, I may not remember it, but I’m gonna give it a good shot.”
She lifted her drink, too. “It’s Jäger and Red Bull, and just drink it down in one go, okay? Like, trust me on this. And I’m Monroe, but you can call me Roe.”
I eyed the drink. “Am I gonna make it to work in the morning?”
Another laugh escaped her lips. “Honestly, what’s one day in the whole year with a hangover?”
A blonde woman joined us and said, “Not that my cousin only ever has one day a year with a hangover.”
Monroe glanced at her. “Oh shush, Tatum. I’ve almost found a Jäger buddy. Don’t ruin this for me when none of you bitches will drink it with me.”
“Wait,” I said, looking at Tatum, “is this gonna taste bad?” God, the woman was beautiful with her long, blonde hair, stunning features, and gorgeous tattoos. I decided I wanted to be Tatum when I grew up.
She pulled a face and nodded. “Yeah, it’s fucking awful.”
“Shit,” I muttered. And then to Monroe, I said, “Okay, let’s do this.” And with that, I took her advice and downed the drink in one go. She did the same, and when she hit me with a questioning look afterwards, I pulled a face and said, “I agree with Tatum—it’s fucking bad—but I’m willing to go another round to see if it improves.”
“Fuck, yes!” Monroe said as she looked at Tatum and wrinkled her nose while grinning at her. She then called out to Kree, “We need another round, Kree. Before Lily changes her mind.”
Being with these two reminded me of being with Adelaide and the girls. By the time Kree had served up two more rounds of Jägerbombs and I’d drunk them, as well as the Jack and Coke I’d originally ordered, I was a little tipsy and unsteady on my feet. Monroe was in the same state, and between us, we’d become a little loud. Hailee, the woman Devil had referred to earlier as his woman had also joined us, along with another old lady, Evie. I knew nothing about club life, so I hadn’t even known what an old lady was, but they started my education, filling me in on a few things, all while getting drunk.