The Elite Kings Boxset Vol. II

by Amo Jones

  I freeze.

  He jackknifes up, the weight of his body instantly gone. I ignore how my stomach throbs with emptiness from this fact, and slowly make my way off the bed—again—

  Nate stops when he reaches the door, his back turned to me. “…Regardless of what kind of monster you think I am, Tillie, and make no mistake, I can be a fucking monster, I never let that side of me touch you. Ever. However, if I find out that you’re hiding something from me, that side won’t just touch you, it will annihilate you.”

  Then he leaves, shutting the door behind himself.

  I exhale a deep breath, overwhelmed by him. Everything that is Nate Riverside is just too much. He’s too much everything for me, but I won’t let that feeling be a weakness for me. I choose to use it as a weapon instead.

  After showering and throwing on some of Madison’s clothes that mainly consist of skinny jeans and Harley Davidson t-shirts (that show way too much of my stomach). A stomach that isn’t exactly flat after Micaela, I make my way downstairs to find her.

  I can hear whispering coming from the side lounge that sits off the kitchen and turn toward it, leaning against the entryway when I get there.

  All of The Kings are here now, not just Bishop and Nate.

  Brantley, Cash, Chase, Ace, Hunter, Jase, Saint, and Eli.

  “Am I interrupting?” I ask, looking directly at Madison. I can’t stomach looking at any of The Kings. They’re not just intimidating, they’re downright terrifying. Madison always handled them with excellence, me, not so much.

  Madison smiles, pointing at the sofa that’s empty. Some of The Kings are standing, spread out on the U-shaped couch, and some are apprehensively pacing.

  I can see Brantley glaring at me out of the corner of my eye, he’s the one spread out on the sofa, one leg kicked up on the coffee table.

  “Tillie,” Brantley says my name with just enough warning to let me know that if I don’t answer him, I probably won’t like the consequences. Out of all of The Kings, Brantley has been the one that scares me the most. More so than Bishop and Nate.

  I turn to face him. “Yes?”

  “Is there anything that you’re not telling us? Anything that we need to know as far as the kid goes? Because I’m giving you your chance now to speak up and trust us. Any time after this, you’ll be dealt with as an outsider if you’ve betrayed this trust.”

  She has your daughter, Tillie. Right now, I have no other option but to lie. Who knows what Peyton has hidden. Who knows if she has cameras set up in this very house that we don’t know about.

  Lie.

  “You know everything. She took me the day before Daemon’s funeral and wouldn’t let me go. She kept Micaela and I holed up somewhere in the city,” I pause, clicking my fingers together. “Oh, wait, and also, Carter is with Peyton and The Circle…”

  “The Circle is being dealt with as far as I know,” Bishop interferes. “And Carter we already knew about.”

  “Anything else?” That’s Nate, and my eyes find him instantly. He’s against the wall on the other side of the room, one leg propped up and his finger running across the top of his lip.

  “Not that I can think of right now. Before I got here, she took Micaela and wouldn’t give her back. I don’t know what she’s playing at, but I sort of have a feeling that she has this sick side of her brain that thinks she’s taking over for our—” I pause, hating the next words that are about to come out of my mouth. “Mom.”

  “Wait, but she can’t, right?” Madison turns to face Bishop, and when he doesn’t answer her, she turns around to face Nate.

  Nate shrugs. “Yes and no. Yes, because Perdita still needs to be run, and the only person who can run it is a Stuprum. Khales has been spending some time over there though. The Lost Boys are funky little fuckers. They’re far more warped than you can imagine, and they don’t take any orders from anyone but a Stuprum. It’s all cult-like, but it’s the world they, and we, live in. No, because we don’t fucking allow it.”

  I rub my temples. “That can’t happen. Surely, and what has that got to do with The Circle, and also!” My eyes snap to Nate. “You’re not exactly freaking out about our daughter…”

  He straightens, his shoulders pulling back in defense. “Are you fucking kidding me, woman! You come in here—”

  “—Alright!” Madison snaps at both of us, then her face softens when she looks at me. “He’s not freaking out because they won’t harm that child, Tillie. She means too much to too many people. They’re bluffing, but we’re going to get her back before this night is up.”

  I hear the front door slam closed and then heels clicking across the tile floor. Oh god, if this is Tate, I cannot deal with her distracting Nate right in front of me right now.

  “Where the fuck is my granddaughter!”

  Nate smirks at me.

  Crap.

  I clear my throat. “We’re trying to figure that out.”

  Elena’s blue eyes cut to mine with sharp precision. Just when I think she’s going to start yelling at me, her face softens. She yanks me up from my seat and pulls me into her arms.

  “Whose fucking side are you on, mother?” Nate scolds her in the background.

  She ignores him.

  Pulling back, Elena’s hands come to my face. “We will get her back, honey.” She pauses, her attention going around the room. “And then she will not be easily accessible to being kidnapped and you and my son have to sort through your differences and come up with a somewhat healthy routine for her.”

  I squash down my initial thought to call her out on her overactive brain. All I can think about is not having her in my arms right now. Any discussion about Nate and I will have to wait.

  Elena’s eyes lock onto her son. “Do you know everything you need to know about the whereabouts?”

  He nods. “Yeah. We’re ready to go.”

  “Already? I answer, nerves wreaking through me. How can they already know where she is? How can he be so confident? Something doesn’t add up.

  Joseph enters the room, going straight for Madison and kissing the top of her head. It was a shock to find out that he wasn’t Madison’s biological father, but that fact hasn’t come between their bond. “The Circle is not your issue. We can handle them.”

  “The Circle are a pack of old Kings who have gone rogue by choice.” Brantley must see the confusion on my face, and again, he frightens me. He’s always watching everything that is going on around him without actually watching.

  “Right,” I answer. “Well, at least that’s something I didn’t know yesterday.”

  Joseph nods. “We’re handling it. The Circle are not our enemies, but they’re not our allies either. In the meantime, another thing that you all need to know is that the new generation is starting Riverside prep after the new year. There will obviously be the ceremony that will start them off that will be happening after Christmas in a few months. Though I shouldn’t have to remind you…”

  A new generation of Kings. That doesn’t sound fun at all. Are they all scary brats like these fuckers?

  I keep my thoughts to myself.

  Nate chuckles. “Good times…”

  My mind wanders back to Daemon, like it usually does. The book I found last night, I almost completely forgot about. Obviously, Madison doesn’t know about it, and I know that I might not be able to decipher it on my own, but a selfish part of me doesn’t want to share it with anyone yet. Maybe after we get Micaela back, I can show it to her and we can look more in-depth to find out what it means.

  I ignore everything going on around me until my phone vibrates in my pocket.

  “Hello?”

  I can’t hear the voice on the other end, so I excuse myself, blocking my other ear with my finger and quickly dash out through the glass slider that opens onto the backyard and pool. Once I’ve shut out the noise, I repeat myself. “Hello?”

  “Tillie!”

  “Oh my god!” My hand goes over my mouth. “Ridge?”

 
“Yeah, babe, it’s me. You’re a hard girl to get hold of these days.”

  I exhale, flopping down onto one of the sunbeds beside the pool. “You have no idea. Seriously.”

  “Are you okay? I know we haven’t spoken in a long time and we have so much to catch up on.”

  “Actually, I don’t think I am okay, but I’m trying to adapt to it.”

  “Well listen.” He clears his throat. “I’ll send you an address in town, so we can catch up.”

  I smile, the mid-morning sun hitting my cheeks. “Sounds like a good idea. Text me.”

  “Will do. Stay safe, Tills.”

  “I’ll try,” I whisper, hanging up and clutching my phone in my hand.

  Growing up, Ridge and I were inseparable. He was my first kiss, my first—everything, really. When we were fourteen, we decided we may as well be each other’s first “time” too, you know, get the deed over with so we could move on. Only he was like a bad habit and I was addicted. We sort of continued to sleep together right up until I met Nate, actually. When he was with a girl, or I was with a guy, we wouldn’t. It wasn’t something we agreed on or anything, it was just natural. If we were single, we were probably having sex.

  “Hey!” Madison shuts the door behind herself and skips over to me, her long dark hair flying all over the place. My eyes go over her shoulder and land on Bishop, who is standing behind the glass, watching her closely from the sitting room.

  They went through some crazy and survived, maybe I can too. I mean, it’s not like I can get it worse than she did, right?

  “Hey!” I pile my hair on the top of my head, twisting it into a knot.

  She hands me a mug of coffee. “Are you hungry? When was the last time you ate?”

  I shake my head, blowing inside the mug until steam hits the tip of my nose. “I can’t.”

  She sinks down beside me, tucking her feet under her butt. There’s a long stretch of silence that lies between us before she says something. “I know Nate is struggling a lot with whatever goes on inside that messed up head of his, but you didn’t see him when you weren’t here.”

  I nod. “And I’m glad I didn’t. Can’t imagine enjoying him and Tate parading their relationshit around for me.”

  Madison’s eyes go to my hair. “It wasn’t like it was with you, though,” she snorts. “It was actually hard to watch because I wanted to kill him most of the time for the things he did to her and how he treated her.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t really want to hear about it, Madz.”

  “Okay,” she sighs and then stands back to her feet. “But we need to refresh that hair, so let’s do a girl’s day while these guys prepare for tonight.” If I really thought Micaela was in trouble, would I really be off getting my hair done? The answer is no. But maybe it will take my mind away from the fact that people are about to die tonight, and anyway, everyone knows what Madison is like when she gets her heart set on doing something. Like Nate, for example. Don’t go there, Tillie.

  “Deal. But if Ridge texts me, you’re coming for lunch.”

  We make our way back into the house just in time for Nate to be walking down the stairs, a joint hanging out of his mouth. He looks freshly showered with more clothes on than he did this morning.

  “You move your shit?”

  “What? No. I said I wasn’t going to sleep in your room.”

  He looks at Madison, ignoring me point blank. “She needs to be in there before I get back tonight.”

  Then he stomps down the stairs, leaving.

  “He’s fucking impossible.” I shake my head, annoyed with Peyton for planting me here. Which reminds me…

  “I’ll be back in a second, I just have to grab something.” I shoot up the stairs and leave Madison waiting for me near the front door.

  Pulling out my phone, I dial Peyton’s number. She picks up on the fourth ring.

  “Talk.”

  “Remind me again why I’m doing this, without using Micaela…”

  She pauses. “Because Micaela.”

  I close my eyes, sinking down onto Daemon’s bed. “I don’t trust you, Peyton. I don’t trust anyone right now and it’s making my brain somersault in my head because I don’t know what way is right.”

  “Well how about this. My way is right so if you have something to say, say it…”

  I swallow past the large boulder stuck in my throat. If I do this, there’s no going back. I have two roads to choose from right now. I can hang up the phone and tell Madison, or I can tell Peyton, the woman who actually has my daughter in her care and keep her alive. “They’re getting ready to come for you tonight, Peyton. To get Micaela. So, here’s the deal, if you give her to me right now, they won’t end you…”

  There’s a long stretch of silence, and then she laughs. “Honey, they can’t end me. I have The Circle—”

  “—Peyton! The Circle are just old Kings who have gone rogue. Underneath their rebellion, they’re still Kings and your ignorance might not allow you to see how very important that is, but trust me when I say, this is a war you don’t want your hand in…”

  She ignores me. “Tillie, The Circle are not just old Kings…”

  I hang up the phone because Madison opens the door. “You okay?”

  I smile, trying to hide my reaction. “Yeah, it was just Ridge. I can meet with him another time.”

  “Okay, well come on then! We need some more pink in that hair.”

  Nate

  “I don’t trust her.” I turn my car off and lean back in my seat, watching as Tillie walks into the salon with Madison.

  “I get why you wouldn’t, because I ain’t fucking with it either. She’s hiding something…” Brantley says. He’s almost always riding shotgun with me now that Bishop is all loved up with Madison and beside that, what with Madison killing his dad, Brantley has been left with too much money, houses, and cars, and he’s found himself, for the most part—bored. “But what are you going to do if you find out she is hiding something, bro? She’s not just Tillie to you. She’s that chick to you, and then you had to go and be a dumb fuck and knock her up. Now she’s your baby mama, and you’re stuck with those bitches for life.”

  My lip curls. “For a smart fucker, you sure say some dumb shit.”

  He pulls out a pack of smokes and lights up. I crank our windows down and blaze a joint to counter the smell of nicotine.

  “So we just gonna stay here until they’re done?”

  I blow out a cloud of smoke. “Yup. Then I’m going to fuck with her for a bit until we leave. She’s hiding something and I ain’t about to walk into a fucking trap.”

  Brantley grins around the cancer stick between his lips. “Got any ideas?”

  I lick my lips and smirk. “Yeah, Tillie is the opposite of Madison when it comes to fear. Madison cowers, gets scared and does a bunch of dumb shit that would have gotten any other girl murdered on the spot.”

  Brantley turns his attention to me. “And what does Tillie do?”

  Tillie

  “You know, for a brunette, your hair is pretty high maintenance,” I tsk Madison as we’re leaving the salon. The sun is setting in the background, igniting burnt hues in the sky. It’s beautiful the way it kisses over your skin.

  “Because it’s not brunette, you heard her, it has tints of red in it too…”

  I roll my eyes. “This is why I have pink hair. When it runs out, it has a faded punk look that is totally okay to rock.”

  Madison clears her throat. “For you!” She beeps her pretty turquoise Ferrari and I slide into the passenger seat. I want to ask why she’s not asking me about Micaela, but deep down I already know why. It’s because she has complete faith in Bishop.

  “I’m naturally blonde so I guess it’s fine. Have you heard from Tatum?”

  We’ve been dancing around the T-word all day and I’ve noticed how any time I even steer the conversation toward her, Madison clams up.

  “She’ll be coming over tonight, actually, and she’s okay. I j
ust don’t want it to be weird between the two of you, you know?” Madison drives us out of the parking lot outside the salon.

  “It won’t be. Honestly, Madz, Nate is not my property. If they could just not rub it in my face, though, that would be great.”

  Madison doesn’t answer, turning the stereo on. I get it. I know that it must be hard for her to be in the middle of this cluster fuck, and deep down I know I’m the outsider out of the three. They say three’s a crowd, and even though Madison does her best to not let it fall that way, it doesn’t stop how I feel when her and Tate are together. They just…exist with each other. And although Madison and I have a bond and so do Tate and I, I haven’t really felt like I fit into the puzzle when we’re all together at once. Or maybe that’s just my own insecurities getting the best of me.

  Madison growls and then hits the stereo before pulling onto the shoulder of a gravel road. I look out the window, the angry sky now dark enough to awaken nocturnal creatures.

  I shiver. “What are you doing?”

  “Here’s the thing,” Madison declares. “I love you, and you know this. I also love Tate, and I hate lying to either of you. She loves you too, just saying, but—”

  “—But what?” I urge, wishing she would just spit it out.

  “I can’t breathe.” She flings her seatbelt off and launches out the car door. I follow, unclipping my belt and stepping outside. The temperature this time of year in New York isn’t cold but isn’t warm, though tonight it feels a little chillier with the strong gusts of wind smashing through my hair. “Madison!” She’s pacing back and forth in front of the car, the headlights the only way to see.

  A big semi-truck flies passed us, flicking my freshly washed and salon dried hair up around my face. “Seriously, Madz, can we do this in the car? We just spent that money at the salon, or rather, you did…”

  “She’s in love with him!” Madison spins around, her hands flailing around the place. “God, I’m so sorry, Tillie, but she’s in love with him. Like she cannot let it go in love with him.”