King(23)

“You ready to go?”

“Yes.” She rose to her feet, anxious to get away from the snobs who had been obviously scrutinizing her all evening.

King escorted her outside where Henry was waiting with the car door open.

“It’s a thing with him, isn’t it?” Evie asked as soon as King closed the car door.

“What is?”

“Opening and closing doors.”

“It’s his job,” King said, leaning back in the dark car.

Evie didn’t talk on the way back to Penni’s apartment. When the door opened, she was about to get out when she realized they weren’t at Penni’s.

“Where are we?”

“My penthouse. I thought we would have a nightcap.”

Evie almost didn’t get out. Only the thought of another sleepless night had her following him up.

She would take a drink or two then leave. There wasn’t a chance anything else would happen. He was Lily’s father, and she was here to find out if he was a danger to her. More importantly, she wasn’t even attracted to him. What could go wrong?





Chapter 10




Evie entered his penthouse suite, amazed at the size of the living room.

“Wow.” She didn’t hide her reaction; the room deserved all the props she could give it. Decorated similarly to his house in Treepoint with black leather couches and glass tables, it fit the room much more than it ever would the small house. The modern furnishing blended with the architecture in the building with a wall of windows that spanned the whole room.

Evie went directly to the windows to gaze out. “This is fantastic.”

“Do you want a drink?”

“Yes, please.”

Evie turned from the window, going to the couch. Kicking off her high heels, she sat down, curling her feet under her.

“Make yourself at home,” he said, sitting down next to her and handing her a drink.

“My feet were killing me. It’s been a long time since I wore heels that tall,” Evie admitted.

“I would never have known,” King replied. “How did you end up with The Last Riders? You obviously have a background where you’re used to money.”

“I still have money. I just don’t choose to spend it on expensive apartments,” Evie commented, her hand waving around the room. “This is beautiful but artificial.”

“Did you just insult me?” King set his glass down on the table, placing his arm on the back of the sofa behind her. “What do you spend your money on? Clothes?” His fingers lifted the material of her dress, running it between his fingers.

“Among other things.”

“Do you make a lot of money, filling factory orders?”

“That was a crass comment, besides being out of line.”

“I’ve never had a problem with what people thought of me.”

“I bet you don’t have many friends, do you?”

“No, Desmond and Henry are pretty much it. Yet, I’d like to count you as a friend, Evie. I think we have a lot in common.”

“We have nothing in common.”

“You don’t think so? I do. I think both of us are emotional misfits. You can go from man to man without leaving your heart behind. I can go from woman to woman without them touching mine. We’re a match made in Heaven.”

“Or Hell,” Evie said under her breath, setting her own glass down. “King, I need to set you straight before this goes any further. You can stop flirting with me. You’re not going to succeed in seducing me.”

“Why not? You’re attracted to me.”

Evie thought about denying it but decided to be truthful. “You’re a very attractive man. Despite that, I’ve already given you my reasons.”

“Why? Because I’m Lily’s father?”

“Yes.”

“Why would that make you feel uncomfortable when you’ve slept with her husband?”

Picking up her drink, she finished the contents before setting it back down. “You’re unbelievable.”

Evie took a deep breath. “Shade and I met in high school. I’ve told you this before. Razer, Lucky and Knox were in the service together, stationed at the same military base. We hung out together on the weekends.”

Evie could tell he was about to make a smart-ass comment; if he did, she was out of here. Shade could have him. Luckily, he remained quiet.

“We were friends. We were sent in after the fighting to clean up after everyone else’s mess and get out the causalities. They had started to pull Shade for special assignments, and when they did, they would send in Cash. That’s how we met Viper and Gavin. They were in another unit.

“I was young, dumb, and God, so idealistic.” Evie shook her head at her naivety even now.