King (Shadowridge Guardians MC #11)

4. King

FOUR

KING

K ing hadn’t expected to enjoy lunch this much.

Sitting across from Ella in the firehouse’s breakroom, watching her take her first bite of a meal he’d made, he felt something shift inside him. She made a sound of delight as she chewed, her eyes fluttering closed for a second before she swallowed.

“King.” She sighed, placing a hand dramatically over her chest. “This is so good.”

His lips twitched, barely hiding a smirk. “Yeah?”

She nodded enthusiastically, already taking another bite. “Like, ridiculously good. Are you sure you’re a firefighter and not secretly a chef?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Nah. But between cooking here and at my motorcycle club, the Shadowridge Guardians, I figured I better learn how to make a few meals; otherwise, I’d have a bunch of whiny men on my case.”

“Well, I’m impressed,” she said between bites, looking completely at ease.

King wasn’t sure why it made him feel so damn good to watch her enjoy something as simple as chicken, rice, and roasted vegetables, but it did. Ella was easy to talk to, easy to be around.

Dangerously easy.

After lunch, he went back to work, checking equipment, running drills with the guys, and handling paperwork in Mendez’s office. But no matter what he did, his thoughts kept drifting back to Ella.

And maybe a little too conveniently, his feet did as well.

The first time, he’d told himself he was grabbing coffee and happened to pass her office.

The second time, he claimed he was checking the mail, though he was pretty sure Holt had given him a knowing look when he veered in Ella’s direction instead.

The third time, he actually had an excuse. Mendez had sent him to grab some forms, but when he stepped into her office, he found Ella sitting at her desk, quietly petting a small, palm-sized plush stuffed animal.

She didn’t notice him at first. Her fingers ran gently over the toy’s soft fur, her expression relaxed and almost serene. But the second she spotted him in the doorway, she stiffened, her face flushing pink.

“Oh,” she squeaked, quickly placing the stuffed toy down. “I—I didn’t hear you.”

King leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “You always carry that around?”

Her face went even redder. “I—I know it’s silly,” she mumbled, not meeting his gaze. “It just… helps with my anxiety.”

King studied her for a second before shrugging. “Nothing silly about that.”

Ella blinked, clearly surprised.

He gestured toward the plush toy. “If it helps, it helps.”

Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her sleeve as she gave him a shy smile. “Thanks. I’m still getting used to being in a new place.”

He let a beat of silence pass before asking, “Where’re you from, anyway?”

“New York City.”

“So, you picked up and moved for this job?”

She let out a soft laugh. “Pretty much.”

“Brave.”

Ella rolled her eyes. “Or reckless.”

He smirked. “Same thing sometimes.”

She tilted her head. “What about you? Have you always lived in Shadowridge?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “Born and raised. Working here, riding with the Guardians, it’s home.”

Ella perked up a little. “The Guardians? Oh, that’s your motorcycle club, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Shadowridge Guardians. We look out for the town, run charity events, help out where we can.”

“That’s… cool,” she said, sounding genuinely impressed.

King’s smirk deepened. “We’re having a BBQ at the clubhouse this weekend. You should come.”

Ella blinked, caught off guard. “Oh. Uh…” She glanced down at her desk, then up at him again. “I don’t know. I mean, I wouldn’t really fit in there.”

King raised a brow. “Why not?”

She gave him a small, sheepish look. “I don’t exactly scream ‘biker chick.’”

King let out a low chuckle. “Good. Wouldn’t suit you.” He pushed off the doorframe. “Just think about it.”

Ella bit her lip. “Okay.”

King smirked, picked up the forms he’d come in for, and grabbed one of her sticky notes to jot down the information. “Good. Here’s the address. I hope to see you there.”

The smell of sizzling meat and charcoal filled the air, mingling with laughter, music, and the occasional roar of an engine. The Guardians’ clubhouse was alive with energy, the compound packed with MC members and their families. King stood by the grill, tongs in hand, flipping burgers while Steele and Faust bickered about the best way to season ribs.

King wasn’t paying attention to their argument, though. Mostly because they had the same one every time the club had a BBQ, and neither of them could ever agree, so the ribs were usually overly seasoned but still good as hell. It was meat. Meat was always good.

His eyes kept drifting toward the parking lot, his pulse racing faster with each passing second. He told himself he wasn’t waiting for her, but when a small car pulled in and parked up, his heart gave a sharp, unexpected jolt.

Then the door opened, and she stepped out.

Ella .

King exhaled slowly, something tightening in his chest. She looked like she’d stepped straight out of a dream. Soft, delicate,cute. Her dark hair was styled in two space buns, little curls framing her face. She wore a babydoll dress, short and flowy, with tiny white flowers scattered across the fabric. And on her feet—those same white Converse from the grocery store, slightly scuffed but still somehow fitting with her outfit.

And that was when it hit him.

She looked Little.

The way she dressed, especially out of work, the way she carried that stuffed toy in her office, the way she shopped like a kid left unsupervised with a credit card. It all clicked into place.

King had been around enough Littles at the clubhouse to recognize the signs. Some were more open about their lifestyle, some more subtle. But Ella? She was completely unaware of the energy she gave off, and that made her even more adorable.

He smirked to himself, shaking his head before pushing off the grill and making his way over to her.

As he approached, he noticed she had a bowl in her hands, clutching it carefully and scanning the crowd. When her gaze landed on him, her lips parted slightly, cheeks coloring the faintest shade of pink.

“Hey, you made it,” King said, stopping in front of her.

Ella smiled, her fingers tightening around the plastic wrap on the bowl. “Yeah. Figured I’d at least make an appearance. If I’m going to be in town for a while, I should probably get to know some of the people.”

He didn’t like the sound of her saying ‘for a while’. Was she not planning to stay in Shadowridge? That would suck. He’d just started getting to know her and he already wanted to learn so much more about sweet little Ella.

He glanced down at the bowl. “What’s that?”

Her blush deepened, and she hesitated before peeling back the lid, revealing a chaotic mix of brightly colored sweets—gummy bears, M&Ms, licorice pieces, candy-coated chocolates, sour worms, and even tiny marshmallows.

King blinked several times, his stomach turning over at the thought of taking a bite of what was in that bowl. “…What am I looking at?”

Ella chewed her lip, suddenly looking unsure. “Acandy salad.”

He arched a brow, unsure he’d actually heard her correctly. “A what?”

She huffed a laugh, shaking her head. “Like a fruit salad. But, you know… with candyinstead of fruit.”

King let out a deep, rumbling chuckle, rubbing a hand over his jaw as he glanced back at the ridiculous concoction. “Jesus, dollface. I don’t know whether to be impressed or concerned about your blood sugar levels.”

Ella giggled, nudging him lightly with her elbow. “It’s fun! You mix all your favorite candies together and boom. Instant sugar heaven.”

King shook his head, smirking. “You really don’t eat real food, do you?”

She gasped, mock-offended. “Excuse me, this is real food.”

He chuckled again, reaching out and plucking a single gummy bear from the bowl. He popped it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully before nodding. “All right. Not bad. But don’t think this counts as a meal.”

Ella giggled, pleased. “It’s a side dish . If I were bringing the main meal, I would have brought something much healthier. Like a Jell-O salad.”

King exhaled, looking down at her with a grin.She was trouble . Soft and sweet, the kind of trouble he hadn’t known he wanted until now.

With a playful shake of his head, he hooked a thumb toward the grill. “Come on, let’s get some real food before you go into a sugar coma.”

Ella grinned, hugging her candy salad as she followed him toward the rest of the party.

And for the first time in a long time, King felt like maybe something in his world had shifted. Maybe it was his turn to find his one.

And he didn’t mind it one bit.