King (Shadowridge Guardians MC #11)

8. King

EIGHT

KING

K ing wiped down the side of the truck, his muscles working through the familiar motion as his mind drifted to a certain someone.

Little Ella.

His phone vibrated on the nearby workbench, and he grabbed it with one hand, smiling when he saw the latest text from Remi.

Remi:She said yes! Ella’s coming to book club tonight!

Another buzz.

Remi:Told you she’s one of us. She just doesn’t know it yet.

King exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. He did knowit. The moment he saw Ella at the BBQ, taking in all the Littles while they did the same, he knew they would be pulling her into their friendship circle. He couldn’t be happier for her. When Ella had told him about her life in New York, he’d gotten the feeling that she’d been lonely there, so this would be really special for her.

He had just tucked his phone away when movement in his peripheral caught his attention.

He barely had time to react before a pair of soft, manicured hands wrapped around his waist from behind, pressing a feminine body against his back.

King stiffened instantly.

“Hey, baby,” a sultry voice purred.

Fuck.

He turned his head slightly, jaw already tightening. “Janelle.”

She stepped around him, pressing herself close. Too close. Her long dark hair was curled to perfection, her lips painted red, and the dress she wore, if it could even be called that, was tight, short, and low-cut.

The kind of thing that had once turned his head.

Not anymore.

“I was hoping I’d find you here,” she said, dragging a single painted nail down his arm. “It’s been too long, Daddy.”

King gritted his teeth, stepping back, putting space between them. That word off her tongue made him want to vomit. “What do you want, Janelle?”

She pouted, ignoring his tone. “You. Obviously.”

King exhaled sharply. “Not happening.”

Janelle smiled like she didn’t believe him. “Come on, baby. Don’t be like that. I miss you.”

King barely heard her.

Because everything about this moment was wrong.

His mind wasn’t here. It wasn’t on Janelle or whatever game she thought she was playing. It was still on his damn phone, reading the text Remi had sent him.

It was on Ella.

Ella, who had blushed when he’d brought her food earlier. Ella, who had looked so damn excited when he told her Remi wanted her number. Ella, who had no clue howmuchhe was already thinking about her.

And that was the difference.

With Ella, he wanted totake careof her.

With Janelle, it had always been about something else. Something superficial. Temporary.

Something that wasn’t at all real .

Janelle stepped closer again, her fingers trailing up his chest. “Come on, Daddy,” she whispered. “We were good together. I miss you.”

“No, we weren’t,” he snapped.

She ignored him, biting her lip in a way that once would’ve worked on him. Now, he recognized it as a fake move to get him to react. “Just one more chance. Let me remind you of how good it was.”

He stared at her blankly, her words not even reaching him. The more she spoke, the more he zoned out, his expression flat as he let her spew more lies and bullshit to him.

Then, when she finally stopped talking, she reached for him, hands sliding toward his neck as she leaned in for a kiss.

King immediately took a step back, his expression hard. “Janelle.” His voice was low and hard . “Leave.”

For a second, her face twisted. Janelle wasn’t used to being rejected. Then, with a sharphuff, she spun on her heel and stormed off, her heels clicking against the concrete.

King didn’t watch her go.

Didn’t care.

Because the second she disappeared, his mind snapped back to where itwanted to be.

Ella .

He wanted to be near her. To feel her sweetness surrounding him. Because she was real, and she was who he wanted. More than he’d realized.

He turned on his heel, striding inside, already moving toward her office.

But when he got there, it was empty.

King sat on the bench outside the firehouse, elbows resting on his knees, phone in hand. The screen glowed in the darkness, the last message he’d sent still sitting there.

Delivered.

But not read.

It had been hours.

His thumb hovered over the screen before he tapped out another.

King: Hey, you okay?

He waited.

Nothing.

Frowning, he leaned against the cool brick wall behind him, staring at the night sky. It had been hours since he last saw Ella, hours since she had disappeared from the firehouse without a word.

And now she wasn’t answering him.

His chest tightened.

He tried again.

King: Ella?

A minute passed. Two. Three.

Still nothing.

He growled a curse under his breath, rubbing a hand over his jaw. He may not have known her for that long, but he knew Ella wasn’t the type to ignore people, not unless something was wrong.

And he had a damn good guess as to what that something was.

Janelle.

She must have seen her. Seen the way she was all over him.

Even though he had shut that shit down fast. What if Ella thought there was more to it? What if she thought he wanted Janelle?

His stomach clenched.

No. That was the last thing he wanted.

Ella had to know that.

Didn’t she?

He thought he’d made it pretty fucking clear. But maybe not clear enough.

He exhaled sharply, finding another contact.

King:Remi, did Ella show up to book club?

The response came fast.

Remi: Yeah, she’s here.

King sagged with relief. At least she was safe. Being a firefighter made him think the worst-case scenario. And he’d be having that conversation with her about not responding once he figured out how to fix whatever was wrong. She might not be his yet, but he needed her to know that even if she was upset with him, he needed a response confirming she was okay. Before he could type anything else to Remi, another message popped up.

Remi:She’s quiet. Something’s wrong. She won’t say what.

Damn it.

His grip on the phone tightened.

King:Tell her to call me. Or text me. Just… tell her to talk to me.

Remi sent a thumbs-up emoji, but King wasn’t sure if it meant she’d actuallylisten. Those Littles stuck together like glue.

Hours passed.

The firehouse stayed busy. Checking equipment, going over drills, a couple of minor calls. But through it all, King kept checking his phone, waiting for a buzz, a notification. Something .

Nothing came.

By the time he was in his bunk, staring at the ceiling, his gut was twisted in knots.

Ella had seen Janelle. He knew it. It was one more reason he couldn’t stand that woman.

Because now, Ella was shutting him out.

He might’ve managed to ruin this before it even started.