9. Ella
NINE
ELLA
E lla wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped inside the clubhouse, her excitement for book club buried under a heavy weight in her chest. The other girls were already curled up on chairs and bean bags in a small nook of a room off the common area, chatting animatedly, clutching their books and drinks.
She’d only come tonight because she knew King wouldn’t be here. She didn’t think she could handle seeing him right now, not after what she’d witnessed earlier at the firehouse. Not only was she sad, she was embarrassed, too.
Ella took a seat on the couch next to Remi, pulling her knees up to her chest.
Remi’s eyes flicked over her, immediately laced with concern. “What’s wrong?” she asked quietly, leaning in.
Ella forced a smile. “Just tired.”
Remi didn’t look convinced, though she didn’t push. Instead, she passed Ella a copy of the book they were reading, and the discussion started.
Ella tried to listen, but the words blurred together. Her mind kept replaying the image of that woman, the way she’d touched King, the way she’dlookedat him.Like she belonged with him. Like she belonged by his side. It was obvious they knew each other well. And why would he pick Ella over someone sexy and sophisticated like that? With perky cleavage and glowing skin. Ella couldn’t compete, even on her best day. Her breasts certainly had never looked that good, no matter what kind of bra she’d tried.
She’d barely noticed when Remi’s phone buzzed beside her. A few minutes later, Remi cleared her throat.
“So,” she said casually, though her tone was anything but, “what did King do?”
She snapped her head up. “What?”
The room quieted.
The other girls turned to look at her, curiosity in their eyes.
Remi tilted her head, lips twitching like she was holding back a smirk. “Do we need to go kick his butt? Because we will.”
“Oh, heck yeah,” Ivy added. “We can put slime on the seat of his bike.”
Crap. She didn’t want them to do that.
Ella’s cheeks burned. “No, he didn’t—” She hesitated, chewing on her lip. “It’s stupid.”
“Doubt it,” Harper said, crossing her arms. “Spill.”
Ella exhaled, feeling ridiculous even saying it aloud. “There was a woman at the firehouse today,” she admitted. “She wasgorgeous. And sophisticated. Way more King’s type than me. And she was all over him.”
Carlee frowned. “Did he touch her back?”
Ella hesitated. “I don’t know. I left before I could see.”
Harper pulled out her phone, typing something quickly. A moment later, she sighed dramatically. “My Daddy says she’s King’s ex . She’s called Janelle.” She looked up. “And hehatesher.”
It took Ella a moment to remember that Doc was Harper’s Daddy. She’d seen him several times at the firehouse. He was one of the medics there.
“He does?” Ella asked.
Harper bobbed her head. “Apparently, they broke up forever ago. She cheated. He won’t even give her the time of day.”
Ella shifted uncomfortably, doubt still making her stomach twist. “It… it didn’tlooklike that.”
Remi rolled her eyes. “Trust me, if King were interested in her, we’dall know it. That man doesn’t hide what he wants. And it was obvious at the BBQ that he wants you.”
Ella wanted to believe them.
But the image of that woman pressing herself against King was burned into her mind.
And no matter what they said, the doubt wouldn’t go away.
Ella stepped into her tiny house, the quiet bothering her more than it had since she’d moved from New York. Normally, coming home felt comforting. Her own little space full of warmth, softness, and things that made her feel safe. But tonight, everything feltoff.
She moved through the motions of getting ready for bed, trying to shake off the lingering sadness. After slipping into her favorite pair of footie pajamas, light pink with miniscule white clouds, she let out a small sigh. She hugged her stuffed bunny to her chest, running her fingers over its soft fur as she climbed into bed.
Her phone sat on the nightstand, the screen glowing with unread messages.
From him.
Ella swallowed hard, her fingers trembling slightly as she picked it up.
She hadn’t checked them since she left the firehouse. Sheknew she should’ve opened them sooner, but she was afraid. Afraid of what he might say. Afraid that he wouldn’t even bother explaining. Afraid that he would, and it wouldn’t be one she wanted.
Taking a deep breath, she tapped the screen and began reading.
King: Ella?
King: Did I do something?
King: Talk to me, Little one.
King: Please.
King: Remi says you’re at book club, so I know you’re okay. But I need to know if you’re upset withme.
King: If you saw something today, let me explain. Just… don’t shut me out.
Her chest tightened.
He knew.
Of course, he did.
King wasn’t stupid. He had probably put the pieces together the second she left. But even though his messages sounded sincere, she still couldn’t bring herself to reply.
Not yet.
Instead, she set her phone back on the nightstand, turning onto her side and curling into a small ball, clutching her bunny close.
She tried to tell herself it didn’t matter. That she shouldn’t be this upset over a man she barelyknew .
But it did matter because she had developed feelings for King in the short time they’d known each other.
And now her heart hurt more than she’d ever expected.
Ella kept her focus on her computer screen, fingers typing aimlessly as she tried to push past the strange, unsettled feeling lingering from the night before. She had struggled to sleep, her mind replaying the image of King and that woman over and over again. Even after the girls at book club had insisted there was nothing to worry about, doubt still gnawed at her.
A knock on her office door made her glance up. Before she could respond, the door opened, and her breath caught as she rose from her seat.
King .
Dressed in his firehouse uniform, he filled the small space effortlessly, his broad frame making the office seem even smaller than it already was, which was basically a closet. His expression was unreadable, but his sharp eyes were locked on her with determination.
“Morning, Ella,” he greeted, his voice low and steady.
She forced a smile. “Morning.”
He studied her for a moment, then stepped inside and shut the door behind him. The click of the latch sent a ripple of tension through her.
“King—”
“Sit,” he instructed, motioning to her chair before sinking into the one across from her.
Ella hesitated. She wanted to brush past this, to pretend it hadn’t affected her, but King wasn’t going to let that happen.
So, she did as she was told.
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “I know why you left yesterday.”
She swallowed hard, keeping her expression neutral. “I don’t know what you mean.”
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Don’t do that, Little one. Don’t lie. I won’t lie to you, and I expect the same respect from you. You saw my ex at the firehouse, and you assumed something that wasn’t true.”
Her stomach tightened. “I didn’t assume anything.”
He arched a brow. “Really? Then why’d you leave without a word? Why’d you ignore my texts?”
Ella’s gaze flickered to the side, shame creeping in. “I was just tired.”
“That’s three, dollface. Three times you’ve lied to me. If you were mine, which one day you will be, you’d have a very sore bottom for doing something like that,” he said sternly.
She shifted in her chair, hugging her arms to her chest while trying to ignore her throbbing clit. “It’s no big deal, King. What you do or who you see isn’t my business.”
“It is a big deal,” he countered. “Listen to me, baby. That woman? She means nothing to me. I didn’t even know she was going to show up. We haven’t spoken in over a year, and I have no desire to start now.”
Ella glanced up at him hesitantly. “Why’d she come back?”
King’s jaw ticked. “Hell, if I know. She tried to pull the whole I miss you, I made a mistake routine, but I shut her down immediately. The only reason I listened to her at all was because I didn’t want to cause a scene at work. I didn’t touch her or return any of her advances. I told her to leave.”
“Oh.”
His eyes softened. “The only person I want, Ella, the only one I see, isyou.”
Her lips parted slightly as his words sank in. He looked so sincere, his expression open and raw. The doubt that had clouded her mind began to clear.
“You really mean that?” she asked, barely above a whisper.
King nodded, his gaze unwavering. “Yeah, baby girl. I really mean that.”
Ella breathed out slowly, letting the tension in her shoulders ease. He wasn’t lying. She could feel it, see it in the way he looked at her.
“Okay,” she murmured.
His face relaxed, and he let out a deep breath, too, as though he was relieved. “Does that mean you’ll still go out with me tonight?”
A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
King grinned, wide and perfect. “Good.”
He stood then, making his way around her desk. Ella’s pulse spiked as he leaned down, bracing his hands on either arm of her chair, effectively caging her in.
“The only person I think about is you,” he whispered, his words warm against her temple. “And if I’m lucky enough, maybe one day I’ll earn the title of yourDaddy.”
Ella’s breath caught, her entire body tingling at what he’d said. Before she could respond, he pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head, his fresh scent surrounding her.
Then he pulled back, a smug smile on his lips as though he knew exactly the effect he was having on her. “I’ll pick you up at seven, dollface. Text me your address.”
With that, he was gone, leaving Ella sitting at her desk, her heart pounding, her cheeks burning, and her core aching with need.