Chapter 27
CHAPTER 27
A mara couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she sat in the passenger seat of King’s car, her body still tingling from the morning they’d shared.
Slade had called, saying Joey was ready for release, and now they were on their way to pick him up. But her mind wasn’t on Joey...not yet. No, her mind was stuck on the way she had woken up.
King’s lips had been the first thing she felt, warm and insistent against her skin. His hands had roamed over her, teasing, playing, dipping between her thighs to find her still throbbing from the night before.
What a way to wake up. She’d flinched at his touch, just a tiny movement, but King had caught it immediately. Without a word, he had scooped her up, carried her to the bathroom, and stepped into the shower with her. The warm water had cascaded over them as his strong hands lathered her skin with care, his touch reverent, almost worshipful.
She had tried repeatedly to take things further. Because, well… she had apparently become a total slut where he was concerned. The thought made her smile even more. But King had refused. Instead, he had pushed her against the cool tile, dropped to his knees, and worshipped her with his mouth and tongue.
His saliva had healing powers, he had said. Yeah, well, that wasn’t the only thing his mouth and tongue had power over. Lord help her. Even now, the memory sent a slow, warm pulse through her veins.
“What are you thinking about?” His deep, knowing voice pulled her back to the present.
Amara glanced over to see King grinning at her, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting casually on his thigh. His dark eyes flicked to her before returning to the road, but the heat in them was unmistakable.
She bit her lip, trying to suppress her grin. “Oh, you know… just things.”
King chuckled, the rich, masculine sound doing dangerous things to her insides. “Judging by that dreamy look on your face, I’d say they’re dirty things.”
Amara laughed, shifting in her seat. “Maybe.”
“Definitely.” His smirk was pure sin, and her stomach flipped.
God, this man. He was going to be the death of her, and she was more than okay with that.
“Is that…bad?” Amara frowned, suddenly second-guessing herself. Maybe she was being too forward. Too eager. Too needy. Some men didn’t like that in a woman. She had learned that the hard way.
The thought sent a pang of uncertainty through her chest, but before she could dwell on it, King pulled up to a red light and turned to face her.
“Why would you ask that?” King watched her closely.
“I don’t know,” She shrugged, then sighed. “Some men don’t like women who?—"
“I am not some men, Amara.” He interrupted her. His voice was firm and deep, vibrating through the car like a promise.
Amara nodded, feeling relief because she had acted like a total slut last night.
“Your desires make you who you are,” he continued, his gaze locking onto hers. “And I am the man who will see that those desires are met.”
Oh. Amara’s lips parted, but no words came out. Did he even realize what he did to her when he spoke like that? When he looked at her like that? Heat flushed through her, her pulse hammering in her throat.
She managed a slight nod before staring out the window, mouthing the word, “Wow.”
The light turned green, and King refocused on the road. But Amara barely noticed.
Her heart was still racing. No man had ever made her feel so seen, so desired—not just for her body but for who she was. It was overwhelming yet intoxicating.
When they pulled into the parking lot, King found a spot quickly and parked. She reached for the door handle, but before she could open it, she heard the unmistakable click of the lock engaging.
King’s voice was calm but commanding. “Amara.”
She turned to him, her pulse skipping a beat at the intensity in his gaze. “Yes?”
He reached out, his large, warm hand cupping her chin gently, tilting her face toward his. “You are a very special person,” he murmured, his thumb brushing against her cheek. “Never doubt your self-worth.”
Her throat tightened.
“Your desires and passion are something any man would cherish. But know this.” His voice deepened, his expression hardening with something raw, something primal. “I will be the only man in your life to experience them. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
A shiver ran down her spine, her entire body tingling with awareness. “Yes,” she whispered, her voice shaky but sure.
She placed her hand over his, guiding it to her cheek as she leaned into his touch. “I am yours.”
Something dark and possessive flashed in his eyes. “You are mine.”
Then his lips crashed against hers. It was a soul-stealing, mind-shattering kiss that left her breathless.
King pulled away before she could catch her breath, leaving her lips tingling and her mind spinning. “Come on, Joey will be mad if we don’t break him out of here soon.”
“Wait—what?” Amara blinked as King casually exited the car as if he hadn’t just wrecked her entire existence with that kiss. What the hell just happened? She touched her lips, trying to stabilize her heart and get her thoughts in order.
By the time he opened her door, she was still dazed, still caught in the storm of King’s intensity. Sliding out of the car, she looked up at him, frustration bubbling inside her. “What the hell was that?”
King grinned, clearly enjoying himself. “What was what?” he asked innocently. Too innocently.
Her eyes narrowed. “You know what.”
His grin widened.
“That kiss,” she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “And then bam, you’re out of the car like it was nothing.”
King chuckled, and before she could take another breath, he pulled her against him. Her body molded to his like it belonged there, like he had some gravitational pull she couldn’t resist. His gaze scanned over the parking lot before dropping to hers.
“Because if I didn’t get out of the car, we’d still be in there,” he said, voice low and husky. His fingers skimmed along her lower back, sending shivers up her spine. He leaned in, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear as he finished. “And it’s not safe for you if I’m distracted. And honey, you are definitely a distraction.”
Her breath hitched, her frustration melting into something much more dangerous.
“Oh, ah, okay,” she murmured, frowning to herself. How did he do that? One second, she was mad, demanding answers; the next, she was putty in his hands.
Her entire life had been flipped upside down. People were after her. Danger lurked around every corner, yet all it took was one kiss, one touch, and she forgot everything except him. That should scare her, but it didn’t.
“Well,” she said, forcing some air back into her lungs. “I guess I should be thanking you, then.”
King smirked, taking her hand as they walked toward the hospital entrance. “No thanks needed.” He squeezed her fingers, glancing down at her with a wicked gleam in his eyes. “The sooner we get Joey home and settled, the quicker I can have you all to myself.”
Her stomach flipped. The way he said it—deep, possessive, like a promise—sent a rush of heat through her.
The silence between them was comfortable as they entered the hospital and rode the elevator up to Joey’s floor. King kept a firm grip on her hand, his attention scanning everyone around them. His presence was steady and protective—like a shield she hadn’t realized she needed until now.
As soon as they stepped out into the hallway, her phone rang.
She stopped outside Joey’s room and pulled it from her pocket. “Hello?”
“Ms. Tarvin?” A deep male voice echoed through the line.
“Yes?” She glanced up at King, who had already leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her closely.
“This is Mike Duffy from Duffy’s Funeral Home,” the man informed her.
Amara’s stomach clenched.
“I’m calling to let you know that we have taken care of your brother after our conversation,” Mr. Duffy continued, his voice professional but kind. “Do you have a date in mind for the service? We do have an opening this Saturday if that works for you. I wasn’t sure what kind of timeline you were looking at, but I wanted to let you know it’s available as of right now.”
Her throat tightened with that suffocating weight of grief pressing against her ribs. Saturday. It felt too soon, and yet not soon enough. She forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat. “Yes, that would be fine.”
“We have everything on our end. A friend of yours brought in a suit you wanted your brother to wear yesterday.” Mr. Duffy assured her. “Again, we are very sorry for your loss. I’ll send all the details to your email. And if there is anything else we can do, please don’t hesitate to let us know.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. She needed to remember to thank Jessie for doing that for her. She forgot to say anything when she saw her last night. “I’ll look for the email.” She hung up, exhaling shakily as she lowered the phone from her ear.
King hadn’t moved. He stood there, silent, his piercing gaze locked onto her like he was waiting, assessing.
“The funeral is Saturday.” Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
For a second, she thought he might say something, but instead, he just reached for her, pulling her into his chest without hesitation. No words. No forced condolences. Just comfort.
Letting herself soak in his strength for a few minutes, she finally pulled away, wiped her eyes, and straightened her shoulders.
“Let’s get Joey out of here,” King said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
Nodding, Amara let King lead her into Joey’s hospital room. Joey sat on the edge of the bed, fully dressed and ready to go, his arms crossed in impatience.
“Finally!” he huffed. “I almost asked Jill and Slade to adopt me just to get me out of this place.”
Amara smiled, but the weight in her chest tightened. She hated that she was about to tell him about the funeral. He seemed to be handling their father’s death almost too well, and that worried her. But grief worked differently for everyone, and all she could do was be there when he needed her.
“You sure they don’t need to keep him here another day?” She arched a brow at Slade, then narrowed her eyes at Joey. “I think more hospital food would do him good.”
“Ha. Ha.” Joey snorted. “Real funny.”
“I thought so.” She shrugged with a grin.
“Okay, Joey, I gotta get going.” Jill gave him a high five before stepping back. “Sloan’s gonna fire me if I’m late again.”
“Thanks for the Burger King,” Joey said as she passed.
“I’ll walk you out and grab Joey’s release papers,” Slade said, slipping an arm around Jill’s waist. “Be right back.”
As soon as they left, Joey turned his sharp gaze to Amara. “Why have you been crying?”
Her breath hitched. She hadn’t expected him to notice. She cleared her throat, unsure if she was ready to say it out loud, but Joey had a right to know.
“I just talked to the funeral home,” she said, meeting his gaze. “Your dad’s funeral is Saturday.”
Joey nodded slowly, looking at the floor. “Okay, cool.” His voice was steady, but she caught the slight tension in his jaw. After a moment, he looked back up. “I heard you and Jessie whispering about his suit. I figured it would be soon. He had one suit he called his ‘wedding and funeral suit.’ Guess that’s the one he’s gonna be wearing.”
“Yes,” Amara said softly, observing him.
Joey let out a breath, his fingers gripping the sheets beneath him. “He’s got friends,” he murmured. “People who’d want to know. People who’d want to be there.”
“There’s an obituary that will be published,” she told him, glancing at King when she noticed his frown. Joey didn’t miss it either.
“Is that bad?” Joey asked, his sharp gaze shifting between them. “I heard a lot when everyone thought I was sleeping. I’m not a kid, and I’m not stupid. Is this safe for Amara?”
King didn’t hesitate. “It will be safe because the Warriors will be there. I will be there.” His voice was solid, unwavering. “No one will touch her. No one will touch you.”
Joey studied him for a second before nodding. “Yeah, I know,” he said, exhaling. “Thanks, King.”
“Don’t mention it, kid.” King clapped him on the shoulder. “Adam and Steve are picking up your PlayStation and buying one for Amara, so you two can play tonight.”
Joey’s eyes lit up. “Sweet!”
Amara frowned. “King, I have a PlayStation at my place. We could’ve just picked mine up.”
“It’s already done.” King shrugged, texting something on his phone. He looked back up, his lips twitching. “Besides, maybe I wanted a PlayStation so I could show you both how Call of Duty should be played.”
Joey blinked, then burst into laughter. “Dude, you play?”
“Nope, never played.” King shrugged again, as if it didn’t matter. “I’ll pick it up.”
Joey and Amara exchanged a look before both of them cracked up.
“What?” King frowned.
“You don’t just ‘pick up’ Call of Duty , man,” Joey said, shaking his head. “You’ll get your ass kicked.”
King smirked and shot Amara a wink. She sighed, shaking her head. This man was something else. He had completely shifted the conversation, steering it away from grief and loss and back into something lighter, something normal. Joey was smiling again and joking again. And as much as Amara hated to admit it, she needed that, too.
Slade walked in, holding a stack of papers, and handed them to Amara. “These are his release papers.”
Amara took them, her fingers tightening slightly around the pen as she signed where he indicated. She barely registered what she was doing, her mind still racing from the weight of everything that had happened.
Slade continued, his voice steady, professional. “His x-rays indicate accelerated healing, but he’ll need to remain non-weight-bearing until he’s rechecked next week. I’ll arrange for crutches and a wheelchair to be delivered to King’s house.”
Amara’s stomach twisted with guilt. Getting him crutches had slipped her mind. She was supposed to be taking care of him. God, she was going to suck at this whole caregiver thing if she didn’t get her shit together.
“Okay, thank you,” she said, her voice softer now, almost wanting to hug Slade for picking up the slack where she had dropped it.
Slade hesitated. “There’s another thing.”
His quick glance at Joey sent a warning bell through her. She signed the last line on the papers and handed them back, frowning. “What?”
Slade’s expression tightened. “In private.”
That only made her stomach clench harder. She caught Joey watching her, suspicion growing in his eyes, and she turned back to Slade with determination. “Is this about my blood?”
Slade exhaled slowly. “It is.”
“Joey has the same blood as me,” she said firmly. “So, I think he should hear this too.”
A small part of her wanted to protect him from whatever this was, but she couldn’t treat him like a little kid. He was an intelligent, resilient teenager, and if something was happening with their blood, it could affect him just as much as her.
Slade shook his head. “Actually, it’s not the same.” His brow furrowed deeply as he looked at her. “Yes, you both have RH-null blood. But what happened with you, Amara?—”
“What?” King’s voice cut through the air, sharp and demanding.
Slade ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. “I don’t even know...and yeah, that pisses me off. Whatever was used to turn her has everything to do with why her blood is reacting.” He sighed heavily. “What I saw your blood do under a microscope, I’ve never seen anything like it. Your blood binds cells together, which would explain Joey’s bone alignment and accelerated healing. But it also attacks anything foreign. Joey’s blood doesn’t do that, and I doubt any other person with RH Null-type blood will either.”
“Turn her?” Joey’s voice was hesitant, but there was something almost wary in the way he said it. His gaze snapped to her. “Turn you into what?”
“Into a half-breed,” King answered before Amara could.
Joey’s eyes widened as he stared at her. His expression shifted from confusion to realization in an instant. “That’s why your one eye changes.” He swallowed hard. “You didn’t leave out of town for work, did you? It’s because you were changed.”
Yeah, the kid was smart. Amara’s chest ached. She hated lying to him. Hated that this was how he had to find out.
“I’m sorry we lied to you,” she said quickly, her voice pleading for understanding. “It was to keep you safe.”
Joey’s gaze flicked between her and Slade, his mind clearly racing. His voice was quieter when he asked, “Is she going to be okay?” His fingers curled into fists at his sides. “I remember when all those half-breeds were getting sick and dying.”
The slight shake in his voice nearly shattered her.
“She’s fine,” Slade reassured him. “We’re keeping a close watch on her.”
Joey exhaled slowly, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. Then, to her utter surprise, a smirk tugged at his lips. “Dang, Amara. You’re a badass with powers now.”
She let out a small, wobbly laugh, shaking her head. “Nah. Same old boring Aunt Amara.”
“Right.” Joey snorted. “Because boring people totally have super blood.”
Slade cleared his throat, drawing their attention. His face was unreadable, but his eyes were sharp, studying her. “Amara, I’d like to send samples to some trusted friends who specialize in blood.” He hesitated as if waiting for her reaction. “Do I have your permission?”
She bit her lip, considering. Then she nodded. “Sure.” But something nagged at her, and she frowned. “Dr. Winston said my blood could save lives. Is that true?”
Slade's face darkened the moment she said it, his entire demeanor shifting.
“He was told not to approach you about this,” Slade muttered under his breath, a rare edge of anger in his tone. He cursed low, shaking his head. “But if what I saw is any indication, he might be right. Your blood is... extraordinary.”
Amara exhaled, her mind spinning. What the hell am I?
Joey, on the other hand, just grinned. “Am I gonna have to start sleeping with a garlic necklace?” He shot her a teasing look, fighting back laughter.
Amara groaned, rolling her eyes. “Shut up.”
“Teenager blood is the worst. I wouldn’t recommend it.” King looked at her with a grimace on his face.
“What?” Joey gasped.
King chuckled, shaking his head as he moved to help Joey into the wheelchair a nurse had left.
“Come on,” Amara said, grabbing the wheelchair's handles. “Let’s get out of here.”
As she pushed Joey toward the door, she felt King’s hand settle gently on her lower back—a silent reminder that she wasn’t alone in this.
Even if everything about her life had changed, even if she had no idea what was happening inside her...she still had Joey and King. And right now, that was enough.