CHAPTER 6
C HAPTER 6
ALLYN
“Miss Delgado, your mother asks for your presence.”
Clarissa’s voice is soft and warm, yet it feels like a sentence sending me to the gallows.
I force a smile, though it feels like I’m dying inside.
“Thank you. I’ll be there in a bit.” She nods and leaves my room.
Well, it’s official—my freedom ends tonight. Why?
Because my husband-to-be is downstairs, waiting for me.
Another week flew by faster than I wanted, and now I have to face Angelo King. Just the thought makes my stomach churn.
Not that sick like the night I humiliated myself in front of Maddox, but close enough.
I’m done drinking, for real.
If you wanted me to kiss you instead, all you had to do was ask nicely.
God, kill me now.
I still can’t get over how badly I embarrassed myself in front of him.
What did I expect? For him to kiss me?
I don’t even like him, for God’s sake.
Then why has he been occupying my mind for the past few days, locked in my room?
Why can’t I forget how he looked at me that night like he wished he were the one whose hands were all over me?
I’ve only left my room once in the past few days, and that was because my mother demanded it—not because I wanted to.
I hope that after tonight, I can convince Angelo I need a new bodyguard.
It took me a few minutes to mentally prepare, but eventually, I joined my mother and our guests in the dining room.
The conversation fell silent the moment I stepped in.
All eyes are now on me.
My mother sat in the main chair with Maddox to her right and our newest guest to her left, leaving an empty seat next to him. Maddox and I exchanged a quick glance before I forced my gaze away, landing on none other than Angelo King.
His brown, chocolate eyes stared back at me, framed by dark brown hair trimmed short on the sides. His sharp features made him hard to miss.
As the media described him, Angelo King is a handsome man—tall, well-built, with a charming smile, and on top of that, one of the youngest millionaires in our city.
He stood up, tall—well, not quite as tall as the man sitting opposite him, but it suited him if that makes sense.
Angelo flashed me a charming smile. My mother also stood, smiling brightly. I wondered if she was happy knowing she was destroying my life.
I made my way to the only empty seat, next to Angelo.
He extended his hand to me. I took it, and he raised it to his lips, kissing it.
“Pleasure seeing you again, Allyn.” His dark chocolate eyes locked onto mine. “You’re just as beautiful as I remember.”
I gave him a smile I had rehearsed a thousand times in front of my mirror, quickly saying, “Thank you,” before we all took our seats.
“We’re glad you could join us, Angelo,” my mother said, speaking for me as always.
He nodded and poured me a glass of wine, which I accepted with a small smile. Then, he turned to my mother.
“The pleasure is all mine, Alicent.’’
“How are Martin and Rosetta? I haven’t seen them in a long time,” she asked.
“They’re good, busy as always,” he replied with a smile. “They’re planning a little getaway. My sibling and I will handle things in the meantime.”
The conversation flowed between my mother and Angelo, with me and Maddox eating in silence.
Then Angelo turned to Maddox, gesturing across the table.
“I also want to thank Maddox for agreeing to take care of Allyn while I’m away.”
What he said next left me speechless.
“There’s no one else I trust more than my brother.”
My jaw hit the floor.
Literally.
I was pretty sure my mother and I shared the same expression— both of us completely shocked.
“I did it because that was our father’s wish,” Maddox muttered, taking a long sip of his whiskey, his tone as if the entire conversation annoyed him just as much as being here.
OUR father?
“Maddox? The Maddox King?”
My mother’s voice broke the awkward silence, her gaze flickering between him and Angelo. Angelo looked genuinely confused.
“I thought that was common knowledge by now.”
Maddox casually played with the rim of his glass, looking far too comfortable, as if Angelo hadn’t just dropped a bombshell.
“You didn’t tell them?” Angelo turned to Maddox.
Maddox shrugged. “Must’ve slipped my mind.”
Without a hint of remorse, he curled his lips into a thin, cruel grin.
Angelo sighed.
“Excuse my brother’s manners.” His voice harsher. His eyes narrowing as he stared at Maddox. “He’s not exactly a master of conversation.”
Maddox raised his glass, eyeing Angelo with mock amusement. “You must know that from personal experience, brother.”
Hearing “brother” roll off his tongue felt forbidden—shocking— and confirmed that everything I had just heard was as real as it could get.
My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I remembered all the awful things I’d said about Angelo in front of him.
And the fact that I kissed another man right in front of Maddox - who, by the way, is my future husband’s brother!
God, please just take me now. I’m ready.
“How come we’ve never met before?” my mother asked, turning to Maddox. “I’m close with your whole family.”
“I was away for a long time. I’ve only just returned home.”
And suddenly, everything made sense.
I’ve read articles about The Kings.
Maddox is the brother who was never talked about, always hiding in Angelo’s shadow. The forgotten brother.
Many of the articles mention him—the one who avoids the spotlight and works in the shadows.
The same goes for “The King’s Princess”— their youngest sibling. My family has only ever heard of them, never met them in person.
But Maddox had been living under our roof for a week now, and not once did he mention his family. Not once did he connect himself to his brother.
“The night is full of surprises, isn’t it?” My mother forced a laugh.
To say I felt humiliated and mocked would be an understatement. It was beyond that.
That dinner had already turned into a disaster.
And Maddox King? He seemed to be enjoying every second of it.