26. Sparrow
Jolting awake, I immediately feel around for my phone. I’m so mad I fell asleep; I was waiting up for King, but my eyelids just needed a little break. I’m shocked when I see that it’s well after two in the morning and King isn’t home yet.
Climbing out of bed, I throw my pajama shorts on and go search for King. He probably got caught up with one of the guys in the kitchen. Quickly looking in on the kids, I make my way through the house. It took me a while to call it a house and not a school, but it’s the home I’ve always wanted.
Finding the kitchen dark and empty, I walk to the gym, but he isn’t there either. Pushing his name on my phone, I pull my phone up to my ear, but the call goes to voicemail.
King always answers. Something isn’t right. I call again but it’s the same thing. I find myself power walking towards Ace’s room. Knocking on the door, I don’t wait for him to answer to walk in. Lilith springs off the bed, barking until she realizes it’s me. Ace quickly sits up, as he pulls a baseball bat from under the bed.
“Sparrow? What’s wrong?” he croaks out.
“King isn’t back yet, and I’m sure it’s nothing, but I called him, and he didn’t answer.” I rush out.
Ace starts feeling around on the bed when his phone starts ringing. Pulling it out of the blankets, he answers, “Yeah.”
I watch his face lose color, and I know that I’m not going to like what’s being said on the other line. “Fuck!” Ace jumps out of bed and starts pulling jeans out of his dresser. He turns to look at me. “Go get River.”
I run out of the room and race towards River’s wing. I make it to his room in record time, and don’t bother to knock. I find River sitting in bed with headphones on, sketching. He flings the headphones off his head when he sees me.
“Sparrow?” he asks in confusion.
“King’s missing. I think something is wrong. Ace wants you in his room.” River is running out of the room by the time the last word leaves my mouth. We find Ace in the kitchen pulling his boots on.
“The bar is on fire, Cam called me. I’m heading up there. You guys stay here, I’ll let you know any updates.”
“No, I’m coming with you,” I demand as I’m looking for my flip flops.
Arms fall on my shoulders, halting my search. “Spare, think about it. This isn’t random. Cam thinks that this was done in the hope that it would smoke you out. You haven’t been in public alone.”
I know they’re right, but I want to fight him on this. That is until I really look at him; pure terror looks back at me. These brothers are connected in a way that not too many can understand. Each of them would lay down their lives for the other without a second thought.
“Fine. Facetime me when you get there. I need to see him.” Ace gives me a quick hug before running out the door. Turning, I find River pacing the kitchen.
“Dad, we need you up at the bar. Cam called and said it was on fire. King never came home. Ace is on his way there. Yeah, bye.” River drops his phone on the island, hanging his head.
“Riv…” I wait for him to look at me before continuing, “can you give me a hug?” River hates being touched, so I find it interesting that he can tattoo people, but I guess he’s the one doing the touching.
He wraps his inked arms around me, making me realize that I’m shaking. King has to be okay. Life only makes sense with him in it.
I brought this here. I put the other part of my soul at risk. I will never forgive myself if something happens to King or anyone else that I love. It will kill me, but maybe I should leave the kids with King and flee.
If I’m not here, Chad won’t be here.
Ace left two hours ago, and we haven’t heard anything. Every awful scenario has run through my head since he left. Is King still alive? Is he missing? Am I going to get a chance to finally tell him how much I love him?
I’ve bitten all of my nails down so much that they are bleeding, but it’s no longer painful. Lilith has been by my side since Ace left, sensing that my anxiety level is so high that I need her. My head shoots up when I hear the door open, but I go back to biting any remaining nails when it’s Skye that walks in.
“Okay, PB, give your nails a break. Sit down with me.” Skye leads me over to the couch and forces me to sit down.
Laying my head on my friend’s shoulder, I try to shove the dark thoughts down. Skye shouldn’t be here, she should be home, in bed, growing my niece or nephew.
“You should be sleeping, Jelly,” I softly say.
“I should be with my best friend,” Skye tells me in a tone that tells me she is going to be just fine disciplining her kid.
We sit in silence, not wanting to turn on the T.V. I keep replaying King and I’s last conversation. I didn’t say enough; I should have said the words I know he has been waiting to hear. I’ve been scared to tell him that I love him, scared of things going too well.
Jokes on me.
The door slams open, making Skye and I jump up from the couch. Ace and Jack are helping King walk inside, River rushing over to them. Cam comes trailing in behind them. Skye grabs my arm and walks toward them, but I’m frozen to my spot. She looks back at me and whatever she sees makes her walk back to my side.
Taking in King, his face is black with ash, the side of his face has blood crusted on it, and it looks like he is favoring his left side. I’ve always thought of King as this impenetrable force and seeing him like this sends a sharp pain to my chest.
“Breathe, Sparrow,” Skye whispers in my ear.
The guys stop in front of me, but I can’t look up from the spot on the floor. “Bird,” King croaks out and that’s what does me in. Hearing his voice opens the floodgates and full body sobs erupt from me.
A hand comes up and cups my face before wrapping around my neck and pulls me into a hard chest I recognize as King’s, only it smells of smoke and not him. I don’t need to see him to know that it’s him. Bringing my hands up, I wrap them around his stomach, relishing in the fact that I’m touching King.
“I’m okay, Bird. Please look at me,” King softly says. Slowly, I bring my head up to look at him, making me cry harder, which I didn’t think was possible.
“You should be sleeping, c’mon.” Of course, this man is concerned with my sleeping schedule when he’s been through hell. I quickly give Skye, who’s still by my side, a hug and let King lead me to our room. He pauses to look in at the sleeping kids before continuing down the hall.
Closing the door behind me, I lead King to the bathroom and start the shower. Grabbing his shirt, I start pulling it over his head and throw it down on the floor. “Bird, I can do this. Go get in bed.”
Choosing to ignore him, I unbutton his jeans and start pulling them down his legs. King steps out of the jeans, kicking them to the side. I quickly discard my pajamas and walk us into the shower. Thankfully, the shower has a large bench, so I nudge King until he sits down.
“Bird—”
“I will go to bed when you are cleaned up. I’m not leaving you, so stop suggesting it,” I cut him off, pouring soap onto a washcloth, wetting it under the cascade of water, and starting to wash his legs.
King finally accepts that I’m not getting in bed, so he tilts his head back and closes his eyes. I take my chance at getting the truth. “What happened tonight, King?”
He’s silent for so long, I don’t think he is going to answer me. I continue washing up his body, when he surprises me. “I was mopping up by the windows when a Molotov came flying through. I was headed to get the fire extinguisher when it happened again on the other window. I was rounding the corner, and I was hit in the side of the head.”
Silent tears are streaming down my face so I’m glad King has his eyes closed. “I can tell you're crying. Your tears kill me, Bird. I swear I’m okay. It will take a lot more to take me away from you and the kids.”
How does he know I’m crying?
Clearing my throat, I ask, “How bad is the bar?”
“They were able to put the fire out pretty quickly, but we need new windows, a new bar, new flooring in some spots. Nothing that can’t be replaced.”
Stepping out of the shower, we wrap towels around ourselves, and I lead him to the toilet. Forcing him to sit down, I lean in closer and look at the cut on the side of his head. Wetting a cotton swab with peroxide, I dab the cut, making sure it's clean. Finding a band aid, I cover the cut, kissing King's cheek when I'm done.
Once we finish drying off, we both climb into bed without putting on any pajamas. King wastes no time pulling me as close to him as possible. I turn so I’m facing him, running my fingers up his chest.
“I was so scared I wouldn’t see you again. That the last time we talked would be the last time, and I didn’t get to say what I wanted to.”
“What did you want to say, Bird?”
“That I love you. I love you so much that it hurts. Kingston Bluff, there is no me without you. I never want to go a day and not be with you.”
“Say it again, Bird. Please say it again,” King thickly says.
“I love you, Kingston Bluff.”
He stares at me before dipping his head to kiss me. The kiss turns heated and as much as I don’t want to, I pull away. He’s hurt, and I know if I let him, he will take this further.
“God, Bird. I refuse to be without you. I need you like I need the air in my lungs. I love you, Sparrow. You and the kids will never be in pain another day of your lives.” Kissing his sparrow tattoo, I flip back around, my ass hitting his hard cock. One of King’s hands goes to my hair, while the other rests above my pelvic bone.
I should have put on some shorts.
“Goodnight, King. I love you. Please don’t leave us,” I say to the darkened room. Hearing a snore behind me, I know King has already fallen asleep.
Today is another reminder to never take the people in your life for granted. Don’t wait for tomorrow to tell them how you feel; tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
Especially when you have a crazy ex trying to kill you.