Chapter 34
Kinsley
The Interlude
Imade my way to my room, a range of emotions swirling within me. The echoes of their answers to my card repeated on a loop in my mind. Each distinct voice of a King brother vying for attention. The very different responses left me longing with anticipation and uncertainty.
I carefully maneuvered down the steps and through the corridor, a restless energy inside my chest begging for release. And for the first time tonight, I knew I was in over my head with these men.
They weren’t ordinary, run-of-the-mill; they had skills. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the conversations Jenna and Sarah had earlier instead of tuning them out and using my EarPods.
I reached the sanctuary of my room and closed the door with a soft click. Leaning against it, I sighed wearily. My mind drifted once more to their responses.
How much of what they said was true? My mind taunted me with images, erotic and forbidden.
“What the hell am I doing?”
I mumbled to myself as I went to change.
What would it be like to be the recipient of that kind of attention? How many times would Ivan make me come if I were to let him? What would it feel like to be on my knees for Nik, and, dear god, how hard would Alek fuck me to make my voice raw?
I grabbed the outfit Marcus had picked up for me, smiling. It had been a spur-of-the-moment thing, asking him to purchase something for me. Surprisingly, he didn’t even blink at the strange request. He only smiled, and I could tell he found it amusing.
I’d asked him to choose something Alek might like. And from what he’d chosen, I had to admit Alek had exquisite taste. The pajama set was beautiful, very delicate, and the palest pink I’d ever seen.
It had a cami with adjustable spaghetti straps, a sheer lace under-bust band, and scalloped trim. The matching shorts were soft and had a cheeky cut in the back.
Was my ass going to hang out a bit in them? Yes, it was. But I wasn’t mad about it. In fact, as I checked out the way my cheeks played peek-a-boo, I grinned.
A knock sounded on my door. I smoothed my outfit and turned, expecting it to be Alek. But it was Sarah. She had changed as well and wore a lovely red negligee.
“Alek asked me to check on you. You okay?”
“Yeah, I think so. That was—”
“Hot as hell. Please don’t say you’re chickening out on me now. I want that man to do bad things to me. Jenna said the guys have codes of conduct they operate under, so this may be my only chance for the moment.”
“Codes of conduct. Is that what she called it?”
I asked nervously.
“Yes, I have a lot to learn, and apparently, they take things slow. Or at least Ivan does with new girls.”
A strange sense of relief ran through me at her confession, and then another feeling hit hard. A selfish impulse stirred below the surface. The thought of him treading carefully with Sarah, sharing the complexities and intricacies of their world, confused me. It was altogether foreign, the feelings inside my heart.
Was Sarah someone who would like the lifestyle? I realized I probably didn’t know her well enough to answer that question. Regardless, I was torn between the very real urge to protect her from potential heartache and the selfish longing to have him make me come over and over and over again.
“Where the hell is this coming from?”
Autumn would ask harshly, followed by a severe shaking of my shoulders.
Winter would be on the phone with UW Medical Center to have me committed.
And even sweet Summer would side-eye me with a shake of her head. She’d be at a loss for words, and I couldn’t blame her.
I mentally shook myself and recalled her answer to my earlier question. “And you want to be one of his girls? I don’t think a single one of them is the monogamous type, Sarah.”
I waited as a heavy silence settled between us. Her expression shifted; a kaleidoscope of emotions filtered across her face. She went to speak and then paused. In her hesitation, I knew she was weighing her words. If she was anything like me, it was a column of risks and rewards.
Finally, she spoke. “I know. It’s a chance I’m willing to take.”
I heaved a sigh. A part of me admired her courage. The other part was jealous. To embrace something uncertain and to venture into the unknown with an open heart and no baggage.
Once more, the stark differences between us stood out. I wrapped my arms around her and held on tight. No sense in being a shrew like Jenna. If he preferred it slow, then maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.
“Come on, then. I hope I don’t end up regretting this,”
I said, releasing her and pulling the shorts down a bit to cover more of my ass.
“You won’t, I promise. What did you think about Alek’s answer to your question?”
She wiggled her eyebrows.
We stepped out into the hall and made our way back to the living room area. Her teasing question hung in the air, and the heat rose in my cheeks. My stupid telltale sign of my embarrassment had her chuckling.
My initial reaction was to shy away, to make some joke, but she’d seen Alek in action. No way was I going to make like he wasn’t capable of everything he said. She’d see right through me.
With a small smile, I admitted, “Well, um, I suppose…he certainly was confident…but raw? I’m not sure that sounds fun,” I lied.
“Is she serious right now?”
Autumn would scream at the other girls and then drag me back home by my hair.
It was too bad they weren’t really here to do so because clearly, I needed someone to step in and save me from myself.
“True, but coming over and over and over. I swear Ivan could make me come just by staring at me long enough,”
Sarah teased.
As we walked into the living room, she stopped and picked up the deck of cards, looking at them. The scent of cologne and leather hit me. I’d taken off my heels, and the softness of the thick carpet under my bare feet felt amazing.
I paused a moment and watched the King brothers. They were quite a sight to behold, powerful, masculine, and at the same time, the camaraderie of their group spoke to me.
They were seated at the bar, their voices low and conspiratorial as they talked about something I couldn’t quite make out. That devious smile Nik seemed to always have at the ready made my heart catch.
Ivan shook his head at whatever Nik had said and sipped his drink. Alek’s gaze was focused on his phone until he sensed my presence. He lifted his eyes and cocked his head to the side, taking me in with a slow, appreciative smile, and I crossed my arms over my breasts as my nipples hardened.
The room was completely alive with energy, the clinking of ice in glasses and the soft hum of conversation filling the air. I felt a sense of anticipation unlike anything I’d experienced before. I gulped as he stood and spoke to Nik.