Chapter 37
Kinsley
A Ride
Idecided that the best way to handle this was to schedule an Uber for first thing in the morning. Pulling up the app on my phone, I made the arrangements. Next up was booking a flight home. That took a little longer, but I was in luck. One of the airlines had multiple flights out. I booked it and then let the exhaustion take over.
I hadn’t had to confront deep emotions in a while, so I was clearly rusty. And because I’d made such a fool of myself, being near any of them had lost all appeal. It was too embarrassing. After setting my alarm, I lay down on the bed and drifted off to sleep.
The first light of dawn filtered through the curtains, and I stirred. I turned the alarm off since I beat it and was already awake. After initially falling into a deep sleep, I woke up around 2 a.m. and tossed and turned. Maybe it was the fact I was going to slip away with no explanation, and that made me seem even more childish in a thousand ways.
But the thought of seeing Alek again and trying to articulate last night filled me with dread. Not to mention I folded like a deck of cards under the slightest glance or single touch. He unraveled my defenses without even trying. There was no way I wanted a repeat of last night’s standing before him, vulnerable and exposed. That was for the birds, not me.
Now I just needed to ensure that my plan went off without a hitch. I pushed aside the flicker of fear that he might be waiting for me right outside the door. Squaring my shoulders to the possibility, I gave myself a small pep talk. I would steel myself against his charms and stand firm for once.
With a determined sigh, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I noticed a piece of paper under the door. Quietly, I approached, hoping someone didn’t just slip it through. My heart beat loudly in my chest as I picked it up. The paper was thick, much like the card Alek had put in the gift box the other day.
I turned it over.
Your things are inside the closet. I’ve got another surprise for you. See you in the morning, kitten. Sleep well.
It was signed with the ever-present hourglass. Rolling my eyes, I scoffed. There was no apology for humiliating me last night. Typical Alek.
Well, he could go to hell for all I cared.
We had nothing left to say to one another. The silence between us last night was deafening. No gesture could fix it—not for me, anyway. If he thought I was stubborn last night, he had no clue what he was dealing with.
I was determined to see this through. It was for the best. After all, I needed an out anyway. If things had gone the way I wanted them to last night, my heart would probably be broken for an entirely different reason.
“One and done,”
I murmured to myself.
Each movement I made had me pausing to see if I could hear anyone outside the door. Damn, paranoia was kicking in. But the simple act of brushing my teeth and fixing my hair felt like a necessity. No excuse for bad breath and a rat’s nest. I tilted my head and studied my reflection in the mirror.
I found a sense of satisfaction at the woman staring back at me. She looked ready to pounce if provoked. Despite all the anxiety running rampant inside my body, I appeared calm and composed, resolute even. I could do this.
Getting dressed was a whole fiasco because I didn’t want to wear the lavish clothes he’d purchased for me. Most of the ensembles were too extravagant. They were undoubtedly expensive, and I shivered knowing he’d chosen them for me.
Then I remembered that today was supposed to be a hike. I walked over to the closet and peeked inside. I pushed the fancy dresses back and found what I was looking for. A simple pair of black water-resistant pants. They were stretchy, with a relaxed fit. I slipped them on, admiring their multiple pockets.
I removed Nik’s T-shirt that I’d worn to bed last night with a sigh. After fastening my bra, I reached for the shirt in the closet. Deciding I liked the smooth texture and the lingering smell of Nikolai King better, I made the executive decision that he sacrificed his right to the clothing item and slipped it back on.
Once I tied my boots, I declared myself ready to go. I moved my blade into the front right pocket and opened my door cautiously. Making my way down the hall, I hoped I wouldn’t see anyone.
The suite’s plush carpeting muted my footsteps, but anxiety drummed in my chest. If I could get out without anyone noticing, I’d be golden. But as I reached for the doorknob, my hand froze midair, and I turned after hearing a loud scoff.
Her disheveled appearance suggested she had been up all night, and with a subsequent sly smirk curling her lip, Jenna sneered, “Are you seriously slinking away like a dog with its tail between its legs? I get Alek calls you kitten, but damn, you must really be into pet play.”
Jenna’s words struck a nerve, the insult cutting deep into my already vulnerable state. Anger and humiliation surged within me, but I refused to let her see how much her words hurt. I squared my shoulders and met her gaze head-on, determination flickering in my eyes.
“Is that the best you’ve got?”
I mocked, my voice steady despite the sea of emotions swirling inside. “What’s your deal with me? Do you feel threatened by my presence? You scared you might lose the Crow?”
Jenna’s smirk wavered for a split second as I touched a nerve of my own, and a flicker of surprise crossed her face. But she quickly regained her composure, her eyes narrowing once again.
“Lose Nikolai? To you? That’s laughable. You wouldn’t last one round with that man. He’d be so damn bored.”
Jenna’s voice dripped with venom, the hatred intense.
Anger flared within me, but I bit my tongue, unwilling to give Jenna the satisfaction. Instead, I mustered my composure and locked eyes with her, determined not to show my vulnerability. My trusty blade tucked in my front pocket didn’t hurt, and I focused on that, feeling bolder by the second.
I sized her up the way Owen taught me. I could take her—I just hoped it wouldn’t come to that. The last thing I wanted was to be caught slapping and pulling hair like some immature high schooler, but a knife fight? I could go for one of those, but only if absolutely necessary. Damn Owen and his rules on responsibilities.
I hissed, “I want nothing to do with the Kings. Nikolai’s ability to get bored easily says more about you than it does me. If you fear that may be the case, perhaps it’s time you revisit your contract with one another. Since your dynamic isn’t my business, I simply don’t care. But I’ve heard communication is key, so you should probably start there.”
I moved my hand to rest on my hip so it would be closer to my blade, itching to draw it. I somewhat prayed she would do something, anything, to warrant me pulling it.
To my utter disappointment, she didn’t. Instead, her eyes raked over me in disapproval. “Just remember, little girl, there’s a vast difference between playing the part and truly embracing it. Last night showed exactly how immature you are.”
“Another random thing you seem to be obsessed with. If it’s not Alek, it’s my age. I’m not a little girl, and you have no idea who I am, what I know, or how strong I can be,”
I seethed.
Jenna rolled her eyes and turned. She must have realized she wasn’t going to make me cower. Her laughter echoed down the corridor, making me clench my fists and breathe in gulps of air.
“We’ll see who is right, won’t we? Enjoy your little escape.”
Shaking with rage as her last words rang in my ears, I yanked open the door, not even caring if it was loud. I paused to collect my thoughts, but then I heard that deep, rich baritone of Ivan King and groaned.
“Where are you running off to, little love?”
He walked toward me, causing me to back up. The suite’s solid door met my back. Holy hell, standing this close to him only made me feel smaller than ever. Now he intimidated me in more ways than one.
His rich black hair was disheveled, and I had the strongest urge to straighten it and run my fingers through it. My gaze traveled down his body even though I willed it not to. Clad in gray sweats that clung to his form, I couldn’t help but gulp at the mouthwatering way they hung on him.
The tank top he wore revealed strong, muscularly defined arms that were bigger than my thighs. He must have just come from working out, as beads of sweat dotted his forehead. All it did was add an element of raw sensuality to his already magnetic presence. It didn’t seem fair for one man to possess the strength of a god and be so damn good-looking at the same time.
“I got called in for a shift today,” I lied.
“How about you try again?”
Ivan scowled, seeing right through my lie. Shit, why did I have to run into him?
“I called an Uber to…to take me to the airport. I’ve booked a flight already. Please tell your brother thank you. I did my one and done. Well, more than that, actually. You can pass along that message. While you’re at it, tell him to leave me alone.”
“One and done?”
“Yeah, your counselor friend said to soothe Alek’s ego, I should go out with him at least once. He loses interest easily, so hopefully that works in my favor. If you don’t mind,”
I said, trying to push past him.
He stepped closer, lifting his hands on either side of me. As he leaned in, I sucked in my breath. His body was so close to mine I could feel the heat radiating from him. Remembering our exchange from last night, I allowed my eyes to drift to his tattoo.
“I’m not sure he’s quite done with you. He may need one more date. Maybe you should spend the day with him.”
His eyes lingered on my lips.
“I’d rather have my nails pulled out one by one with pliers than spend another minute in his presence. I need him to leave me alone. In fact, I’d like it if all of you left me alone.”
“I don’t recall bothering you.”
His voice was oddly curious. “At least I haven’t yet, but I suppose it’s still early in the game.”
“I’ve had enough playing games with the three of you, so no thanks. Now that Pash—Pavel Lenkov has left, I think we can all go our separate ways.”
Damn it, Kinsley, why don’t you out yourself, for crying out loud?
Taking a deep breath, I added, “Look, the last few days, for the most part, were fun. But this deeper game of yours, this one that you have no business involving me in, is…is…is—”
“Is what, little love?”
The way he said the nickname was almost sing-song. My stomach burst into butterflies.
“It’s exhausting, all of it. Your brother interrupting my dance classes, watching me, having Marcus follow me. Texting, asking questions that are not anyone’s business. It’s a lot,”
I said, feeling weary.
I tried to keep the conversation centered on why they were even in my life and not on last night’s disaster. His fingers tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear, and I froze. The gesture pulled up vague memories. I tried to grasp on to the feelings, but they drifted away from me like a vapor in the wind, leaving me longing.
“I don’t go following you guys around, texting any of you. I’ve heard rumors about you all, you know. I don’t go poking into your lives. It’s none of my business, so I mind mine. I’d appreciate it if Alek minded his,”
I mumbled, pleading with him with my eyes.
“Anything else you’d appreciate?”
He once more moved some hair behind my ear. I wanted to both swat his hands away and beg him not to stop. Maybe if he did it long enough, the memory would take shape, and I could embrace it fully.
Swallowing hard, I said, “I’d like you, especially you, to leave Sarah alone. She’s a sweet girl. You’ll hurt her. Men like you always do.”
“You think you know men like me?”
“I do, and I wish to god I didn’t,”
I breathed.
“Interesting. I’d like to tell you I’ll speak to Alek and ask him to back off, but we’d have better luck bringing someone back from the dead. And as far as Sarah goes, she’s a big girl.”
I could only stare at him. I didn’t know what to say. Of course he wasn’t going to listen; none of them took me seriously. I just wanted to leave. My heart was beating so hard.
“Please. Can I go now?”
I asked, hating that my voice was so shaky.
He caressed my cheek softly. “Answer me one thing? How do you know men like me, little love?”
His eyes bored into mine. He was probing my mind, searching through folders of information I held under lock and key.
“Hmm. Looks like I’m in on the game now as well,”
he said after several minutes of me staring at him. Perfect, just what I needed—another King brother bothering me.
“Best go now if you are going to. I will tell you this: Alek will not be pleased. Marcus will take you to the airport.”
He pulled out his phone.
“That’s not necessary. I’ve arranged an Uber.”
“It’s absolutely necessary. You’re not getting into a strange man’s car, let alone traipsing through a strange airport.”
“Don’t, please,” I begged.
“Damn it, I swear, young lady, you’re too fucking stubborn for your own good. You’ll let Marcus take you, or I’ll drag your pretty little ass back inside and march you down to Alek’s room,”
he bellowed.
A minute later, the door opened. I almost fell back. Ivan’s hand reached out, and he pulled me into him.
“Sorry, Boss.”
Marcus looked at us, and his hazel eyes flashed to Ivan holding me. Ivan ran his fingers down my back sensually.
Marcus’s eyes zeroed in on the movement, and his left eyebrow shot up. “Don’t mind me. Carry on with whatever it is you’re doing.”
He winked. Flushing, I pushed Ivan away, feeling like I’d been caught doing something wrong.
“Ms. Taylor needs a ride. The jet is on standby.”
Ivan stepped back. He slipped inside, and I breathed a sigh of relief.