Queen of Men (King Maker 2)

“Body type?” I asked.

“Could be man or woman.”

“Fuck. Do we know what they did?”

“They weren’t in there long enough. I personally went by. They left a present.”

“What was it?” I asked.

“Dead rat.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Could be anything. I removed it.”

“She’s in danger,” I said definitively.

“What’s your call?” When I said nothing, Griffin added, “If you’re too busy with the senator’s daughter, we can talk about it tomorrow.”

Just when I was about to set him straight, a hand slipped around my waist.

“It’s cold out here. I know a place we could get warm.”

There was a time when I would have taken her up on her offer. She’d made it clear earlier in the evening she wasn’t looking for anything serious.

That had fit with my plans before Bailey had sauntered into my life. Now I took notice of all the sultry looks and offers that came my way. Something I hadn’t done before.

“I can’t,” I said, surprising myself.

First, I’d sent the temp away and now this.

“Why not?” she said, shifting to stand before me. “I told you I’m just looking for fun.”

“I’m not.”

“And who’s the lucky lady, and why isn’t she here?”

Her glossy lips begged me to refute her, but I couldn’t.

Bailey was in danger, the predator in me yelled. Every instinct in my body told me to go find and protect my woman.

“I have to go,” I said, slipping out of her hold.

“You’re missing out,” she said, but didn’t follow.

I went for my car, having made my obligatory appearance.

“Mr. King,” someone called out as I exited the stately mansion owned by the senator.

I didn’t turn back. “Do you have a response to the accusations that you’re funneling money to offshore accounts for personal gain?”

I didn’t answer but walked up to the valet to ask for my car. Instead of waiting, I followed.

Once I was behind the wheel, I called Griffin back.

“This is what I want to do,” I began.

Thirteen

It felt almost sinful sitting out in the dark with Turner. When I’d lived here, that would have been a big no-no. And Turner was still one of the most handsome guys I’d ever laid eyes on. So why couldn’t I just be with him? It was obvious he still held feelings for me. Kalen was a dream. Turner was a reality.

A sigh escaped me, and Turner came behind me and pulled my back to his chest.

“You know, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you again.”

I reached up and clutched at his arms because I was at a loss for words.

His chin rested on the top of my head.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

Still, I said nothing. My feelings were so twisted up.

“I’m still in love with you,” he admitted.

I stopped everything, including breathing.

“Turner—”

“You don’t have to say it back. I just needed you to know.”

“I love you too.” Though I’d been careful not to say in love. “But—”

“There’s someone else,” he finished.

I stepped out of his hold so I could turn and face him.

“There was someone else,” I admitted.

“How serious is it?” he asked like I hadn’t used the past tense.

“I ended things.”

His frown lifted. “Then—”

“I’m not going to make that mistake again. When I left here, I was still in love with you. I jumped headfirst into a bad relationship with Scott because I needed the distraction to get over you. I’m still—”

“In love with this Scott?”

“Scott? No.”

“Then who?”

There was a long pause as I considered how to answer. I wasn’t ready to give voice to my feelings for Kalen.

“I’m not sure how I feel,” I said instead. “But that’s the point. I can’t start things with you when I—”

“You don’t know how you feel about him.”

I couldn’t answer that. I was determined not to feel a thing for Kalen. Instead, I said, “It wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

He reached out and I let him take my hand.

“So let’s take this slow. Go to the dance with me. Let me show you how good things can be.”

I squeezed his hand. “I think maybe we should go alone.” His face fell. “You need to figure things out with Margaret, and I need to figure things out with Kalen.”

“That’s his name?”

I nodded. “If there’s any hope of an us, we need to be sure about the rest.”

“I know what I want,” he said.

“And if you did, Margaret wouldn’t think she had a chance.”

He pursed his lips, but stubbornly said, “Stay with me tonight and let me prove it to you.”

I closed my eyes as memories of Turner and me wrapped up in each other filled my head, but they were quickly replaced with those of Kalen’s demanding mouth covering every inch of me.

“We can’t,” I said and dropped his hand.

He bobbed his head. “Okay. I’ll grant you time. It isn’t like I haven’t waited forever for you.”

There was something a little sad in his expression and my heart clenched. I had no idea if I was doing the right thing. He was right there. All I had to do was walk away with him. But my feet remained rooted to the spot for a man I’d basically told to fuck off. For all I knew, he was with someone else.