Queen of Men (King Maker 2)

The redness that filled my cheeks wasn’t the only part of my body that betrayed me. My body tightened at the promise of what could be.

He took my hand, leading me back to the table as my heart, brain, and core warred over two men. One wanted me with the desperation that I read in his eyes when we parted ways. The other loved me like no other man had before.

In a fantasy world, I could have them both. But the truth was, I’d given one up. I’d vowed to set him free with no turning back. Yet, part of me still hadn’t let go, not completely.

Turner continued being a presence I couldn’t deny as he placed his hand on the middle of my back after we sat and rubbed soothing circles as if he knew the comfort I sought.

“How was everyone’s day?” I asked.

Turner quickly responded, “Busy.”

Before Violet’s husband, whom I still couldn’t read, could speak, my sister walked over.

“Dinner’s served,” Violet cut in, setting a spit roasted bird on the table. She turned to grab a plate of corn on the cob and place settings for us before I could get up to offer to help.

“Thanks, sis,” I said.

Her grin filled the room with such warmth, I felt more at ease with her choice of husband. Still, there was something about him I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It felt as though there were secrets in this house not yet exposed.

“What I would do for a beer,” Steven said.

I looked toward the floor cubby that held beer the night before.

Violet answered her husband before I could think of a response. “You could make a beer run,” she said and glanced my way.

Steven followed her gaze, his chin steepled on the top of his fingertips with his elbows perched on top of the table. Then he sat up straight and the gleam in his eyes said trouble as he turned to me. “How did you get here?”

My mouth opened, but I knew what my answer meant.

He pointed at me. “You have a car.”

There was no point in lying. “It’s parked all the way at the front of the compound.” It was an attempt to make it sound like an avenue not worth pursuing.

“Let’s go,” he said, like it was a forgone conclusion. “We’ll get beer and maybe some cards. We could play poker.”

Automatically, I looked at Violet. Everything he spoke of was against the rules. If Father found out, we would be done for. It could jeopardize my being in the community. But there on my sister’s face was a huge grin.

I looked at Turner. His mouth turned up to that telltale sign that said why not?

And so, that’s how we ended up slinking in the shadows and heading for the front gate. The fact that we had to hide our exploits should have been good enough reason for us not doing this. We might be stopped and queried about where we were going. Leaving the compound for business not approved by the council was frowned upon. Whatever we did on the outside would be scrutinized by the public.

Just when the security building came into sight, there was a squeal behind me. I turned to see Steven had swept my sister off her feet and gazed at her like she was the light of his life. In that moment, I saw the man my sister had fallen for.

Turner used that opportunity to hug me around the waist and pull me close. Heat flared between us, and I could envision his lips on mine as fire passed between us.

“I feel like a teenager again,” Violet said from behind us. “Like we are sneaking away from the house to go make out.”

She spoke like there had been lots of moments to do such things when we grew up when there had not. Though I understood. Being with Turner like this did remind me of a past I’d walked away from.

“I should probably go in alone,” I said. “Father is going to find out that I left. He’ll discover sooner if you guys are with me.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Violet giggled like the thought of getting into trouble might just be worth all the hassle.

I brushed my fingers along the brick façade before I turned the corner to the front of the building. My car was still the lone one in the tiny lot of four slots.

After I retrieved my keys, I made an executive decision and got clothes from my trunk. In the visitors’ building bathroom, I changed. Doug was on duty today and didn’t say much. When I stepped out wearing form-fitting jeans and a deep V top, Doug gave me an ardent smile. I skipped out the door, not wanting him to make a comment.

When I met up with the others, Turner gave me a lingering look over. He hadn’t ever seen me in anything outside of the shapeless floor-length dresses we wore.