In Peace Lies Havoc (Midnight Mayhem 1)

He shrugs. “Is it hard to believe that I don’t want you to get hurt?”

“Yes,” I answer instantly. “Because you guys had me locked in a cell for a whole week. So yeah, it does.”

Killian laughs. “Well, you remember that next time you have your tongue down the devil’s throat.” He chuckles. “All things sinister taste like honey.”

I sigh, resting my head on the back of the chair. I silently vow to myself that I won’t kiss King again.

We’re in Texas and the location crew has already started setting up the equipment. We got in late last night, and, somehow, between us arriving, sleeping, and waking, the crew has already partially set up the monstrous tent. Texas is hot. So hot that I can barely damn well breathe, so I’m making my way through the RV in my sports bra and little shorts. Sweat is pouring out of my flesh everywhere, and if something doesn’t cool me down fast, I think I might die. The front door swings open, and King is standing there shirtless with cotton shorts on that hang nicely off his hips. His hair is in disarray all over his head and sweat slicks over his muscled torso.

Focus.

“Why is it so hot?”

King’s eyes go up and down my body before coming back to my eyes. “Because Texas.”

“No, I mean, do we have air-con in here? I might die.”

“If only,” he mumbles, climbing up the steps that bring him into the RV. “Get your bikini. We’re going to the waterhole while we wait for the crew to set up the generator.”

I dash into my room and grab the first bikini I can find, slipping it on. Nothing fancy. Just a yellow and white two-piece. I take a couple of bottled waters out of the fridge before slipping on some little white ripped shorts and a tank. I’m taking a sip of water and waiting for King outside when he finally emerges. I fall into step beside him.

The silence that hangs between us is comfortable as we pass everyone’s RVs. Just as we come up to Midnight’s, Maya and Rose are exiting, but Val and Mischa are already sitting outside, rubbing oil onto their bodies. Killian, Kyrin, and Keaton show up next with a few people I haven’t met yet. I make eye contact with a few of them, but they make it obvious when they pointedly avoid me.

Val pauses while rubbing oil onto her leg, her eyes fixed on me. She pushes off her chair and bounces her way to King. “Can you oil my back?”

King pays her no attention. “No.” He shoves past her and goes straight for Maya. He leans into her ear and whispers something, her eyes coming to mine.

“Don’t get comfortable on that seat. You’re only keeping it warm until he comes back to me,” Val announces as I’m passing her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I throw back over my shoulder, mainly because I don’t. Unless she’s picking up something that I haven’t yet. Or maybe she’s just insecure because I’m staying with them.

Rose comes over to me, wearing a little red bikini and nothing else, her arm hooking with mine. “I need a swim before I melt.”

“Ditto.”

“Hey.” She tugs on my arm, just as we all start walking toward God knows where. “Are you okay in there? You can ask Delila for your own trailer. I heard her speaking with Justice the other day, and they both agree that you’re going to have your own show on top of the SOK scenes.”

“SOK?” I ask, before I connect the dots. “Right. I don’t know what she would want me to do.”

“Um…” Rose rolls her eyes. “Dance, of course.”

I drop my sunglasses over my eyes. “I’m nothing special.”

“You are so wrong.” Rose turns her head over her shoulder slightly, before coming back to me. “When you dance, Dove, you create a new world. You captivate the entire audience. There’s peace in your movements.”

King’s arm wraps around my torso, pulling me into him as he walks behind me. “Yeah, but always remember that in peace always lies havoc.”

I try to wiggle out of his grip to no avail. Once we’re in the parking lot, King pulls out a set of keys and pushes the unlock button on his keyring. A black Ford Raptor lights up. He points to it. “Get in the car.”

“Can she ride with us?” Rose pleads. “I haven’t seen her in so long!”

King pauses, cutting her with his corpse eyes. “No.”

At least he’s not an asshole just to me. It’s an overall personality defect. “I’ll see you when I get there,” I tell Rose, making my way to the truck. I go to slip into the back when someone picks me up from behind and puts me in front of the passenger’s side door. I turn around to find Killian smirking. “Little Bird rides shotgun.”