Malum: Part 1 (The Elite King's Club 4)

“Impossible,” she snapped, and then yanked me by my arm and toward the waiting dark SUV.

I will save that girl one day. I will save the girl with a soul so battered blood is seeping out of her haunted eyes.

One day, I think to myself. Yes. One day.

Tillie

I wake the next morning with ease. Nate isn’t in the bed, having probably left early for something atrocious like working out. I can hear Micaela tossing and turning in her crib and I fly off the bed, making my way to her.

“Hey, baby girl,” I coo, and her eyes come up to meet mine. She’s growing so much bigger every day. I can’t believe it has been almost four months since I gave birth to her, but now that I look at her. Really look at her, I can see how she has lost the newborn features. Her skin is tighter, giving her features more definition. Her eyes. My god her eyes. It’s like looking into Nate’s. The admittance of that grips at my chest with an iron fist. Not because I dislike it, but because—well.

“She awake?” Nate asks, walking through the door, with yup, his shirt tucked into the back of his gym shorts. Sweat pelts off his chest as he tosses his water bottle across the room, onto the small two-seat sofa that’s in the corner.

I clear my throat. “Yeah.”

He ignores me, going straight for her. I have to fight myself not to snap at him and tell him to fuck off because I still want cuddles with her, but he nudges his head toward the door. “Mom made breakfast. Kings are here.”

I don’t move, mainly because I don’t know what to do. What does he--

“Tillie, that means go downstairs and I’ll be right behind you with her.”

“Oh,” I whisper, running my fingers through my hair and tying it into a ponytail on the top of my head. With another rubber band, I tie a knot in the front of Nate’s shirt that I’m wearing so it doesn’t look all that ridiculous. This makes it ride above my belly button now, his boxer briefs remain rolled up to sit below my hips. I wait for him near the door while he changes Micaela’s diaper. Yes. Nate Riverside-Malum is changing his daughter’s diaper. Again, I have to keep my swoon in check. This man hates—no, despises me. I cannot and will not swoon over that. Why should a woman swoon over a man doing his fatherly duty anyway?

When he finally turns, dirty diaper crumpled in his hand and ready to take downstairs, the smile he was giving Micaela falls.

“What!” I snap, my hands on my hips.

His eyes rake over my body. “When the fuck did that just happen?”

“What?” I repeat because I’m flat out confused.

“Never mind,” he grumbles, walking straight past me and heading down the hallway.

I’m behind him taking the stairs, confused again when Elena greets us from the bottom. Her face lights up in glee when she sees Micaela.

“Nate, give me her.”

“No,” he says, hugging her away from his overbearing mother.

Elena huffs. “Nate, now. Please. Oh my gosh, I never thought I could love someone more than I do you, Nate, but she has changed that…”

I chuckle, pulling my bottom lip into my mouth to hide the smile that wants to take over.

“I ain’t even mad,” Nate grins, finally putting his mother out of her misery and gently handing her Micaela.

Elena’s eyes light up and then she looks to me, sharing that same smile. “Morning, Tillie. I made pancakes and waffles. You might want to dig in before the army of hungry wolves scarf it all down.”

I flash her a small smile. “Thank you. You really didn’t have to do that.” My stomach grumbles, as if to say yeah, yeah she really did, bitch now go eat. I can’t remember when the last time I ate was, so I slowly make my way into the kitchen as Elena takes Micaela into the sitting room to cuddle with Joseph. I’m still watching them when I enter the kitchen, ignoring the very crowded dining table on the right side of me.

Joseph grins down at Micaela, and I’m almost certain she just smiled back. My heart sinks. Seeing the three of them together hurts me and I can’t fathom why.

“Tillie,” Nate bites, and I finally turn to face him, but freeze when I take in all the bodies. Yes. They’re all here. Not only The Kings, but Madison too (of course), and…Tate.

“What?” I act as if it’s no big deal, but it is a lot to take in. Just one of them exudes enough power to make a girl uncomfortable. Imagine having all ten of them plus a girl who is, generally speaking, one of my best friends who just so happens to be in love with my ex—whatever he is-slash-baby-daddy.