Malum: Part 2 (The Elite King's Club 5)

“Who is this?” I nod my head at the photo that’s on one of the many small mantles nailed to the feature wall.

“Must be Abel,” Nate states, tilting his head. The baby isn’t wearing blue or pink. It’s colored, but old. Nate’s eyes scan it a beat longer and then he puts it back. “Definitely Abel. Way too fucking pretty to be Bishop.”

Bishop flips him off, parading down the stairs as Nate takes another seat on the sofa and goes back to watching the game.

I stand, my eyes scanning them all.

Do they think I’m fucking stupid?

I want to say that Hector isn’t supposed to know that Abel exists. That that is what they had told me, but I find my mouth glued shut. I’ll gather my information and hit them when I need, there’s no point announcing that I know this, because that gives them time to change their story, maybe throw a few lies around.

I’d rather play dumb.

I shrug, making my way back to the sofa and take a seat beside Nate.

He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, looking at me over his shoulder. Half his face is covered by that shoulder, but his eyes scan me up and down.

“You good?”

“Peachy!” I smile, batting my lashes. He goes back to the game and my smile falls. Asshole.

My eyes swing around to meet Abel and he’s watching me closely. It’s scary how much he looks like Bishop. I’d bet my ass on the fact that they’re twins had they not had an age gap.

He grins at me like he knows what I’m thinking.

I wink at him.

The thing about fucking with people is that that person begins to learn the art that you fuck, and they fuck you back harder, with perfect precision and execution.

The sun has set a burnt orange hue in the sky, and I’m feeling itchy to get off this couch.

“Is there food in there to cook?”

Nate slaps my ass as I get up and I turn around, glaring at him.

He blows me a kiss. “Yeah, there should be.”

I round the sofa, still glaring at Nate, who is still smirking at me. When I enter back into the kitchen, the front door swings open.

“Sorry I’m late!” Bailey hollers.

The boys don’t move from their spots.

“Thank god!” I wave her into the kitchen. “I’m starting to grow a dick.”

Bailey laughs, removing her large puffy jacket and placing it on the hook.

“Oh, I can assure you, I’ve fucked that pussy way too hard for it to turn into anything other than a drippi—”

I slap the back of his head as we head into the kitchen.

Bailey rolls her eyes, laughing.

“Okay, so I figured we can all eat outside tonight because I did say I wante—”

I turn around, and Bailey has stopped. I follow her line of sight, and hello, Abel.

I lean into her. “Oh I see…”

She flinches, turning to look at me. “What?”

I chuckle. “Nothing. Come help me before you kill yourself with all those hormones.”

She blushes. Straight up blushes. Sweet, sweet girl. That boy will eat you alive. But she’s a Vitiosis, so maybe not…

Bailey gets started on the salad as I pull out all the freshly cut meat. Steaks and marinated chicken.

I point to the alcohol. “Pour yourself a drink, young one…”

She laughs. “Okay, since you insist. How has everything been? Sorry I’ve been absent around the house.” She pours some gin into a glass and then tops it with juice. “I’ve been studying my ass off so I’m ready when I start RPA, and when I’m not studying, I’m dancing, so it has been a little jammed in my schedule.”

I raise my eyebrow at her as she sips on her Snoop juice. “Alright, Snoop Dog, not too many of those. I still feel somewhat responsible for you. Don’t think that will ever change.”

And it won’t. I feel connected to Bailey, so it’s natural. Effortless. I look at her like a little sister. She plays the part well too because I feel like she looks at me the same way. Therefore, I’d rather not get her blind drunk. Maybe I’m still a mother after all…

“It’s fine,” I murmur, heating up two large frying pans as she gets back to tossing grapes and pineapples into the colorful salad. “I’ve had a few things to deal with so I’m glad you didn’t see me in that state.”

She tosses everything into the bowl and then comes up beside me. We’re the same height, because I’m so fucking short and she’s going to be the next top fucking model. Adriana Lima looking little wench.

“Who is that?”

“Oh, so it seems you have missed that too?” I ask, laughing. “That is Bishop’s brother.”

“Bishop as in The Bishop Vincent Hayes?”

“The very same. The lord and the light. The fire in every young girl’s heart…”

Bailey blushes. “Well, that would be Nate, no offense, but everyone is obsessed with him.”