Damaged (Boys of Winter 2)

“I brought someone who wanted to meet you.”

Caitlin’s gaze snaps away from the TV and quickly scans over my face. Her little eyes widen and a bright smile stretches over her lips as I see the memories of last night flashing through her mind. “Don’t be silly,” she laughs, making King’s eyes sparkle with raw happiness. “I already met her. She’s the girl who saved me. Don’t you remember? She picked me up off the floor when everybody else was squishing me.”

“How could I forget?” he tells her.

“She needs to work on her muscles though,” Caitlin grins, knowing exactly what she’s doing, and I don’t doubt that she learned it from her big brother. “She’s not very strong. She couldn’t pick me up very well, not like Cruz. Do you know he could pick me up with one hand?”

King just shakes his head, letting out a soft breath. “Please don’t tell me that you have a crush on Cruz.”

She just beams, but like … girl, same. Who could blame her? Cruz is fine.

“Crap,” King mutters. “What happened to Carver? I thought you liked him last week.”

“Yeah, but he’s kinda scary. Cruz smiles a lot.”

“Fuck me,” King murmurs under his breath, tugging on my hand and pulling me right into his chest. “Where’s Cody and Mom? Are they here yet?”

Caitlin shakes her head, a frown pulling at her face. “No, Mom gave me Dad’s phone so she could call me, but she hasn’t called me yet. I think she forgot about me.”

“Trust me, kid,” King tells her, moving around the side of her bed to sit in the chair and bringing me with him. “Mom hasn’t forgotten about you. How could she? You’re too special.”

“I know,” she laughs, her gaze shifting back up toward the TV. “I’m her favorite. She always tells me that you boys stink and have cooties, but I’m the best because I’m a princess.”

King just nods, a heaviness coming over him. “You sure are, Caitie. Always.”

Sensing the change in his tone, she whips her head back toward us and this time takes note of the way King pulls me into his lap with his hand securely wrapped around mine. She sucks in a sharp breath, her eyes bugging out as a wide smile stretches over her face. “YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH THE ELODIE RAVENWOOD.”

Ahh, fuck.

I laugh and start shaking my head and King leans back in the chair. “So what if I am?” he asks her. “Who’s going to believe you? She’s the leader of Dynasty and I’m just your stupid big brother.”

My mouth drops and I whip back around to King, my eyes wide as he refuses to look at me, clearly already dealing with far too many other things to face this bomb straight on.

Caitlin laughs from her space on her bed, furious about his comment while also clearly very happy for him. “You are stupid,” she tells him. “But you’re also an heir. You’re practically royalty around here. Everyone is going to believe me.”

A smile pulls at King’s lips, and in a flash, his eyes come back to mine.

I see it all there, all of that raw emotion telling me that every word he just said is true. I want to talk about it, make him say it again, but I can’t push him on this. Not today, and certainly not now. I would never forgive myself if I ruined this time with his sister. So instead, I simply lean in as my heart races with fear of what this could mean and gently press a soft, quick kiss to his lips.

“EWWWWWW,” Caitlin groans before a high-pitched laughing squeal takes over her, making her sound as though she’s somewhat possessed. “Yuck. That’s gross. No kissing in my room.”

“Careful,” he laughs. “If you hate it so much, I might just let her do it again.”

“Gross,” she mutters to herself, dipping her head as her lips twist into a disgusted cringe.

“Hey,” he says, forcing her attention back to him. “You never told me how you were feeling? Are you okay? Did you sleep well? What about your leg? Is it hurting? Do you want me to get the doctor?”

Caitlin rolls her eyes, and just as she goes to reprimand her big brother for asking a million questions, the door swings open and King’s mom and little brother come striding into the room.

His mom looks like death warmed up, and I can’t even begin to imagine what she’s feeling after spending her night in the hospital by her daughter’s bedside to then come home and get the news that her husband was murdered in front of her eldest son.

“Mom,” King says, flying to his feet and taking my waist to balance me. He steps around me and instantly pulls his mom into his warm, welcoming arms. It’s such a contrast to the version of the man I met after he snuck through my bedroom window back at Kurt and Irene’s place.