Chapter 149
Alyssa
King’s expression hardens as he stares at
woman who t
tripped in front of us, his entire body going rigid
body going rigid, as if frozen in place.
I don’t have to ask know who she is: his mother. They share the same nose, the same sharp, assessing eyes, though hers are dulled by time and whatever damage she’s done to herself. I can almost picture what she looked like before addiction stripped her of everything.
She’s dressed in faded blue jeans and a red tank top, the fabric hanging loosely off her thin frame. There’s an unease in the way she moves, her fingers twitching like they don’t know how to be still. A thin sheen of sweat clings to her skin despite the crisp fall air, her lips pressing together before her tongue darts out–like she’s suppressing something, whether it’s nerves, withdrawal, or both.
“Kaiden, is that really you?” she asks, her words trembling with disbelief.
King’s expression stays flat, unreadable. “Who else would it be, jolene?” His voice is cold, detached. “Not everyone gets to walk around with a permanent reminder of their mother’s shitty decisions carved into their face.”
quickly says, already backing away like he needs to get away from this tension as soon as possible.
“Um, I’m going to take Zuri to the car,” “Mace, you coming?”
Niko q
Mason’s eyes linger on King for a mornent, waiting for a cue. When King gives him a stiff nod, Mason follows Niko without a word. I move to go with them, but King’s grip tightens around me.
“Stay,” he orders, his voice strained.
I look up at him, seeing past the anger to the barely concealed pain beneath it.
He needs me
“Put me down, Daddy,” I whisper, cupping his jaw. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He hesitates, then slowly sets me on my feet before intertwining our fingers, grounding himself in my touch.
Jolene glances between us, letting out a strained chuckle. “Well, damn. Look at you…all grown up. A wife a kid you really turned out different than I thought you would.”
1 laugh inwardly. Apart from Niko and Mason, we probably look like the perfect little family, but the reality is so much messier. Zuri isn’t his by blood, and my marriage certificate still ties me to an abusive asshole. But it’s not like King is ashamed of that.
He’s proud to claim me as his.
And he’d make damn sure anyone who thought otherwise knew their place.
Jolene’s gaze settles on me, her eyes flickering with something unreadable. “And who might you be, sweetheart?” she asks, smooth and pleasant, though there’s a forced cheerfulness to it, like she’s trying too hard to make a good impression.
Don’t bother, lady. I know all about you.
*Don’t speak to her, King growls.
She gives a disarming smile, but there’s a small twitch in her jaw, a brief flicker of tension that vanishes as quickly as it appears “Relax. I just wanted to know a little about the woman who managed to tame my wild Kaidy.”
Kaidy?
I nearly gag. Nope. I hate it so, so much.
“Why?” he drawls, the amusement in his voice laced with something sharp: “You think this is some kind of reunion!” His tone hardens, hostility cutting through. “What are you even doing here?”
Jolene licks her lips again, shifting on her feet. “I–I’ve been living on the streets,” she admits, barely above a whisper. “Lost the trailer a few weeks agu been here looking for work.”
I don’t even want to think about what kind of “
(“work”
*she treans.
Her breath wavers for a moment before she exules through her nose, shaking her head like she’s trying to brush off the weight of her own words. “It’s been rough, but I’m getting by“
King doesn’t flinch. “Well, good for you. Kitten, let’s go!”
4:12 PM d
Chapter 149
As he turns to leave, her voice crackles in the space between us. “Look, Kaidy. I tried searching for you to make amends. But I couldn’t find you anywhere. It was like you just up and disappeared.”
When he turns back, his words are harsher than Eve ever heard them. “That’s because I never wanted to see you again. So, just forget what you saw today. Go back to smoking dope and fucking drug dealers for money. You were always good at that.”
I flinch. He doesn’t mean that. I know he doesn’t.
He’s just lashing out–speaking from a place of betrayal and pain.
Jolene barely reacts. She sways slightly, her lips pressing together in something that isn’t quite a smile. Maybe she expected this. Maybe she thinks
she deserves iL
“What do you want me to do, Kaiden? Beg for your help?” she eventually huffs, throwing up her arms as frustration spills over like a dam finally breaking
King doesn’t even blink. “There’s a shelter a few miles from here. I could give you money, but we both know exactly what you’d do with that.”
I swallow, glancing up at him. His jaw is tight, his fists clenched, but his eyes…his eyes are darker than usual, like he’s somewhere else, drowning in ghosts
“Daddy,” I whisper, squeezing his hand.
He slowly meets my gaze, reading me instantly. “No, Alyssa”
my voice to a whisper. “King, we can at
“Please stay here and excuse us a moment.” I tell his mother before tugging him a few feet away, dropping my least get her a room or something. She’s homeless.
His jaw ticks. “Why the fuck should we care? She threw me on the street without a second thought. Now she can get a taste of her own medicine
“Because she’s your mother,” I press. “And I know you care about her. At least enough to get her off the streets”
He stares at me for a moment, then his eyes fill with the warmth his mother will probably never see again. He leans in, brushing his lips against mine. “What am I gonna do about my kitten and her hero complex? I thought we learned our lesson yesterday?
I sigh, chewing on my bottom lip. I know. I think I might have a problem.”
But I won’t be able to sleep at night knowing we just left her like this.
He finally exhales deeply, rubbing a hand down his jaw. “Fine. I can tell she’s still using, which means there’s no way in fucking hell she’s staying with us. So, Til book a hotel, send her there in an Uber
I can’t help but smile. There’s my King,
I know it’s a long shot, but people do change. Maybe she has. Maybe she hasn’t. But he’ll never know if he doesn’t give her a chance.
But for now, getting her off the streets is enough.
Once he’s done arranging everything, we walk back over to Jolene, where she’s frantically rubbing her hands up and down her folded arms.
“Your Uber will be here in ten minutes. You can stay there for a week, but after that, you’re on your own, King informs her.
She smiles, weary but grateful. Thank you, son.”
“Goodbye, Jolene,” he replies between clenched teeth.
He takes my hand, tugging me along without another glance. I look back, offering her a small, sympathetic smile.
As we approach the car, King suddenly stops, extraling roughly. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around him, cradling his face as I press a grounding kiss to his lips.
“Are you okay, Daddy?” I ask softly.
He rests his forehead against mine. “As long as I’ve got you and our family, I’m good,” he murmurs, kissing me again. But when he pulls away, I can ser the storm of emotions brewing in his eyes, but I don’t call him out on it.
Maybe he’s trying to convince himself just as much as he’s trying to convince in
ine.
King pulls open the passenger door for me. “Now, let’s go get some food. Looking at all those goddamn animals has got me craving a bacon cheeseburger”
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Chapter 149
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