King for a Day (The King Trilogy #2)(22)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

“You should have asked. But now you know who I am. And now you know that being in my world will ruin you. Now you know that I didn’t care. I marked you anyway.”

The horrible, unsightly point to this conversation wasn’t something I didn’t already know. He was selfish and uncaring. However, deep down inside, I really wanted to believe that King could be a good man.

Maybe that’s what your mind is wrestling with, Mia. King could be good or bad, but not both.

King stood in the center aisle, head touching the cabin’s ceiling. He cleared his throat, and his body language stiffened. “And now you’ve accomplished what I’d hoped.”

“Which is?” I looked up at him from my seat, feeling the full effects of his intimidating size and presence.

“You’ve argued yourself into a corner that clearly establishes why you must run. You cannot beat Vaughn at his games, but if you succeed and manage to save me, you’re only fighting for a fate you do not desire: being mine. Because I will not let you go.”

Ugh. I shook my head. “I can’t run, you moron.”

Anger flickered in his eyes. “And why not?”

“I know you disagree, but I think Vaughn will come after me. Then there’s the fact I can’t leave my family, especially my mother. I have no choice but to try to fix this. And…” I felt ridiculous saying my next thought aloud.

“Yes? Go on, Miss Turner.”

“A part of me feels obligated to save you after what you did for her. And my brother.” Yes, I understood he had ulterior motives—to win me over—but he’d done the kind deeds, nonetheless, including being there to defend me against Vaughn when I needed him. “I’m even grateful for what you did for me. Although, I never would have needed your help if you hadn’t sent me to that stupid party in the first place.”

King sighed. “I concede that I underestimated Vaughn’s ferocity. My ego sometimes blinds me.”

“Ha.” I chuckled. “That’s because it’s so damned huge.”

King shot me a look. “I thought you were through judging me.”

Yes. That’s what I’d been thinking about in the car to the airport after leaving Miranda’s. And, of course, made-up King would know that because he’s a product of my imagination.

“I’m not judging,” I argued. “I’m stating the obvious; there’s a difference. Saying you have a big ego is like saying you have beautiful eyes.”

“You think my eyes are beautiful?”

I began twirling the diamond ring on my finger. “Yeah. Most of you is pretty gorgeous. But I’ll try not to hold it against you. Especially the part about you living on champagne and cigars.”

His eyes flashed to the ring. “Do you like it?”

I made a noncommittal shrug. “Why did you give it to me?” I asked.

“Why do you think?”

“King? Can you answer the question?”

King leaned down, placing his hands on the armrests on either side of my lap, and kissed me. His lips were hot and sensual. His tongue was soft and warm. At first, I didn’t kiss him back. It felt strange allowing this fantasy to go in such an intimate direction, but as his sensual mouth moved over mine, I still melted for him as I had every other time he’d kissed me.

King slowly pulled back and gazed into my eyes. Made up or not, he was still sinfully handsome, especially those pale gray eyes.

I sighed. “If only the real King were this sweet.”

“Maybe he is after you get to know him.”

I laughed. “King is many things, but sweet is not one of them.”

“Right you are. And yet another reason you should run, Miss Turner.”

“You sound like Mack, but I’m not running, so drop it.”

King made a little nod. “Very well, then. But just remember what Mack told you, Mia. I will never share you. I will never trade you. I will never leave you. You are mine, and I will not let you go.”

Those words felt like a ton of bricks, filled with lust and adrenaline and fear, dropped on my head. The thought of him wanting me in such an absolute manner felt terrifying, yet at the same time, sparked a deep, dark satisfaction.

I took several moments to catch my breath and clear my throat. “You’ll have to. Because my saving you doesn’t mean I accept being yours.”

“Accept being whose?” asked a deep voice.

I glanced at the large man standing in the cockpit doorway, then towards King, who had disappeared and couldn’t be seen by Arno anyway.

Because you’re crazy and talking to yourself. “I’m crazy and talking to myself.”

“Very good,” Arno said in that unusual accent and then dipped his head. “We will be landing shortly.”

“Thanks.” He turned to leave. “By the way, where are you from, exactly, Arno?”

“I am from the island of Crete. Same as King.” He disappeared into the cockpit.

King was from Greece?

~~

“Did you know that King is Greek?” I asked Mack, who squinted at me with one eye from his hospital bed.

“My surgery went fine. Thanks for asking.”

I shook my head and pulled up a chair alongside his bed. “Sorry. I’m really spacy. I need sleep.”

“How did it go with Miranda?”

“I don’t know. She seemed suspicious, but she agreed.” I wondered if I should tell Mack about the additions to the deal. Miranda wanted to watch Vaughn die, and I acquired a guy.

No. Don’t do anything to worry him. He needs to rest.

I checked my watch. It was almost 6:00 a.m. “I guess we’ll know in a few hours if she delivers or not. By the way, how am I going to know if it’s Vaughn’s real arm?”

“We won’t, but I doubt she’ll give us a fake. 10 Club members don’t do that. It’s too easy to get caught and tarnish your name. One bad deal and it’s likely your head they’ll trade for next.”

“Oh. Well, good to know. But what if she can’t get her hands on it? What then?”

“Then we’re screwed.”

With less than thirteen hours left to go, screwed was looking more and more like our fate.

“Have some faith,” Mack whispered and closed his eyes, clearly in pain.

He was right. This would either work, or it wouldn’t. Sitting around sulking wouldn’t help us.

“By the way, I have Strong meeting you at King’s office in about four and a half hours,” Mack said quietly. “That gives you plenty of time to find the serum and…” he hesitated, “prepare it for her.”