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Ihaven’t seen him at all since the plane, and I know that has to do with me staying upstairs all day to ignore him. I don’t know what I’d do if I saw him, and who the hell is the girl who was in his room last night? I know it isn’t Candi, so I’m guessing she’s from Kiznitch.
My phone dings, and I roll onto my stomach to take it off the charger.
He’s going to be here in thirty.
I blow out a deep breath and swing my legs over the bed. Choosing a leather short skirt, Doc Martens, black socks that come over my knees, and a simple tight white V-cut crop top, I throw everything on and brush my teeth, scrubbing my face with hot water and applying minimal makeup. My hair is getting way too long, and as much as I’d rather just leave it out to do its own thing because I’m too lazy, I pull out my makeup bag and grab some rubber bands before working it into a part and French braiding both sides. At least like this, they won’t be in the way. Opening my phone, I hit play on Chase Atlantic and hum my way through the final braid. Once it’s all done, I swipe my lips with blood-red lip stain and scoop up my black blazer before finally leaving my room. It’s the first time I’ve been outside of it since last night, and it has a lot to do with my brother and less to do with Keaton getting his dick wet the second he was back on home soil.
I make my way down my stairs, flying down as fast as I can. The chatter of people talking in the family room directs me, so I round the corner, my shoulders back and chin up. I’ve been around these men all of my life. I know how to handle them. Or I pretend to.
King stops talking, and I don’t have time to assess who all is in the room because everyone turns to face me. I can’t see them, but I can feel them staring at me. Bishop didn’t come alone.
“Ahhh, Cartier Nero—” Nate Malum, a.k.a. the Devil with a Smirk, stands to his feet and makes his way over.
I roll my lips beneath my teeth before flashing him a sweet smile. “Nate Malum Riverside. Oh, how it’s so nice to see you again after all this time,” I joke, but my arms go around his neck and he picks me up from the floor, twirling me before placing me back down. Nate is probably my favorite out of all The Kings.
“Come. We’re just about to start.”
I follow behind Nate but make sure I take the seat directly between the two sides. The chair is dramatic and old, much like this castle, with old wood carved and crafted to mold around your body as the base curves high up your back.
I cross my legs, turning to greet Bishop. “Hello, Bishop.”
“Cartier,” he answers smoothly, his voice cracking at the end. He looks much better than the last time I saw him, not that Bishop Vincent Hayes can look bad. But last time, he was stressed. The kind of stress only love can look like.
King moves to the sofa beside Kohen and Keaton. Keaton, who I still haven’t acknowledged. My eyes shift behind Keaton when a shadow catches my eye and I see her.
The girl from his phone when we landed. God. Why is it that I hated her as soon as I saw her face even though I didn’t even know her? Now she’s annoying me even more because I know she can see me staring at her, but she refuses to pay me any attention. As if I don’t matter.
As if I don’t deserve her attention.
My hackles shoot up and I don’t realize I’m glaring until Keaton’s voice cuts into my churning thoughts. “Cartier!”
“Rowr… play nice, kitty…” Killian teases, winking at me from across the room. Lilith chuckles from below Kyrin’s arm, and Kyrin shakes his head as if disappointed.
“Don’t recommend that nickname—just saying,” Bishop muses before leaning back in his chair with a cigarette between his fingers. “Alright. Let’s get to the bottom of this shit show.” His green eyes fall on me. “Tell me everything you know.”
I shuffle up the chair. “Back then, when I first met you all and Eli was babysitting me, we were followed in Eli’s car. Brantley was in there too, but it was just Eli, Brantley, Nial, and me”—I cut a glare toward my brother—“later that night, after Eli had told me that they were most likely for him, a man and his minions broke into my apartment.”
Keaton chuckles, leaning his head on the headrest of the sofa, and I want to tear his eyeballs out. I want to run my nails down the veins of his neck to remind him exactly who he is fucking with, because the man has clearly forgotten. Without thinking, my lip curls up and the need to cause pain to him overrides my logic. “But you see I wasn’t sure why they would be in my house.” He still hasn’t moved, that same smirk on his lips as he keeps his eyes locked on the ceiling. The girl steps closer to him, her hand resting on the side of his neck. Anger sears through me so hot it’s almost numb to the touch. “—since I only fucked Eli once, why would they want me?” Keaton snaps, before he can look directly at me. I turn my attention to Kyrin, who is shaking his head. Sorry, I mouth. He waves his hands as if to get to the fucking point.
King is the next to speak. “That was Dominic Stranger?”
I nod. “Yes. He and Bam Bam. I, of course, didn’t know who Bam Bam was until I started my training.”
“Bam Bam was part of your training?” Bishop asks, running his finger over his upper lip. It’s distracting because he’s hot.
“He was.”
“For shits and gigs, what part?” Kenan asks, jumping up and down like an excited toddler.
“What part do you think?” Bam Bam was nicknamed Bam Bam because of his expertise to be able to fuck. There was more to him than that, though, and I wasn’t sure whether I was ready to expose what Bam Bam had done.
Keaton shoots off the couch and makes his way to the fireplace.
“Damn. The Fathers actually set this up? They trained you in weird—” Nate’s hands fly around. “Weird shit?”
“Yep.” I relax into the chair. “I was with Bam Bam for a year, actually. So fast-forward when Eli leaves. I knew he was alive. Kaius told me that he wouldn’t be in the picture long. He had told me that in order to keep the balance, Eli had to leave.”
“Balance?” King kicks up his leg on the coffee table.
