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“No, no. It’s okay. And hell, it’s true, right? I wasn’t there.” King ducked his head, almost hunching over Zoe to protect her.
From me.
“No, you weren’t there. Because your wife was a bitch who left you and your baby to flit around Europe with her director boyfriend. She left you. She left Zoe. She’s the one to blame for this shitstorm.Not you!”
A familiar squeaking sound came from behind me. I whirled around and found Sophia trying to sneak away.
Sighing heavily, I held out a hand. “You might as well come in and join the dysfunction. King, this is Sophia. Soph, this isKing.”
I emphasized his name in the hope that she’d quit that annoying whole name thing she’d been doing since she’d met me.
Her eyes bounced back and forth between me and my equally pained brother before she smiled. “I’ve never met a king before. Roman didn’t tell me—am I supposed to curtsy?”
Some of King’s visible anger drained away as he rolled his eyes. “I’ve never heard that before.” But he still gave Sophia a half smile and a nod. “Nice to meet you, Sophia. I’d give you a hug, but my hands are a little full right now.”
“I see that.” Sophia smiled back. “She’s gorgeous. She looks so much like you guys. The Grier genes are strong, huh?”
King’s smile dimmed. “Yeah. Poor kiddo. She had to get my boring brown hair instead of her mom’s vibrant red.”
I bit back my retort about stylists and hair dye. I really doubted Ariel’s hair was ever really red, but that wasn’t the point. Regardless of how I or anyone else felt about her, King was truly mourning his estranged wife’s death and all the could’ve-beens.
And Sophia seemed to get that, judging by the expression in her eyes. Still, she smiled and lifted a shoulder. “Don’t knock being a brunette. I’ve never minded, and I’ve always been attracted to guys with dark hair.”
King smiled knowingly as he looked between Sophia and me. “Clearly. I think you’ve finally got a good one here, Rome. She’s definitely light years nicer than Vic.”
I closed my eyes with a wince. He had to go there—bringing up the ex. I opened my eyes in time to see Sophia’s brow wrinkle.
“Vic? Who’s… Never mind. None of my business.”
“You guys haven’t had the ex talk yet? Sorry.” King winced. “And on that note, I should be getting out of your hair. Nice to meet you, Sophia. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
“About that…” Sophia began before trailing off.
And I straight up panicked.
I didn’t know if she was going to out us as not really being in a relationship, which I didnotwant King knowing, or what. All I knew was that I had to fill in the silence before she said something I was going to regret.
“You can’t go.” I filled in.
King put down the bottle and frowned at me. Holding Zoe in front of him on his lap, he patted her back. “Say what now?”
“The paps followed her here. That was the whole reason you came over—to get out of the house and away from the circus. And now it’s landed outside my gates. You can’t leave yet. It’s not safe.”
My mind was full of scenarios of the kind of shit those bastards loved to pull. And I didn’t want any of it near King with his mindset right now. Or Zoe. God.
“It’s fine.” King shrugged. “I’m used to it.”
“But King—”
“It’s not like I can just move in with you two. No offense, but I’m not in the mood to be around a happy, loving couple at the moment. You two have more than enough on your plate without my adding to it.”
Oh, if he only knew.
“But I think—”
“What if you just waited an hour or two?” This time it was Sophia who cut me off.
I blinked. “What difference would that make?”
