Page 71 of King

A laugh and growl combined rumbled deep in his chest, a primal sound of possession and pure, unfiltered need. Before he could respond, her lips crashed into his, and suddenly, nothing else in the world mattered.

Their mouths moved together in a frantic, desperate hunger. He wasn’t sure how long they stood there, tangled in each other, lost in a kiss that felt like it could burn down the entire fucking world. But the fire inside him was raging, and if he didn’t have her now, he was going to lose his damn mind.

Without breaking the kiss, he carried her down the stairs, her body clinging to his like she was made for him. Hell, maybe she was.

The second they reached the basement, he set her down, hands already tugging at her clothes, stripping her bare, his mouth mapping every inch of exposed skin like he was branding her with each touch. Amara was just as desperate, just as wild, herfingers shaking as she pulled his shirt over his head, her lips dragging over his chest, lower and lower.

When she dropped to her knees and took his cock into her mouth, King slammed his palm against the wall, his body jolting with raw, electric pleasure. “Fuck, Amara—” His voice was hoarse, strained, barely hanging onto control as she worked him with slow, torturous strokes of her tongue.

His muscles locked tight, his hand sinking into her hair, guiding her but not forcing—never forcing—because Amara wasn’t a woman to be controlled. She took what she wanted, just like he did, and right now, she wanted to fucking kill him with that sweet mouth.

Before he lost it completely, he carefully pulled her up, his hands sliding under her thighs as he lifted her off the ground. Her legs wrapped around him again, her heat pressing against him, and with one thrust, he was buried inside her.

A groan tore from his throat as he pressed her against the wall, his forehead dropping to hers. “Mine,” he growled against her lips.

“Yours,” she breathed, her nails digging into his back.

And those words were all he needed before giving them both exactly what they craved.

CHAPTER 31

Amara braced Joey as he hobbled to the chair, grumbling under his breath the whole way.

“These things are from hell,” he groaned, dramatically tossing the crutches to the floor with a heavy clatter. “They hurt my pits.”

Rolling her eyes, she let out a soft laugh. “I think that means you’re using them wrong.”

“No,” Joey glared at her. “It means you have no clue.”

“Watch how you talk to Amara,” King gave Joey a stern look.

“Sorry,” Joey frowned, rubbing at his armpits with an exaggerated pout. “It’s just my pits really hurt, man.”

“Maybe we can add some cushion on them and see if that helps,” Amara offered, surprised that King had corrected Joey on her behalf. She wasn’t upset about it, knowing that Joey was a teenager and that she was too nice when it came to her nephew.

The morning had been... different for her. Beautiful, even. After a long night of whispered conversations and learning moreabout each other in more ways than one, King had woken her with the smell of breakfast. He’d cooked for her. For them. That alone had done something to her heart.

After eating and cleaning up, they went to Joey’s house to gather his clothes before heading to her place. While looking for something to wear for the funeral, she found King standing in front of her hall coat closet, staring curiously at the small space she had turned into a makeshift darkroom.

His fascination had caught her off guard. He didn’t just glance around and nod; he asked real questions. He wanted to understand. No one had ever really asked before.

Later, they met up with Jake and Jessie for a late lunch. She had gotten to know Jessie, who was very sweet and cared for Joey. Amara had always gone to Joey’s recitals, except for the last six months, but Jessie had always been too busy with the kids to interact beyond polite greetings. Today, Amara saw just how much Jessie cared for Joey, which made her like the woman even more.

Throughout the meal, King talked to Joey and Jake, but she could tell his attention never strayed far from his surroundings. He was on alert, both he and Jake were. It made her a little uneasy, a stark reminder that the world she was living in since her circumstances had changed drastically, which was a total understatement.

Now back at King’s place, she reached for one of the bags. “Here, let me help?—”

“Got it.” King moved them out of her reach, flashing her a small, knowing smile before heading up the stairs.

She followed, stepping into his bedroom. It was spacious and well-kept, but there was something... impersonal about it. No photographs, no personal touches. It was just a space, not a place that held memories like her own bedroom.

Her eyes drifted to the bed, and warmth spread through her chest. After leaving the basement they had come to his bedroom and talked for hours until she fell asleep.

King had opened up if only a little. She had learned that Joey reminded him of a younger brother he had lost, which explained why he felt so protective of him. It was the only piece of his past he had offered, but it was enough to make her realize how much he cared.

She was still learning. About him, about this world. Little things like why his eyes turn black. He had told her when he needed to feed...meaning blood, or when he was hungry and sex. A shiver ran down her spine as her thoughts went to the sex they had hours ago.

“What are you grinning about?” King’s voice rumbled through the room, pulling her from her thoughts.

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