Page 89 of King

“Honey, I’m far from a gentleman.” He replied with a wink.

Heat flushed through Amara’s body, and all it took was a damn wink. King had barely done anything, just that smug, knowing look, yet her pulse still skipped.

Needing to clear her head, she stepped outside, inhaling a deep breath of the crisp air. The coolness helped, but only slightly. Her thoughts were still tangled up in him.

King had told her he owned five acres of land, most of it dense woods, and now, standing here, she took it all in with fresh eyes. The photographer in her stirred to life, and everything else faded into the background.

Her gaze flicked upward, catching a flash of red against the bare branches. A cardinal.

Lifting her camera, she adjusted the focus, zooming in before clicking the shutter. The satisfying snap echoed in the quiet, grounding her.

Before long, she was lost in her own little world. Every stress, every lingering thought drifted away as she captured the delicate details of the landscape. The way the wind rustled the leaves and the contrast of dark bark against the pale winter sky was so peaceful. Then, movement caught her eye.

Glancing toward King, she found him standing a few feet away, his posture relaxed but his sharp gaze scanning the area. That serious expression, the way his jaw tightened, hisbroad shoulders tense, suggested he was always prepared for something, always watching, always protecting.

Her fingers moved on instinct. She lifted her camera again, adjusting the zoom, this time framing him.

Through the lens, she studied his strong profile, defined jaw, and the slight furrow in his brow. He was all rugged strength, power, and untamed masculinity. And he was so damn handsome it made her knees weak. It was cliché as hell…but entirely true.

At the sound of the click, his attention immediately focused on her. “Are you taking a picture of me?”

“Maybe,” She grinned, looking down at the picture she had just taken on the small display. “You want to see what I’ve gotten so far? You’ve got a lot of wildlife in your backyard.” She had wanted to go deeper into the woods, but they hadn’t gotten that far yet.

She walked to where King stood and angled her camera so he could see the pictures until she finally stopped on his photo. “You are very talented,” King said, sounding impressed.

“Well, I did have some handsome subjects.” Amara grinned, watching an arrogant smile spread across his face.

“I am very photogenic.” He angled his face as if posing for another picture.

“I was talking about the squirrel.” Amara teased with a laugh, then squealed when he grabbed her.

“Think you’re funny, huh?” King said just as his phone alarm went off. All play and laughter stopped as he pulled out his phone. “Get in the house. Now.”

Something was wrong. Amara could feel it in King's stiffening and sharp gaze, which cut to his phone, alarm flashing. Usually, it was nothing, just a deer crossing the yard or one of the Warriors pulling up the drive. But not this time.

The air around them thickened, charged with something dark and lethal.

“What is it?” she asked, frowning, but before he could answer, he moved fast, his grip firm as he started to pick her up to carry her away.

A single, sharp crack split the silence. Her blood turned to ice. She knew that sound—a long-range rifle.

Before she could react, King jerked violently. The force of it knocked her off balance, his weight slamming into her as they crashed to the ground.

“King!” The scream tore from her throat as she scrambled beneath him, desperate, terrified. A thick, dark stream of blood pooled beneath him, staining the earth too fast, too much. His body twitched against hers, and she felt his breath uneven and weak.

“Run,” he ordered, voice low but still commanding.

Amara ignored his order as she frantically searched for the threat but saw nothing. “Can you get up? I’ve got to get you in the house.”

“Was that a gunshot?” Joey opened the back door, stopping when he saw King on the ground with blood pooling around him. “Oh, fuck!”

“Help me get him inside.” Amara was trying to pick King up, but he was too heavy.

“Stop!” King cried out in anger. “Call Sloan and hide.”

“No, we have got to get you inside.” Amara still struggled, her eyes still searching. She didn’t know how far away a long-range rifle could fire, but she knew they didn’t have much time.

King’s arm shot up, pulling her down to him. “Listen to me, Goddammit!” His voice was harsh but weaker, and his hand let her go as his arm flopped on the ground, lifeless. “The bullet is silver. There is nothing you can do for me, Amara. Get Joey and you the fuck out of here. I love you, Amara, and I’m....sorry.” The defeat in his eyes scared her more than any enemy ever could. He was saying goodbye to her, well fuck that.

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