Page 19 of King

She had to tell King.

Still clutching her phone, she got up from her chair and made her way toward the bay. She had a feeling he was going to be thrilled for her. King had told her at the BBQ that the girls would want to befriend her, but she hadn’t truly believed him. Until now. She could already picture the smug look on his handsome face when she told him.

But the second she stepped into the open space, she stopped short.

Her breath caught in her throat.

A woman stood in front of King. Close.Tooclose. She was tall, curvy,gorgeous, with long dark hair and a sexy smile. She tilted her head slightly, batting her eyelashes as she spoke to him, her expression flirtatious and warm.

Ella’s stomach twisted.

They were too far away for her to hear the conversation, but she didn’t need to. Shesawit. The way the woman reached out, letting her fingers trail down King’s arm. The way she laughed, shifting her weight so her body leaned in just enough to be noticeable.

Ella swallowed, something hot and ugly curling in her chest.

King didn’t push her away. He stood there, staring at her, completely focused on whatever she was saying.

Ella’s fingers tightened around her phone.

She had no right to feel this way.

King wasn’t hers. They weren’ttogether.

But for the first time since she’d met him, she felt stupid. Stupid for thinking there was something specialabout how he treated her. Stupid for believing she might be the only one getting his attention. One date didn’t mean they were exclusive.

Her throat felt like it was closing in.

Slowly, she took a step back.

Then another.

Before she could even think about it, she grabbed her bag and laptop from her office, then slipped outside through another door, making her way to her car as quickly and quietly as possible.

She needed to get out of there before she started crying. She didn’t want anyone to see her cry. Especially not King.

By the time she pulled away from the firehouse, her cheeks were wet and her excitement about book club had dimmed, leaving only a hollow ache in its place.

EIGHT

KING

King wiped down the side of the truck, his muscles working through the familiar motion as his mind drifted to a certain someone.

Little Ella.

His phone vibrated on the nearby workbench, and he grabbed it with one hand, smiling when he saw the latest text from Remi.

Remi:She said yes! Ella’s coming to book club tonight!

Another buzz.

Remi:Told you she’s one of us. She just doesn’t know it yet.

King exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. Hedidknowit. The moment he saw Ella at the BBQ, taking in all the Littles while they did the same, he knew they would be pulling her into their friendship circle. He couldn’t be happier for her. When Ella had told him about her life in New York, he’d gottenthe feeling that she’d been lonely there, so this would be really special for her.

He had just tucked his phone away when movement in his peripheral caught his attention.

He barely had time to react before a pair of soft, manicured hands wrapped around his waist from behind, pressing a feminine body against his back.

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