Page 7 of King

Ella blinked, clearly surprised.

He gestured toward the plush toy. “If it helps, it helps.”

Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her sleeve as she gave him a shy smile. “Thanks. I’m still getting used to being in a new place.”

He let a beat of silence pass before asking, “Where’re you from, anyway?”

“New York City.”

“So, you picked up and moved for this job?”

She let out a soft laugh. “Pretty much.”

“Brave.”

Ella rolled her eyes. “Or reckless.”

He smirked. “Same thing sometimes.”

She tilted her head. “What about you? Have you always lived in Shadowridge?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “Born and raised. Working here, riding with the Guardians, it’s home.”

Ella perked up a little. “The Guardians? Oh, that’s your motorcycle club, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Shadowridge Guardians. We look out for the town, run charity events, help out where we can.”

“That’s… cool,” she said, sounding genuinely impressed.

King’s smirk deepened. “We’re having a BBQ at the clubhouse this weekend. You should come.”

Ella blinked, caught off guard. “Oh. Uh…” She glanced down at her desk, then up at him again. “I don’t know. I mean, I wouldn’t really fit in there.”

King raised a brow. “Why not?”

She gave him a small, sheepish look. “I don’t exactly scream ‘biker chick.’”

King let out a low chuckle. “Good. Wouldn’t suit you.” He pushed off the doorframe. “Just think about it.”

Ella bit her lip. “Okay.”

King smirked, picked up the forms he’d come in for, and grabbed one of her sticky notes to jot down the information. “Good. Here’s the address. I hope to see you there.”

The smell of sizzling meat and charcoal filled the air, mingling with laughter, music, and the occasional roar of an engine. The Guardians’ clubhouse was alive with energy, the compound packed with MC members and their families. King stood by the grill, tongs in hand, flipping burgers while Steele and Faust bickered about the best way to season ribs.

King wasn’t paying attention to their argument, though. Mostly because they had the same one every time the club had a BBQ, and neither of them could ever agree, so the ribs were usually overly seasoned but still good as hell. It was meat. Meat was always good.

His eyes kept drifting toward the parking lot, his pulse racing faster with each passing second. He told himself he wasn’t waiting for her, but when a small car pulled in and parked up, his heart gave a sharp, unexpected jolt.

Then the door opened, and she stepped out.

Ella.

King exhaled slowly, something tightening in his chest. She looked like she’d stepped straight out of a dream. Soft, delicate,cute. Her dark hair was styled in two space buns, little curls framing her face. She wore a babydoll dress, short and flowy, with tiny white flowers scattered across the fabric. And on her feet—those same white Converse from the grocery store, slightly scuffed but still somehow fitting with her outfit.

And that was when it hit him.

She looked Little.

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