Page 29 of His Kingdom

“There a reason for this visit?”

“Can’t some friends just pop in and hang out?” Carlo questions while holding up a bottle of whiskey.

“What he said,” Sammie adds, moving a tray towards Carlo. A tray withfourglasses.

“You expecting someone?” I question him.

“Nope, but I figured you’d have your girl here. Wouldn’t be the great friends we are if we left her out, now would we?” Carlo chuckles.

I’m about to answer, but then Charlotte decides to pull herself up out of the pool. I jump from my seat and grab a towel while glaring at my two friends, who are getting far too much entertainment out of my annoyance at them.

“I… um, I can go,” Charlotte says in a quiet voice.

“You’re not going anywhere. If anyone is leaving, it’s those two fuckwits, not you,” I tell her as I wrap the towel around her shoulders.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be in the way,” she whispers.

“You’re not. Come on. The sooner I let them talk to you, the sooner they’ll be out of our hair.” I guide Charlotte over to the lounger. Sitting and pulling her down with me as I settle her between my legs. My arm wraps around her waist, my face buries into her neck, and my tongue darts out to lick a few water droplets.

Charlotte squirms in my hold.

“So, Charlotte, how’d you two meet?” Carlo gestures a hand from me to my girl.

“Ah, I was downstairs at one of the bars feeling sorry for myself, and he sat at my table,” she says. “How’d y’all meet each other?”

“We grew up on the streets together,” Sammie replies.

“On the streets?” Charlotte parrots.

“He means we’ve known each other since we were kids,” I correct while shooting a glare in Sammie’s direction.

“Okay, well, I for one am glad you turned up. I was starting to worry that our boy here was destined to be a bachelor forever and die a lonely old man.” Carlo pours whiskey into four glasses, handing one to Charlotte first.

“You don’t have to drink that,” I tell her.

Looking over a shoulder at me, Charlotte downs the contents of her glass in one go. “I’m from the south. We know how to drink whiskey.” She smiles at me.

“Okay then.” I chuckle, taking my own glass from Carlo.

“What do you do, Charlotte? For work?” Sammie asks.

“I’m a personal assistant, or I was,” she says.

“Did you like your job?” Carlo chimes in.

“I was good at it. I liked helping people.” She shrugs.

“Well, it just so happens I have an opening for an assistant if you’re looking for work while you’re here,” Sammie tells Charlotte.

“She’s not working for you, asshole. I’ve already hired her,” I cut in.

“You’ve never had an assistant,” Carlo states.

“I’ve never met anyone smart enough for the role,” I reply. “She’s not working for either of you two fuckers.”

“I… ah…”

“Just go along with it,” I whisper into her ear.

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