Page 6 of His Kingdom

“Get your eyes off her.” I walk up to where he’s standing and grunt in a low voice so only he can hear me. Then I walk behind him so he’s forced to turn around. “What are you doing here?” I ask him.

“Checking up on your MIA ass,” he says.

“Well, now that you’ve seen I’m fine, you can leave.” I nod my head in the direction of the door.

“Sure.” Sammie smirks. “Right after I meet your friend.” He pivots on a heel and strolls towards the pool again.

How much would it bother Charlotte if I drowned this fucker in the water right next to her?

“Hey there. I’m Sammie, and you are?” My soon-to-be-dead friend holds out his hand.

Before Charlotte reaches out to take it, I walk over and knock Sammie into the water. Then I bend down, pick Charlotte up, and drag her out of the pool. “Sorry about that. He looked like he wanted to sink.” I smirk.

“Fucker.” Sammie laughs when his head pops up for air. His eyes on Charlotte, who is wearing nothing but wet underwear.

“Turn the fuck around,” I tell him.

“Fine. Let me know when you two kids are decent,” Sammie says, holding his hands in the air in a surrender motion.

I grab my jacket and wrap it around Charlotte’s shoulders before I pick up one of the towels and pull the tie out of her hair. Letting it fall in long, wet curls down her back. I wrap the towel around her hair and dry it off the best I can.

Charlotte is as stiff as a board. I look down at her, tilting her chin upwards so she has to make eye contact with me. “You okay?” I ask, while using the corner of the towel to gently wipe the droplets of water from her face.

“Mhmm. I should get back to my room. Thank you for letting me swim,” she says.

“I’ll walk you,” I tell her before calling over a shoulder, “Sammie, get out of the pool.”

“You really don’t need to walk me back to my room,” Charlotte says.

“I really do,” I insist. “This city is full of drunk asses and, frankly, undesirable men who would take one look at you like this and… Well, you get the point.”

“Um, thank you. I’m sorry I took up your time,” she replies as the elevator doors close.

“What floor?” I ask her, swiping my access card over the panel.

“Five.”

We’re both silent as we descend to the fifth floor before the doors open again, and I follow Charlotte until she stops in front of room 527. She unlocks the door, and I wait for her to turn around. “Are you going to be okay?” I ask her.

“I’m going to be fine. I’m a southern girl. Nothing keeps us down. Tomorrow I’m going to put on my lipstick, straighten my shoulders, and move on as if nothing happened. Tonight, I’m going to grieve the loss of my sister,” she says.

“I understand that everything is fresh. Feelings are… intense. But your sister isn’t dead, Charlotte. Shitty, definitely. But she’s not dead.”

“She is to me.” Charlotte shrugs. “Oh, your jacket.”

When she starts to remove it, I place a hand on her shoulder to stop her. “Keep it. And just so you know, your ex is a fucking idiot for losing you.”

“Thank you.”

“Good night, Charlotte.”

“Good night, Louie,” she says before closing the door.

I take my phone out of my pocket and quickly call down to the lobby. “Good evening, Mr. Giuliani. How may I help you?” a young girl answers.

“There’s a woman in room 527… Have her upgraded to penthouse two, on the house. For two weeks. Tell her she’s won an all-expenses-paid extension,” I direct the girl.

“Okay, when would you like her moved?”

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