Page 21 of Kingston

“No need for compliments.I’m not charging for today’s services.”More tapping.“Just tell me what you want me to do with all this intel.I can ruin Johnson’s Senate run right now.And believe me, after what I just discovered, I want to do major damage to that entire family.Or I can hold on to these details for a little while if you’d like.But no promises on me not getting a random intrusive thought and just dumping this on the major news networks.”

“I couldn’t care less what you do to that old fuck.What I want to know is where the son is.”

“That doesn’t sound fun.At least, not for me.But okay.I kinda, sorta, maybe a lot, want to make people bleed after what I just discovered.Do a little stabby-stabby for me when you get your hands on him, yeah?”

My head was throbbing with tension from listening to her talk.What the fuck was she seeing online about Demi’s ex that would make her want to stab him?I had a hundred reasons—a slice of my blade for every flinch from my woman because she was afraid a touch might cause her pain.But Jack shrugged again, like Mieke’s rambling was expected.

“I’m sending you Charlie-boy’s current GPS.He has a few different trackers on him, which is a smart move for his parents since he stays in so much trouble.But it’s also incredibly stupid, not to mention dangerous, since they don’t have someone monitoring his activities in real time.Sucks for them that they pissed off the wrong person.And by person, I mean me.But also you, of course,” she continued absently.

How was she having a full conversation and still tapping away on her computer?That went beyond what I could comprehend as multitasking.

“They must spend a few million a year fixing the little prick’s messes.And by little, I absolutely mean little.Why do guys think it’s okay to send people dick pics?Gag.There are times I need eye bleach for the things I am forced to see.This job should have hazard pay.Or a licensed medical professional on standby twenty-four seven.A therapist would make bank on the trauma I’m subjected to by being force-fed other people’s nasty.”

When my phone pinged with the new text from Mieke, I clenched my fingers around the device.The monster in my head laughed darkly, sending a shiver down my spine.She’d given me the active feed of his location.No matter where he went, I’d know exactly where he was at any time.

Jack sat up straighter in his chair, something familiar glittering in his eyes for a moment before he blinked it away.That newly unleashed beast roaming in my head took notice and grinned, finally identifying why Jack had always made me a little uneasy.But now that I saw it, and I understood, I realized I’d only been uncomfortable because I wasn’t ready to embrace that part of myself.

Demi had unlocked something I couldn’t put away again, but that no longer mattered.

“Can I go hunting with you, cuz?”Jack asked, a menacing grin tipping his lips upward.

I gripped the armrest harder, torn between wanting to destroy Charlie with my own hands and needing to stay close to my girls.“As badly as I want to go hunting, I can’t leave Demi and Iris alone right now.My little one is still recovering, and Demi is skittish as hell.I’m not risking losing either of them again.”

Jack nodded his understanding, but his scary-as-fuck grin didn’t falter.“That’s okay, man.I’ll bring him to you.”

ChapterThirteen

Demi

Kingston stackedthe last of the boxes on the back seat of his truck.“My cousin will be done with your car this evening.You take my truck, and I’ll stay home with Iris while you deliver this morning’s treats.”

At this point, I didn’t know if I was allowed to be frustrated with the giant in front of me.He’d been working his ass off to take care of us, and I felt ungrateful for constantly telling him he didn’t have to and didn’t need to keep helping me.It wasn’t like he listened anyway.He did what he wanted, when he wanted, how he wanted.

And I wasn’t hating it.

I’d never crushed on someone before, not even my ex.Everything I felt for Kingston was new territory for me.I was discovering things about myself every day because of him.It had been a week since he’d rescued Iris and me from that emergency room.An entire week of being cared for, appreciated, treated like my daughter and I were the most precious people in the world to him.

It was an addictive sensation.I hoped like hell it lasted forever, but I understood that it wouldn’t.Good things never did.

But that didn’t mean I couldn’t savor and cherish every minute while I could.

My heart gave a little kick as I took the keys from him, my fingers lingering for a moment on his huge hand.“Do you always get what you want, Kingston?”

Grasping my wrist, he lifted my hand to his mouth.I couldn’t hold back the little whine that escaped me as his lips brushed over my palm, his green eyes full of heat.“I fucking hope so.Because I’ve never wanted anything more than I want you, baby.”

And I’d never wanted to be kissed more in my life than I did when he looked at me like that.As if his entire being was tuned in to mine.As if he wanted to devour me—consume me.

“Kingston,” I whispered, fighting a moan as he kissed up my arm.I tried my best not to tense up when he touched me because I enjoyed it so much, but I still struggled to control the reflex.As soon as he felt it, he reined himself in.Every time.I knew he was trying not to scare me off, but I wanted as much of his touch as he was willing to give.I just didn’t know how to tell him that.

His stubble tickled, causing me to squeal and him to laugh, breaking the tension.It pulled him from the deep thoughts of what could have happened to cause me to fear touch.He’d asked a few times, but I wasn’t ready to unload my past yet.Hearing the rumble of his deep laugh brought me back from the brink of asking him to kiss something other than my hand.I wanted to taste him.Everywhere.

Pressing one last kiss to my arm, he turned me toward the driver’s door of his truck.“Be safe on the road.I’ll have breakfast waiting when you get back, so don’t take too long.”

With my little legs, I had to adjust the seat until it was nearly touching the steering wheel so my feet would reach the pedals.It was a beast of a vehicle, and I was nervous for the first few miles to Aggie’s, but by the time I pulled into the parking lot, I was more confident.

Finding a spot close to the entrance, I started carrying in the first couple boxes.All week, I’d been supplying the diner with fresh muffins, and they’d been selling out like crazy.Quinn kept asking me to up the numbers every day, and they were gone by the time lunch rolled around.

River had complained about the lack of pastries twice that week when she’d stopped by the house.Once with her sister-in-law Mila, and the second time with her son, Rocco.Both occasions, she’d told me emphatically that if I supplied her with more of the cookie butter muffins, she’d give me an unlimited gift card to her boutique, WomanLand.That was something I was taking into serious consideration.

---