Page 42 of Evil King

“I don’t get it.” We walked through the parking lot and over to my car and stopped.

“Just view your relationship with Nathan like a business arrangement. Goods and services. Currency in exchange for product. You’re the currency. Having you around. You’re beautiful, smart, charismatic. I think very highly of myself, and even Iknow that you’re the total package. So in exchange for having you around, you get to partake in Nathan’s services. You have needs, so let him satisfy them. If you want something shiny, let Nathan buy it. If you need references for college, let Nathan’s court earn you notoriety. If he’s willing to spoil you in exchange for your presence, that’s not a bad deal.”

“Okay,” I said, starting to get it. “But what if Nathan isnotsatisfying, rarely buys me shiny things, and I can already get college references on my own?”

She chuckled. “You can walk most any place, but a car will get you there faster.”

That phrase washed over me like a muddy wave of enlightenment. “Reap the benefits?”

“Exactly, just ask for what you want.” She shrugged. “And maybe buy a vibrator.”

I sighed. Just getting close with Deon was the most excitement I’d ever experienced in the bedroom. I hated thinking that was behind me forever. “Yeah.” I pulled Colette in for a hug. “Okay. Thanks for the advice.”

She smiled. “Of course, cutie.” She winked at me. “I’m not going to that sushi place, so tell Avery and Alistair that I said I’ll see them tomorrow.”

“Will do,” I replied, waving as Colette walked off toward her own car.

Thinking of living life the way Colette described made me feel like I was laying a permanent coat of dirt over my skin, but regardless of that, I couldn’t deny the sense it made. I went to her for that sort of advice, after all, and nothing she said was false. Nathan wasn’t anyone’s prized possession, but if the weeks following his little outburst at the store had shown me anything, it was that his remorse was often paved with gold. If I was going to be stuck with him for the foreseeable future—things clearly weren’t going to work out with Deon—then what was the harm in getting some benefit out of the relationship?

When I climbed into my car, I noticed that I had a text from Avery, telling me where she and Alistair had gone, but I suddenly didn’t feel great. I responded with an apology, telling her that I no longer had much of an appetite.

17

Deon

“Hey, Deon, you know, ignoring members of The Royal Court to their faces never earned anyone any favors around here,” Sicily called after me as I made my way into the parking lot and toward my car.

I didn’t even turn around to face him. “I’ll let you know when I give a shit, Sicily.”

“All right, that’s it,” were the words that preceded the feeling of something hitting me in the side. It was more shocking than painful, but I stopped cold in my tracks and turned around. Sicily had his fists balled up. “Come on, wise guy. You been nasty like this for the last month, it feels like, and I’m sick of it. I’m gonna beat some sense back into ya.”

For a few seconds, I stood there, completely flabbergasted. Sicily weighed a hundred and twenty-five pounds soaking wet and was at least half a foot shorter than me, if not more. Still, he actually took a swing at me and faced me with his fists up, totally serious. A few snickers sputtered out of me first before I doubled over in complete laughter. It was less about the fact that Sicily wouldn’t stand a chance unless I was struck by lightning and more about the fact that he truly believed he could just punch me around a few times and have me back to whatever he considered normal.

“You think this is a game?” Sicily barked. “I’ll fight you. I know you’re a big guy, but I’m quick.” He started bouncing back and forth like a wrestler. “I’ll take ya down.”

“You have to stop. I can’t breathe,” I managed to get out. “I’m sorry. I give up. Uncle. Whatever, just stop fucking jumping around like that.”

Sicily stopped moving and nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. Everyone knows that when Sicily means business, he means business.”

I stood up straight and shook my head at him, “Yeah, you were terrifying,” I said flatly. “You realize I’d turn you into Sicily paste right?”

He shrugged. “I’d take it so that you could get some of your aggression out.”

My smile faded. “Wait, what?”

“What?” Sicily replied.

“You were going to fight me,knowingI’d kick your ass?”

He grinned. “Yeah, man. I don’t really know what you beefy types do to relieve some stress, but I imagine a punching bag can’t hurt.”

That sentiment ran through me like a poison-tipped arrow. He was going to turn himself into a human punching bag to try tohelpme? I’d never had a friend like that before. “Thanks, man,” I replied. “I don’t really have a good method for relieving stress, but I don’t want it to be beating the shit out of you, so don’t hit me again, please.”

Sicily chuckled. “I’ll make that deal if you explain what’s goin’ on with you lately. You’ve always been a brooding type of guy, but lately it feels like you’re a demon or something.”

Cherri was the only real friend I’d had growing up. I got along well with the other kids in our neighborhood, and it was the same with my blockmates behind bars, but I’d never really confided in someone before. I left prison with the thought that it would be more of the same, just Cherri and me, or nothing at all. I showed up to this school, covered in tatts with all eyes on me, and even if he had his own interests in mind when he approached me, Sicily was still willing to associate with such looming darkness without even knowing the story. In the few months that we’d been friends, I had never explained anything about my past, and it was only at that moment that I realized he never asked. He didn’t push, didn’t prod, just minded his own business. He let the current me be the me that he was worried about. Now the current me was breaking, and he wanted to know why. That was a damn fair ask.

“Yeah. I owe you an explanation. Let’s get outta here though. I don’t need anyone overhearing it,” I said.

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