Page 48 of Exposed

King, on the other hand, is calm, cool, and collected playing the part. He’s nothing like he was the first day we met. “We’ll see about that tomorrow when I tell your boss what I can do for him.”

Rand shakes his head once before turning back to me. “Your brother wants to talk to you. I was sent here to collect you.”

I open my mouth to tell him there’s no way I’m talking to Dex about anything, but King beats me to it. “He can talk to her tomorrow night. She’s coming to the meeting with me.”

My eyes go wide, and my gaze shoots to King. “I am?”

King turns to me, but this time he moves. I’m taken aback when he tags me around the neck. I’m forced to grab his forearm to keep my balance when he pulls me close. He doesn’t stop until his lips land on mine.

This is different from last night. There’s no tongue and he doesn’t wrap me up in his arms. His kiss is firm yet quick. It feels like anI haven’t seen you all daykind of kiss, though if I had to guess, it’s more like ashut your mouth and let me leadkind of kiss.

I fall to my bare feet from where he pulled me to my toes and looks down at me with another satisfied smile. “I didn’t properly greet you when I got here. How did the packing go today?”

My brows pinch. “Packing?”

“I see your car is loaded. You got a head start.” He tips his head to the parking lot outside. “So anxious to move in with me. I like that.”

“Yeah.” I swallow over the lump in my throat. It’s either that or gag on my lie. “Can’t wait.”

“I’ll help you pack tonight before bed.”

“You hate packing,” I add, wondering just how far to take this. I was on my way to bring my things back up to my apartment. “Sounds like I’m not the only anxious one.”

His smile swells, but it does not look fake. “Anything for you.”

“I’m going to hold you to that. Forever and ever, ‘til death do us part,” I throw back.

“Ah-hem.” Rand clears his throat.

King ignores him and leans in to plant another peck on my lips before taking his place at my side with his arm draped over my shoulders. Only then does he give his attention back to Rand. “You can tell your boss that if he wants to talk to Goldie, he can do it with me by her side. See, I can separate business from family, but my fiancée is my first priority. I know what went down at The Pink and why she left.”

Rand’s jaw goes hard, and his eyes narrow as they focus on me. “Is that so?”

That look brings back memories I’d rather never revisit. I lean into my fake fiancé who’s nothing but a stranger to me and pray I haven’t made the wrong decision.

“This is a worthless conversation,” King states, like the man in front of us is as boring as last week’s news from my hometown of Roseford Falls, where the most exciting thing to happen is my high school nemesis getting an STD. “I don’t communicate with messengers.”

I fist the material at his back and give it a little pull. King has no idea who he’s dealing with. Dex is the boss of his small kingdom, and no one talks about him like this. This is sure to get back to him through Rand.

Unless you have a death wish, and I’m beginning to wonder if King falls into that category.

“Because you’re Goldie’s man, I’ll give you a chance to take that back and apologize.”

King glances down at me before turning his uninterested gaze back to Rand. “I have nothing to apologize for. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I’ve been away from Goldie all day, and you’re ruining our evening. See yourself back to your car and go back to The Pink to finish the rest of Dex’s dirty work for the evening. If you’re around, we’ll see you tomorrow night at dinner.”

Dinner.

Great.

The last meal I shared with Dex did not go well. That was the beginning of the end.

For me.

Dex is living his best drug-dealing life with his inheritance and mine.

Rand points at King like he’s dotting an “i” in the air with his index finger. “We’ll see how Mr. Carter feels about you tomorrow.”

“Dex will feel just fine when I tell him what my business can do for him.”

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