Page 48 of Slay King

“Of course he is. I don’t shoot to maim,” she replied. “Now, get away from the window, and let’s go get you a cup of warm tea, then get you to bed.”

“Bed?” I asked, my head still spinning.

“I reckon it’s past both our bedtimes,” she replied. “How’s chamomile sound to you? Or did you like that peppermint tea I made you earlier?”

Tea? She was asking me about tea? There was a dead man outside in her yard that she’d killed. And Thatcher had another one with him that might be dead by now. I blinked several times.

“Come now,” she replied. “They knew better than to come here. It’s what happens.”

“What happens?” I asked, stunned. “But … he … was asking about … he could have been lost. Or … ” I couldn’t seem to make my words come out clearly.

“An innocent man wouldn’t have had a partner out, hiding in the trees. Ain’t no through traffic back here. Folks don’t come up to our doors—this door—asking for someone this time of night. They know better. Now, what kind of tea would you like? I think I might even have some raspberry.”

My hand went to my stomach then. I laid my palm flat against it. Maeme’s eyes dropped to see me do it. A small smile touched her lips, and then she looked at me.

“We protect what’s ours. One day, you’ll understand.” She walked over to me and hooked her arm with mine. “I think this might call for some of my lemon cake too. You had a bit of a shock, but it was bound to happen eventually. Ain’t no secret what we are now, Rumor. You know. It’s our life. It’s your life.”

My life. My baby’s life. I sucked in a breath as I fell into step beside Maeme as she headed toward the kitchen. I wasn’t going to be able to eat anything. I didn’t tell her that though. My heart was still in my throat. I wanted King. I hated him being gone. My phone was in the living room, and I glanced back in that direction, wanting to go get it and call him. Hear his voice. Be reminded why I was here.

An hour later, I was in bed alone. I sent a text to King and waited for a response, but one never came.

• Twenty-One •

I didn’t want to hear him lie to me.

Rumor

The ringing of the phone woke me, and I reached for it, squinting against the sunshine pouring into the room. King’s name on the screen had me scrambling to sit up as I pressed the phone to my ear.

“Hello?” I said, my voice thick with sleep.

“Hey, sweets. Did I wake you?” he asked.

“Yes, but it’s fine,” I replied, already smiling.

“You slept late. Did you have a hard time sleeping last night?” The genuine concern in his tone didn’t seem as if he knew about what had happened here.

“Uh, I did. I just stayed up late, I guess,” I said, not sure if there was a reason he didn’t know about the men who had come here. Wouldn’t Thatcher have told him even if Maeme didn’t?

“I miss you,” he told me. “I needed to hear your voice before I faced the shit today.”

My hand held on to the phone tightly. “I miss you too.”

“One night down. Only five more, and I’ll be back.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, although it seemed like forever. “What are your plans today?” I asked, not sure I truly wanted to know, but suddenly afraid I’d say something I wasn’t supposed to.

“Nothing important,” he grumbled. “Shit I don’t want to do. But hearing your voice helps.”

My smile returned. “You can call me anytime. It’s not like I have a busy schedule.”

He was silent for a moment. “You bored, sweets?”

I twisted the sheet in my hand. “No, I’m fine. I have books.”

“When I get back, I’m taking you riding. It’s time you got to do more things.”

The book Maeme had gotten me hadn’t come yet, but I didn’t need it to tell me that riding a horse was not safe while pregnant. Especially learning to ride one.

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