Page 73 of Forbidden King (Magnolia Falls)

“Are you the infamous Saylor?” A dude sitting on an Adirondack chair who’d just released another round of potent weed raised a brow.

He wore dark skinny jeans, a black hoodie, and black military boots. His hair was jet black and hanging over one side of his face, and his skin looked like he hadn’t seen daylight since… birth. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and the porch looked like some sort of Norman Rockwell painting. Yet, this dude stood out like a sore fucking thumb rocking his best Addams family look.

“Um, yes, hi. I’m Saylor, and this is my friend, King.” She moved toward him, extending her hand in greeting.

He didn’t realize she was going for the handshake, and he quickly offered up his joint. “I’m Phoenix. You want a hit? It’s some damn good shit.”

“Oh, no. I’m good. All smoked out for the day.” Saylor chuckled, clearly trying to play it cool, which made me laugh. She wore a white tank top and a long, flowing floral skirt that came to her ankles. She looked gorgeous, like she’d fit right in this picture-perfect home, minus her half-brother who’d clearly just arrived from the pits of hell.

“You look like a dude who can hang. You want in?” He flung his head to the side so the stiff piece of hair covering his eye shifted a bit as he looked me over.

“I’m all set for now.” I smirked.

“All right,” he said, looking back at Saylor. “I guess you’re my long-lost sister, huh?”

“Something like that.”

“Well, here’s a tip, sis. The people behind those doors—they’re a lot, so buckle up. Destiny is a real piece of work, but she’s the one who pushed for this meeting, and what Destiny wants, Destiny gets.” He took another hit, and I was fairly certain I had a secondhand high from standing this close to Puff the Magic Dragon.

“Thanks for the tip,” she said, taking a step back. “Are you coming inside?”

“As soon as I’m fully high and chill enough to enjoy the show.”

I raised a brow. What the fuck were we walking into?

Saylor held up a hand and gave him a slight nod as we walked toward the door. I leaned down close to her ear. “Is it too soon to say Beefcake?”

She swatted my chest as she rang the bell. “I’ll take a pothead over a haughty snob any day of the week.”

The door opened, and a man wearing what looked like a tuxedo stood in front of us. “Welcome. Do come in. May I take your hat, sir?”

“That’s a hard no. I like to keep everything I arrived with on my body in case I need to make a quick exit, you know?” I chuckled, and the older man just gave a curt nod while Saylor tried to cover her laugh.

She glanced at me as she stepped inside, and I followed. The entry was grand, with black-and-white marble flooring that must have cost a pretty penny. As a contractor, I knew what materials like this would run someone, and I’d never seen an entryway that was quite this large or grand. There was an oversized round table in the middle of the foyer with a large floral arrangement sitting on top and an enormous crystal chandelier hanging overhead.

“Is that my little girl?” A man came around the corner wearing a colorful polo shirt with pink flamingos all over it. His dark hair was thinning on top, and he pulled her into a hug. “Saylor, look at you. You’re so grown up.”

That’ll happen when you don’t see your kid for over two decades, dickhead.

“Hey, Dad,” she said awkwardly, and I noticed the way her body stiffened as he held her there.

I extended my hand as I narrowed my gaze and studied him. “I’m King. I’m a good friend of both Saylor and Hayes.”

The dickweasel loosened his hold on her and extended his arm. I quickly assessed the fact that his hand was soft and completely lacking any signs of ever doing an ounce of work. I intentionally squeezed harder than usual and noticed the way he winced, and I internally patted myself on the back.

He was a weak motherfucker, no question there.

I was here for Saylor. This was important to her. But that didn’t mean I had to like the asshole. I knew the pain he’d caused. I knew he was a piece of shit. I just hoped she’d figure it out, too.

A clacking against the marble floors had me dropping his hand as we all turned to see a girl walking our way with her eyes set on Saylor. She looked to be about sixteen years old, maybe younger; it was hard to tell with all the makeup she was wearing. Her blonde hair hung down to her waist, and she wore a black short skirt and tall heels that made her look like she was playing dress-up. But it was the white tee that readDESTINYin capital letters across her chest, along with the bright pink fur coat around her shoulders, that caught my eye. What was with the clothing choices of the people in this home?

“Is this her?” She snapped her fingers in her father’s face before shouting in a painfully high-pitched, loud voice that would have any dog in a ten-mile radius running for the hills. “I said,is this her!”

Saylor glanced at me, and I leaned against her ear, whispering with a desperation that she wouldn’t be able to miss. “Beefcake.”

Of course, she ignored me. So much for safe words.

“Yes, Destiny. This is Saylor. Your older sister.”

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