Page 2 of King Daddy

Stew immediately transformed from guard dog to kicked puppy. “Oh no. Is there anything else I can do?”

Kylo shook his head. “No, but I grabbed you a donut from the store. I’ll have to bring it to you later.”

Stew nodded. “You’re amazing, but don’t worry about me. Just get better.”

Beau ground his back teeth as he swept Kylo inside. “Which floor?” He forced the words past his rage. Beau worried about Kylo, while it seemed like the guy didn’t have the sense to worry about himself.

“Fifteen. It’s the farthest elevator. That’s the only one that goes that high, and you catch more flies with honey.”

A loud snort burst from Beau and Henry. They exchanged a wry look. “Honey doesn’t exist in my world.”

“This isn’t your world.”

Damn. Kylo was either brave or stupid. Beau leaned toward brave, considering he was stabbed and still unafraid of Beau. He obviously had fight.

It turned out Henry had to use a key to take the elevator to Kylo’s floor. At least the guy seemed to have decent security. When they reached the fifteenth floor, Henry and he exchanged glances again. The door opened directly into a gorgeous penthouse. It was the entire floor of the building. He had... questions. Beau shifted Kylo’s weight slightly to get through the door.

Kylo gasped. It was the first indication he had given that he was in pain.

Beau automatically dropped his gaze. He studied Kylo’s expression. It was obvious Kylo fought to stay upbeat, but his eyes swam with agony. Beau rushed toward the couch withoutlooking anywhere else. He knew Henry was bright enough to find a kitchen and unload groceries without being told.

Kylo chuckled. “I’ll bet you didn’t have this on your bingo card for the day.”

Despite everything, a smile exploded across Beau’s face. Kylo made it impossible to be any other way. “I didn’t, but such is life.” He pushed the leather vest away and lifted Kylo’s shirt. It was definitely much worse than Kylo had let on. He imagined only Kylo’s black pants and shoes hid how much blood he had lost. Henry appeared with a towel. Beau tried to distract Kylo while he pressed it against the wound, putting pressure on it to stop the bleeding. “This is a nice place. It makes me realize how little I know about you.”

Kylo visibly worked to draw a slow breath through his nose. When he spoke, it sounded like it was through clenched teeth. “You weren’t up to talking to me the night we met.”

That was true. Beau’s ex had just rejected his pleas for a second chance. Nothing good could have come from them that night. It had been six months now. Beau hadn’t forgotten the kindness this sprite had shown him when it mattered the most. He wouldn’t leave him in this mess.

“Woo. My head is spinning.”

His lips looked pale. A thought occurred to Beau. “Were you attacked before or after you got groceries?”

Kylo closed his eyes, as if he couldn’t handle watching the room spin any longer. “I was on my way inside.”

Beau’s eyes automatically sought Henry. They held each other’s stare in disbelief. “Text Mickey. Let him know you’ll meet him outside so he can get up the elevator. Tell him to make sure the doctor brings blood.”

Henry gave him a sharp nod.

“Would you take Stew his donut? He’s always so good to me.” Kylo didn’t open his eyes as he made the request.

Beau fought not to look Henry’s way again. Kylo sounded weak as hell, and he still worried about the goddamn doorman. On his knees beside the couch, Beau did his best to fight the demons. Memories of finding Tabitha, bleeding and with no hope of survival, poured through his head. It got harder to breathe. All he saw was the blood that covered the walls.

“My last name is Jinko. What’s yours?”

A wry smile pulled at Beau’s lips. This guy was amazing. It was obvious he tried to keep Beau calm, even in his state. He wasn’t ready for Kylo to realize who he was. Beau needed to help him before Kylo tossed him out. A good person like Kylo wouldn’t want a weapons dealer in his life. “Jinko? Like the pop singer? Pride Jinko?” Normally, Beau wouldn’t have known that, but he was bisexual. No one fucked anyone their same sex and didn’t know Pride Jinko. She was the face of gay-centric music since a time when it had been dangerous to be so bold.

Kylo chuckled. “Yeah, exactly like that. She’s my mom.”

Ah. High dollar car and apartment thoroughly explained. The way he dressed made more sense too. His mom was also known for being eccentric. “I can’t imagine what that childhood must’ve been like.”

“What was your childhood like?”

Panic was more than setting in. It had Beau locked down tight. “Poor and hungry.”

“You have a nice accent.”

“I was born in Italy.” He also tried hard to kill his accent and roots, but it was hard when his emotions were high.

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