Page 76 of Deny Me
But all that would have to wait a few more hours. Wes needed them first.
The massive downtown church was already full when they arrived. Of course it would be. Not only was Wes from a prominent, wealthy Atlanta family, but he’d been active in the community, in charities, and everyone who’d met him had loved him. King led Charlotte inside, careful to protect her from jostling in the crowd. The church narthex was quieter, giving them some breathing space, and King stopped at the entrance to the sanctuary, his gaze centered on the coffin, gleaming dark mahogany, that waited at the altar.
Charlotte placed her hand on his heart, her face reflecting the pain he also felt.
He’d expected to visit Wes in a church someday. For his cousin’s wedding, maybe, or the christening of his first child. Nothis funeral. Definitely not this. The hole where his cousin had fit in his heart was empty, gaping, and he didn’t know if it would ever heal. When he noticed Warren and Christy at the head of the aisle, greeting the mourners, he knew they must feel the same.
He and Charlotte walked slowly toward them, taking their time. Although Charlotte’s injuries hadn’t been as complicated as King’s, her body was so much smaller and she was struggling with pain more than he was. Wes’s parents watched them come, worry on both their faces, but King gave them a sad smile. They had enough to worry about, enough devastation to their family as it was; they didn’t need to worry about him and Charlotte as well.
When they arrived, Warren reached out a hand to shake his. “We weren’t sure if you’d be released in time, King. Thank you for being here.”
“We wouldn’t not come,” King said, Charlotte nodding at his side. “Wes deserves nothing less.”
“I cannot tell you how sorry we are,” Christy began, voice thick with tears.
“No.” King shook his head. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry for. Hugh made his choices; I just wish I could have seen it earlier.” Wes might still be alive if he had.
Christy’s tears tracked down her cheeks, and Charlotte took the woman in her arms. King knew she had to hurt, but she gave herself anyway, just like she always did. His woman was special, a once-in-a-lifetime find. He knew that now. Nothing would tear him away from her again.
When Christy released Charlotte, King took her hand and led her toward the front. Some mourners were standing before the casket, but King turned right, toward the spots Charlotte’s parents had saved them on the front pew. King’s parents sat in the family pew opposite, but he didn’t acknowledge them. Life was too short; Wes had proved that. Instead he sat next to Charlotte and stared at his cousin’s casket. The man he’d once considered his best friend, the man he’d loved since childhood. He’d said his goodbyes the day he found Wes dead. Today was just a formality, closure, and then he and Charlotte could get on with the rest of their lives. Together.
But that hole in his heart would be there forever.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Saint drove them home after the church service. Much as Charlotte wanted to push herself to go to the graveside, she was seriously flagging after an hour sitting in the pew. It wasn’t even the exhaustion that pushed her to go home, however; it was King. If she hurt like this, he must hurt far worse, and the thought of him in pain eclipsed everything else. Her parents assured her she should rest while refusing to look at King, something she’d have to deal with later, but for now she hurt too much, and not just from the gunshot.
Back at the mansion she took some painkillers and spent a glorious three hours asleep with King spooning her back. If she could have stayed there forever, she would have, but responsibilities awaited. After a long shower to get the smell of antiseptic off her body, something showering at the hospital had somehow failed to manage, she dressed carefully. The sight of King, naked aside from the bandage covering one side of his perfect belly, went a long way toward boosting her courage for what lay ahead.
“Keep watching me like that and I might be tempted to delay our arrival at pre-dinner drinks,” he said. Just before his boxer-briefs covered his cock, she caught a firming there that had her own interest stirring.
“You know what the doctor said about that.”
“Yeah, well”—King caught up his slacks and pulled them carefully on—“that was before I was gifted with hours of your perfect ass against me.”
She’d enjoyed those hours too. But even as the thought made her smile, it also made her worry. From the concern that tightened King’s expression, he caught the dual emotions. He came over and sat beside her on the bed, the press of their thighs against each other warming her despite her unease.
“What are you thinking about, angel?”
That she didn’t want to deal with her parents right now. Tonight. Ever. But that wasn’t realistic, and facing her parents’ animosity had to be done.
“I don’t know how this is gonna go, King.” Her parents’ approval wasn’t necessary for her to be with him, but living with their disapproval wasn’t something she wanted to do either. It would certainly make him visiting her here difficult, and yet she wasn’t ready to move out, not with Sophia just arriving. She wanted to help Becky as much as possible for the first few weeks, maybe months.
And that was all beside the point of whether or not King actually wanted her with him, in his home, in his life.
Releasing the hand he’d grasped, King reached up and tipped her chin until it was at just the right angle for his kiss. The warmth of his lips, the tenderness of his touch—it was magic. Witchcraft. The jumble of thoughts and nerves roiling inside her subsided in that moment. Whatever they needed to do, they’d manage together.
King pulled back before the kiss became too involved, a small grin pulling at his lips when she protested. “Don’t want to tempt either one of us,” he said despite the way the ice-blue intensity of his gaze seared her. His thumb traced her damp bottom lip. “I love you, angel. So much of my life was empty, and it took coming back to you to realize what was missing. I’m not giving that up for anything.”
“King.” This man was everything. Absolutely everything. How had she spent so many years without him? “I love you too, so much.”
“Whatever happens with your parents, we’ll work it out.”
“Okay.” Another kiss calmed her nerves enough that she could finally break away. “Time to face the music then.”
King looked supremely confident as he took her hand and led her to the door. Not smug, just…self-assured. The man had faced down a gun to protect her and save Sophia; she shouldn’t be surprised. What were a couple of unhappy parents compared to that, right? It would be temporary; no one could know King for long and hate him. She reminded herself of that fact repeatedly as they exited the elevator on the first floor and walked together to the front sitting room where she knew her parents were waiting.
Ben and Kim Alexander sat together on one of the couches occupying the center of the room, wineglasses in hand. Her mom glanced up as they entered, fingers intertwined. She took it all in with a sweep of her gaze, then stood. “I know alcohol and painkillers don’t mix, so I had Ruth bring some ginger ale and Coke. Which would you like?”
