Page 46 of The Kings
“Eliza!” The guys close in, fierce protectors ready to swarm.
I raise a hand, stopping them in their tracks, and stagger to my feet again.
“Home,” I rasp, my mouth filling with blood again.
It’s a short walk back to the townhouse, but every step is an eternity when your body screams for rest.
“Got you,” James mutters as my knees buckle, his arm slipping around my waist.
“Let’s patch you up,” Tarquin says, his concern making me think I look more of a mess than I feel, if that’s possible.
“Sounds like heaven,” I admit, feeling the weight of my injuries settling in.
When we approach the safety of our townhouse, a chill runs down my spine. Someone’s watching—someone who’s not cheering, not part of my inner circle. Eyes that wish me harm, full of envy and malice, linger in the shadows. I know my victory tonight has ruffled feathers, and the criminal underworld doesn’t forgive or forget easily.
“Inside, now,” I say, urgency lacing my words. The men don’t question it, picking up the pace until we’re through the door, the townhouse embracing us with its familiar darkness.
“Let’s clean you up,” Oliver murmurs, leading the way to the kitchen before James deposits me in a chair. I slump over as darkness drags me under.
23
JAMES
I’ve leftit long enough. All night, I’ve sat on this, but there are things that need to be said, and if no one else is going to take the bull by the horns, then I will. Eliza is on the couch, battered and bruised from the combat contest, but that’s not going to stop me.
“Eliza, what the hell were you thinking?” My voice is steady, but inside, it’s a different story. Anger bubbles hot and maybe that came out harsher than I intended.
When she glares at me out of her less swollen eye, I know there is no maybe about it.
“Excuse me?” she snaps.
“That wasn’t a fair fight. The whole fucking idea was you call in those you had aligned with. That was part of the test. The part, I might add, you fucking failed epically, because you are a stubborn little bitch who needs her ass kicked again.”
She doesn’t flinch at my tone, just coolly meets my gaze, her one green eye sharp enough to cut a man. “I can handle my own fights, James.” Her voice is flat, uninterested in the lecture I’m itching to give. “I didn’t need backup.”
“Backup?” I scoff, stepping closer, feeling the pull of her despite the fire raging in my gut. “This isn’t about needing help, it’s about trust. You put yourself at risk for no fucking reason.”
“Risk?” She laughs, a sound that is bitter and hollow. “I was born into risk. I eat risk for breakfast.” Eliza hauls herself off the couch, standing toe-to-toe with me, barely reaching my shoulder yet somehow looking down on me all the same.
“Being tough doesn’t mean being stupid,” I shoot back, keeping my voice low, though I want to shout, to shake some sense into her. “You think this is a game? That you can just throw yourself into the ring, and we’ll stand back and watch?”
Her lips twist into a smirk. “Why, James, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you cared.” But there’s a challenge there, an unspoken dare.
“Of course, I care, Eliza.” The words slip out, raw and more honest than I intended. “We all do. But we can’t protect you if you don’t let us.”
“Protect me?” Now there’s heat in her voice, a flicker of something fierce. “I am the protection. Remember that.”
My jaw clenches as I search for the right words, the ones that might break through her stubbornness. “Eliza, you’re not invincible. None of us are. One day, that luck will run out.”
“Then let it,” she says, eyes blazing now. “But until then, I’ll fight how I want, where I want, and no one—not even you—will stop me.”
I take her in, all fire and fury, and something twists inside me—a swirl of frustration, admiration, and an aching desire for her that never seems to fade. This woman drives me mad, and yet, I can’t imagine a world without her in it.
She leans over to pick up the ice pack, which she sits on top of her head, looking both ridiculous and adorable at the same time.
But it doesn’t change the facts.
“We always have your back, even if you’re too fucking proud to admit you need us!”
