Page 69 of The Broken Queen
He laughed. “Of course I will, but no arguing about what I pick.”
Once he helped me down from the counter, I grabbed my breakfast and began eating it while Gio ran upstairs to get dressed. While I was standing in the kitchen, I glanced around, now curious what other tiny details Kingston might have put in when something had me stopping, mid chew.
There, by the kitchen sink, was a brand-new plant that hadn’t been there the day before. It was a spider plant with perky green blades sticking out of the dark soil.
The smile spreading across my mouth was instant because I knew this was no simple plant; this wasKingston.
It was latewhen I slipped out of bed.
Gio had fallen asleep almost as soon as the movie had started that he’d picked to watch. We had a good day, full of laughter and real smiles. After we’d named our cows: Marvin, Lola, and Georgia. We even worked together to organize the barn for more animals. I wanted chickens, and he thought horses would be a good idea. We agreed that goats were a must, but I took issue with horses. I told him they were expensive, but he just laughed at me.
Sometimes I forgot that he and his brother still led a dangerous gang tied to the cartel, likely with unlimited funding. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to be connected to the danger that made up their world, but it was easy to pretend none of it existed while we were on the farm. I knew there were extra men patrolling the property; I saw them near the manor, and while they were spread a bit thinner near the farmhouse, I still saw them.
Wrapping a knitted sweater around my shoulders, I crossed my arms over my chest and ventured up to the top story. I wanted to see the stars, and I still couldn’t sleep without both brothers with me, so it was an easy way to pass the time. I wanted to check on Kingston to see if he was in his room, but I felt too embarrassed seeking him out. I had put my heart out there and told him I missed him sleeping next to me. I knew he was taking baby steps with the plants, and I had found three more spread throughout the house, but part of me had hoped he’d come to me tonight.
I knew I wouldn’t find him up on the balcony that was designed for stargazing, but when I walked out onto the wide veranda and glanced up, there were almost no stars. Instead, the full moon cast a white sheen over the darkened farm. Pressing my fingers into the overlook that came up to my chest, I examined the barn below and wondered if Kingston was still sleeping out there. But something behind it caught my eye.
There was a floodlight set up, shining on a board beingmoved upward. It looked like someone was building a small house back there or something. I knew it was Kingston, but I had no idea what he was doing. He’d carried a two-by-four out there earlier, but I hadn’t followed up on what he’d done, and where we were in the field, I couldn’t see him.
It was almost two in the morning. Why was he still out there?
Deciding I’d find out, I made my way downstairs and pulled on a pair of mud boots before walking outside. As I approached, I saw Kingston with a pencil behind his ear and a light on a set of plans that were drawn up for whatever project it was that he was building.
“Hey.” I got his attention while placing my back against the barn wall.
His eyes flicked up in surprise, then he seemed to relax. “Hey.”
“Why are you out here?” I didn’t look at the structure as it was still too close to where Adrian had been.
He moved around me, gathering some plans and clicking off the light.
“I was just finishing up.”
His amber gaze slid over to me again. “Why are you out here?”
“I can’t sleep,” I admitted, while kicking at a tiny clump of mud near my boot, but it was frozen solid, so nothing moved.
“King, it’s freezing out here.”
He smiled while cleaning up a few other materials. He wore a thick jacket, jeans, with a beanie on his head. Even all bundled up, his breath still came out in little white clouds.
“No shit, you should go back to bed.”
“I can help you if you’re still working. I don’t mind.” I’d have to go find better clothing than my flimsy pajama shorts and tank top covered with just the knitted sweater, but once I did, I’d be fine.
Kingston moved from the workspace and had me moving with him until we were stepping inside the functional part of the barn, where all his tools were situated. “Here.” He shrugged out of his coat and slid it over my shoulders. On instinct, I pushed my arms through, nearly moaning at how good the heat felt against my skin.
“You need your sleep, Pres.” Kingston began putting his tools back in order.
I picked up a random pair of plyers and toyed with it. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right. I just can’t seem to get any lately.”
“You seemed to sleep like the dead the night I—” he started but stopped and then studied me as if he had just figured it out.
He told me not to hide the brokenness, so I decided not to. “I can’t seem to sleep unless you’re both in bed with me. That doesn’t mean I’m trying to guilt you into?—”
“Stop, Pres. I know…” His hand came out, waving the idea away, but his focus remained on the tool in his hand. “I’m glad you told me.”
He moved toward the work table, putting things away while I stood there in his jacket that was three times too big for me. I wasn’t sure what else to say since he wasn’t engaging with me regarding anything else, so I turned around and exited through the side door.
