Page 4 of Dark King (Advantage Play 2)

“See what I mean? It doesn’t feel good to have your face beaten to a pulp, and it doesn’t feel good to look at it and know it’s your fault, either.”

“It’s not his fault,” I argue. “If anything, it’s mine. I shouldn’t have entered that tournament.”

With a sigh, he gives me the side-eye. “No. You shouldn’t have. Kingston warned you it was a bad idea, but don’t beat yourself up about it. We can’t change the past.”

“You’re right. We can’t. How did Burlone find out King and I were a thing, though? I thought we’d been careful.” I voice the question out loud as I stare blankly through the passenger window. Then it hits me. Before the tournament, Jack confronted me about my relationship in the middle of Sin, Burlone’s casino. Jack blew Rule #8 into tiny little pieces. Don’t discuss private shit in public. It’s bound to screw you over. And it did.

Diece’s gruff voice brings me back to the present. “I don’t know how he found out, but it doesn’t really matter now. What matters is keeping you safe. That’s all Kingston is trying to do. Can you cut him a little slack?”

Digging my teeth into my lower lip, I watch as the trees whirl by in a blur. I don’t think D understands what that slack would mean for me, but I try to look at it from Kingston’s perspective.

Hearing about Kingston’s mom breaks my heart. I can’t even imagine the guilt that would accompany his sister’s disappearance with a history like his. And D might have a point about Kingston feeling guilty for Burlone’s little goon’s visit with me too. I know it isn’t his fault. But I also know that Kingston doesn’t excuse situations like that without taking responsibility for every minor detail, regardless of his part in it. He knew the risks as much as I did, and we both underestimated our enemy. If Kingston was hurt and there was a possibility that my actions played a factor in his pain, you better damn well believe I’d be beating myself up for it. And I can only imagine he’s doing the same for me.

After a few moments, I whisper, “Yeah. I can try to cut him some slack.”

“Thank you.”

My eyes widen in surprise as the sentiment leaves his lips. I’m slowly learning how hard please and thank you’s are you to come by with these two men.

After soaking it up for a few seconds, I murmur, “Speaking of thanks…I want to thank you, again, for coming to my rescue last night.”

Maybe I’m imagining things, but I swear I can see his olive skin turn a shade redder under his stubbled cheeks. “Don’t mention it.”

We pull up to the side of the building near the decrepit parking lot of my apartment building, and D puts the car in park.

As I grab the door handle, I say, “I’ll be out in ten.”

“Nope. No deal. I’m coming in.”

I roll my eyes before giving D a pointed stare. “Seriously? It’s not like the bad guy is still hiding in the shadows. It’d be highly unoriginal if he tried the same thing twice.”

His mouth quirking at my terrible joke, D opens the driver’s side door and explains, “Consider me your very own shadow any time you’re out of the estate. Wherever you go, I go. You argue? I tie you in your room. Capiche?”

“You mean King’s room?”

“Yeah. Hell, I could kill two birds with one stone and say it’s his birthday present.”

Snorting, I open the door and toss over my shoulder, “Whatever.”

* * *

Packing is fast. I don’t own much, and I’m a little surprised how few things I really need. Within ten minutes, I have a small duffle bag thrown over my shoulder as we make our way back to the car.

When I start walking across the parking lot in the opposite direction of D’s sedan, he calls out, “Where are you going?”

“I need to talk to someone real fast.”

Within seconds, he’s already caught up and matches his pace with my own, striding up next to me. “And who’s that?”

“My friend,” I offer. Or one of them, anyway. I still need to figure out how to reach Gigi and tell her what’s going on while demanding an explanation from her too.

Looking around the empty parking lot, his brows furrow, but he doesn’t comment as I approach the heap of human curled into a ball near the dumpster. I squat down and shake him softly.

“Hey, Eddie.”

Eddie startles before his weathered face makes an appearance, peeking up at me. “Hey, Ace. Where you been? I was worried ‘bout you. Stayed up all night waitin’, but ya never came home. I’m sure sorry I dozed off. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open for a second longer.”

The remorse in his voice makes me smile.

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