Page 53 of Dark King (Advantage Play 2)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Ace

As soon as the door closes behind Q and Diece, leaving me alone with Kingston, his voice rumbles, “You’re mad at me.”

Licking my lips, I consider my feelings before shaking my head. “I’m not mad. Just confused.”

“About what?”

Frustration blooms in my chest that he would even feel the need to ask me that. He can’t honestly be that dense. Quirking my brow, I explain something that shouldn’t need an explanation.

Stupid men.

“Why would you do that to Regina? Why were you so harsh with Dex? I just don’t understand.”

With a sigh, he pats his lap, and my mouth threatens to tug into a smile, softening my annoyance. Like a good little girl, I do as I’m told and walk around his desk before sitting on his knee.

“That better, Santa?” I tease.

Laughing, he drags me down for a deep, long kiss that makes my toes curl. Once he’s practically turned me to putty, he pulls away. “Much better.”

“Good. Now, answer my question. Why won’t you let Gigi be with Dex?”

His attention shifts to the closed office door as his index finger trails along the slit in my dress. The intimate touch is almost enough to distract me. Almost. As I squirm in his lap, he gives me a cocky grin before asking a question of his own.

“Do you trust him?”

I place my hand on top of his as it rests on my upper thigh so I can focus. “It doesn’t matter if I trust him. Gigi trusts him, and she knows him better than both of us.”

“Does she, though?” His eyes darken. “He was her captor, Ace. Yes, he protected her. And yes, he pulled through tonight. But he’s still a stranger. Until I know I can trust him fully, I can’t give them my blessing.”

“But why couldn’t you just tell them that? Give them a little hope? You didn’t just shoot down the possibility of them being with each other; you freaking blew it up.”

Again, that same cocky smile makes an appearance before he sobers. And it’s the sobering part that makes me nervous. I know that whatever he’s about to say is something that’s bothering him. I just don’t know what it is.

Raising his hand, he brushes a strand of my dark hair away from my cheek before cupping my jaw. The intimacy is overwhelming, and I lean into his touch.

His warm, minty breath fans across my face as he releases another sigh. “I have reason to believe there’s a rat in my organization.” I gasp, but he keeps me close as he continues, “What better way to uncover him than by giving the rat a potential ally? Dex was once the enemy. He’s extremely pissed off at his new boss right now, and he has connections with a shit ton of men who have a grudge against the Romano family. If the rat is looking for a new friend, I just delivered one in a handbasket.”

I’m shocked that he just revealed his plan to me. It’s family business, yet he’s trusting me with the confidential information. Confidential information that could make––or break––the family. Still, that doesn’t mean I don’t have reservations about his arrangement, and if he trusts me enough to disclose the information to me, then he needs to hear them.

“So, you’re using him?” I probe.

“No. I’m testing him.”

“And there’s a difference?”

With a smile, he pulls me down for another kiss, dragging his tongue along the seam of my lips before murmuring, “Yes. One that gives him the prize of my little sister at the end if he succeeds.”

“And if he fails?” I whisper, terrified of his answer.

“Then he’ll only receive death.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ace

“You sure you want to do this, Wild Card?” King asks as we walk toward the shed fifteen minutes later. After our little chat, Kingston stood up and suggested we relieve Q of her…duty. He wanted to give Q privacy to do what needed to be done. He could see her need for revenge as much as I could, and I wanted to give her the same thing.

---