Page 80 of Hostile King

Carina is my curse, my elixir, and my confidante.

I never imagined myself marrying a woman, which is why I’ll wed a queen.

I reposition my baseball cap to shade my eyes from the high sun and swivel towards the helicopter refueling for takeoff. The seconds, hours, days, and weeks spent in this concealed lair in the jungle has given me respite from the brutal world I was raised in.

When Carina and I left the Vet’s cabin with her brother and the grumpy fucker, who I now know to be Dante Valez, Shane had drove the postal truck to an arranged collection point where he left Mexico behind. I’d given him instructions to tell my mother I was recuperating and staying off grid for a while.

Without a phone or even a laptop, we had no way to contact the outside world. Although I found it difficult not knowing what chaos our kingdom was in, the break has allowed me the mental clarity to think. Today, I’m flying home, stronger and better prepared to figure out who slaughtered my father.

And when that time comes, my old glitch won’t stop me from sparking fucking mayhem.

There’s a rich, abundant earthiness to the air here. Sweat trickles the length of my spine, the urge to shower and change out of this damp T-shirt fizzing through me.

As I walk, the tough polycotton of my camo shorts sticks to my groin, uncomfortably rubbing the semi hard-on I’m packing from recalling this morning’s activities. I can quite happily admit that before this morning, I’d never showered outdoors with a fiancé, where the wildlife was witness to my good girl being throat fucked. When I finally pumped her full of my cum, the growl escaping me was so feral that even jaguars must have felt intimidated.

I chuckle to myself at the same time as Sal appears to my left. He saunters straight to his sister and drags her well-fucked body into an all-encompassing hug. It doesn’t irritate me to watch their interaction, rather it makes me proud that she chose me over the man she once referred to as her hero.

That was his important role in her life once upon a time. I’ll be forever indebted to him for saving the girl who was destined to be mine.

Now, it’s my opportunity to be her villain and her saint—just how she begs me to be.

Dante joins my side, his eyes sheltered with a pair of aviators and the brim of his cap shading his stern features. His temperament is ice cold. If the guy sneezed, he’d cover the jungle in a blizzard.

“What’s the plan now then?” he asks on an inquisitive growl.

When he folds his brawny arms, I catch a glimpse of a tattoo decorating the breadth of his forearm. Tumbling corkscrew curls, the color of flames clashes with black lines and shading to form the enchanting, sketched face of a woman—or a wood nymph—or a fiery forest fairy.

It’s a masterpiece, the exactness of expression is uncanny, matching the young girl with porcelain skin and wild red hair who smiles at me in a greeting on her way past us. She holds her palm to her stomach like she’s pregnant too.

“Had I not met Iris and let her into my heart—” His entire focus settles on the red-head. “You’d be dead by now, Souza,” he states matter-of-factly. “You love Carina. I can feel it. We all can. And that ring you had made for her is something else. It’s the very essence of her. But that girl right there—she breathes life into cold, decaying souls. That’s her gift. She’s a rare flower getting ready to leave the one place where she’ll be safe. How can Sal and I let her leave with you when you’re taking her straight back into the criminal underworld?”

I fold my arms too, matching his stance. “I assure you, Dante, she’s every bit the fragile flower you think she is. To me, she’s an irreplaceable red rose. Those fragile petals of hers bloom brighter when we’re together. Where there is fragility, there is also an unbending thorny stem. She’s both beautiful and courageous. Delicate and savage. When my girl can no longer fight for herself, or she loses her way, I’ll be right there to defend her, to catch her if she falls, and to worship her while she rules my heart.”

This beast of a guy has the power to ruin me, however, having lived in his domain means we’re on equal footing. I have the knowledge to destroy him and the very sanctuary he presides over.

Despite our differences, we’ll remain amicable allies. And now—knowing a stealth ghost who has connections and eyes in the sky—I really will be unstoppable.

My destiny of becoming a legendary hybrid king is on course.

I am that man now.

Dante blows out a slow breath, his broad shoulders relaxing a fraction. “Fine. Iris will be devastated if she can’t go to the wedding. I’m not sure if I’m ready to face the world for an over-the-top cartel ceremony.”

“I’ll give my girl whatever she wants. And if that’s you at our wedding, then…” I pat his bicep and smirk. “Family first, Dante.”

“We’ll see.” He uncurls his arms and shoves a scarred hand into his shorts pocket to retrieve a mobile phone. “Here. You’ll need this. I’ve kept an eye on your brothers while you were recovering. You might want to call André first. I think he needs your best lawyer—the guy beat us all to it.” Dante chuckles and rubs his jaw at the same time.

My brows snap together. “What the fuck has he done now?”

A light breeze runs chills over my scalp and goosebumps speckle my spine. It's not the sticky air making me hot, it’s my girl. Carina glides to my hip, shoulders back, chin raised regally high, and slides her warm hand into mine. It fits there as if it was molded for me and my hand for her.

She peers up at me with rings of fire burning liquid lust in her eyes. “Are we ready to go house hunting in Bogotá, Tomás?” Her voice licks the hairs on my nape causing a shiver.

A sneaky pink tongue peeks past her lips and my brain malfunctions. It's the new glitch I’ve encountered, one that can only be tamed by touching her.

I slip the phone into my back pocket and stuff my hands into her hair at either side of her head. A tidal wave made from this crazy, motherfucking thing called love crests in my heart, almost crushing it.

Her lips part as a shocked gasp whispers between us. She stares up at me, a queen waiting for her king's true love kiss.

---