Page 26 of Tempted By The Queen

“You pretty,” she says. I choke on my spit as the girls all swoon. I clear my throat and smile wide.

“Nah, you’re way prettier and thank goodness you take after your momma because you’re beautiful.” King snorts and mutters beneath his breath. I cut a glance to Ally who is hiding her smile behind her coffee cup and wink.

“Eat, then my office in twenty.” Bishop pins me with a look as he adds, “Don’t be late.”

* * *

I help the girls pack away and clean up after breakfast. The four of them stare at me like I’m a strange fucking being which just confuses the fuck out of me. Finally, having enough of the stares and whispers, I turn away from the sink and ask,

“What?” The four of them exchanged loaded looks before Ally speaks up.

“It’s just––” Kiara cuts her off, clearly wanting to get straight to the point.

“None of the guys help clean up. They eat and run and here you are actually helping and washing dishes! It’s a fucking weird sight to see.” I cock my head to the side, slightly confused.

“Uh… I feel like that’s a loaded statement that I shouldn’t answer?” Carlina bites her bottom lip to keep from smiling. The other three stare at me with a strange look on their faces.

“This blows,” Koby quips as she rolls her eyes.

“I’ve never seen King even rinse his own coffee cup!” Just as Allison says that, Gage, King, Knight and Bishop storm into the room with angry looks on their faces. Bishop looks from me then to the girls before settling his gaze back on me.

“I said don’t be fucking late!” I throw my hands into the air in frustration.

“I was helping clean up the fucking mess!” I snap in annoyance. “Unlike you lot…” I make sure to run my gaze over the four of them with pure disdain in my gaze as I speak. “I didn’t and still don’t have a fucking maid to clean up after me. If someone fucking cooks you a meal the least you can do is clean up to show your appreciation!” The four of them eye me like I’ve lost my fucking mind.

“Well said,” Ally chimes in.

“Hell yeah, bang on the money, Vinny boy,” Kiara says, earning a scowl from Bishop.

“What the fuck did we just walk into?” Knight tries to whisper but fails miserably.

“A fucking trap, we walked right into a trap they set for us,” King replies. I roll my eyes at the idiots and go back to washing the dishes. A second later I feel someone slide up beside me. I turn my head to see Gage standing there with a dish towel in his hand ready to help out.

“I never had a maid, nanny or anyone to pick up after me. Don’t judge me when you don’t know me. I cook, clean, work and maintain my own home without the help of anyone, remember that next time you want to hurl accusations around.” Something in me eases at his words. Gage isn’t like the other three. He had a rough upbringing and appreciates the little things in life unlike his brothers.

“Sorry, my ma raised me to help out and always clean up. I’m not used to… this.” I pass Gage a plate as he snorts out a laugh and shakes his head.

“Yeah, me either bro.” The two of us continue to wash and dry the dishes until the last fork is clean. Once we’re done, I wipe down the counter and turn to find the three Murdoch brothers sitting at the breakfast bar glaring at us. I cut a look to Gage who looks just as confused as I do. I look to the far wall where the four girls are leaning with their arms crossed over their chests. “Uh, what’s going on?” Gage and I were so lost in conversation that we didn’t even listen to a thing any of them were saying behind us but clearly, we missed something… big.

“You should have shot him in the fucking head,” Knight snarls while shooting me a dark look. I dart my gaze to Carlina and quirk a brow. She smiles as she pushes off the wall, saunters over to me looking like a goddess and doesn’t stop until she is in front of me. She places her hands on my chest and reaches up on her tiptoes. I bend down to help her out. She places a quick kiss to my lips before she stands back and places her hands on her hips.

“The girls and I thought it would be a good lesson for theboysto watch how real men act.” The threeboysin question snicker but are quickly silenced when the girls move to stand behind each of their guys.

“Gucci, you’re not exactly earning me any points here with your brothers. We were raised differently, that’s all,” I say low enough only her and Gage are able to hear me. Her eyes soften as she gazes up at me.

“You don’t need their approval, you have mine and that’s all that matters.” Now that has me getting hard. I will my cock to be good. The last fucking thing I need right now is to get hard while her whole family is looking at us.

Carlina

We all follow Bishop into his office, the girls and I refused to be left out. Well, except for Allison who went to check on Mela. Bishop takes his seat behind the desk. Kiara tries to sit on one of the other seats until he clears his throat. Rolling her eyes, she makes her way to him and drops down onto his lap. King takes one of the seats in front of Bish’s desk, Gage sits next to him while Vin, Knight, Koby and I claim the couch. Knight settles Koby onto his lap. Vin pulls me down onto his lap, wraps his arms around my middle and buries his face in the crook of my neck.

“Luka got word that Pauly received the shipment last night via land––” Koby cuts Bishop off.

“How? I’m monitoring all his movements and have been watching his compound around the clock.” Koby is pissed, but it’s not directed at anyone. She’s angry at herself for letting them past her.

“I set the shipment up. We plan to make a move on them before dawn tomorrow. I want this shit over with. Everything is in place and ready to go. Vincent bought us a twenty-minute window to get in. Vin found a way to get a truck into the compound where Pauly and his father are hiding out.” I peer over my shoulder to meet Vincent’s gaze, He smiles reassuringly but I can’t fight the feeling of dread that is working its way through me.

“What’s in the shipment you sent?” Koby asks. My brothers all smirk knowingly, but Bish cuts Vin a look silently telling him to answer, which he does.

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