Page 26 of King

I smiled at him, recognizing that he was being nice to me after Ren destroyed me just moments ago.

“I suppose I should act more like a captive prisoner,” I said, pushing my plate away.

“Don’t worry about Ren. He never likes anyone new. He hated me and my brothers at first.”

“How long have you been here?” I asked.

“I don’t even know. We were just kids when the boss took us in.”

“I should go back to my room,” I told him. He nodded and I got up to leave. Halen opened the door then, startling me as I almost grabbed the doorknob. I stepped back a few steps.

“Sorry,” he said, a smirk on his face. That smirk that he used when he wanted to unnerve me. It was working. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I was just heading back to my room,” I told him.

“Still tired?”

I nodded. “Sure am.”

He came forward and planted a kiss on my forehead before he walked into the room to get himself something to eat. It had been such a sweet and unexpected moment of affection and in front of his men that I didn’t know how to respond. Zane would never dare do anything like that with me in front of his men.

I headed down the hall and back to my room that I hadn’t been in since before I’d dared to visit his room. It turned out how I wanted. I’d gotten Halen alone and I’d seen the desire in those eyes of his but now I was conflicted.

I’d never felt conflicted before.

Not when it came to a man.

This was dangerous territory. If Zane were to find out, he’d be furious and he would blame his brother but it was me. It was my decision.

But he’d never see it that way.

I had to do something before it was too late.

Halen

I’d gotten rid of Ren for the rest of the day. The man was in a foul mood and for once I’d been in a good mood. It had set me off and I’d sent him on an errand into the city. I’d been thinking a lot about the trust Paisley had put in me.

There was something I could give her.

Closure.

It could mean she trusted me implicitly which I hoped for or it could send her back to Zane.

Either way, she had every right to this.

I knocked on her door and opened it. She was sitting on the bed, reading a book.

“I want to show you something,” I told her.

She nodded and put her book down, sliding off the bed and grabbing a pair of pants from the pile I’d had Ben retrieve from her apartment a few days ago.

She took my hand and I led her down the stairs to the back pathway that would lead down into the dungeon.

My heart was racing as I motioned for the guard to let us in. Moment of truth. Paisley never let go of my hand as I walked her down the stone steps.

“What is this?” she asked.

“Do you remember when you told me about your past?” I started. “About the man your father sold you too?”

---