Page 14 of Mafie Kings

We run in silence for the rest of the trail and end up doing two laps. I struggle to keep pace at the end, not really used to running more than ten miles but also not wanting to miss out on time with this girl.

We stop to stretch on the beach just before the apartments. Then it hits me, how she looks familiar. It wasn’t until her gray eyes reflected in the moonlight that it finally clicked. She's our little trophy, Evie James.

Alexi is going to be pissed that I met her first.

I take a moment to look her over when she's not paying attention. You can tell she's strong even though she isn't showing much skin. Her shoulders are defined, and her posture is perfect. Her crop top rides up enough in the back that when she bends over to stretch, I notice intense scarring along her spine.

The hairs on the back of my neck rise as I find myself wanting to kill whoever marked her like that. I'm used to seeing scars on Damien, but hers are much more intense. Yet, I've never felt this way with Damien, and I knew exactly who gave him his scars. I've never felt the need to defend anyone really, not even my boys. When she pulls her shirt down quickly, I look down like I'm tying my shoe so she doesn't notice what I saw. I clear my throat as I stand up. “Can I grab you a coffee?” I ask her, although I've never gotten anyone anything in my life.

What the actual fuck is happening right now??

She looks at me like she's confused. Yeah, well, you and me both.

“I guess,” she says. “I was going to eat before I showered anyways.” She turns to walk to the food hall when an image of her naked in the shower flashes through my mind. I picture how the water would drip over her perfectly round ass, her nipples pebbled and her skin flushed. What a sight it would be.

“You coming, Ghost?” she says, pulling me from my thoughts.

Shaking my head, I realize I haven't moved. “Yeah,” I say. “Sorry, I zoned out. I really need some carbs.”

We walk up to the food hall and find it empty. Not shocking since it's now only five in the morning and our classes don’t begin until nine. She heads towards the buffet, piling her plate high while I go to make the coffee because apparently, I do that shit now. Breakfast is served buffet style, but lunch and dinner are ordered on the tablets by the kitchen.

“How do you like your coffee?” I ask

A shy smile stretches across her face as she looks down, “2 sugars, 6 creamers,” she says it like she's embarrassed, and I find myself wanting to make her look at me with that smile more.

“Sugar milk with a splash of coffee, got it.” She looks up at my grinning face, and the smile she gives me almost takes my breath away. Holy shit, she’s perfect.

I grab my food, a mountain of eggs and toast, and her coffee and head to where she's sitting with the biggest bowl of lucky charms I've ever seen.

“Damn, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were deprived of sugar as a child,” I joke.

She freezes with the spoon halfway to her mouth, and an odd expression comes over her face. That must not have been the right thing to say. I sit across from her and place the coffee by her bowl. Hesitantly, she starts eating again, and we maintain a sort of comfortable silence.

“My dad and I used to eat these together,” she says quietly. “He would sneak me sugar a lot when my mom wasn't looking. Guess it just reminds me of him.”

I nod, understanding a little bit. “My mom used to put an Alenka chocolate under my pillow when I’d had a hard day. She would leave a note on it, too, always reminding me that tomorrow was a new day.” I smile thinking back on those moments when she was still alive.

My appetite begins to disappear as I think about what the day will bring. Combat class is first, and I'm absolute shit at fighting. I’ve always been the computer guy, never the muscle.

I set my fork down and push my plate away. I don’t want people to see me as the weak link, and I know I’m not. But most people don’t see the guy in the chair as an important part of the team.

“That's kind of wasteful,” she says, pointing to all the food left on my plate.

“First-day jitters I guess.” She nods. She's probably thinking about what the Kings are going to make her do on her first day. I wonder if the thought scares her. Alexi has a reputation for being just as brutal as his father, and Damien has always been a loose cannon. I almost feel bad for the girl.

“Here,” she says, holding out her spoon to me with the last marshmallow in her bowl on it. It's the green hat with the four-leaf clover.

My brows pinch.Does she expect me to eat that?

She doesn't waver though, or take it back. She holds it out for me to decide if I want it. Slowly I inch forward and put my mouth around her spoon. Her pupils visibly dilate as she watches me, and it takes everything in me not to smirk at her. When I pull back chewing she lowers her head and coughs before looking back at me.

“What was that for?” I ask, curiously.

She stands up and grabs her bowl. “Just a little good luck to help with the jitters.” Then she walks away.

Her ass sways ever so slightly as she leaves, and I suddenly find myself starving for something other than food.

Chapter 8

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