Page 78 of Tantalizing Kings

Sadie is the only client who has no business ever setting foot into that room. She’s too good for them. She doesn’t need to get dragged down by this life of backstabbers and money-hungry monsters.

“I never understood that club.” Erin shakes her head. “A bunch of rich boys getting richer by leading on poor girls.”

“It’s not like that at all.” Sadie surprises me by speaking up. “All the girls who hire a host club member know what they’re getting into. If they want to spend their money pretending they’re dating one of them, or just want to talk to someone, I don’t see the harm in that.”

All eyes are on Sadie now. She blushes and looks down at her food.

“I promise you, it’s all harmless fun. A great tradition of Kingston Academy,” I say, taking the attention off Sadie.

Our moms go back to talking to each other. Sadie stays quiet for the rest of the meal, but lifts her eyes to me every now and again. Every time I catch her, I smile, making her blush all over again.

She’s my girl. I’ve always had this need to protect her, to make sure she was happy. That’s what I want to do now. Only this time I want her in my arms, in my bed.

“Wanna play pool?” I ask her as the staff begins cleaning off the table and our moms move to the living room.

Sadie chews on her lip for a moment. “Sure.”

“Well, come on, little Lollipop. Let’s go.”

“Would you stop calling me that?” She laughs, following behind me.

“Nah.” I chuckle.

“I’m not five anymore,” she sighs.

Grinning, I pull a cherry sucker out of my pocket and hold it out to her. She pauses, letting out a defeated groan and snatches it from my hand. She pulls the wrapper off and pops it into her mouth. I give her a smug smirk, and she responds by flipping me the bird.

There she is, my feisty little thing. I can’t wait to get her worked up. She’s sexy when she's angry. It took everything in me not to kiss her when she was yelling at me in the car.

We head into my study. It’s part office, part rec room. It’s a place I come to when I want to get away. I don’t let anyone in here, but she’s not just anyone.

“Wow,” she says as we walk into the room. “This is cool.”

“Thanks.” I go over to the mini fridge. “Drink?”

“Sure. Coke?” I nod and grab her an ice cold can.

She smiles and thanks me as she takes it. I lean against my desk, watching her as she slowly looks around the room, checking out all the different things I have in here.

I can’t help but watch her. She’s takes all my fucking attention. She’s in a black and orange Halloween themed dress—her favorite holiday—and her hair is up in a ponytail with light makeup.

I missed her. She was my whole world for most of my life. I know it was unhealthy, the way I was with her. My mom, my teachers, and my therapist all said the same thing.

But no matter what they said or how they tried to ‘help’ me, it never worked. Because I didn’t want it to.

A life without Sadie Evans is not a life I want to live. I just need to get her to let loose, to open up. To stop seeing me as her teacher and see me as the guy who knew everything about her. From the way she would always need three pillows in her bed with her when she slept, to how she would never wear red socks. I’ve always teased her about that. When I asked her why, she said she didn’t know but it didn’tfeelright. And even if it was silly, because it was her, it mattered. So much so that I don’t wear red socks either.

With socks on my mind, I look down and chuckle. “Cute socks.”

“What?” She spins around and looks down at her feet. “Oh, thanks.” She smiles. “I saw them at the store, and had to get them. I mean, it’s bats in witch’s hat sitting on pumpkins. It’s too stinkin’ cute.”

My chest warms at the joy on her face. I’d do anything to keep that smile there.

“Remember the ones with the ghosts I got you?”

She barks out a laugh. “Oh my god. Yes! I wore them so much they got holes. Then my mom washed them and lost one. I was devastated.”

My face falls. “I don’t remember that.”

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