Page 17 of Devoted Sinner

King thought about not responding. He wasn’t on the clock. But his mouth couldn’t stay silent when his heart hurt this badly. “Nothing is going on here, so I might as well.”

Guilt flashed in Bryson’s eyes. That doubled King’s rage and pain. Bryson’s open guilt proved he had known exactly what he was doing when he said those words, and he had done it anyhow. “I thought we were exclusive.”

King fought a flinch. He wished he hadn’t told Bryson about the club he had frequented before them. Bryson knew the place was a sex club filled with people ready to fuck anyone anywhere. “Oh. Are we exclusive? I thought you said we were nothing. I thought I was just some guy you’re paying to fuck.” King heard himself, but he was so damn mad. Not only had he let Bryson string him along and deny their relationship, Bryson also obviously hadn’t listened earlier when King said he hadn’t been with anyone else in ten years. Despite where he went, he wasn’t that guy. But the moment Bryson saw him headed out, he assumed King would sleep with someone else. He assumed King was an easy fuck because he had been for Bryson. The deeper he fell down the rabbit hole of his thoughts, the uglier he felt inside. King hurt. He wanted to lash out. King wanted Bryson to feel the way he made King feel. While Bryson still reeled from King’s last comment, King went for blood. “I’ve been paid to do a lot of things over the years, but this is the first time anyone has made me feel like this much of a whore. I may as well enjoy being one.”

King pushed his way past Bryson, leaving him behind. He didn’t look back. Fuck Bryson. He didn’t love King. King was the same piece of meat up for auction he had always been. He needed to remember that.

Chapter Eight

Thesunroseona new day. King sat in his car inside the garage—where he had been all night—and stared at nothing. Maybe he had overreacted last night. He couldn’t tell. King just loved Bryson so fucking much. He wanted Bryson to love him too. He had been so raw last night and had said things aloud he maybe wouldn’t have otherwise. But maybe it wasn’t as easy for Bryson to say things aloud, and maybe King should have shown him some grace.

Bryson hadn’t dated a man before King. Being seen as gay was a huge leap for him. He wasn’t just some guy. Bryson was special and his face was the face of his company. His private life could very well affect his company name. There would be people, especially in such a male-driven business, who wouldn’t work with a gay man. They wouldn’t care he was the best at what he did, because their bigotry would be bigger than their common sense.

The thing was, though, King also recognized that he wasn’t wrong either. Bryson should have said all that to him and asked if King was okay with being a secret. He shouldn’t have strung King along just because he could. King was so fucking in love with Bryson. He probably would have agreed to anything as long as they were together. But Bryson should have asked, and he didn’t.

King opened his car door. One of them had to be willing to meet the other in the middle and talk about this. Thankfully, King hadn’t left the house in his usual skirt and hose. He circled his car and popped the trunk. King kept a bag of clean men’s clothing in his car just for these occasions. He peeled off the sweater and found a long sleeve shirt. With his shirt changed, he headed inside. Bryson would likely be eating breakfast by now. If he knew Kylian, he was still in bed or already making plans to go see his friends. King might have a few minutes to talk to Bryson alone.

King headed inside and straight for the dining room. The scent of bacon and eggs filled the air. As he stepped inside the dining room, King froze. Kylian and Bryson sat at the table together. Bryson looked up from his plate. His eyes looked dead.

Kylian didn’t look like himself either, but he flashed King a smile. “Good morning, King. Grab a plate and join us.”

“Guards eat in the kitchen.” Bryson’s voice was cold and hard.

King fought the urge to cry as something inside him shriveled and died.

Kylian gasped. “Dad. What is wrong with you? King is family.”

King swallowed past the lump in his throat. “It’s fine. Mr. Long is right. I’m nothing.” He turned to head back inside the kitchen.

“King, wait.”

King paused with one foot inside the kitchen at Kylian’s plea. He glanced over his shoulder. Bryson had his elbows on the table, holding up his bowed head.

Kylian shot to his feet and crossed the room. He linked his arm through King’s and kept moving, saving King from staring at Bryson. “Today is your day off, right?”

King focused on Kylian. “Yes.”

“Good. Let’s go shopping. I’ve been so busy with school, I haven’t had time to buy anyone’s Christmas gift yet. I’d planned to ask one of the guards to go with me, but I’d rather go with a friend.”

“Do you need me to drive you to Cheyenne’s?”

Kylian snorted. “I meant you, silly. You’re my friend.”

The desire to cry doubled. His throat swelled. “Okay. Go do whatever you need to do, and I’ll warm up the car.”

Kylian made a dismissive gesture. “I’m good. I just need my shoes and coat.”

Together, they headed for the mudroom. King stood still, trying not to think while Kylian found his shoes.

As Kylian pulled on his jacket, their gazes met. Kylian eyed him closer. “Are you wearing eyeliner?”

Fuck. “Yes.”

A bright smile exploded across Kylian’s face. “I love it. Very sexy.”

Despite the horrors of the past twelve hours, King smiled. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. It’s true. Are you ready?”

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