I just sat down and got comfortable when I saw the front of a familiar truck heading down the path toward the house. Running back inside to hide from King the way I had with the others would be rude. I didn’t know them. I’d only met them that first night at Maeme’s. Technically, I didn’t really know King either, but he had swooped in to save me when I had no one. I was here in this perfect corner of the world because of him.

  His truck came to a stop a few feet in front of the house, and I watched as he stepped down from the shiny black Chevy. That smile of his spread across his face, and he gave me that head nod he was so good at, then tilted his cowboy hat back on his head so that I could see his eyes before he headed toward me.

  “Morning,” he called out.

  I pulled the shawl closer together over my tank top. I didn’t have on a bra yet, and I didn’t want to appear inappropriate.

  “Good morning,” I replied.

  King put one boot on the first step and leaned his elbow on the railing. “You seem to be settling in just fine,” he said. “House treating you good?”

  I nodded. “Yes. It’s wonderful.”

  His smile spread. “Good. Glad to hear it. I know Maeme has been bringing you food, but I was gonna see if you wanted to go with me to her house for breakfast. Sunday morning, she normally does it up right. She even makes these homemade waffles that are so damn fluffy and soft that you can’t stop at just one.”

  I tensed. Maeme’s house and meals meant the others. I hadn’t seen them since Thatcher and Storm had brought the apple pie over. I’d been rude, but they had surprised me. I didn’t trust Thatcher. He was different. Terrifying really. In a way I couldn’t quite label. Seeing them after that didn’t sound appealing at all. I just wanted to stay here, alone.

  “I think it is better if I don’t. I would be in the way, and if it’s a family meal, I shouldn’t—”

  “If I go back and tell Maeme what you are about to say, she’s gonna drive back here herself and haul you to her house. Now, don’t make it hard on me. She sent me to get you, and I don’t want to let her down. Those waffles sure are something, and you can’t stay back here alone all the time. It’ll be good for you to be around folks. Visit.”

  He was hard to tell no, but I had a feeling he knew that. It was probably why Maeme had sent him. He hadn’t come back here to get me of his own free will. When he had picked me up at the service station and given me a ride, I doubted he had known he’d end up being sent to convince me to do things all the time. It made me feel guilty.

  Sighing, I nodded. “Okay. Let me just go inside and change.”

  I stood up, and it was hard not to notice the way his eyes traveled down my body.

  I wrapped the shawl tighter around me and hurried into the house. I knew every flaw my body had. Hill had made sure of it. He pointed out my problem areas and told me the exercises I needed to do to fix them. Although they were never fixed. He’d always blamed me for not trying hard enough. The sleep shorts I was wearing revealed too much leg. Having King look at my legs made me feel exposed. I hadn’t thought about it when I wore my sundress, but then I hadn’t caught him looking.

  Reminding myself that I did not care what King thought of me or my body, I tried to focus on getting dressed quickly. I grabbed my jeans and a long-sleeved blouse. I would have to change later when the day was warmer, or I would sweat in this. But for now, I needed it. Slipping on my shoes, I headed back out to the front porch.

  King was waiting on me right where I’d left him. He smiled brightly, then tilted his head toward the truck. “Let’s go eat,” he said before walking that way.

  I followed behind as he went to the passenger door and opened it for me. His hand was already held out for me to take, palm up. Even his calluses were attractive. His hands were big, tanned, and used to hard work. Hill’s hands had been smooth and unblemished. He got manicures and pedicures regularly to keep them from looking bad. Yet those soft hands had hurt me painfully so many, many times. How much more damage could hands like King’s do?

  When I lifted my eyes to look up at him, he smiled, and there was a kindness there in those turquoise depths that was unmistakable. Could he ever hurt a woman? After being raised by someone like Maeme? She wouldn’t have allowed such behavior. Unlike Hill’s mother, who I’d been told adored him when she had been alive. I’d never met her, but he spoke of her as if she had worshipped him and I should do the same. Maeme loved King, but she did not worship him. There was a difference. I’d witnessed it the little time I had seen them together.

  I slipped my hand into his, and he helped me into the truck, making it almost too easy. Once he had my door closed, my gaze followed him. King Salazar was too perfect. There had to be a flaw somewhere. Yet even the way he carried himself, with a confidence I envied, was attractive.

  I dropped my eyes to my lap when he opened his door and climbed inside the truck. Letting the scent that I was beginning to associate with King—cedar and cinnamon—appeal to my senses wasn’t helping matters.

  I had to stop this…this…whatever it was I found myself doing. King was a man. I didn’t like men. I wanted to stay clear of them. I didn’t trust anyone stronger than me. Perhaps it was just the fact that he’d rescued me in a sense. I was drawn to him because he had led me to my first safe place. I didn’t live in fear here, and it was all because he had given me a ride.

  That had to be it. Letting myself dwell on him in any way was pointless—not to mention unhealthy. King was friendly. Nothing more. I didn’t need to develop any fixation where he was concerned. I knew I was damaged, and I’d read about how someone who had been in my position could get confused when faced with kindness.

  “What have you been doing out here all day?” he asked me, breaking the silence.

  “Reading, cleaning, enjoying the peacefulness.”

  He glanced at me. “Reading? Maeme has a library in the house. Do you want me to take you to it so you can pick out some books?”

  I had brought two books with me, and I had found one book in the cottage. Having something new sounded wonderful. I stared over at him, and he was smiling. My heart did a little flutter thing in my chest, and I fisted my hands in my lap. I had to stop that.

  “Yes, please. If she wouldn’t mind, that is. I would bring them back and take very good care of them.”

  He chuckled, and why that sound was so appealing I didn’t want to think about too deeply.

  “Maeme will be fucking thrilled you want to use her library. You can come and go as much as you like. I’m not big on reading, but she sure as hell wanted me to be.”

  Not big on reading. That right there should be a flaw. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make myself like the man any less because of it.

  • twelve •

  She didn’t know the need I had for owning someone.

  King

  Maeme’s dining room table could fit twenty people. The only time it was full was on Sunday mornings. Not everyone made it for breakfast. If they did, twenty places would not be enough. However, it was rare that all twenty spots weren’t filled. Sometimes, the stools at the kitchen island bar were also full. The youngest were always sent to the kitchen.

  Seeing all the vehicles outside, I already knew who would be inside before we walked through the door. Voices carried through the house, and when Rumor stepped inside, she immediately moved closer to me, her body strung so tightly that it was hard to miss.

  I placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know they’re loud, but everyone is family. It’ll be fine. I promise,” I assured her.

  My words did little good. She didn’t move away from me. In fact, she seemed to move in even more so. I couldn’t say I disliked it either. Knowing she trusted me enough to touch me was sure as hell different than when she had been skittish around me.

  With my hand now on her back I leaned down close to her ear. “I swear you’re gonna be okay, sweets.”

  She nodded and continued to stare straight ahead while she stayed pressed close to my side. A deep laugh I recognized as Barrett’s caused her to flinch. As much as I was enjoying her borderline clinging to me, it made me fucking furious that she’d been abused. The sick bastard who had done this to her was going home from the hospital tomorrow. He wouldn’t be there long though. We were waiting on him.

  “There are a lot of people,” she whispered, looking toward the direction of the dining room.

  “Yeah. Always is on Sundays. It won’t be the entire family, but at least half. Maybe more.”

  A slight tremor went through her body. I wouldn’t have even noticed it if my hand hadn’t been resting on her back. This was becoming more difficult than I would have imagined. And not just for her. I was struggling with it myself. The idea of forcing her to go face everyone while she was this fucking terrified about it wasn’t appealing me to me either. Part of me wanted to take her back to the damn cottage and leave her there, where she was happy. She clearly felt safe there.

  The front door opened behind us, and Rumor jumped, startled, then plastered herself to my side, grabbing my shirt in her small fist in the process. As if I might leave her here. I glanced from her trembling body to see Storm walking inside. His eyes went from her to me. Amusement curled his lip, and I glared at him. This was not the time for his fucking jokes.

  “You remember Storm,” I told her in a gentle tone.

  She nodded but just barely.

  “Everything okay?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

  “Yeah. We will be in there shortly,” I informed him. Hoping he took the clue and left us.

  He glanced back at Rumor. “Okay,” he replied, then walked away from us.

  Once he was out of sight, Rumor’s body slightly eased, and she let out a small gasp, then released my shirt, dropping her hand quickly. Even though she wasn’t looking at me, I could see the blush on her cheeks. She hadn’t even realized she had a death grip on me. Not that I was complaining. She didn’t know the need I had for owning someone. My master kink when it came to fucking. She was playing to it, and my body was reacting. I had to stop that shit.

  I studied Rumor while I thought it over. Sure, I liked it. Her needing me. Typically, I didn’t like my females clingy, but this wasn’t the same. I was finding I enjoyed this. Knowing that she trusted me and I was the one she was pressed up against. Fuck. This was probably going to mess me up. But what the hell was I supposed to do about it? I sure as shit wasn’t going to push her away. She was hurt far deeper than the physical injuries to her body. This had to be dealt with gently. She was fragile.

  And, yes, while she could trust me to protect her, that was all she needed to be trusting me to do. Because at the end of the day, I would never touch her. I needed things that she couldn’t handle. Dark things that someone with her emotional damage would never be able to understand. I’d also manipulated and lied to her to get her here.

  “Everyone in that dining room, I trust. I would never take you somewhere I thought you would be in danger. Maeme trusts them. You’re safe, Rumor.”

  She took a deep breath and moved back away from me just enough so that we were no longer touching. I missed the way she felt against me, and I had to fucking get that shit out of my head. Wasn’t happening.

  “Okay,” she replied, then lifted her eyes to meet mine.

  The trust shining in them tightened my chest uncomfortably. Jesus Christ. This shit had gotten tricky real fucking fast.

  Pressing my hand on her back, I nodded my head toward the dining room. “Let’s go get some of those waffles I told you about.”

  She smiled then, and it took every ounce of my self-control to tear my gaze off her and start walking. Leading her to a room full of people. I was going to hand her off to Maeme, then get some space. Far enough away that I didn’t smell her sweet scent that reminded me of vanilla.

  • thirteen •

  “That library needs to be put to use.”

  Rumor

  The long dining room table was full, and it sounded as if there were also people in the kitchen. King had placed me beside Maeme and a lady who introduced herself as Annette Kingston. She was married to Barrett, and they were Storm’s parents. That much I could remember. The others, however, started to get confusing. Except for Ronan Salazar. King’s father. He was nothing like his son. In fact, he was intimidating and unfriendly-looking.

  Maeme spoke to him as if he were one of the younger men she called the boys. He was her son after all, but it still surprised me. His icy gaze made me even more nervous than I already had been. I tried my best not to look in his direction, but it was hard because King was two seats over from him, and I found myself wanting to look at King. Even though he had dropped me off with Maeme and basically gone to the farthest end of the table away from me, not giving me a backward glance.

  I tried not to think about it too much. Facing a crowd was something I had never been good with, even before Hill. But life with Hill had made it almost unbearable. I hated that about myself. I wanted to be normal. If only I could smile, have confidence, enjoy life instead of wanting to hide in the shadows and go unnoticed.

  “Sorry I’m late! Traffic from Atlanta was a bitch,” a female said, and I turned my attention to the blonde walking into the room. She was stunning. As in thick, long platinum hair, big blue eyes, full, pouty pink lips.

  “Language, Lela!” Maeme scolded.

  The blonde swung her gaze to Maeme, and she smiled brightly. “Yes, ma’am,” she replied, and even her voice had a sexy timbre to it.

  “I didn’t know you were coming, darling,” Annette Kingston said beside me. The pleased tone in her voice was clearly affection.

  “I wanted to surprise you,” Lela replied, then walked over and bent down to kiss Annette on the cheek. “Surprise, Momma.”

  Momma. Lela was Storm’s sister. Much younger sister, I guessed. She still had the youthful glow to her. Life hadn’t handed her any struggles yet. But then seeing as she belonged to this family, I wasn’t sure it ever would.

  Lela then stepped over and wrapped her arms around Barrett Kingston’s neck and pressed a kiss to his head. “Hey, Daddy,” she said as he reached up and patted her arm.

  She turned then, and her eyes locked on me. I saw the curiosity as she stood back up.

  “A new face that I don’t know,” she said.

  “This is Rumor,” her mother informed her. “She’s a guest of Maeme’s, staying out at the shotgun house for a while.” Then, Annette turned to me. “Rumor, this is my oldest daughter, Lela.”

  Lela’s lips curled up on each side. “I wish I didn’t have to go back to Atlanta so soon.” She glanced over the table, then back to me. “Things should get interesting around here.”

  “Go on and get you a plate. Nailyah and Teller are in the kitchen, eating with Birdie. There’s a stool left for you,” Maeme told Lela.

  Lela beamed. “Birdie is here!”

  “The brat hasn’t even come in here to see me yet. I didn’t know she was here,” King said, pushing back his chair and standing up.

  Lela tilted her head and gave King a smile that made my stomach knot up. “Before she gets all your attention, I’d better get some.”

  King walked over to Lela and wrapped an arm around her neck, then pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Come on, gorgeous. Tell me about college life,” he told her. “I want to hear all the good shit too.”

  They left the room, and Annette sighed contentedly beside me. “I have all my kids home today.”

  “Ah, Mom. I didn’t know you were expecting me to come visit,” Storm drawled. “I feel so wanted.”

  “You have work to do,” Barrett replied. “You know what she means. You’re all in Madison. Not an invite to come to my house.”

  “Barrett”—Annette’s voice sounded angry—“our son is always welcome at his home.”

  “He eats our food and puts his feet on the goddamn furniture like he owns the place.”

  “Barrett!” Maeme scolded. “The Lord’s name is never to be used in vain at my house. You know that.”

  My gaze swung back to the door that King had walked through with Lela. I wondered who Birdie was and how long he would be gone. Then, I realized I was obsessing over it and tried to shut it out. This wasn’t my business. I had to remember not to dwell on King and what he did.

  Conversation picked up again, and I took another bite of my food. The waffles were as delicious as King had promised, but I found myself missing my cottage, the more I sat there. I felt out of place. I kept my head down and finished my food, surprising myself with how much I had eaten. When King came back in the room, I heard him talking, but I didn’t look at him—or anyone for that matter.

  “Ready to go check out the library?” King asked close to my ear.

  I jerked my head, snapping up from being startled. I hadn’t known he had stood up, much less was behind me.

  “Don’t scare her to death,” Maeme snapped at him. “Sneaking up on folks.”

  I took the napkin from my lap and placed it on the empty plate, then stood up.

  When I reached to pick up my plate, Maeme placed her hand over it. “No. Leave it. You go on with King and pick out as many books as you’d like. That library needs to be put to use.”

  Ready to escape the room, I thanked her for the meal, then followed King from the room. This time, he didn’t touch my back, and I found that I missed that. When he had done it earlier, I’d felt secure. I couldn’t blame him for being careful not to touch me this time. I’d all but mauled him when Storm arrived. He was probably afraid I’d do it again.

  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked as we crossed the foyer and made our way over to the other side of the house.