Page 37 of Just My Luck

Abel pushed the door open, entering while I followed closely. Sitting behind a grand, opulent wood desk was Russell King. He was dressed in a shirt and tie despite the warm summer heat. Time had not been kind to Russell King. I knew the signs of a drinking problem, with his ruddy cheeks and bloodshot eyes. His paunch and bloated face nearly took away from the striking brown of his eyes—so deep and dark they reminded me of a snake’s.

I calmed myself before a shudder involuntarily coursed through me.

In a chair beside the desk was JP King. If memory served me correctly, JP was second to last born and only a few years older than MJ, the youngest. Still, he was immaculately dressed in a well-tailored suit, tie, and shiny shoes. As if he were cast from an identical mold, I imagined JP was the spitting image of a younger, handsomer Russell.

He was tall and lean. His high cheekbones were more angular than Abel’s, and he lacked the dark King eyes. Instead, his were an intense shade of blue-green. While Abel’s shoulders carried the weight of the world, JP’s seemed to have a sharp edge to them. Women in town thought him devastatingly attractive, though his icy demeanor was enough to scare off most.

As Abel and I approached, Russell stood to shake his son’s hand. “Welcome. Please, come in.”

Russell reached for me, and I slipped my hand into his. His swollen fingers held mine as he brought the top of my hand to his lips. I swallowed a visceral gag.

“Pleasure, my dear.” Russell’s smile was cautious and questioning, but as slick as oil.

“Thank you.” I quickly tucked myself next to Abel, hoping to hide my revulsion.

“What are you doing here?” Abel’s glare was directed at his younger brother.

JP’s hands went wide. “I was told this was a business meeting.”

Abel scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Of course you were.”

JP’s lips twitched into a half smile. “Is it not?”

I watched the odd exchange between brothers. Finally, Abel gestured for me to sit, and he took a seat in the chair next to me. “It’s a family announcement as well as a business meeting.”

JP smiled widely. “Then I wouldn’t miss it for the world, brother.”

Abel cleared his throat. “Sloane and I are married.”

I nearly coughed on my own saliva at the abruptness of Abel’s announcement. Russell and JP stared at us in shock, though Russell recovered more quickly.

“Why, that’s fantastic news!” Russell laughed and leaned back into his leather chair. He pointed at Abel. “I knew you were up to something. Here you thought you could get one over on me.”

Ice ran through my veins at his accusing tone.

I slipped my hand onto Abel’s arm. “We tried to keep it between ourselves... for the sake of my children. At least initially, but they couldn’t be happier.”

Abel stared at me and I smiled at him, willing him to stop freaking out and just play along. I squeezed his arm.

Russell’s eyes landed hard on the slim silver band on my left hand. The room pulsed as I froze.

I managed to grab it before my dad burned it with the rest of her stuff.

“Surely you didn’t marry this poor girl with that, did you?” Russell’s mocking laughter filled the office as he pointed to the ring.

My fingers curled into Abel’s forearm, and the muscles beneath his shirt rippled.

Russell shook his head. “She needs something bigger.” He winked at me and my stomach curled. “Flashier. A woman deserves to show everyone how a King spoils his woman.”

Abel shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Tension filled the air.

He was about to speak when I cut in. “Actually, I requested something simple. I love that we have matching rings. It’s perfect.”

Undeterred, Russell scoffed. “Nonsense.” He scribbled something down on a pad of paper. “I’ll have my jeweler set something up for you. We can’t have a King woman walking around with that on her finger.”

My back straightened, and I was ready to speak again when JP cut in. “Maybe we should get on to the business portion of this meeting.” He glanced at his watch. “I have another appointment.”

With a curt nod, Russell shifted gears. His fingers steepled as his eyes zeroed in on Abel. “Yes, of course. What is it that you needed to discuss, Abel?”