Page 13 of Catch a King (Five Kings 1)
“Yes, but I don’t see how Slade can help with that.”
“Because it’s Slade doing the asking.”
“Slade?”
He sighs heavily and leans back. “Slade and me were first on the scene when we returned and found Billy. He was in a bad way, and I knew he didn’t have long. There was no dragging Slade away from the body and he was struggling to save him. You see, it was bad enough seeing my brother slain in his home, but seeing his son’s grief will live with me forever. Later, when Slade had calmed down enough to speak, he told me when he reached Billy, he said one last word before he died.”
“What.”
“Ryder King.”
I stare at him in confusion and he shakes his head. “I’m not sure what to make of that, but took it as a sign to call him. Slade it seems has other ideas and won’t get it out of his thick skull that Ryder King’s responsible for Billy’s death. He thinks Billy was warning him who ordered the hit which makes me fear for him.”
“Why would Ryder order a hit on Billy, it doesn’t make sense?”
“Exactly and from what I know of the Reapers, this ain’t their style. The trouble with Slade, he’s got no reasoning inside him and is intent on finding everything possible out about your president. So, you see, honey, there was a reason he can’t know about your involvement with that club and there’s a reason you must be paired with him. If you’re gonna find out what he’s intending, you’ll only do it from his bed. They say keep your enemies close, well, your president obviously knew you were up to the job.”
“Ryder knows, that I have to...”
I can’t begin to process this new information and if I feel anything, it’s betrayed. Once again, the words echo around my brain.
You’re not worth it.
She’s not worth it.
Time and time again I heard those words said about me, and now it seems they’re true.
I squeeze my eyes tightly shut to stop the tears from falling. Now I get it. If you need a whore to bring your enemies down, send in a good one. That’s me, Millie Raymond, super whore. But I’m not, I’m better than that, and I always have been.
Axel is looking at me carefully and says gruffly, “It shouldn’t be too difficult for you, it’s what you do, just in a different location.”
If I felt worthless before, I feel even more so now and say tightly, “For your information, I’m no whore.”
He makes to speak, and I cut him dead on the spot. “A Reaper whore is self-named; it doesn’t mean she’s paid for her services. We call ourselves that, but no money changes hand and nobody is made to do anything they don’t want to. If I go with a guy, it’s because I want to, not the other way around and if I want to stay clear, they respect that too. You see, Axel, you’ve got this all wrong because I do not have sex on command, or because it’s my job. That’s how I know you’ve misunderstood the reason I’m here because Ryder King would never whore me out as you seem to think, so you had better come up with another plan and fast.”
I stand before he can reply and head to the door, but his words make me stop in my tracks. “That’s exactly what your job was honey, get close to Slade. Ryder knew that, I know that and now you know that. It’s up to you whether you’re the Reaper they thought you were.”
I say nothing and walk away, his words setting fire to my soul and leaving it in ashes. If I felt worthless before, it’s nothing to how I feel now.
Get close to that animal, not fucking likely.
Chapter 10
Millie
My heart is heavy and any fight I had left in me is diminishing every minute that passes. I’ve thought of nothing else since my meeting with Axel and the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. But why me? I’ve lived as a Reaper for two years and they have never made me feel worthless once. They took me in when I had no other place to go and made me strong. Then why would they knock me down again when they know how long it took me to get over what happened before? It doesn’t make sense, which is why I think there’s more to this than Axel’s letting on.
I’m not in the mood to chat and go about my business with a blank expression and a polite word. I’m not engaging anyone in conversation, although the Dragons that reach my bar are keen to strike one.
I’m cool and aloof, completely opposite to how I usually am because that fucking auction is playing heavily on my mind.
The only satisfaction I get is when Slade heads into the room and I see the result of my punch. His eye is swollen and I hope it’s not my imagination that he’s walking funny and despite the jeers from the other guys, he appears to wear his bruise like a badge of honor. Maybe he wouldn’t be so proud if they knew where it came from, but I’m not pouring acid on his wound because it’s bad enough I’ve got to deal with this auction shit, so I try to ignore him when he heads across.
I make sure to serve everyone before him and when it’s just him, I start to head off to re-stock the bar.
He blocks my way and my heart sinks.
“You can run but you can’t hide, darlin’, you see, you may think that little stunt you pulled off earlier hurt me, think again. I consider things like that foreplay.”