Chapter 88

Jane laughed sadly as she turned to the group of guys. They smiled at her pitiful expression.

Sin was the one to pull her into a little—big—hug. “Ugly, I told you not to make this face.”

“Girl,” Wendy admonished through Jane’s new cell phone. “Ryder is your boyfriend. I don’t give a damn about these others—not even David. I know you think he’s perfect, but he’s not. You need to show Ryder he’s your priority and tell him you kissed Tercero.”

Jane didn’t respond. She’d called Wendy after sending texts to her boys, none of whom had replied yet, but her dear friend was making her feel like shit. Yes, she’d internally admitted to herself Ryder was her priority, but it was hard to say so because it had always been David, and David was still her—

She wanted to scream. What she didn’t want was to be judged.

At least David’s grandmother, Sylvia, wasn’t judging her. The cute old thing was rooting for David, much to Kingston’s displeasure. But the awkwardness allowed Jane to make calls; Sylvia was going to cover for her, as long as she promised to talk to David, too.

Wendy sighed loudly. “I mean, it sounds amazing—having all of them, but it’s not gonna work. Ryder said all that while you were still living next door. He probably assumed he’d have more time to make the two of you exclusive. Were you really planning to kiss all three of them at school and go make out with Luc after you got home? And, honestly, why would you care about the others when Ryder is kissing you and being as amazing as you keep saying he is? He freaking adores you. How much more do you want?”

Again, Jane said nothing.

“And now you’re gone,” Wendy said sadly. “None of them are allowed to see you, but you know Ryder will come now that he knows where you are.”

Swallowing hard, Jane managed to say, “Ryder understands me. It’s not like I don’t know he’s perfect.”

“Then why play games? Why not just pick him and get permission to come home? I know it’ll hurt to see David move on, but it’s for the best if you’re going to be shipped off every time something comes up about you two. And do you really want David to lose his chance at a scholarship? Because if you get caught fucking, its gonna look bad. I mean, I know it’s not really gross, but David was right

—they’ll make it gross, and he’ll lose his future, and you’ll be the one everyone blames.”

Every word hurt, and Jane glared at nothing as bit her tongue to keep from yelling. Why is she being so nasty?

“I’m being realistic, Jane,” Wendy said softly. “I love you, and I know I say stupid things like let’s run away to Mexico . . . but this is real. Kingston took you out of your home, enrolled you in a rival school, but you’re one step away from making a schedule for which Godson gets to sleep with you.”

Of course, Wendy was right, and she was thinking logically, but Jane’s heart hurt. It hurt so bad to be far away from David and Ryder, it hurt to watch Tercero walk away, and it hurt to have her one friend telling her she was being irrational. She just needed someone on her side; she didn’t want to spend the rest of the year without her boys, but she didn’t want to throw the others away just to be home again. If David wasn’t going to be there, it wasn’t home anyway.

“I have to go,” she said, barely able to keep the venom from her tone.

“Jane—”

Jane didn’t want to listen anymore. She just wanted a hug. So, once again being a shitty friend, she yelled, “I said I have to go!”

She stared at the phone, her breathing hitching because she hated being upset with Wendy, but Wendy had a loving mom who did anything for her, who trusted her and talked to her. Jane didn’t have that, and Wendy would never understand. She didn’t love any boys her whole life and definitely didn’t love more than one at the same time.

“Oh, dear.” Sixty-eight-year-old Sylvia Leodegrance patted Jane’s head. “How about a cookie?”

“No thank you.” Jane sniffed, flipping through her contacts. Ryder and David were probably at practice, so they hadn’t responded to her, and Tercero had already texted a simple: Sweet Dreams, tesoro. Which clearly meant he wasn’t up for talking.

Sylvia sighed, sitting in her recliner. “Do you want to talk about anything?”

“No.” Jane gave her a tight smile, hoping she wasn’t being rude. She didn’t feel like herself anymore. Tercero had said finding herself shouldn’t involve him or anyone else, but she wanted to be surrounded. She felt ill without Ryder, and she felt lost without David. Tercero, sweet Tercero, she’d made him feel wanted then wavered on how she was supposed to act around him. He probably felt so humiliated and hurt that once again Ryder was being thrown in his face.

There was only kindness when Sylvia nodded. “I think you should at least talk about the boy who tried to take you Friday.”

Jane jerked back, her heart sprinting.

“Kingston said that the boy was expelled; did you have any trouble with the students?”

“I—” Jane pressed a hand over her pounding heart, and she screamed when a knock came at the door.

Sylvia covered her ears, but she got up as quickly as her old body allowed. “It’s probably the neighbor boy bringing me my mail.”

Jane covered her warm cheek as she watched Sylvia open the door and greet someone.

“Oh, that’s just my son’s step-daughter,” Sylvia was telling whoever was at the door. “Oh, you go

to school with her—maybe you can help her blend in. Come meet her.” “I doubt it,” a deep voice rumbled. Sex-voice!

Jane’s eyes widened as Damon King entered the house.

He grinned when he spotted her on the floor, and he bowed his head and greeted, “My queen.”

Sylvia chuckled, patting Damon’s shoulder with a few envelopes. “What is this silliness?”

Damon smirked at Jane before answering. “Oh, just an inside joke the boys and I have with Jane.”

He winked at her. “We met at lunch today. We vowed to watch over her.”

“Oh, that’s nice of you, Damon.” Sylvia beamed up at the big guy. “I made cookies; how about you see if you can get Jane to eat? She wouldn’t touch her dinner.”

There wasn’t much Jane could say when Sylvia meandered out of the room.

Damon slid his gaze over to Jane. “So . . .”

“Don’t start,” she blurted, rubbing her arms. Her skin was crawling. Not in a weird way, in a bad way.

His grin stretched wider, and he walked to the nearest chair and sat. “What am I starting?”

She narrowed her eyes on him. “You know.”

He laughed, leaning to one side of the chair. “I’m afraid I don’t. Give me a clue.”

Jane rubbed her arms, scowling because she knew what it was now; she wanted to be touched.

“Ah, I see.” His deep voice slid across her irritated skin. “Which one are you missing? Ryder? David? Tercero?”

Her heart wept. “I’m such a hoe.”

“What?” He chuckled as he observed her more. “I thought you were dating all of them? If they know and accept, it’s no one’s business but yours and theirs.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing.” She roughly rubbed her arms. “And I don’t know what the hell it means because you’re here, and you’re making me feel weird.”

One corner of his mouth lifted. “I have that effect on women . . . and men.”

She sighed, relaxing a little. Yes, he was hot. Not like Ryder, just kinda oozing sex in a different way. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before Ryder,” she said, watching him. “And I barely got to be his girlfriend.”

“What about Luc?” He leaned farther away, making it easier to breathe. “The king claimed you as his queen in front of the world. He’s not the type to move on after making his choice.”

Luc was such a mystery to her, and she hadn’t talked to him since their ‘date’ that ended badly. Now that she looked back on it, she was such a jerk. He had done things oddly, but she was out with him, and she ran off, nearly got abducted, then her stepdad punched him, all before she ended up fucking Ryder all night long. He no doubt knew she was there, too.

“Hm.” Damon’s eyes glittered as Sylvia waddled back in with a plate and a glass of milk. He stood, grabbing both from the woman.

“Oh, thank you, Damon.” Sylvia beamed at him as though he were her favorite son. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”

“You don’t have to,” Jane said, watching Sylvia shuffle off.

“I think she’s looking to marry you off,” Damon said, amused.

Jane rolled her eyes. “She’s Team David, if you must know.”

“Really?” He chuckled, holding out the plate for her. Oatmeal Raisin. Her favorite.

“Yeah.” She snagged a cookie and watched him take one as well. “Apparently, David told her when he was little that he liked me.”

“Cute,” he said before slowly biting his cookie.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” She glared at him.

A laugh that sounded more like a dragon growl rumbled in his chest. “You’re adorable. I see why they like you so much.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” she said, crossing her arms. “Yes, I know it’s a stupid question, but you’re up to something.”

Amber eyes captured hers. “I was only dropping off mail because Sylvia struggles to go down her steps. I stay with my father more than my mother, and he lives next door.” Jane had wondered that because this house was out of the district. “But I knew you were here,” he added.

“I knew it,” she said as if she were a detective solving some sort of case. “Who do you work for?”

He was beyond amused as he watched her trying to hide from her stupidity. “If we are discussing work, technically, I work for Luc. Well, I have an internship with his corporation. If you want to know how I knew you were here, he told me.”

Her jaw dropped. “What?”

“I’m an intern for Luc. He knew you’d be here, and he knew I lived next door.” “You’re spying on me?” She didn’t know how to feel about this.

Damon smiled. “I told him I wouldn’t remain loyal to him if I spied. He knows I won’t, but he left the temptation, and I knew what to do to see you—bring Sylvia her mail.”

Spinning. Her mind was spinning. “So, he won’t respond to my text, but he tells you where I am so you can spy, then you tell him you’re not loyal? Who are you loyal to?”

“That is the question, isn’t it?” He took a sip from the glass of milk, his intense gaze fixed on her over the rim.

“Are you trying to annoy me?”

He lowered the glass and set it aside with the plate. “I believe I was making it clear my loyalty would shift from king to queen.”

She leaned back. “You guys take the king thing too seriously.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “He’s ruthless and the title stuck. Luc destroyed many of his rivals and took control of their corporations. It’s all underground kingdom type of stuff, and he said he’d only share his rule with a queen. Men have been trying to marry their daughters off to him for the past year.” His eyes flashed when she scowled. “So, you see, he has a reason to worry about your whereabouts. A king protects his queen.” Jane stared at Damon.

He stared right back at her then smirked. “I have other news, if you’d like to hear it.”

“I’m sure it’s going to be awful,” she said, sprawling out on the sofa now. “My friend already made me feel like shit for not being able to pick just Ryder, so be a little nice, please. And don’t bring up Dylan. But I will say thank you for hitting him.” She smiled, even though he didn’t look happy at the mention of his former teammate.

“Your friend doesn’t know what it’s like to have the hearts of more than one man who is perfect for her.” He pulled out his phone, then he began reading from it. “Inform her that I’ve arranged to speak to Kingston, and I will be holding a meeting with him until six. If all goes well, I’ll return her call before he arrives. Remind her to be mindful of her sass.” Damon winked at her when her face burned. “Though I enjoy her fire, she must choose her targets carefully. Certainly not the man who controls who she can see. And you’re welcome . . . about Dylan, I mean. Nothing more needs to be said.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, holding out her hand for the phone. “May I see?”

Damon nodded, letting her see. There was indeed a text from the contact Luc Godson. It went on to say: And, Damon, she’s my queen. Remember that.

“What does he mean?” she asked, handing Damon the phone.

He chuckled, pocketing it. “Did you not know I am called the King of Demons?”