King's Harlots 1-3

by J. M. Walker

  Before looking behind me, I met Brogan’s gaze.

  She winked, smiling and jumped off the stool.

  Turning around, I caught sight of the person who made every nerve ending on my body come alive.

  Asher stood at the door, one arm in a cast and the other reaching out for me.

  He didn’t even have to ask. I ran toward him, jumping into his arms.

  He grunted, wrapping his good arm around my waist.

  “Sorry,” I reigned kisses on his face, careful not to hurt his damaged arm again. “I missed you.”

  He chuckled, kissing me back. “I missed you. A week is too fucking long.”

  At that point, we were surrounded by everyone.

  “I know you two just became reunited.” Angel clapped a hand on Asher’s shoulder. “But we need to sit down and talk.”

  Asher nodded, grabbing hold of my hand, and led me to the largest booth in the club.

  He sat, pulling me down beside him and waited.

  My sisters, his brothers, everyone, joined us. Max and Dale, although they had their issues, were civil enough to focus on the main issue at hand. Angel and Jay had their own problems, but the past couple of weeks allowed them to work through whatever they had going on as well.

  As I looked around the table, it was funny to me. There were five men and five women. We were being paired off. Life was unpredictable at times and this was one of those moments where I wished I knew what the outcome of our growing family would be.

  ***

  (Asher)

  “I told the Feds everything I know. I also told them that I will be medically discharged because of my mental health problems.” I took a deep breath, squeezing Meeka’s hand in mine. “I didn’t tell them about my step-father. They don’t need to know that shit.” My brothers had helped me clean up that mess anyway. And I knew Charles wouldn’t rat. He had too much riding on the line for him to say anything. If he did? I would deny it all. I killed my step-father. It was self-defense. I smirked to myself, pushing down that darkness that enjoyed watching the life leave his eyes.

  “No one needs to know what happened,” Angel said, rapping his knuckles on the table top.

  “We are your family, and we’ll keep that secret to our grave.” Stone’s words came out firm. “You can trust us.” Meaning I could trust him. We didn’t talk much. Hell, I hardly talked to any of them anymore. With being undercover for weeks, I wasn’t allowed on any missions. I met the new Colonel once. “I’m a shitty friend,” I blurted, the back of my neck heating.

  “What are you talking about?” Dale asked, leaning forward in his chair.

  “I don’t talk to you anymore. God, I sound like a fucking pussy,” I grumbled, scrubbing a hand down my face. “What I’m saying is, I haven’t been there when you needed me. You’re my family. The only family I have. After everything—” I swallowed hard. “I can’t thank you all enough for taking me in.” It had been a long time coming. I never thanked Angel for taking me under his wing. For showing me the ways of the Navy life. For giving me the chance no one else would. These guys were my brothers. And Meeka was my life.

  “We’re family,” Angel reiterated, motioning his hand around the table. “All of us are family. Yes, we’re having our own issues, but no matter what, we are here for each other. These women have taken us into their lives when they didn’t have to.”

  “It’s not like you gave us a choice,” Jay teased, poking him in the ribs.

  He grinned, kissing her forehead.

  “Listen.” Jay clapped her hands together, leaning her head from side to side before zeroing her gaze in on Meeka. “I love you. We could talk in private, but I’d rather say this in front of everyone. I love all of you. Yes, I’m still hurt that you kept my sister’s return a secret from me, but I understand why you did it. And I’m glad you two have found each other.

  Meeka squeezed my hand, her lips curling up into a small smile. “I’m-I’m sorry about everything.” Her gaze moved around the table. “I am. Please tell Violet that as well.”

  “You can tell her yourself,” Jay placed her phone in the center of the table. “Go ahead.”

  “Meeka?” a soft voice came over the speaker.

  “Hi, Violet.” Meeka’s chin trembled. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.” She snatched the phone off the table, turned off the speaker, and placed it to her ear. “I’m sorry. I know.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Thank you. Yes, I would like that. Next week? Sure. I’ll get the Harlots to come with me, and we can get drunk and watch girly movies.” Meeka laughed. “Yes. Just like old times. I love you too.” And with that, she hung up the phone. “Thank you,” she whispered, her gaze locking with Jay’s.

  “You’re welcome.” Jay smiled. “I haven’t heard us being referred to as the Harlots in a long time. Thank you. I’m sorry I’ve been a bitch. There are some—” she glanced at Angel “—things we’re working through.”

  Angel glanced down at her, his eyes heating with a powerful love. He kissed her softly on the mouth, leaning down to her ear.

  Her smile widened, her cheeks reddening.

  He grinned, kissed her again and looked my way. “I’m going to make you manager of Rod’s Construction. If you want to be, of course. I know you will need something to do to keep you occupied, and I’ll pay you just as much as the Navy would. With everything that is going on, I need a strong minded person to take over my business. I’ll miss you out on the field but we have to look out for you first.”

  “I would like that. I … When I was at the hospital, I was put on meds.” Several weeks ago, I would have been ashamed to admit that. Mental health problems may have become the norm nowadays but I was a Navy SEAL. I survived more shit then most could even dream of. But admitting that I had a problem lifted a weight that had been bringing me down since I was a boy.

  “Good,” Angel said. “I know I can speak for all of us when I say this. We want you to be happy. Yes, it fucking sucks you won’t be a SEAL anymore but—” Angel winked “—doesn’t mean you won’t overhear things or just happen to walk in on classified conversations.”

  “Yeah, because that would never happen,” Dale said, fighting back a grin.

  “Or maybe you just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Stone shrugged. “It happens, you know.”

  “And one of us could just get drunk and spill everything.” Coby clapped a hand on my nape. “We’re not perfect.”

  “What?” Dale gasped, gripping his chest. “I’m not?”

  I chuckled. “Thank you. All of you.”

  “We love you, brother.” Coby squeezed my neck.

  “And I love you,” Meeka whispered, kissing my cheek.

  “I love you.” I pinched her chin, placing a soft peck on her forehead before I turned to my brothers. “All of you.”

  EPILOGUE

  Meeka

  One month later…

  “I’M STILL TIRED. I’m still sore. And I’m still fucking hungry,” Asher growled, coming toward me.

  My body burned from just his words but I ran behind my bike, the machine shielding me from my boyfriend. My best friend. The man I loved more than I could ever say.

  A wicked grin spread on his handsome face. “I’m coming for you, Meeka, and when I catch you, I’m going to fuck you on your bike. I will remind you that the only powerful thing between your thighs, is me.”

  Oh, dear God.

  Asher had been insatiable, not leaving me alone since the whole incident with Charles. He didn’t say, but I knew it had been because Charles touched me. Asher wanted to erase those memories and sear himself into my skin. And he had. Over and over again until I was begging him to stop and let me sleep. He rather enjoyed the fact that he fucked me into exhaustion.

  When he caught me, he gripped my hair in his large hand, forcing my head back to meet his mouth. All thoughts were lost as he took over my soul. His tongue slid between my lips, his hands roamed over my body. His love poured into my being. I love
d this man. Every broken inch. Every aching bone. Every dark desire.

  With him, it was enough. Our love was strong. It had been for years even though it took a nightmare to bring it to light. His darkness had laid dormant, but I could still sense it at times. It would be a long while before he regained control of his thoughts. I knew he had killed his step-father and that he had help. I wasn’t sure by whom. A knowing glance passed between Coby and Asher every so often. I couldn’t be sure if Coby was the one who helped get rid of Elliott. They saved me the gory details. He knew I could handle it, but he didn’t want to relive it when he had to replay it over and over in his mind. What could he have done different? Was death the only way? Did it make him feel better? It would be a long while before he was able to answer those questions but as time wore on and our love only grew, he would be able to look back with surety. Knowing it was the only way, he wouldn’t get over it, but he would be able to deal with it. With everyone at his side, he would battle those impending thoughts.

  “I love you, Hummingbird,” Asher whispered against my mouth. “With you, I am strong enough to battle the war inside of my head. And because of that, I will forever be grateful.”

  Tears welled in my eyes at his sweet words, and I could only kiss him. Pouring my feelings into that small touch, I embraced the love he gave me and returned it with everything in me.

  Asher Donovan was everything I needed.

  It never crossed my mind that I could fall in love with my best friend, but I thanked God every day that I had. And because of that, my world became complete.

  ***THE END***

  ONE

  Jay

  WITH ANGEL AT my side, anything was possible. We could conquer the world. As long as we were together, nothing would get in our way of being happy. Or so I thought. I couldn’t focus on anything that was going on around me. So much shit had gone down that I fell deep within myself, and I didn’t know how to get out.

  Angel and I had been together for months, but nothing seemed right anymore. Our attraction to each other was fast and hard, our physical connection even more so. Once things died down with the human trafficking shit, we ended up in a rut. Or maybe it was just me. I couldn’t be sure because Angel never said differently. I knew he loved me. He told me as often as he could. And he showed me even more. But I could still see he was hiding in that dark place he grew up in.

  My thoughts were interrupted when Buck shifted his big furry weight against me. With his arm over my waist, he was almost as possessive as his owner.

  “Sleep, princess,” Angel murmured in my ear, wrapping himself over his dog and me.

  Buck shifted, pushing him.

  Angel chuckled, his deep laugh sending a shiver down my body. His breathing evened, his hold tight on my waist.

  I sighed, scratching Buck’s head.

  These two were my life. Why these questions and thoughts were racing through my mind, I couldn’t be sure. But it pissed me the fuck off.

  I had always been a go getter. Embracing life to its fullest even though I was awkward and quiet. Losing my sister tore me in half, but it also made me stronger in the end. Now that she was home and safe, I should have been able to move on, but I didn’t know how to.

  Rolling over onto my side, I cupped Angel’s cheek, brushing my thumb along his full bottom lip.

  He was beautiful in a dark, demanding sort of way. Black scruff marred his strong jaw line, his bangs falling at the perfect angle along his forehead.

  Buck jumped off the bed, curling himself into a ball in the corner of the room.

  Angel shifted beside me.

  Trailing my fingers down the line of his jaw, I moved them softly down the side of his neck to his strong shoulder. My thumb reached a scar on his pec, brushing over it slightly.

  Angel’s eyes fluttered open, darkening to a point where all I could focus on was him. Us. It had always been him and me. Angel and Jay. King and Queen.

  Before I knew what was happening, he had me under him and his hips between my legs. “What’s wrong?” he asked, kissing the soft spot under my ear at the same time he pushed his pelvis into me.

  I groaned, wrapping my hands around the back of his neck. “Nothing.”

  “Don’t lie to me,” he growled, nipping his teeth into my skin.

  I jumped, arching beneath him. No matter how many times we had been together, it was still as intense as the first time.

  “I’m not,” I panted, my body becoming alive at his touch. It had always been like that. One touch and I was done. I was his. He made me feel like the most important person in the world. That it was just him and me.

  “Jay,” Angel whispered, trailing kisses along my jawline. He sunk his teeth into my bottom lip before forcing his tongue into my mouth. Every time he kissed me, he breathed new life into my lungs. Releasing me with a wet smack, he licked his tongue along my bottom lip.

  A shiver shot straight down my back, hitting me in the center of my fucking soul.

  “You’re lying.” He sat back on his haunches, kneading his fingers into the flesh of my thighs.

  “What do you want from me, Angel?” Desire simmered as frustration took over. I didn’t know how to answer his questions. Now that there was nothing to distract us, we had been fighting more. I couldn’t remember how it started. Nightmare after nightmare of my past forced old feelings to the surface. The dark evil that had taken over my life as a young girl. The desire to hurt and the pain it caused.

  “I want you to tell me what’s going on. Why have we been fighting?” Angel gripped my hips. Although he was hard and ready for me, he didn’t do anything about it.

  Licking my lips, my fingers itched to reach out to him. To grab hold of his powerful body, knowing he would give me everything I desired. He would take away the terror of my past. He had already started. But what would he think if I told him I was still scared? That every night I woke up in a cold sweat because the fingers of death had visited me only moments before. That all of the monsters who had destroyed a piece of this town deserved to die.

  “You’re not going to tell me, are you?” Angel’s mouth set in a firm line, his jaw clenching. “If we want this to move forward, we need to be honest and open with each other. I fucking proposed to you, Jay.”

  My heart thumped. I remembered his unconventional proposal. He had told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. And I told him that I felt the same way. It wasn’t anything fancy. It was perfect. It was us, and it was ours. I wouldn’t have asked for it to be any other way.

  “I’m not a talker, but yet here I am, talking.” Angel huffed, rubbing the back of his neck. His dark gaze peered down at me. “Why are you shutting me out?”

  I swallowed hard, the dry lump in my throat burning. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Be honest with me.” He cupped my cheek, placing a soft peck on my mouth. “That’s all I can ask for.”

  Tilting my head, I returned the kiss and wrapped my hands around his neck.

  “What are you so scared of?” he whispered against my lips.

  Us.

  ***

  Scars embedded on my soul.

  The physical pain was nothing like the mental anguish that had been inflicted on me over the past couple of months. What did I do to deserve this?

  My sister would be so disappointed in me.

  Tyler Bone was the bad boy of Dante’s Kings. Becoming the new prospect in my daddy’s motorcycle club, I would fall all over myself to get his attention. And when I did, hell swallowed me whole.

  “Jenny, grab me a fucking beer.” Tyler’s deep voice rumbled through me, punching me in the heart that I had been so willing to give him. He had all of me. Every single piece. But I didn’t know how to take any of it back.

  “Jenny!” he boomed.

  I jumped from my spot on the floor where he had beat me down. The pain in my ribs made it hard to breathe, but I refused to show him how bad he had hurt me.

  It had been that way since T
yler got what he wanted and made Vice President. My father trusted him. And I looked good on his arm, so he kept me by his side.

  Grabbing a beer from the fridge, I made my way to the bastard as fast as I could.

  “It’s about time.” He snatched the bottle from my hand, peering up at me through dark eyes. “On your knees.”

  My heart jumped. “Tyler.”

  “I don’t suggest making me repeat myself,” he said, his voice calm and even.

  Lowering to the floor, I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants.

  Safe place, Jay. Safe place. You got this. You’re strong. You will make it out.

  “My beautiful Jenny.” Tyler leaned forward, pinching my jaw, and forced me to look up at him. “If you only cooperated, it would never have to be like this.”

  “Yes, it would.”

  He smirked. “You know me too well.

  For the next hour, he did whatever he wanted to me and took it without remorse. He forced me to submit in ways that should never be allowed.

  Even though this had only been going on for a couple of months, the abuse had been happening since the first time I saw him. I just never knew it then.

  “I love you, Jenny,” Tyler whispered to me later that evening. “You know you like it when I hurt you.”

  I turned to him, my gaze roaming down his bare chest. His tanned skin was marred by my violent touch.

  Bile rose to my throat.

  Looking up at the ceiling, I vowed at that point never to trust again. And if this is what love was, I didn’t want it.

  ***

  (Angel)

  Being taken by Vega destroyed a part of Jay that I wasn’t sure how to get back for her. Maybe that piece of her was gone for good. He forced her to choose life over death and watch girls kill themselves. But they never died. It was a complete mind-fuck, and it did what he wanted it to do.

  Eric Vega fucked Jay up.