by G. Bailey
"Elliot, why did you–" I ask, stopping when he turns me to look at him.
"You’re moving in with me. Well, I've moved you in already," he says with a cheeky grin.
"You didn't want to ask me first?" I ask him, tilting my head to the side.
"I knew the answer," he answers, moving forward so our bodies are almost touching.
"You’re a cocky man, Elliot King," I say through a smile, loving the fact that I now live with the man I love, but I won't tell him that straight away.
"But you love me," he whispers before kissing me. My dress is soon removed, as well as Elliot's clothes, before I'm standing in front of him in only my heels.
"Those fucking, sexy shoes stay on while I fuck you," Elliot tells me before picking me up and pushing me against the wall. I gasp in pleasure as he picks me up. His lips push into mine as he enters me quickly, making me moan out with the feeling of him.
We don't go back to his club that night because neither of us want to leave our bedroom.
82
Elliot
"Want some help with that?" Harley asks while sitting in the kitchen as I tape up the last box.
"Nah, I can carry two at a time, old man," I joke while Harley gently punches me on the arm.
"Go on then, you cheeky shit." He laughs, going back to his paperwork.
There are only four boxes left of my clothes and general stuff I didn’t have time to collect earlier. I smile, remembering Allie leaving my bed this morning to pack more of her stuff at her old apartment. I go to open the door at a weird angle and manage not to drop a box. I walk out, and to my surprise, there's a hand in the air that narrowly misses my face.
"Shit," I say as one of the boxes drops to the floor.
"I'm so sorry," a girl says, causing me to finally look at her. I don't recognise her; she has light-red hair, which looks long, up in a ponytail. She is wearing a black coat and dark jeans; she has a light tan, which doesn't look fake. She is pretty, and I fucking hope she isn’t a one night stand who’s come back for one of my brothers.
"Who are you?" I ask bluntly, causing her to straighten up a little.
"I'm looking for Izzy," she says, looking behind me. Izzy is actually here for once. She stayed over last night with Blake, but I'm not sure if I should call her before I know who this is.
"Who's that?" Izzy says behind me, and I move aside so she can see. Before I know it, I’m pushed out of the way by my little sister, causing me to drop the other box this time, which crashes to the floor.
For fuck’s sake.
Izzy is hugging this girl while the girl has a big smile on her face.
"Tilly, what the hell are you doing here so early?" Izzy asks, pulling back to look at her friend.
"Long story," Tilly mutters.
"I knew you would drop one," Harley says with a laugh as he comes in the now-cramped hallway.
"Who's this?" he asks, looking at Tilly with a look I haven’t seen before. Tilly looks star-struck as she stares back at Harley before Izzy clears her throat, making everyone look at her.
"I kind of need a place to stay. Just for a few weeks until I find somewhere. My family isn’t moving here for two months," she says to Izzy, who smiles widely.
"You can stay with me," she says.
"Sorry, beauty, she can't. Allie’s room is already rented out. Just yesterday. I forgot to tell you," Blake says, coming to stand next to Izzy while Tilly looks him up and down.
"Good choice," she whispers to Izzy, making her laugh.
"She can stay here, Elliot's room is empty now, and we have others," Harley says, making everyone look toward him, but his gaze never leaves Tilly.
"I can stay in a hotel. I don't want to put any of you out," she says, looking very nervous.
"I insist," Harley says, and I watch Tilly nod.
"Well, thanks. I will pay you rent, of course," she says.
"No, you won't. Izzy can sort out bed sheets for you," Harley says with one more look at Tilly before walking away.
"Hey, big man, I will," Tilly shouts, and I hear a chuckle from Harley in the kitchen.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Tilly. Izzy has told me about you since she first came here," I say, holding out a hand for her to shake.
"You must be Elliot." She smiles, shaking my hand.
"I'm Blake, but you've guessed that." Blake smiles.
"Yeah, and the fact that missy over here has sent me pictures of everyone helps. That was Harley, right?" she says, gesturing to the kitchen area.
"Yes, but tell me all about France and why you’re here early." Izzy practically bounces up and down in excitement now.
"Come on then." Tilly smiles, but it looks a little forced.
"I will help you." Blake laughs, coming over to pick a box up while I get the other one.
"I think something is broke," Blake says as he puts the box in my boot.
"Ah well," I mutter, pushing my own box in and heading back for the other two.
"Want to come to the gym with me? I don't think I will be spending the day with Izzy like I planned," Blake says with a smirk.
"Sure. Meet you there in an hour?"
"Later, man," Blake says before walking back inside.
I get the other two boxes before driving back to our apartment. I find Allie in the kitchen, singing to the radio while stirring something in a pot on the cooker. She is wearing only one of my shirts, which falls to her knees, and she looks way too hot in my clothes.
"Hey, you," she says, looking over her shoulder at me as I put my keys on the side.
"Hey," I say, wrapping my arms around her from behind and kissing her cheek.
"Get everything you needed?" she asks.
"Yeah. Izzy’s friend, Tilly, just turned up and is staying in my room for a bit," I tell her.
"Wow, Tilly is here already? I can't wait to meet her," Allie says, turning off the cooker and turning to face me.
"She seems nice," I say, thinking about how Harley looked at her. If I didn't know my brother better, I would say he was interested, but I know Harley doesn't date.
"Hmm, well, Luke invited himself over to watch a movie tonight," Allie says, making me chuckle.
"Let me guess, he knows you’re cooking," I say.
"Yeah, he does. Sebastian found out, too, and is coming over with Maisy and Jake." She laughs.
"I can help you cook if you want,” I suggest, wagging my eyebrows.
"I don't want anything burnt, thank you, cookie," she replies, knowing full well that I forget about the cooking every time she walks in the room, focusing on her instead.
"We really need to get you a new nickname for me." I growl, picking her up, and she wraps her legs around my waist.
"I like ‘cookie,’ one taste of a cookie and you know it tastes as delicious as it looks." She licks her lips, and I grin at her.
"Uh-huh," I say, undoing the buttons on her shirt.
"I have to finish cooking." She wriggles in my arms, trying to get down.
"I have to persuade you to call me ‘Elliot.’ I think making you scream my name a few times might help," I say, kissing her strongly and pushing her back onto the couch.
It doesn't take long until Allie screams my name, and I know she won't give up my annoying nickname because, in a way, I like it. I won't admit that to her though, I would never hear the end of it.
Epilogue
Harley
"What do you think?" Tilly asks Izzy when she walks into the kitchen, where I'm sitting holding a beer. I don't hear Izzy’s response as I can't stop staring at Tilly. Her shiny, red hair is half up with the rest in spirals down her open back. She is wearing a green dress that makes her green eyes shine. Her eyes look over at me with the same interest. I can't help but notice how fucking hot she looks.
What the hell was I thinking inviting a very hot girl to live with me?
I don't do relationships, or anything other than one night, with girls. I haven't since I was eighteen, and I don't plan to c
hange my life for this pretty siren in front of me.
"Come on, we are leaving, man." Luke pats me on the back, knocking me from my gaze on Tilly. I really haven’t got a clue how long I just stared at her.
We all get in the mini-bus that takes us to my brother, Elliot's, club in town. The club has only been open two weeks, and it’s a massive success for Elliot. I'm not surprised, seeing how it’s the only nightclub in this small town, and it's a bit of a drive to the main city.
I look over at Tilly, who is sitting in front of me gazing out the window. Izzy and Blake are sitting behind me, and I don't want to look back to see them kissing.
I pull my gaze away from Tilly, even if it's damn hard to do. Luke clears his throat and looks at me with a clear question on his face.
"What?" I say.
"She is hot," Luke whispers, nodding to Tilly. I love my brother, but the urge to punch him is high right now. My fists tighten, and I have to force my breathing to slow. What the fuck is wrong with me?
I can't be jealous.
"Dude, it's you she’s been looking at since she moved in. I don't have a chance, but you do," Luke whispers.
I don't reply to him, but my eyes look back at Tilly for a moment too long and she catches me watching when she turns. We both stare at each other, but it's broken by the cab stopping. Luke opens the door, and everyone gets out. I hand a load of cash to the driver, who smiles and says thanks as he takes it.
We head straight in, thanks to the bouncer who recognises us. I go straight to the bar, needing a drink and maybe some random girl for the night to get thoughts of Tilly out of my goddamn mind. I can’t date my little sister’s best friend, not without her attempting to plan a wedding or trying to kill me. It doesn’t matter anyway. Tilly clearly is hiding something. I’ve hid many secrets from everyone for years, and it’s written all over her face that she has secrets.
My brothers leave me alone to have more drinks after I ignore them. I don’t even like to drink much, it’s better to be on guard all the time.
Losing count of how many beers I have drank, I look around the dance floor before my eyes spot a flash of red hair. My feet are moving before I can stop myself, and I stop just next to Tilly as she dances. Her hips are swaying side to side, looking unbelievably sexy, and she seems to be in her own world as my hands wrap around her tiny waist, pulling her back to my chest.
She stiffens instantly, and I whisper in her ear, "Only me, siren. I couldn't help but want a dance." I feel her shiver from my voice before she turns around, and we start dancing to the music.
Everything fades away as we stare at each other; our bodies are pulled close together, forcing me to feel her soft curves.
I'm taken back when she leans up and kisses me. Our lips meet, and I groan at how sweet she tastes. As quick as it starts, she pulls away and then leans up to whisper into my ear. "Thanks for a memory I won't forget. I needed an escape, even for just a second."
When I look down at her, she is gone. I am standing in the middle of the dance floor wondering what the hell happened and why it feels like I'm not going to be able to escape her ever again.
Fall (Harley’s story) is on Amazon. Link here…
Description of Fall
When you run, how long does it take for your past to catch up with you?
Harley King knows something is up when his sister's friend turns up unexpectedly and needs a place to stay.
When Harley lets Tilly live with him, he does not expect to fall for her smartass comments and her kind nature.
Tilly thought running from her past would keep her safe, but will Harley’s past put her in danger?
Can the oldest King brother protect her when her secret comes out?
Or will he walk away?
18+ due to violence, sexual scenes, and language.
With exclusive bonus scene.
Quote
There are some people who could hear you speak a thousand words, and still not understand you. And there are others who will understand- without you even speaking a word.
-Yasmin Mogahed
Prologue
Tilly
"Come on!" Emilia shouts at me, just as I spot Harley. Every part of me freezes when I see him; my mouth goes dry and fear fills me. He is in the cage, blood pouring down his face, two men are unconscious at his feet, and he is facing three other guys. Two of them are massive, and the other looks like he shouldn’t be in the fight at all. There are hundreds of people around the cage, most shouting ‘King,’ but some are shouting other words I don’t recognise. The noise is just that loud in here, but I can’t move as I stare at Harley. I don’t think I will ever forget seeing him this way, the way he looks so dangerous, but I know straight away that this is not who he is. Harley is the man who feeds my daughter when she wakes up at night, who brings me coffee in the morning. The man who cuts roses in his garden and puts them in my bedroom window. The man I find asleep in his study with a new book in his hands. That’s my Harley, and this is the man he has been forced to be for too long."I see Sebastian at the bar,” she shouts at me and tries to pull my arm, just as Harley rushes at two of the guys.
"Go, then," I say, unhooking my arm from hers and ignoring her when she tells me to come back.
I push through the people and duck under others who are jumping up and down. It doesn’t take me long to get to the front of the crowd, with my body pushed against the cage wall.
Harley is struggling to fight the guys as two of the massive ones hold him down and the other hits his side. I feel sick as I see the almost defeated look he is wearing; this fight isn’t fair. He can’t die like this, not after everything this hell-hole has taken from him.
"HARLEY, FIGHT FOR ME!" I scream just as his bright-green eyes find mine.
83
Tilly
I can do this. I repeat to myself as the cab pulls up to the large, Victorian house I’ve seen in the photos my best friend sent me. The house is amazingly beautiful, with grey, stone walls and big, arched windows. It looks like something out of a damn fairy tale, not a house just outside a small, English village.
I forgot how cold England is compared to France, I think as I pull my coat closer around myself and wish the cab driver had put the heating on in the car.
"Here you go, love," the cab driver says as I snap out of my daze, and I hand him the money for the ride. The driver helps me get my one suitcase full of clothes out of the boot before driving off.
I hope Izzy is home. I think of my best friend who lives here sometimes, when she isn't with her boyfriend, and I can’t wait to see her. I remind myself it doesn't matter if she isn't in because undoubtedly one of her brothers can point me in her direction.
I straighten my back as I raise my hand to knock on the massive, wooden door, but it's suddenly pushed open by a handsome man. The man is wearing nearly all black-leather and has slightly long, messy black hair covering his stern looking face. He is struggling to hold two boxes under one arm, and my hand just misses his face as he dodges to the side, but, unfortunately, one of the boxes drop to the ground, with a sound like smashing glass.
"Shit," the man says in a deep voice.
"I'm so sorry," I mutter quickly, putting my hand down. Great first impression, almost hitting one of the King brothers in the face.
"Who are you?" the man asks bluntly, making me feel a little defensive. It's not like I meant to nearly hit him in the face and make him drop his box.
"I'm looking for Izzy," I say, matching his tone, and the man looks amused for a second. I'm confident he isn't going to tell me as he stares me down, holding onto his last box for dear life, when I hear Izzy shout behind him.
"Who's that?"
The man moves out of the way, and I see the welcome sight of Izzy running to me. She pushes the man out of the way, causing the last box to hit the floor with a bigger bang.
Izzy wraps herself around me in a big hug, which I return, barely holding in my tears at finally being able to see my best f
riend after so many years. Izzy is like the sister I never had, and damn, I’ve missed her.
"Tilly, what the hell are you doing here?" Izzy asks, pulling back to look at me. I look at her, too, noticing the changes. Not enough that I don’t recognise her, but enough that I have to pause a second. Her hair is just as long and blond as before, but she has it up in a high ponytail with highlights running through it. The jumper and jeans she has on look made for her; she looks fantastic and happy. I know she is happy from her messages and phone calls, but seeing it is something else.
"Long story," I mutter, not wanting to ruin this moment by thinking about the reason I’m here unannounced and with only one bag. Even thinking of France leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
"I knew you would drop one," a deep, sexy-sounding voice says with a laugh as a man comes into the now- crammed hallway. Luckily, the house is big.
Damn, I can't take my eyes off this guy. He is tall, way over six feet, with long brown hair pulled together loosely at the back of his head. His startling green eyes, much like Izzy’s, latch onto mine, and neither of us look away. He must be the oldest brother. Harley, if I remember right. I wish I had looked more at those photos Izzy sent me.
Harley looks a little confused as he asks, "Who is this?"
I don’t say anything as I stare, and I swear I’m actually speechless as I check out his tight suit and the fantastic body filling it. Izzy clears her throat, making me look back at her after a long silence between us all. When I see her small smile, I grin because I’m so happy to see her again. Izzy pulls me into the hallway and out of the cold.
"I kind of need a place to stay. It's just for a few weeks until I find somewhere to rent. My family isn't moving here for two months, and it’s a long story," I say to Izzy, who smiles as her green eyes widen. I’m happy she doesn’t ask why, but I know she will the moment we are alone. As much as I trust her, I have no idea if I can even talk about everything yet. Even to Izzy.
