The Elite Kings Boxset Vol. II

by Amo Jones

  I shake my head, looking over the line of roughly around twelve cars. The G-Wagon, there’s a Porsche, a Range Rover, another big SUV, Cadillac, I think, and a few other small sports cars.

  “Insane.”

  I beep the white G-Wagon and cup the window to try and see inside through the tint. I can see the outline of a baby car seat. Everything is so full on. I feel like I don’t deserve all of this shit and I don’t know why, but it makes me feel dirty. Like I planned to have Nate’s baby for this reason.

  Sighing, I open the door and Madison clips her in. I jump into the driver’s seat, afraid to touch anything. “It smells new.”

  Madison slips in, pointing to the dash. “Because it is. They only got it a couple of weeks ago.”

  It feels like a set-up.

  “Where should we go?” I ask Madison as we reverse out of the garage. I slam on my brakes when I see Tate standing there, tears down her face. “Oh for fuck’s sake. Can we have one day.”

  I get out of the car, Madison right behind me. “What are you doing, Tate?” I swear, if she has come around to cry about Nate being Nate to her, I’m going to hit her.

  Hard.

  She swipes her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, okay, I shouldn’t have been messing around with Nate since you got back—” Her eyes go to the car, and then come back to me and Madison.

  “He told you to fuck off, didn’t he?” Madison says, crossing her arms. I never noticed the distance between the two of them until now. Was Madison taking my side over this? That would surprise me. I love Madison, always have, but her and Tate are tight. Like the real deal tight. I was the third wheel in our little triangle, I always felt out of place. For the exact reasons Nate mentioned last night. Thinking of that only annoys me so I bring my attention to the problem at hand. Another product of Nate’s stellar decision making.

  “Yes,” Tate admits. “But that’s not why I’m here. I mean, he always tells me to fuck off, and he did punch Spyder last night for legit touching Tillie. Listen.” She clears her throat, and I can’t help but think Nate’s lips have been all over her. Everywhere. Down her neck, over her lips. I feel sick.

  I need to simmer down. “Why are you here?”

  Tate comes up to me, her hands reaching for mine, but I pull them away. “Don’t touch me.”

  She flinches. “I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t. I just, I really liked him and when you were gone, we were seeing each other, for so long and I’m human, okay? I’m human. I fell in love with him with the full knowledge that I’m not fucking you, but I did anyway and when you came back it messed with me. I—”

  I exhale. “First of all, it’s a good thing you’re not me because you wouldn’t want to be me right now, not when it comes to Nate so don’t say that and second of all—” I pause, looking her up and down. Her long blonde hair is whiter than it used to be, her bright blue eyes peering at me with sincerity. “Get in the car.” I can’t hold a grudge against her, I know this. He was fair game when I left, but I can be angry about her decisions after I got back, which we will work on, I guess.

  Finally, when we’re all inside, I start to pull out again. Tate is cooing to Micaela in the back and my eyes find her in the rearview mirror. Just like that, Micaela melts another person.

  Rihanna’s “Lost in Paradise” starts playing and Madison turns it up, opening her camera and taking a selfie video. She starts talking into it. “Girl’s day out since girl’s night out failed last night…” Then she puts the phone around the car and I stick my tongue out. She goes to the back. “And of course, with the baby princessa herself!” Madison’s Latin is getting pretty good.

  “Where should we take her?” I say, lost.

  “Oh, we can take her to the park! There’s a good one. I’ll put it into the GPS.” Madison continues doing that, and then we’re on our way to this mysterious playground.

  Pulling up around fifteen minutes later, I park us right out front. “This isn’t a park, Madison, it’s a carnival!”

  Madison shrugs. “I know, but nothing short of brilliant for my niece.”

  “You’re so extra,” I mumble, jumping out of the high truck.

  I’m rounding the car when Tate already has Micaela in her arms. She smiles up at me. “I hope it’s okay, I just couldn’t help myself. She’s so adorable, Tillie. You’ve done well.”

  I bite the snarky comment I want to make about how of course she would find her adorable, she looks just like Nate, but I don’t.

  I smile. “Thanks.” We all start walking toward the large wooden archway that’s sprinkled with colorful LED lights.

  “Stop!” Madison’s hands fly out, and then she annoys an innocent passerby who is with his daughter. “Excuse me? Could you take a photo of us?”

  “Madison,” I whine.

  Her head snaps toward me.

  “She’s getting worse,” I complain.

  “I know,” Tate mumbles.

  Madison runs back and pulls us together with her arms wrapped around our necks. Tate turns Micaela against her tummy so she’s facing forward, and we all smile. Then I look to Madison and Madison looks to me as Tate looks down at a smiling Micaela. Madison runs back and grabs her phone before coming back to us. She shows us the images and the man actually took a whole bunch and they’re decent, some even candid. Madison opens Instagram and her fingers hover over the caption.

  “Don’t you dare,” I chuckle, knowing what she and Nate are like with their stupid captions. It’s like a constant competition between the two of them.

  She grins and then types. “One he loves, one he adores, one he tolerates, and one he hates…”

  “Madison!” I scold her. “That’s so not cool!”

  “What!” She shrugs. “You don’t even know which is which.”

  I roll my eyes, shaking my head. Tate shrugs like she doesn’t really care, and maybe she doesn’t. God, I hope she doesn’t, it would make the whole forgiving her that much easier.

  Throughout the day, we move from place to place. Madison won a teddy bear, and Tate gave Micaela her first taste of cotton candy. I hit her for that, not hard, just across the arm. Then we all took her on the small teacup ride. It went really slow and we all got bored, Micaela included, but we got some good photos, so it was worth it.

  The sun is setting and we’re all hungry, so we start making our way across the road to a dimly lit Chinese restaurant.

  “You cheated to get that.” Tate points at the bear.

  Madison tightens her grip around it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  I roll my eyes, smiling. Today has been amazing, and for the first time in a long time, I’m really thankful for them both being a part of my life. Even if we bicker, and fight, and don’t see eye to eye at times, they’re the real deal.

  The sun kisses my skin, setting off a warm hue radiant enough to make me miss summer as we quickly run across the road. When we enter the Chinese restaurant, the young girl escorts us to a table, handing us menus and asking if I wanted a high chair. She scurries back with it as we look over the drinks menu. The girls order wine, but I stick to soda since I’m driving home.

  “Come on,” Madison whines. “Just come, it’s going to be fun!”

  I shake my head. “Even if I didn’t have her, I still wouldn’t. I just need a rest day. Next weekend, I’m all in. I’ve just got a lot to sort out.”

  “Suit ya self,” Madison says, taking a sip of her wine.

  “I’ll probably be there with Spyder…”

  I choke on my drink, my hand flying up to stop it from spilling. “Oh, okay?”

  Tate sighs, throwing her napkin on the table. I cradle Micaela in my arms and shake her bottle before giving it back to her.

  “Spill.”

  We all eat and laugh as Tate goes through what’s been happening with Spyder. He seems really into her, and she him. Not sure why Tate is being all shy. The girl is never shy.

  After dinner, we drive home, buggered from the day. I p
ark the wagon thing out front and say goodbye to the girls as they head off to get ready for their night. They tried to get me to agree to let them pre-game in the pool house, but there was no way. I could probably sleep into tomorrow and I’m exhausted from today.

  I carry Micaela inside and shut the door, heading straight for the bathroom to give her a quick bath. There’s a large tub in here, bulky enough for probably three people. I hit the tap on, and then take my phone out of my handbag, seeing the message from Madison with the photos from today.

  I go to Facebook and change my profile photo to the selfie of all of us on the teacup ride. We’re all laughing, hair flying everywhere while Micaela looks unbothered. Typical. I put my phone down just as I get a text.

  Nate: Whts up with these photos.

  What do you mean?

  He doesn’t reply, so I carry Micaela to the bath, but then step backward. I need one too. I quickly strip once we’re in the bathroom and sink into the warm water with her in my arms. I put some bubbles into the water and lit a couple of relaxation candles, silently thanking Elena for putting them there. Music is playing from the small dock out in the lounge. My phone is going crazy, but I ignore it. I can’t be bothered and there’s no way I’m getting out. I wash her hair, massaging the sweet lavender shampoo into her hair. Once we’re both done, I climb out, taking her with me and quickly wrap a towel around both of us. I dress her first, my hair in a messy top knot. I puff talcum powder on her and then do up her diaper. She’s smiling up at me again, but her eyelids are heavy. She must be so tired.

  The door swings open and I jump. “Shit!” Nate is standing there, his eyes going to her and then coming back to me.

  “Goddammit, Tillie. Don’t ignore me when I text you.”

  “I was taking a bath with her!” I snap back, forgetting that I’m standing here in a towel.

  His eyes drop to my body and then go to Micaela again.

  I wave my hand. “Can you close the door? It’s cold out.” I pick up my phone and read the text he had sent after.

  Nate: I want a motherfucking family day.

  He kicks it closed and then comes closer, taking off his leather jacket and cap. Instantly he eats up every single space with his presence. All he has to do is yank the towel off me and I’d be naked. I wouldn’t put it past him either.

  “Ah, what do you think you’re doing? Don’t get comfortable, Nate.”

  He glares at me and then picks Micaela up. “I’ve missed her.”

  I don’t have the heart to tell him to leave, so I take this time to grab a long t-shirt that cuts off around my upper thighs and some panties. I get changed quickly in the bathroom, letting my hair out to brush it.

  “Are you going now?” I don’t mean to be hostile, but I got the feeling today that he didn’t want to be seeing me as much.

  “Yeah,” Nate says, giving her back to me. I place her down in her crib, switching the main lights off and leaving the light from the TV as a night light. “Come outside so we can talk.”

  “Again,” I whine. “I don’t have the energy, Nate.”

  His jaw clenches. “Now.”

  For fuck’s sake. I patter behind him, closing the door once we’re outside. It’s fucking cold, so I’m hoping he knows what he wants to say and spits it out in fast time.

  I run my hands over my arms and take a seat on the step. He drops down beside me, putting his cap on backward and slipping back into his leather jacket.

  I lick my lips. I need to stop watching him with fascination. “What is it, Nate?”

  “There’s some shit that we need to discuss, shit that you might not want to talk about right now. But have you had any strange calls?”

  Should I tell him about that first night and the call I got telling me to go outside before all of this Peyton stuff blew up. I decide no. “No, why?”

  His jaw ticks in that same way that makes his already prominently square jaw enlarge slightly. “Nothing, it’s just dangerous right now and there’s shit happening behind the scenes that I can’t tell you about just yet. When I can, I will.”

  I chuckle, shaking my head. “I’m not Madison, Nate, I don’t sit well with secrets. You either tell me or shut up.”

  His eyes cut to me. “You will fucking do as you’re told because it’s not just you anymore, Tillie. You—we—have to think of her!”

  I know he’s right, so I don’t answer. He stands, coming directly in front of me. The zipper of his jeans is now directly opposite my eyes. Shit. His hand comes to my chin and he tilts my head up to face him. I feel miniscule down here. I tug my lip into my mouth and his thumb follows the movement.

  “Fuck.” He exhales and turns to leave. I watch as he slowly disappears into the dark night. I stay seated until I hear his loud car start and drive off.

  What the hell was that about?

  Leaving it all alone, I go back into the pool house, flopping onto my bed. I flick through Netflix, trying to find a show to watch when eventually, my eyelids feel heavy and sleep takes me under.

  Tillie

  Pandas are dancing to an annoying tune. A tune I know, wait, I know this song. I aimlessly fling my arm around, trying to find my phone on the bedside table. Without opening my eyes, I sink into the bed more, sliding it to answer.

  “Someone better be dead,” I grumble, annoyed.

  “Someone will be if you don’t get down here—now, Tillie,” Madison rushes, her tone has me on edge, but not enough to leave the comfort of my bed.

  “What time is it? And I told you, I’m not coming.”

  “Tillie! Nate is drunk as fuck and he’s fighting. I need you to get down here now.”

  “What the hell makes you think I can stop him?”

  She pauses, seeming to think of what to say. Or what to lie about. I rub the sleep from my eyes. “Because I know!”

  I fling my blankets off my body. Annoyed that he’s interrupted my sleep. “Fine! Where are you guys?”

  “At Brantley’s, and Tillie, I’m serious, hurry.”

  I get a Snapchat notification from Tate. I open it and see Nate with no shirt on and blood smeared over his chest, his jeans hanging off his waist. When she zooms in, he’s laughing, but his eyes are wild. He’s absolutely drunk. Drunk and crazy. I don’t know if it’s a good idea I go… then the phone drops and there’s a guy not moving on the ground with people crowding around him. The guy finally gets up, but he’s in a bad way.

  “Who’s next?” Nate grins, his arms stretched wide.

  I shoot off the bed and bolt out the door to the main house. God, I really don’t want to do this, but I have no other choice, thanks to her crazy ass son.

  Knocking on Elena and Joseph’s door, I yell, “Elena?”

  The door opens after a few seconds and she wipes the sleep from her eyes.

  “I’m so sorry,” I whisper, careful not to wake Joseph. “But Madison just called me, and Nate is drunk and fighting people and for some reason, she thinks I can help. Can y—”

  Her eyes pop open. “—Shit. Yes, go.” She pauses just before I go back to the room to get changed. “Tillie? Be careful when he’s like this…”

  I try to push down the fear that comes to the surface at her warning, and then nod and run back to my room.

  I throw on my black yoga pants and my Harley t-shirt, tucking it in slightly on the side. Tying up my Chucks, I pile my hair into a high ponytail and grab the keys.

  God. I have a really bad feeling about this.

  I get to Brantley’s in record time. Jumping out of the truck, I quickly run into the house, shoving past the bodies of teenagers. People start moving for me when they recognize who I am. Walking past a group of girls, one with sleek black hair snickers to her friend. “That’s his baby mama. Tragic, really, that she tried to lock him down…”

  I bite my tongue, moving to outside. The cool air is welcome after the humidity of ass and sweat in the house. “Crank That” by Travis Barker is roaring through the speakers and my head snaps to the c
ircle of people behind the pool. I can’t see anything clearly, so I quickly start to make my way when Madison’s face appears.

  “Thank fuck!” She yanks me toward the crowd.

  “Why the fuck hasn’t Bishop or any of The Kings stopped him?”

  “Are you kidding?” Madison snorts, shoving through people to get to the middle. “They’re putting bets down.” She shoves a group of girls who are in the front. “Fucking move!” They slide away and I gasp. Nate is on top of a guy triple his size, Nate’s fist plowing into his face. Blood splatters everywhere and my eyes go to his chest and back where there is dry blood crusted over.

  I’m at a loss for words, because what the fuck…

  Something kicks up inside of me. “Nate!” I bark. He falters but then carries on.

  I go forward. “Nate get the fuck off him before you kill him.”

  He stops now, turning to face me over his shoulder. “Forgot About Dre” starts playing now.

  Nate turns his head slightly and then climbs off the boy. He’s— “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  I knew this was a bad idea, but fuck it. “Madison called—you know what? That’s not the problem here!”

  His eyes are on fire, furious as they go up and down my body. Then he licks his lip and grins. “Actually, yeah, sure thing, baby, you stay here.” Then he turns to face the crowd, snatching his drink off Eli who is standing beside Bishop who is also filming this whole thing.

  “Nate…” I warn, my jaw clenching.

  “What the fuck do you want, Tillie? I fucking told you, I don’t want you near me. Stop acting like my fucking girl just because we have a kid!”

  I freeze, my eyes flying to Madison, who looks at me apologetically. I scoff, shaking my head. “You know what, Nate? Sure thing, you’re right. Kill him for all I care.” Then I turn to leave, annoyed that most of Riverside Prep just witnessed Nate and I screaming at each other.

  “Oh no you don’t!” His hand comes to my arm, yanking me back.

  I turn around, seething. “Get your fucking hands off me.”