13
Later that night, King stood over the dead body of Kitty’s enemy.
“Feel better?”Beast asked as he gestured to one of his men to clean up King’s mess.
King didn’t answer.He didn’t need to.
Killing Maloney had been satisfying for all of a heartbeat.But it didn’t give him peace.
Not that he felt guilt either.He’d known too many men like Maloney to feel remorse for ending his life.The man was a bully, plain and simple.He beat women, he abandoned children, and he preyed on those weaker than him thinking that would give him power.
It didn’t.
The king of the weak and downtrodden was no king at all.Just a coward playing at being a leader.King wiped the blood from his hands on his handkerchief as he and Beast headed back toward his home.
“Where is she?”King asked.
For a long moment Beast didn’t reply, and King could all but feel him measure his words.“If she’s not gone yet, she will be soon.”
It sounded like a warning…or maybe King just heard it as such.Either way he turned to his old friend and best guard with a growl.“Where?”he snapped.
Beast exhaled loudly.“Last I heard, she was in your study.”
King nearly stumbled at that.“In my…” His chest did something strange.It tried to snap closed and fly open all at once.
Was she waiting for him?
He took in a sharp breath.Did it matter?
The girl had been trying to get something from him.Which he ought to have seen coming.Everyone was out for themselves.And he ought to be proud of her for it.
She wouldn’t survive long in this world if she didn’t have at least some understanding of her own beauty and how it could be used to get what she wanted.
So good.Good for her.He’d say his farewells and send her on her way.
They’d reached his home when Beast spoke again, a novel act in that it was unprompted by a question.“She’ll be leaving soon enough, King.”
King stopped walking to stare at his friend.He didn’t bother pretending he didn’t know who they were talking about.“Yes.So you mentioned.”
He went to reach for his study door, but Beast stopped him.“She’ll be gone.And she’s not taking your money.”
King stared for a long moment, steeling his features lest they give away some of what he was feeling.
He trusted Beast, but he wasn’t sure himself what this was he was feeling.He certainly didn’t need to share it with the world.
Beast waited in grim silence while King tried to make sense of it.“How do you know?”
Beast’s answer was a small shrug and a lift of his lips.
Answer enough.Lillian.She’d either heard it from the servants who adored her or from Kitty herself.
He stared at the door.Was it true?He frowned.But…but why?She needed money.Desperately.Even with Maloney out of the way, she and her family were on the verge of starvation.
“Why?”he asked.
Beast was irritatingly silent.His answer was clear enough.It wasn’t his place to say, and he didn’t want to hazard a guess.
If he wanted the answer, King would have to ask her.He straightened, glaring at the door before him at his own hesitation.He’d never in his life been scared, and never of a woman.He had no idea what this trepidation was about now.