King's Reign (Sydney Storm MC #6)(52)

I could be a good sister sometimes.



Jamie stayed for dinner. He also convinced Mum and Zara to play a game of Scrabble with him and Brynn. King and Holly ended up in front of the television watching some sport while she grilled him some more about bikes. Robbie helped me with the dishes while my heart did a little dance over all the happiness in my house.

“Dad said he’d take me to karate on Saturday if you’re busy,” Robbie said as he wiped the last plate clean.

“Do you want him to take you, baby? I’m good either way.” I held my breath a little. This was the first conversation he’d initiated all week, and I hoped he’d spend some time opening up to me.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just thought you might be busy with King.”

I stopped wiping the counter so I could give him my full attention. “Does it feel like I’m busy with King all the time lately?”

He met my gaze, and I saw the hesitation in his eyes. “Maybe.”

“I’m sorry if it feels that way, but I want you to know that I am never too busy for you. I have Saturday blocked off for karate and ice cream. I really want to take you, but it’s up to you, and I promise I won’t get upset if you want Dad to take you.”

“If you take me, will King go, too?”

“I haven’t asked him to go. I figured it would just be you and me.”

“Okay. I want you to take me, unless we spend the weekend at Dad’s.”

Shit.

Now I was confused about his feelings over King.

“Robbie, do you like King?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“No, really, you can be honest with me. If he’s done something to upset you, I want to know so we can fix it.”

“I like him.”

“But you don’t want him to go to karate with us?”

He glanced down for a moment before giving me back his eyes. “I think Dad would be upset if he went there with us. But he can hang out here with us. I asked him about hiring Thor to watch again, and he said if it was okay with you, he’d hire it again for us.”

Well fuck. My kid just broke my heart with his thoughtfulness and King patched it back up with his.

I nodded. “Okay, I understand what you’re saying, and I think you’re so thoughtful to consider your father’s feelings. And I am 100 percent on board with you guys watching Thor again.”

He grinned. “You’re gonna have a bath again while we watch it, aren’t you?”

I laughed. “You know me too well.”

“Mum!” Zara yelled out. “We need you!”

Robbie and I exchanged looks. “When does Zara ever need me?” I whispered.

He gave me a look that said he wondered the same thing, and then we headed out of the kitchen to look for her.

We found her in the lounge room with everyone. King sat on the end of the couch with Holly next to him and Mum next to her. His arm lay extended across the top of the lounge, and his long legs were stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him so relaxed. Brynn and Jamie sat on the other couch, while Zara knelt in front of the coffee table. A cake sat on the coffee table. And not just any cake. It was my very favourite six-layer chocolate cake with toasted marshmallow filling and chocolate frosting.

I looked at Mum to find her watching me with love, and it almost made me burst into tears. I held my shit together, though, and asked, “You organised this? And why? It’s not my birthday.”

She smiled, but it was Brynn who answered. “I asked her to organise it as a thank you for everything you’ve done for me. It means the world to have you for a sister.”

“Oh God, now I really am gonna cry,” I muttered.

“I organised it,” Mum piped up, “and King picked it up for me while he was out getting dinner.”

My gaze went straight to him, and I found him watching me with that intense look of his I loved. While we shared a moment, the kids scrambled up off the couch and the floor, and Mum cut the cake. When the space next to King became free, I curled up next to him, wrapped an arm around him, and said, “Thank you.”

He looked down at me, still with the intensity that told me he was going to fuck me just the way I liked it tonight. “I didn’t do anything. This was all your mum and sister.”

I smiled. “I know, but I’m still thankful you picked it up.” I dropped my voice. “Maybe I’ll save some of it for you to lick off me later.”

His hand moved to my neck, and he swept my hair out of the way so he could run his fingers along my collarbone. “That dirty mouth of yours will get you in trouble one day,” he murmured softly enough so that only I heard.

I snuggled in closer to him. “I hope so.”

He threaded his finger under my necklace that I’d finally located. “You found your grandmother’s necklace.”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” With that one word, he’d given me a taste of his soft again, and butterflies filled my tummy. I would never have enough of his kind of soft.

“Do you want me to cut you some cake, Lily?” Mum asked.

I nodded and sat up straight, still pressed against King’s side, with one leg folded so it rested on his thigh. “Yes, please.”