The Fearless King (The Kings #2)(21)

Not about you.

Since she showed no signs of wanting to move, he slid back to brace against the cabinets opposite her, ready to jump forward if it looked like she’d tip. “You want to talk about it?”

“No.” Journey pressed her lips together, eyes still closed. “Could you…” A shuddering breath. “Could you, like, just talk to me about nothing important? I just need a minute.”

A minute to remember she was safe and that the danger had passed—at least for now. Frank stretched his legs out, careful not to touch her. Questions would only put her on the spot, and talking about any plans moving forward would add more tension, so he shifted to a relatively safe topic. “I’ve been friends with Beck since we were kids. I realize you’re predisposed not to like him, but he’s one of the best men I know. A little too willing to throw himself on his sword for the people he cares about, but no one is perfect. He’s been acting a damn fool since he and Samara got together. It irritates the fuck out of him that she won’t sell her condo and move into his, but I think he secretly enjoys the push and pull when they bicker about it.” He paused, relieved to see some color working its way back into her face. “The asshole took me ring shopping with him last week.”

That got a response.

Her eyes flew open. “He did not. It’s only been a couple months since they got together. How the hell is he already thinking about proposing?”

He shrugged, enjoying her disbelief. She’d forgotten about whatever just went down with her old man, at least for a few seconds. “I asked him the same thing. He told me that when you know, you just know. Which is some bullshit, but they’re happy, so who am I to judge?”

“A good friend, that’s who.” She pushed her hair back and crossed her legs, life bleeding back into her body. “If he proposes, she’s going to say yes, and then we’re going to have to talk them into a long engagement.”

“I’ll do my part.” He studied her. She wasn’t okay—not by a long shot—but she wasn’t in danger of passing out on him anymore. Which wasn’t to say she wasn’t in danger anymore. He’d already fired the asshole at the security desk and replaced the man with someone Frank trusted, at least for the time being, but that didn’t do anything to combat the fear he’d felt when he realized Elliott had infiltrated the building. If he felt that, he couldn’t begin to imagine how Journey felt. “Do you want me to stay?”

Presumptuous? Fuck yeah. But he didn’t want her to be alone, and she’d already proven that she wasn’t willing to turn to her family for fear of dragging them down with her.

“No.” She gave him a shaking smile. “I know this sounds dramatic, but I can’t stay here. He…contaminated it.” She pulled her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. “It feels a little like running, but since Anderson banished me from the office this weekend, I might just get out of town for the night. Somewhere…”

Out of his reach.

That was the problem, though. Distance wasn’t enough to put her fear to bed, and she’d spend yet another sleepless night listening for a footstep outside her door, sure that her father had tracked her down. Frank held out his hand, letting instinct drive him. “I have another option.”

She blinked. “What option?”

Half a dozen possibilities arose, but none of them came out of his mouth when he spoke. “Come home with me.”





Chapter Six



Journey should have said no. She should have dredged up a smile and a confident tone and told Frank that she was just fine and could manage on her own.

She didn’t say no.

Even if she left town, putting distance between herself and her father had never solved her problems. She’d spend the next thirty-six hours switching between berating herself for not being strong enough and staring at her hotel door, analyzing every sound in the hallway to determine if it was a threat.

It made her tired just thinking about it.

Going home with Frank wouldn’t solve anything, and even though there was nothing safe about him, she knew that he’d never let Elliott through the door.

She sat there, trying to avoid being sick from the adrenaline letdown and fear turning her stomach toxic, and watched him move around her apartment. “What are you doing?”

“Put your head between your knees and take nice slow breaths.”

She obeyed instinctively, and damn it, it helped. Journey closed her eyes and inhaled deeply through her nose as she listened to Frank walk into her bedroom. Oh well, let him snoop. Several minutes later, he was back and urging her to her feet. “Time to go, Duchess.” He gripped her elbow as if he wasn’t sure she could make it on her own, and they headed down to the street.

“Just a minute.” She fumbled for her phone and sent a quick text to Bellamy, asking him to keep a close eye on Eliza. Her father’s threat might have been blustering, but she couldn’t bank on it. She slipped her phone into her purse. “Okay, I’m ready.”

Frank had parked his car a block down. The gray Audi R8 coupe was expensive and understated and probably had all sorts of extras under the hood. Kind of like the man himself.

He opened the door for her. “This is the right call.”

“Whatever you say.” Her voice came out dull and lifeless, but she didn’t know how to fix that.