In Wicked Chains (The Wicked) Page 9

  The man she loved loved her. Elina couldn’t name a better feeling if she tried.

  After kissing her goodbye, Kingston dropped her back at home to get ready for her four-hour stint at the day care center. She worked the afternoon shift, mingling with the kids, and loving every second of it.

  At first, the thought of being close to so many kids who were around the same age as her son, had he lived, brought tears to her eyes. Over the past couple months the pain eased. She could play and laugh and touch without hyperventilating.

  Elina made a left into the day care’s parking lot. She glanced at the rearview, nose wrinkling in a frown. The same blue pickup remained behind her since she’d pulled out of her condo’s underground parking lot. Having paid it no mind before, she put the car in park and leaned out her window trying to get a glimpse of the license plate, or better yet, the driver. She made out the first two numbers before the pickup sped up and away, continuing on down the main road.

  She grabbed her handbag, about to call Kingston, then stopped herself. What would she tell him? What if these people were enemies of her father’s come to seek revenge? She’d never had any knowledge of her father’s dealings and associates, but his enemies didn’t have to know that.

  Okay, that’s it. I’m calling King. She punched in his number and he answered on the first ring.

  “Miss me already?”

  His slow drawl warmed her insides and Elina couldn’t suppress a shiver. “I do miss you, but I… Something’s strange.”

  “What’s strange?”

  She hesitated.

  “El, what’s strange?”

  “I, uh.” She swallowed. “I think I’m being followed.”

  “What? Are you sure?” His voce rose considerably higher.

  Elina sighed. “No, that’s the thing. I’m not sure, not one hundred percent.”

  “Tell me what happened.”

  “I noticed a blue pickup behind me the minute I drove out of my building’s parking lot. I didn’t pay it much mind, but every so often, whenever I look in the rearview, it’s right there. Behind me.”

  “Did you get a glimpse of the driver, or the plates?” Worry sharpened King’s voice.

  She shook her head even though he wasn’t there to see. “No. I tried when I pulled into the day care, but whoever it was drove off immediately. I only got the first two numbers.” She recited it to him, then asked, “Do you think it was one of my father’s enemies?”

  “I don’t know, babe, but I’ll find out.” He took in an audible breath. “Where exactly are you now?’

  “Parked outside the day care center.” She leaned forward, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she checked her reflection in the rearview mirror.

  “Are there people around?” When she answered in the affirmative, he said, “Okay, get out of the car. Go inside and do your thing. Try not to worry about it. I’ll be there to get you when your shift ends.”

  It might be silly of her, but his words calmed her nerves immediately. She unbuckled her seat belt and grabbed her handbag. “Okay, I’ll see you later.” Climbing out the car, she waved at Adrian as he pulled up. She locked her vehicle doors and spoke to King. “I gotta go, Adrian’s here.”

  “What?” Kingston growled. “Who’s Adrian?”

  “My male companion from last night.” She chuckled. “Remember him?”

  “Oh, yeah. You guys work together?”

  “Yep and I gotta go. Bye, I love you.” Dios, I can’t believe I actually get to say that to him.

  “Love you, too. I’ll see you later.”

  He hung up and she stood against her car with a huge-ass smile on her face.

  “Hey there, pretty lady.” Adrian walked up and air kissed both of her cheeks. “You’re alive so I guess that means the scary man from last night didn’t hurt you?” He raised an eyebrow in a way that said tell me more, spill the freaking beans!

  Elina grinned and fell in step beside him. “Oh, nah. He’d never hurt me. In fact…” She winked as they stepped into the building, greeted by the cries of fifteen children ranging from six months to three years old. “After you left he fu-uh, we got physical and he told me he loved me.”

  “Wohoo!” Adrian slapped her a high five. “Congrats, I knew he felt the same with the way he threatened to plug my a-s-s.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that.”

  “Hey, no problem.” He shrugged. “If I helped him realize his feelings, then I’ll gladly take one for the team.”

  Elina grabbed him in a quick hug, then they got swept up in the daily routine of caring for their charges. Changing, feeding, corralling, and reading to fifteen kids took its toll on her exhausted body, but Elina reveled in it. She loved the smell, the sounds, even the mess the kids made as they played and ran around. Having reconciled to the fact she’d never experience those things with her own child, she figured this was the next best.

  An hour before they closed up for the day, with only four kids waiting to be picked up by their parents, a knock sounded on the main door, then a giant walked in. She handed over six-month-old baby Sara to Adrian and hurried to the dark-skinned man hesitating on the threshold.

  “Hello, can I help you?”

  He pinned her with eyes as black as King’s and flashed a crooked grin, exposing brown and rotting teeth. She took a step back.

  “Yes, maybe you can help me.” His predatory stare dropped to appraise her body, then slowly made its way back to her face. “I’m considering moving my grandson to this place, tell me about it.”

  “Um, well.” For some strange reason her fingers trembled and she brought a hand to her throat. “I’m not the owner, I just work here, but we’re open five days a week. Seven AM to seven PM.” Through her words he stared into her eyes, deep, as if searching for something. A foul scent drifted to her nose and she coughed. Was it coming from him? “Um, how old is your grandson, sir?”

  Brushing his bushy salt-and-pepper beard with a dirt-streaked hand, he grinned again.

  She cringed.

  “What’s your name, ma’am?”

  “I’m Elina Vin-ah, Elina Ortiz. And you are?” She’d almost forgotten she used her mother’s maiden name at work.

  He whirled around and yanked the door open. “Maybe I should shop around before making up my mind, hmm?” Again he showed his disgusting smile and then he disappeared.

  Elina stared after him, teeth worrying her bottom lip. Strange man. Strange, yet familiar. The lingering pungency of his odor brought a disgusted scowl to her face. Don’t people bathe anymore?

  “Who was that?” Adrian asked from behind her.

  “Dunno.” She faced him with a frown. “He’s strange and he smells, but he’s not our problem. Let’s get the last of our kids ready.” She went about her business, all thoughts of the familiarly strange man pushed out of her mind.

  At seven-o-five, she and Adrian punched out and locked up the place. They exited the building to find Kingston leaning a hip against his Cadillac Escalade. Clad in dark jeans, an unbuttoned black pea coat over a gray knit sweater and black Timbalands, his braids hung loose around his shoulders. Her fingers itched to tug on them.

  “Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Look at him.” Adrian smacked his lips. “Dangerously yummy.”

  Elina concurred with a chuckle. “Hey, you,” she greeted King as she reached his side. He circled her waist and brought her flush against his chest, mouth covering hers, tongue sliding inside for a way-too-short taste. He released her and she hung on to his shoulders for support.

  “Hey, you,” he repeated her words. “How was your day?”

  “It was fine.” Except for the smelly stranger. She grabbed Adrian’s hand and pulled him forward. “You two haven’t been properly introduced. This is Adrian. And this is Kingston.” She flicked a thumb at King.

  King granted Adrian a brief nod. Adrian’s forehead wrinkled. He crossed his arms and tapped a foot as he stared King down.

  Elina nudged Adrian with an
elbow. “What’s wrong?’

  Her co-worker flashed an incredulous frown. “I’m waiting for my apology from him.” He jerked his chin to indicate King.

  Christ.

  Kingston grinned. “Well, you’ll be waiting for a fucking long time.”

  She pinched his arm. “King, be nice.”

  “Yeah,” Adrian spoke up. “Be nice. You have Elina because of me.”

  Aw, shit. Now he’s done it.

  Kingston moved in a blur, grabbing Adrian by the throat and slamming him up against the Cadillac. “What the fuck did you say? You had your hands all over Elina last night. I’ve killed for fewer offenses. The only reason you’re not riddled with bullet holes is because I love El more than I want to shoot you.”

  “Let him go, King.” Elina tugged on his arm until he released a whimpering Adrian. Throwing Kingston a dirty look, she caught Adrian before he slid to the ground. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry.”

  Adrian coughed and struggled to his feet. “I’m okay.” He waved off her concern and apologies. “S’okay. He’s clearly crazy, but he loves you so I can forgive his temper tantrums.” His eyes glinted with laughter.

  Elina returned his smile and blew him a kiss. “See you tomorrow.”

  Adrian waved and climbed into his car. “Bye, Kingston.”

  King grunted. He remained quiet until Adrian drove off. “Cocky little shit.”

  “He’s my friend, so be nice.”

  “I’ll try.” He hauled her into his arms and buried his face in her neck. “Are you ready to go?’

  “Yes.” She pulled away. “But we have two vehicles.”

  He brushed a thumb over her bottom lip. “I’ll follow you home. We can order in, watch some movies, or something else if you had plans.” He raised an eyebrow.

  She shook her head. “I had nothing planned so yours sounds good. Make the take-out sushi and you’ve got a deal.”

  “Deal.” He kissed her again and opened her car door. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Nine

  They lay on their stomachs in the middle of Elina’s living room, food spread before them, watching the DVD Kingston picked, The Italian Job. She made a few grumbles, but secretly Elina loved that movie. It may or may not have something to do with Jason Statham and Markie Mark.

  She munched on a lobster roll, glancing at Kingston from the corner of her eye. He didn’t move. His eyes were glued to the screen while chewing.

  She sipped her sake, then asked, “Any news yet on who was following me today?”

  He met her gaze. “No, but Maysin’s working on it.” He sat up and grabbed both her hands in his. “I want you to promise me something, El.”

  She frowned at the compete seriousness of his eyes and words. “Okay.”

  “Be careful of your surroundings. I won’t always be on hand and I need to know you’re okay. Always let someone know where you’re going if you’ll be by yourself. Sasha, me, even Adrian.”

  “Why are you asking this, what’s going on?” She pulled her hands away with a small whimper. “It’s my father’s enemies, isn’t it? They want revenge by killing me.” Elina clapped a hand over her mouth to smother her cries.

  “Don’t panic.” Kingston pulled her onto his lap. “I don’t know who’s following you, if someone’s really been following, but you still have to be cautious. Your face was all over the media when your father died.” He held her close. “Your father pissed off a lot of people. Retribution can be coming from any direction and we have to be on the lookout.”

  Elina inhaled his scent. “Do you think it could be the person who killed him? He’s still out there.” She trembled at the thought of someone in the shadows, watching her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

  “I don’t know, baby. Maysin still has no clue who killed your father, but he’s not giving up.”

  “We need to find him.” She leaned back and met his shadowed eyes. “We have to find the killer. I don’t care about justice for my bastard father, but this person is like a dark, low-hanging cloud over all of us. We need to put a name and face to the deed.”

  King kissed her eyes. “I know, but so far it’s been one dead end after the other.”

  “We can discuss it more tomorrow at game night.” She unfolded her legs and wrapped them around his waist. Fingers digging into his scalp, she purred, “Care to join me in a hot shower?”

  “Hell, yeah.” He rose off the floor with her wrapped around him, using nothing to steady himself. Elina squealed and held on tight, but he didn’t even falter.

  “Nice.”

  He chuckled. She slid down his body, hands grabbing at his belt buckle. He watched her with hooded eyes as she unbuckled his belt and tugged on his jeans. Kingston offered no help, just stood with his hands behind his back as she pulled his jeans down and dropped to her knees.

  Elina removed his boots and socks, then the jeans, eyes tracking the dark and heavy cock swinging free. She found no underwear in sight. Eyes on King’s face, she moved forward, nuzzling his balls, inhaling his musk before opening her mouth and taking him deep.

  “Fuck!” He grabbed her hair, hard, propelling her head back and forth.

  Elina sank her fingers into his thighs, moaning around him. She used her tongue, swiping over the slit, dipping in, before tracing the ridged underside.

  “God. Shit, El.” His hips sped up, cock swelled and jerked.

  “Mmm. Hmm.” She hummed as the tip of him nudged deeper down her throat. He groaned.

  “God, El. You’re bringing me down.”

  Elina dipped a hand between her legs, flicking her clit. A moan strangled in her throat. Kingston bucked. She fucked two fingers into her soaked pussy, thrusting to the rhythm of her sucking, body shuddering. Heat rippled over skin, burning her so good. Tightening her lips around Kingston’s cock, she sucked harder.

  “Ugh, shit. Shit.” His fingers tangled in her hair as he cupped her nape. “I’m coming, El,” he rasped above her head. “Swallow me down.”

  She did. His bitter-saltiness flooded her mouth and she swallowed, gulping him down with a moan. The fingers between her legs turned to four and she rode them with fluttering lashes, disembodied noises flowing from her throat.

  Kingston yanked her head up. “Hand and knees. Now.”

  Head spinning, she did as ordered, dropping on all fours, ass in the air, pussy clenching. King did the same behind her and she felt his breath on her ass before his mouth covered her pussy and his tongue stabbed deep.

  “Fuck!” She melted under the onslaught of the fiery orgasm, crying out as her body shook. “King.”

  He circled her waist from behind, holding her steady as he feasted, eating her like a fucking Sunday dinner. Elina clawed at the carpet, the stings on her knees going unregistered. All that mattered was the man licking her senseless. He parted her labia gently and went back to sucking like she hadn’t just exploded all over his mouth and chin.

  “King. King.” Elina rolled her hips and chanted his name until he finally smacked her ass.

  “Shower time.”

  The next day at work, Elina couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. All during the ride to work, she kept an eye on her rearview, but no blue pickup was in sight. Nothing stood out, but still uneasiness encased her spine in ice. She went through her day, constantly glancing over her shoulder. Game night over at Sasha and Niko’s was cancelled, as Sasha had to attend Harper Royce’s engagement party.

  Elina frowned. Something about Harper Royce got to her, but she couldn’t put her finger on what or why, maybe jealousy that Harper and Sasha were friends in a way Elina and Sasha weren’t. Hell, she’d never even met the woman. All she knew about Harper she read in the papers. Sasha rarely spoke of her, only to say Harper and Elina had more in common than either realized.

  Whatever the fuck that meant.

  The slow day finally wound down and she and Adrian locked up the day care.

  “Are you going straight home?” Adrian stood beside hi
s car, jiggling his keys.

  She shook her head. “‘No, I’m cooking for King tonight. I have to stop at the supermarket for some stuff.” Sweet and Sour stir-fry was on the menu. Mostly because it was the only thing she felt safe making. Cooking remained far outside her comfort zone.

  “Want some company?” Adrian tried giving her that wide eyed, innocent look but she saw right through him.

  “No, I don’t need company.” She crossed her eyes. “I’ll be in public, not that I think anything’s going to happen.”

  “Uh-huh. I saw the way you kept looking over your shoulder today.” He frowned. “You’re on edge, babe.”

  Elina climbed into her car. “It’s nothing a good orgasm won’t cure. King will take care of that, but I gotta feed him first. You know, build up his strength.” Winking at him, she drove off.

  Nothing lurked in the shadows but her own unfounded fears. It’d been months since her father’s death. His killer, and enemies, had ample time to find and hurt her. She didn’t hide who she was, but she didn’t announce it either. Everyone knew Johan Vicente’s daughter. She looked like him, the eyes, the nose. Most thought she’d been doted on, loved, sheltered since her mother died when Elina was three. Very few actually knew the hell she went through under the monster that fathered her.

  She drove to the supermarket three blocks from her condo. The uneasy feeling dissipated and she shook her head at herself. Nothing to fear, but my own damn thoughts. Cruising up and down the aisles, her thoughts drifted to last night, to Kingston and the love they made.

  Heat fanned across her face and neck. That man made her body purr like no one’s business. Hmm. She held up a cantaloupe to her nose and sniffed. Fruit for a salad? She added the cantaloupe to the basket already filled with strawberries, grapes, and watermelon. She moved on to the veggies for the stir-fry.

  Elina had everything she needed except the sweet and sour sauce, but as she started down the condiments aisle, the unease from earlier reared up. She braked and swung around, gaze darting this way and that. No one watched her, at least no one she saw, but Elina couldn’t shake the feeling of dread.