King (Alliance, #2)

by S.J. Tilly

Because the only thing more painful than the company of a disappointing man is chafing.

“You’re even dumber than I thought. And that’s saying a lot. I know you’re not sleeping around on my sister and blaming her for it.” He pauses. “With me standing right here.”

We love a protective big brother.

King. What a perfect name for that man. It fits his royal bearing faultlessly.

“Knock that off.” He gives me a little shake. “I like ’em heavy.”

“Look,” he grits out, shifting his weight and pressing his temple against my ear. “You can keep struggling, then I can duct tape your hands and feet and mouth, shove you into the back of my Suburban, and shoot anyone who comes across us during the process. Or you can be a good little girl and sit in the front seat, and no one has to die.” He pauses. “Well, no one else.”

Don't threaten me with a good time😆

I do feel bad about kidnapping her, but if she hadn’t shown up on that fucker’s doorstep, she wouldn’t be in my car now. So, really, it’s mostly her fault.

She shouldn’t be this cute, especially with terror in her eyes and tears on her cheeks, but she is. And I learned long ago not to fight my emotional reactions. Life is way more fun when you just let yourself feel and don’t bother with psychoanalyzing every moment to death.

Using my forearm to pin hers down, I keep her hands gripped together in my lap. I’m sure it’s uncomfortable for her, but if she makes me wreck my favorite vehicle, I’m gonna be pissed.

damn thats some grip

“Are you really making fucking popcorn right now?” Nero doesn’t answer, but he doesn’t have to since the increased popping replies for him.

My little captive sat still in her seat, finally acting how she should, until a few moments ago. Now she’s sitting forward, watching raptly as I take the final few turns to my property.

Why is the phrase my little captive so hot?

“I have twenty men guarding the perimeter.” There are four men. “If you try to run for the gate or the fence, they will shoot you.” They won’t. “So on the off chance you find yourself at an unlocked door, don’t bother going through it.” They’ll all be locked.

Dark eyes flick between Savannah and me, and I know he’s thinking what the fuck, man? You just told me to intimidate her in place, and now you’re telling me to chill? Pick a lane. To which I nonverbally reply with we need her to be scared of you because I’m keeping her against her will. He blinks. Like a pet? I blink. Well, now that you mention it…

“I’ll let you stay in here by yourself tonight, but starting tomorrow, you will be sleeping at my side.” Savannah slowly crosses her arms, putting a barrier between us. “Why? What’s happening tomorrow?” I grin. “We’re getting married.” Her mouth drops open. But before she can respond, I slam and lock the door.

And once she’s my wife, no one can ever force her to testify against me in the disappearance of Leland Reed. And no one can ever come after her for being a witness. Because no one touches what belongs to me. No one would fucking dare.

Swoon😆

The style is almost graffiti in nature. But it’s not done with a spray can. So the ones that showcase drips… It’s all deliberate. Purposeful. Brilliant. And the colors…

The aww he has for her work is 😍

“What?” the groggy voice croaks through my phone. “I need you here tomorrow.” Nero groans. “And you couldn’t fucking tell me tomorrow?” My eyes move to the time. “Oops.” “Oops my ass, you fuck.”

🤣

“Yeah, fine. But if you try to sell me some oils to center my aura, I’m gonna shoot you.”

Nero is so cranky😆

We aren’t good men. We don’t do good things. But unlike our predecessors, our word can be trusted, and we don’t cross the lines that we set for ourselves. Granted, those lines are few and far between, but we live by them. And other people die by them.

This fucking female is going to be the end of me.

His hair is still mussed, only serving to make him look more attractive. Like the devil swathed in a mirage of civility.

Marrying King to this hellcat will be my fucking pleasure.

“I won’t force myself inside you, Savannah Baby. But I am dying to come all over those pretty tits, so don’t fucking tempt me.”

“Do you, King Bartholomew Vass, agree to take Savannah Jane Oates as your reluctant wife? In sickness and in health. In rich and richer times. Do you promise to be a faithful captor for as long as you both shall live?” “I do.” King’s words surround me. “And do you, Savannah Jane Oates, take King Bartholomew Vass to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to be cooperative and faithful? To be the best wife you can be? To not slit King’s throat while he sleeps?” I open my eyes and glare at the man smirking from across the room. When I don’t answer, King tightens his whole-body hold on me. “Fine.” “Savannah,” King chastises me quietly. I grit my teeth, then give in. They’re just words. “I do.”

“Don’t be a dick,” King says to Nero as he straightens his clothes. “That’s Preacher Dick.” Nero grins.

“When the certificate is ready for you to sign, I’ll have someone bring it out to you,” King tells him, sounding calm. “But if you ever look at my wife like that again, I’ll remove your eyeballs from your skull.” He pauses. “Understand?”

My wife....🫠

So instead of voicing my promises, I turn away from our bed and walk out of the room, leaving the door ajar behind me.

First move to try and gain her trust.

Instead, I said I do while being physically restrained on a couch, wearing oversized men’s black loungewear. No bra. No makeup. Hair a wild mess. Agreeing to twisted vows that were recited to us by the devil. Not slit his throat while he sleeps, indeed.

Though it’s hard to be mad about the bra. If I can’t admire her nipples poking through her shirt, at least I can appreciate the function of the push-up bra. Because those tits look like fucking heaven right now. And if she’d let me lay my head on that cleavage, I bet I’d sleep like a damn baby.

I love how obsessed he is with her body.

I follow her, keeping my eyes above her waist—because that plump ass is not helping my half-chub situation. You’re forty-five years old. Get a grip.

Holy age gap batman 🤣

The way she eats is fucking adorable. I’m so used to being at fancy dinners and shit like that, where the women, big or small, always seem to pick at their meals. As though females aren’t allowed to eat. But watching Savannah destroy that steak has my cock perking up. Again.

everything she does turns him on, it's hilarious

She scoffs. “Yeah, what a surprise that the man who laughed when I screamed for help said something you didn’t like.”

I want to tell her that she can trust Nero. That he would never hurt her. That we might be bad men, but we aren’t bad like that. But—and here’s the complicated part—I need her to keep believing that I’m willing to kill all her family and friends if she crosses me. Not exactly the foundation for a trusting marriage.

at least he acknowledges it

“Yeah, Honey. More or less.” “Stop calling me that.” I smile at her defiance. “No.”

“Bad things, Savannah. We aren’t good men.” “But like what? Some of us aren’t familiar with mafia shit. Does that mean you sell cocaine and tommy guns?” My brow lifts. “You watch too many movies.”

“My time in the background served its purpose, but it had run its course. Making my ties to The Alliance public has brought some new dangers, but it also tells people who I really am.” “And who are you?” Savannah’s voice is quiet. “I’m a dangerous man to fuck with.”

After inspecting every inch in silence, I’m almost surprised to hear her ask, “When?” “Last night.” Her eyes move around the room. “How?” The side of my mouth pulls up. “Disgustingly rich, remember?” “Why?” Her voice catches, and I’m already striding across the room, capturing her face in my hands. “Because I can. And because the world needs your art.”

Swoon

“No more crying.” I wipe away the next tear. “I know it’s hard to see right now, but you can be happy here.”

he is already so in love with her and it's precious!

And for the second time today, I don’t stare at his ass as he walks out of the room.

Liar liar Savannah

“Sorry.” King doesn’t sound sorry at all. “I assumed the dinner invite included my wife.” “Wife?” Aspen screeches, then slams her lips shut, looking over her shoulder. Oh, sweet baby Jesus. He didn’t tell her we got married. “Did I forget to mention that?” I want to hit him. I want to hit him so hard.

“I’m going to fucking kill you.” I glance up to see him smirk. “How? I’m the one you call when you want that particular task done.” Her lips thin before she snaps, “I’ll get Nero to do it.” King laughs. “Good luck with that.”

“I know this doesn’t seem ideal, but you two need to learn how to get along.” When I open my mouth to retort, he tugs the tiniest amount on my hair. It doesn’t hurt, not at all. But it does work to shut me up. “Think about it, Honey. Without appearances to keep her in check, Aspen would throw a righteous fit at seeing you. And you?” He smirks. “Well, you’d eventually get fed up and probably throw a statue at her.” “I would not,” I grumble. He leans in closer. “I don’t believe you.”

he should know🤣

So I’m going with my first guess. She’s with the dog. My traitor, turncoat dog.

Duke may be one of my favorite animals next to Fred.

She takes a slow breath, her head tilting to the side. “Why do you call me that?” Because I’ve always wanted to call someone Baby. Because your pretty eyes call to something inside me. Because you fucking belong to me, and I’ll call you whatever the hell I want. “Because I want to.”

The way he already claims get and loves her

Then, slowly, so motherfucking slowly, she slides her hand down to the base. When she reaches the root, her fingers loosen, and she settles her hand on top of my balls. And then her breathing evens out. And she stops moving. Because she just passed out. Cradling my nut sack. This is my penance for every bad thing I’ve ever done. “Fuck me.”

serves you right King!😆

So, basically, I’m fucked. Because I’m starting to like my husband.

this quote basically sums up the book

“How’d you get Payton to sleep with you?” I ask, not caring how stupid it sounds. He goes back to drumming his fucking fingers on my dashboard, probably leaving his grubby fingerprints behind. “Well, for starters, I didn’t kidnap her.” “I’m being serious.” “So am I,” he replies, and I swear I hear the unsaid dumbass at the end of his sentence.

“You could try being nice to her.” “I am nice to her.” “Brother.” Him calling me brother means I already know I won’t like what he’s about to say. “You had her bodily pinned to a couch while you made me marry her to you against her will. I don’t think that’s exactly nice.” “I didn’t make you do shit.” It’s really the only retort I have to that. Because getting lectured about being nice from Satan himself is about as low as a man can get.

“Feel better?” Nero asks with a smirk. “A little.” “Good. Now let’s get out of here so you can go home and try to get your dick wet.”

I’ve never really considered the lines of my morals before. Never really thought of how I’d feel if someone I knew broke the law. But it only took a few hours with a kidnapping crime lord to realize that I don’t have many morals to worry about, because him being into bad things didn’t faze me.

The man, Dom, smirks. “You got any other husbands?” I shake my head. “That’s probably a good thing.”