King of Sloth (Kings of Sin, #4)

by Ana Huang

“Perhaps, but not tonight.” His silky murmur ghosted down my spine. “I don’t pass first base on the first date. What kind of man do you think I am?” “You’re telling me you’ve never done more than kiss someone on the first date.” It wasn’t a question, but the voice that delivered it was so breathless, I didn’t recognize it as mine. “I have, but that was years ago, we weren’t dating, and I wasn’t trying to woo them.”

“I’m honest when the situation calls for it, and you’d die of boredom if someone simply agreed with everything you said and did.”

His pinky, still hooked around mine, curled just a bit tighter. I wished I minded.

“You think you know me so well,” I whispered, even though he was right. “Only parts of you.” The gentle brush of his thumb against my hand unlocked a colony of butt...

It was only when the witch movie ended and the Christmas one began that I realized I’d watched a rom-com without writing a review for the first time in five years.

I’d devised the club as a way to fulfill my inheritance clause while sticking it to my father, but now that I had time to sit with it, I wanted to make it work. Not for money, family, or the world, but for myself. I wanted to prove I could do this.

Sloane and I had kissed once, and she’d already ruined me for other women.

Sloane’s mouth twitched. “Your sense of meal times needs recalibration. It’s only four.” “By the time we fight through rush hour traffic, it’ll be five, which is happy hour time. You know what comes after happy hour?” “A shower.” “Dinner.” My mouth curled into a grin. “Though I’m not opposed to sharing a shower.” I pitched my voice low enough for just her to hear.

“What happened to slow and steady wooing?” “Get your mind out of the gutter, Luna. All I proposed was sharing a shower. It’ll be perfectly PG-13 except for the two very attractive naked people in it.”

Sloane’s burst of laughter attracted several disapproving stares before she covered her mouth. My grin widened.

“I’ll be right back.” Xavier got out of the car fully. “If traffic somehow disappears in the next five minutes, my baby is in your hands.” He patted the top of his Porsche.

The incoming rush of oxygen made me dizzy. Note to self: never get in a car with Xavier behind the wheel again.

He drove with one hand; the other closed around over mine, interlacing our fingers. I stiffened with surprise. “Don’t worry, Luna. We’ll make it.”

I missed sex because I hadn’t had it in a month, but I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed this. Non-sexual touches. Easy intimacy. Connection, in one form or another. Maybe it was because I hadn’t had this in years, if I’d ever really had it at all.

“Rhea left her niece’s baby shower early to see me.” “Because she cares about you. We all do,” I said gently.

George and Caroline would know I’d been secretly seeing Pen. The only way I could’ve gotten here so quickly was if Rhea had contacted me, and the only reason I’d come so quickly was because I loved Pen.

A four-carat heirloom diamond dazzled from her ring finger. It was the same ring Bentley had proposed to me with.

“Penelope is a Kensington,” Caroline said coldly. “You are no longer a Kensington in anything but name, which means she’s not your family. You have no right to be here.” “That’s rich coming from someone who pretends she doesn’t exist half the time.” I returned her glare with a chilly smile. “Don’t stay too long, Caroline, or people might mistake you for an actual mother.” “You little⁠—” “Caroline.” My father placed a hand on her arm, reining her in. “Don’t.”

Next to her, Bentley remained silent. He hadn’t said a word since he saw me, which was for the best. If he opened his mouth, I’d punch him in it. Twice.

Speaking of which, are you still single?” She glanced at my bare ring finger, her patronizing tone grating against my already-raw nerves. “I can’t imagine why.” Forget punching Bentley. I was inches away from punching my sister in her perfect, heart-shaped face. “Neither can I.” The velvety interjection draped over me like a protective blanket. “That’s why I asked her out before those other idiots beat me to it.” Warmth brushed my side. A second later, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, drawing me closer and grounding the storm brewing inside me. Only one person had the ability to do that. “Xavier Castillo.”

“You’re dating Sloane?” Her question swam with disbelief. “Yep,” he drawled. “I chased her for months, but she finally agreed to go out with me.” He dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “Sorry that took so long, babe. Parking was a nightmare,

family. How’s Pen?” “A bit banged up, but she’ll be okay.”

“Thank you for coming here with me.” That was a hundred percent honest. “Anytime, Luna. I’ll always be here for you.”

“Who I date or how I run my business is none of your concern,” I said coolly. “I’d tell you to mind yours, but you don’t have a business of your own, do you?” A small tilt of my head. “It’s sad that your family can’t buy you deals the way they bought your admission into Princeton.”

“Thank you.” I turned my head to face him. “You didn’t have to do that.” “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” He lounged in his seat, the position reassuringly familiar against the impersonal hospital walls. “I merely told the truth like I always do.”

I may have also told them I was your fiancé.”

“Unsafe?” He shifted, his knee grazing mine. “Don’t tell me you’re starting to care, Luna.” “Starting, no.” I’d passed starting weeks ago; I just hadn’t known it at the time.

Surprise flashed through his eyes, followed by a slow, molten warmth. “Then we’re on the same page,” he said softly. Some of my anxiety abated. “I guess we are.”

“What’d you think of my sister and her husband? Charming, aren’t they?” “That’s not the first c word that came to mind.”

“I’m so fucking sorry, Luna.”

“He said I was too frigid. That I’d always been an ice queen and that I got worse after I started my PR company. He said I couldn’t blame him for hooking up with Georgia when she was so passionate and I couldn’t

even show proper emotion. Needless to say, we broke up that night. He and Georgia started dating officially a week later.”

He blamed me using the same reasons they did, and when I refused to let it go, he gave me an ultimatum. Get over it or get out. So I got out.”

“Sloane. Listen to me.” Xavier grasped my shoulders and turned me so I faced him. His eyes glittered like dark coals of anger. “You are not fucking frigid. You’re one of the most driven, passionate people I know, even if you may show it differently than others, and you built one of the best PR firms in the world in five years. You think someone without passion can do that? And even if you were quote unquote ‘cold’ to your asshole ex, he deserved it. If he doesn’t appreciate you for who you are, then he damn well doesn’t deserve your time or energy.”

Xavier Castillo. Only you.

“You should be a motivational coach.” I managed a wobbly smile. “You would kill on the speaker circuit.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” For once, he didn’t match my smile. “Tell me you understand, Luna. None of what happened was your fault. Fuck Bentley, fuck Georgia, and fuck your family.” He paused. “Except Pen.”

“I unders...

“It’s a little different than the type of club you’re thinking of.” Xavier searched my face. He must’ve found whatever he was looking for because a smile slowly replaced his frown. “But if you want to go, we’ll go. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“You took me to a salsa club. I’ll never forgive you.” Amusement kicked the corners of my mouth up. “Why? Because you’re enjoying yourself too much?” “Because I don’t know how to salsa.” “You’re doing just fine, Luna.” I pulled her back in, one hand molding to the curve of her lower back while the other guided us through the music.

I didn’t want her. I needed her. Desperately. I needed her the way the ocean tides needed the moon, and I would give anything for her to feel a fraction of the same way toward me.

“It’s just us, Luna.”

There was only her, and this, and us. “I could be convinced.” My husky drawl betrayed the desire coiling in my body.

Sloane smiled as if she knew exactly what was going through my mind. She stood on tiptoes and, after a brief, agonizing moment, brushed her mouth against mine. That was it. A single brush, and the leash on my restraint snapped.

In a world of black and white, she was my kaleidoscope. “Xavier.” Sloane’s breathless pant slipped through my haze. “We should leave. Go somewhere more private.”

So fucking beautiful, and so fucking mine. I leaned down and captured her mouth in another lingering kiss. “I know just the place.”

but the most beautiful thing about her wasn’t her face or naked body. It was the trust behind it.

Every time I thought she couldn’t get more perfect, she proved me wrong.

A rumble of laughter rose in my chest. That’s my girl. Sloane wouldn’t be Sloane without her sharp tongue,

I’d spent my whole life chasing the next high. When you had everything, everything got boring fast. I wanted bigger, better, faster. I wanted something that would last, and when Sloane rolled to the side and curled up against me, I knew I’d found it. This was my greatest high. Her, sated and happy, in my arms. Nothing in the world could ever beat this moment.

Her laugh unlocked a rush of dopamine, like a song I’d heard once and loved but never