King of Sloth (Kings of Sin, #4)

by Ana Huang

“Maybe that was why I stayed so long,” Xavier said. “It made me feel closer to her.”

She said she couldn’t wait for me to discover my favorite places in the world and that, if I were ever at a loss as to where to go, I should choose a place by the beach. I went to Thailand long before I knew the letter existed, but coincidentally, the beach was one of the reasons I chose to go there. It was far away from my father, surrounded by water, and it reminded me of my mother.”

“You’re not a bad person, Xavier,” I said, my voice gentle.

“I wish she could’ve met you,” he said, so quiet that I felt more than I heard his words. “She would’ve loved you.”

The greatest gift we have is time. Use it wisely.

I didn’t think; I just reached out and closed my hand around his, wishing I could do something, anything, except listen helplessly.

when she died, a part of him died with her.”

He tried to pull his hand away, but I stopped him with a firmer grip.

“This is a beautiful dinner. Coconut puffs are the way to my heart,”

“But before I say what I’m about to say, I want you to know two things. One, I’m terrible at comforting people. I have no talent or desire to do so, and tears make me uncomfortable. Two, I hate platitudes. They’re fake and stupid. So I want you to listen carefully when I say this: It wasn’t your fault. You were a kid, and it was an accident.” I squeezed his hand, wishing I could imprint my sincerity into his skin because I meant every word. “It wasn’t your fault.”

I looked at him, and I’d never seen anyone more beautiful.

“Come on, Luna. Don’t make me do this alone.”

Our lives weren’t perfect, but here, together, we were at peace.

Sloane Kensington didn’t comfort people, but she’d comforted me. If I’d ever thought I could walk away from her before, last night confirmed I couldn’t.

But here’s the thing: I’m no longer doing it for my inheritance.” Vuk’s eyebrows notched up. “I’m no longer doing it just for my inheritance,” I amended. “My entire life, I relied on what other people gave me. I lived off something I didn’t build, and I told myself I was okay with it because I didn’t have the courage to stray from that path. But this club? Everything I’ve achieved so far? That’s mine, and I’m fucking proud of it.”

If I don’t secure the vault, I’ll find another location. It’s not ideal, but business isn’t always about the ideal. It’s about getting things done, and I’ll get it done with or without you.”

“However, I’d much rather do it with you.

Then, after an endless, agonizing silence, and without saying a single word, Vuk Markovic slid the contract toward him, picked up his pen, and signed on the dotted line.

I did it. I fucking did it. Vuk was officially my business partner,

“Delivered two weeks early,” he said. “You might survive the industry after all.”

“I’m so fucking sorry, Luna. I shouldn’t have brought them to the center. I wasn’t thinking⁠—” “Don’t be sorry. You had good intentions, and you did everything you could to minimize our chances of getting caught.” Sloane gave me a wan smile. “It was a perfect day, Xavier. I’ll never be sorry that I got to see Pen, and she was happier than I’d seen her in a long time. That was because of you. It’s not your fault George and Caroline would rather prioritize their pettiness over their daughter’s well-being.” Her grip around her pen tightened at the mention of her father and stepmother. “This is on them. Not you.”

“We’ll figure it out. I promise.” I managed a crooked smile. “Between you and me, we can figure out anything. We’re geniuses.”

He’d seen Xavier, who was a better man than him in every single way that counted, and he’d seen Georgia’s reaction to him.

“I’m… flattered, and obviously, there’s really only one answer.” “Obviously,” he said with enough smugness to power an entire fraternity house. “Take your proposition, and go fuck yourself with it.”

Three, Xavier is ten times the man you could ever hope to be. He’s smarter, kinder, and better in bed.”

Don’t contact me again, or I’ll slap you with a restraining order and make sure every single person in your workplace and social circle knows you can’t take no for an answer.”

I’d ordered the biggest glass of the darkest red wine, and I didn’t wait for him to finish his trite insult before I tossed the full contents in his face and walked out.

“Hunger. You don’t want this to work; you need this to work because the club is a reflection of you. If it fails, you fail, and you would do anything not to fail.”

“Unless there’s a tie, but I see your point.” A long pause preceded his next words. “I’ve never heard you so fired up over a woman.” “She’s not just any woman. She’s…” Everything.

Yes, I cared about her deeply, and no, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She set my blood on fire whenever she was near and when she hurt, I hurt. She was the only person with whom I felt comfortable enough to share the secrets I’d shared, and if a genie popped out of a bottle this very second and asked me to change something about her, I wouldn’t change a single thing.

But all that wasn’t the same as her being everything, because if she were everything, then that meant she…that meant I… “Ah.” Eduardo’s voice softened. “I see.”

happened. She loved you and your father more than anything else in the world. Your rift would’ve devastated her.”

I gave her a soft kiss hello before taking the seat opposite hers.

The glacial-blue pools shielding her eyes cracked, revealing a sliver of vulnerability that grabbed hold of my heart and squeezed.

She was so fucking beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. I wondered if she knew that.

I wondered if I’d upended her life the way she had mine, to the point where the pieces would no longer fit if she weren’t there, because she wasn’t a pit stop; she was the destination.

I smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Isabella’s face popped up over his shoulder again; this time, she gave me a double thumbs-up. Nailed it, she mouthed. “Isa, love, stop talking to Sloane behind my back,” he said without turning around.

She kissed him on the cheek and wandered off. Kai’s gaze followed her affectionately for a second before it returned to me.

Maybe that was true, or maybe it had become a nonstory because of what he’d done before we even started dating.

“Speaking of couples…” Vivian glanced over my shoulder. “Incoming.” My pulse tripped when a warm hand rested on the small of my back. I didn’t have to look to know who it was. The shape and feel of Xavier’s touch was so ingrained in me, I could pick it out while blindfolded.

“You are such a kiss-ass,” I said when she left. “Me?” Xavier placed a hand over his heart. “I prefer to think of it as being charming.” “A charming kiss-ass.”

Everything worked on him. He was the epitome of effortless charm.

“Well,” he drawled, his voice husky. “If you need another favor, anything at all, I’m right here and willing.”

My laugh melted into a smile when he kissed me.

“Worry less about my relationship with Xavier and more about your own marriage,”

“Perhaps try marriage counseling or therapy. I imagine being someone’s second choice is difficult, but you should be used to that by now. You seem to want only the things I’ve had first.”

“Are you okay? Do you, um, want a doughnut?” She believed sugar was the answer to all problems. I almost smiled, but my facial muscles didn’t have it in them.

Part of me wanted to ask for a raincheck, but seeing him always made me feel better. I needed him after this shitshow of a day.

“Sloane!” I pounded on the door. “It’s Xavier. Are you in there?”