Tacet a Mortuis

  Something caught the corner of my eyes. I screamed, grabbing for the blanket to cover my body.

  “Oh, don’t stop on my account…” Brantley stepped forward, pushing his hands into his pockets. His head tilted and his eyes turned hungry as they ran down my body, taking in the scene that was playing out in front of him.

  “Brantley!” I snapped, clicking my fingers to pull him out of his pervy state. I could feel Nate’s body jiggling underneath me from laughing, his hand covering his mouth.

  “Brantley!” I repeated in the same tone.

  “Hmm?” He casually brought his eyes to mine, and they darkened even more. His eyebrows pinched together and his mouth kicked up in a grin. It was the kind of dark grin Brantley usually gives me. You know, the one that sets chills off over my spine? Yeah, that one. My focus was still on him when Nate thrust his hips up to mine, his thick cock grinding against my clit. My eyes closed and my lips parted, my cheeks flashing with heat. Another moan slipped from me involuntarily, and I bit down on my bottom lip. Reality hit me and my eyes slammed open, back onto Brantley. Slowly, like a lion would approach its unknowing prey, he strode backward, his eyes staying on mine and then in one click, he pushed the door closed. My eyes dropped down to Nate. I felt safe with these guys—mostly. Okay, not ever with Brantley, but I do with Nate, so when he nodded his head, I tugged my lips in, looked to Brantley, and gave him a slow approving smile. Brantley waltzed toward the bed, his eyes clouding over in lust. He hooked his fingers under his shirt and tossed it across the room to the pile where my shirt was. His chest glistened in a golden glaze, and both his freaking nipples were pierced. His abs and chest were so defined you could probably stencil every single line and vein with a pencil and paper. He had the Elite King tattoo over his chest, with the skull and the crown and his last name “Vitiosis” in cursive writing underneath it. I noticed all of the boys who I’ve seen with no shirt on, all had the same king tattoo, but what I thought were scribbles underneath, I now know was their Latin last names. These boys dripped and oozed sex appeal, way too much for little old me. But…

  My eyes closed again as I felt the bed dip beside me.

  “C’mere, girl.” Nate’s fingers wrapped around my chin as he pulled my mouth down to his. He slowly ran his warm soft lips over mine and whispered, “You good?” I swallowed past my fleeting nerves, just as Brantley pressed a kiss to the back of my neck, igniting a whole new wave—no—tsunami of waves to come crashing over me. I shuddered, my legs going weak and my sex throbbing.

  “Yes,” I moaned out my answer as Brantley came behind me, his chest brushing against my back every so often as his mouth and tongue ran circles over the nape of my neck. His hand massaged my breast, his fingers twisting and twisting my nipples between his fingers. A pool of heat slicked between my legs as my thrusting became more urg—the door swung open.

  “Hey, Mads, I wanna tal—” Jase cut out and I, once again, reached for the sheet. I drew the line at blood brothers. “Holy fuck!” Jase’s hands flew up to his eyes, but he didn’t leave.

  “Unless you wanna add incest into your river of sins, brother, I suggest you back up and forget what you saw.”

  Jase’s jaw clenched. “I ain’t going anywhere. Mads, put some fucking clothes on and meet me downstairs.” Then he turned and left anyway, slamming the door behind himself.

  “Fuck! What’s a girl gotta do to get laid around here.” I huffed, pushing off Nate and getting to my feet, making a beeline for my shirt. “Seriously,” I muttered under my breath, talking to myself. “I’m surrounded by ten of the hottest guys known to mankind—well, eight now because two are my brothers—some of them already have a connection with me—”

  “—all of them…have a connection with you,” Brantley interrupted, but I cut him with a glare, shoving my top over my head.

  “I can’t even get laid. My ex-boyfriend is a lying piece of shit, my family are deranged maniacs, my brother—”

  “—step, if you’re about to start on me,” Nate interjected, climbing out of my bed. I sliced him with a glare too and finally walked out of my room, down the long hallway and then double stepped down the swivel stairs, still muttering cuss words under my breath. I hadn’t even decided to tidy myself up before I came down, so I’m wearing a shirt that weirdly falls to just above my knees, and my hair was a freaking bird’s nest all over the place. I needed a trim. And a change of color. I’m sick of being brunette, but I’ll never go blonde, so maybe I could think of something else.

  “Morning, Sam!” I chirped, just like old times, bouncing into the kitchen.

  “Morning,” she smiled at me, and then went to the fridge. “What do you want for breakfast, Trigger.”

  “Hmmm.” I put my index finger to the side of my cheek. “Can you make waffles?”

  Her eyebrow quirked in judgment, but before I could say anything else, Jase was blocking my view into the sitting room. I paused and then gestured out toward the backyard patio. “It’s sheltered. We can talk out there.”

  He nodded, and then I followed him out the floor to ceiling doors, shutting them behind myself. Pulling out a chair, I pulled my knees to my chest. Shit. I stared down at my chest and realized I was wearing Brantley’s shirt. I discreetly bring my nose to the collar and inhale. Sand, leather, and cigarettes. Interesting combination of smell.

  Jase cleared his throat, sitting down on the chair. “That…” he hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “Should not be talked about.”

  “I’m single.”

  “Hardly…” he began, his eyes slanting.

  “Did you come here to scold me like a real big brother?”

  He sighed, running his hand over his shaved head. It was actually shaved really short, and it’s the first time that I see his King tattoo is on the side of his scalp. “No. I’m just saying, be careful. Yes, you have an effect on all of the Kings—which is why I’m here—but you need to tread carefully with how you allow it to play out. If you want more than one, talk with Bishop about it first.”

  “Want more than one?” I cut him off, slightly shocked by his choice of words.

  He shrugged as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “It wouldn’t be the first time a girl has had to be shared around.”

  “What!” I was truly interested to know who this other girl was, not at all slightly jealous that there was someone before me.

  He must see my reaction—it would be hard not to—and corrected himself. “Not their generation. Ours.”

  “Like yours and Saint’s?”

  He offered a small smile. “Yeah, that’s a whole lot of shit you ain’t ready for, but anyway, all I’m saying is don’t hide things from Bishop. You’re playing with fire and it will start a war.”

  Now it was my turn to sigh. “You’re right.”

  “I don’t even have to ask you to know who it is and who it will always be when it comes to a King, so keep it to him. As much as Bishop is dark and broody, he does have strong feelings for you, Madison, so don’t take that shit lightly.”

  “But he lied,” I whispered, looking out to the clearing in the backyard. Behind the pool house, there was a forest. Filled with old log trees and probably more trees. My mind was waiving, trying to run away with the issue at front.

  “He did, and he has hidden a lot from you, as he was trained to do, Madison. Remember that before you start any more of that shit.”

  “I won’t forgive him. He’s slept with the woman I thought was my mother and he had kept his ex alive all this time. He may have strong feelings for me, Jase.” I braved my eyes to his. “But I wasn’t the first, or the only one.”

  He offered me a small smile and then leaned back in his chair, just as Sam walked out with trays of waffles, maple syrup, and whipped cream. She placed it all on the table with plates, knives, and forks, as well as a large jug of iced orange juice and some crystal glasses. I gestured to the food and Jase dug in.

  “Actually, you’re wrong,” he added in. “You are the onl
y one.”

  “So why did you come?” I asked, deflecting this conversation and pouring syrup on my waffles with huge chunks of butter and cream. He watched me every now and then, loading his own waffle.

  “Ah—seriously?” He glared down at my third squirt of maple.

  “What?” I questioned innocently, sucking the residue off of my thumb.

  “God, I walked in at the wrong time,” Nate muttered from the doorway with Brantley behind him. I popped my finger out of my mouth and smiled softly at them both. “Come eat. Sam makes mean waffles.”

  “Want some waffles with that syrup?” Jase continued to judge me, folding his and eating it with his hands. The caveman.

  I glared as Brantley and Nate both got comfortable on either side of me, getting started on their waffles.

  “Don’t judge my waffle skill. Anyway…”

  “I will if you continue that bullshit. One word for you: diabetes.”

  He tossed the waffle onto his plate, licking his finger clean. “It’s Hunter.”

  My chewing slowed, but Nate and Brantley continued to eat like it was nothing. “Okay,” I edged him to carry on.

  He poured some OJ and took a swig. “He’s not happy about you being our sister.”

  I paused my chewing and I put my waffle back on my plate. “I gathered.” Then I poured some juice. Maybe he just hated me all along and the smooth exterior he held was a fake. Funny that I used to think he was the nicest King and Brantley was the worst. How things can change in one night.

  “I’ve come to shed some light on that.”

  I waved for him to carry on. “Okay.”

  “Hunter, like the others—” he shot a piercing glare and Nate, who, with a mouth full of waffle and syrup dripping down his chin, paused and looked around dumbfounded. “What?” Then he eyed Brantley.

  Brantley shrugged. “I know.”

  “I don’t!” Yet again, I’m left out of the loop.

  “You’re not out of the loop, Madison. From now on, you will know everything we know.”

  “Okay well, can you start with Hunter?”

  “He, like the other kings, had feelings for you. Strong feelings for you. So when he found out—”

  “—I was his sister he got grossed out.”

  Jase’s face softened.

  “Well, he should have come to me, because I too, have had thoughts about him.”

  “Yeah?” Nate queried, an eyebrow perched.

  “Yes… it was, well, all of you, in this dream.”

  Nate grinned, leaning back. “Do go on, Kitty, I’m quite enjoying this.”

  I flipped him off as Brantley chuckled beside me. Since last night, I had a newfound peace with being around Brantley. Like I had a deeper connection with him now that I knew our history. A history we still hadn’t spoken about.

  “He won’t. He’s too ashamed and he has way too much pride.”

  “Well, now I know where she gets it from,” Nate muttered from behind his glass. I kicked him under the table and his eyes cut to me. “Ow!” he continued to glare at me while taking a massive bite out of his waffle.

  Ignoring Nate and his typical childish shenanigans, I looked back at Jase. “Will he talk with me?”

  Jase shrugged. “We can tie him up in the basement and make him listen.”

  I chuckled, picking up my waffle again. He shot me a small wink before continuing to eat his. We all fell into an easy breakfast chat, the talk ranging from Nate wanting to throw a party this weekend, to college next year. It’s then I realized we will all be going separate ways—maybe. It made me ask, because terror slowly seeped into my bones about not having these boys with me.

  “Um, college? Where—”

  “Madison?” That voice made my attention snap straight to the entryway.

  “Mother,” I snarled, throwing my waffle back to my plate.

  There goes my appetite.

  ASAP Rocky was rapping about how he loved bad bitches, and with every pull-up, sweat spilled over my flesh. My fingers squeezed the slippery bar. Thirty-four, thirty-five. I started rapping the words, unlatching and dropping to the ground. The door to my gym swung open, but I ignored it. Part of me knew who it was, and the other part hoped it wasn’t. The song continued to drown out the silence as I moved to the bench, laying down and wrapping my fingers around the barbell. Madison was angry with me, for the fucking hundredth time since I’ve known her. The essence of her anger was probably her mom's shit, and then there's me not telling her about it all this time, but I’ve been with her long enough to know that she’d be more hurt than angry. Angry Madison I could deal with, hurt Madison was territory I was unsure of. The fact that I kept Khales alive would have only intensified her anger even more too, no doubt.

  “B?”

  My jaw clenched, anger bubbling inside, so I started pumping the heavy iron.

  “I know you’re mad at me.”

  I hooked the barbell back onto the latches and sat up. “That’s where you’re wrong, I’m not fucking angry. I’m confused as to why the fuck you let him find you.”

  She sighed, taking a seat beside me on the bench. “I had heard you moved on, and then he—”

  I turned to face her, my eyes hardening. “You outed yourself out of jealousy?”

  “What? No, well, I don’t—”

  “—you better be careful with your next words…”

  She stood, running her fingers through her hair. “Well, shit, I don’t know, B! You’ve never had anyone else but me, what the hell was I supposed to do about finding out the one guy I loved, my first love, had moved on with some new girl. Why didn’t you tell me about her?”

  My eye twitched.

  I sucked in a breath, stood and walked toward her. She stepped back, but I countered it. “You did this out of jealousy?”

  Her eyes darted around the room. You could almost hear her brain trying to reach out and snatch whatever excuse she could find from thin air. “Do you not care about me at all, B?”

  Her back collided with the wall and my hands came up to either side of her head, caging her in. “Listen very carefully—” my phone vibrated in my pocket and I reached inside, seeing it was Nate before sliding it unlocked. “What?”

  “Yo, so I’m thinking I want to throw a party this weekend since everything has been so fucking depressing.”

  “Why?” My eyes remained on Khales’. Hers dropped to my mouth, and then came back to my eyes. I knew what she was doing, and if she tried any shady shit, I’d rip her lips off.

  “Well, our girl isn’t doing so good…”

  “My girl,” I corrected through a growl.

  Khales' eyes slanted, so I brought my hand to her throat. Shock flashed across her face.

  I grinned. “Continue.”

  “Yeah, you might need to get used to sharing her.”

  My grip around Khales’ throat instinctively tightened. “What the fuck do you mean?”

  She started tapping at my hand, so I released her a little.

  “She’s mad, I get it.”

  “Nah, she’s not mad. She’s… numb.”

  “What? You feel what she’s feeling now?” I grilled, letting Khales go and stepping backward. There was something he was hiding, and whatever it was, better not have anything to do with them both fucking around with each other again. My patience was thin. One more misstep with her, and I was throwing in the towel. No point fighting for someone that doesn’t wanna be fought for.

  “There was an incident…” Nate cleared his throat.

  “What kind? She kill someone incident, or she trip and fall on something incident?”

  He cleared his throat again. “Ah, well, a Peyton problem….”

  My hands squeezed around the phone. Peyton was Tillie's older sister who in short, was messing around with Jase’s generation of the Kings. She had four of them wrapped around her finger, and when they were over fighting about it, they all decided they'd just share her.

  “You and who.”

/>   “Ah, Brantley.”

  “How far did you get?” My eyes narrowed on Khales’, then dropped down her body.

  “Pretty far, but then Jase walked in.”

  “I’m done,” I murmured. “I’m done with her, dawg. I’ve not fucked up once since she’s been here, aside from secrets and shit. This is the third time she’s run off into someone else's arms. She’s your issue now.” My eyes connected with Khales’, who was smirking in triumph. “Oh and bro? I’ll throw the party.” I threw my phone against the wall until it smashed into a thousand pieces. Khales jumped in shock but quickly collected herself. I stepped backward, reaching for the door.

  “You’re too good for her, B. You gave her too much.”

  “Shut the fuck up and don’t touch me.” I shoved past her and walked out the door. She was right in a sense. I did give Madison too much leash. I got too soft on her, cared too much, let her get away with too much shit. If she thought I was an asshole when she first met me, she ain’t seen nothing yet. I took the stairs two at a time, and just as my feet landed at the top, my dad walked out of his office.

  “You gonna tell me your plan with Khales?”

  He grinned, pushing his hair back. “Have I ever?”

  Leaning on the stairwell, I crossed my legs at the ankles. “Well, give me something to go on before I kill her.”

  His grin deepened. He knew I wouldn’t, but that’s not to say I couldn’t. “You won’t do that, son.” Sidestepping around me, he made his way down the glass stairs, just as my mom entered the lobby.