“Yes,” I answer her. “Sire had a co-ed bachelor party, but respectfully, I shouldn’t say who all was there.”Like your father.
“So,” she lilts, “Sire’s wifewasthere?”
Everyone in Charleston knows Pastor Sire Rutledge broke convention and married his very young, badass parishioner, Wren Chapel.
That’s not a lie.
Everything else?
I drum the steering wheel.
“Okay,” she says. “I know you’d never cheat on me, and I trust your honesty, and love our kinks. So, I don’t understand why we’re going to the clubtomorrow, when you didn’t take me with you last time.”
Fuck my life: it’s a daily grind, fighting for the truth and fearing the lies.
“I didn’t take you with me because, yes, it was triple X-rated, and Sire is yourpastor.”
She blurts out, “No, he’s hot.”
“Oh?Does Pastor Rutledge know that you think he’s attractive?”
And am I suddenly testing the waters here? Yeah.
On an ice cube’s chance in hell, what if Alena doesn’t hateme? If she finds out about my family and forgives my lies, how comfortable would she be on her throne, surrounded by the kings and queens?
Sure, my brothers have protected her like a princess, but she’ll be myqueen. And she deserves to be respected like one. Loved like one. Bonded like one.
Obviously, when Nash isn’t there.
Because I can see it, I know how powerful Alena can be.
The proof?
She laughs. “Uh, Pastor Rutledge has a mirror. I’m sure he knows panties spontaneously combust in his church. And you and I…”—she turns my way—“we know who we are: LuvPounder and DirtTGirl; Loch and Alena. We share everything, and I want us to be like Sire and his wife. Proud of our love, of our kinks. As long as we’re happy, who cares?”
Fuck, woman, you’re perfect for me.
And fuck, you’re killing me.
For months, I’ve been hiding our missions from Alena. How the kings are targeting three trafficking rings, and how we rescued Wren from one.
I’ve been secretly working with Wren because she’s from the Tennessee mountains; she has solid intel.
Somehow, it’s all connected—Alena, Wren, Sasha, my father—I’m just not sure how.
But whenever I can, I tell Alena the truth.
I should keep a fucking list.
I suspect I’ll need it.
“So,” I venture, “you’d be okay around Sire and his wife? Her name is Wren, by the way. And theoretically, if you see them doing DPs in a sex club, you’d be fine?”
She gasps, “Fine?”
“I just watched them. I swear. Uh…”Shit. “Theoretically, that is.”
“Loch, I’m not mad. I meant it soundshot.” She laughs. “We literally met online because of our kinks. Remember? You don’t have to hide anything from me; I’ll always love you.”
