King Me (King Me Duet Book 1) Read online

  But what to do now? How did one handle these kinds of things? Growing up in a small town meant I never had a hook up with a random stranger. In fact, you couldn’t do anything with anyone without someone finding out and spreading rumors.

  My phone buzzed. My time was up. I was hiding in the bathroom as I got ready. I wasn’t sure if I hoped he would be awake or not when I came out.

  I turned the knob slowly, not wanting to make any noise. When the seal popped, I froze a second. There was only soft breathing on the other side. I had a moment of regret that I had to leave his warmth. He’d held me much of the night as I’d woken in his arms. That had been a first and it was as amazing as it had looked in the movies. The only problem was he wasn’t mine.

  There was a vague memory of him claiming he didn’t have a girlfriend or wife. He’d even gone into some detail about his last relationship. But he could be lying. Giving my parent’s tumultuous relationship, I should know better than to believe pretty lies. It was too late now. We’d been up close and personal with each other. Who knew jacking off a guy could be so fucking hot?

  It was too early to call Jody to ask her advice. After, I’d gotten directions from the from desk on how to get to a subway. Apparently, taxis were scarce at the moment, as were Ubers. I listened to music on the way to my first official day at work in the hospital. I’d gone there yesterday because I had nowhere else to go.

  The hospital was busy. After checking in, I was sent to the maternity ward which was short-staffed. The woman in Human Resources said, “We have a full house up there: even a VIP. That will be your assigned department for today. Check with the department nurse there for your specific task.”

  Once upstairs, I stepped into a madhouse. The ward was U-shaped, with the nurses’ station in the middle. I headed in that direction and stopped short when I spotted a pregnant woman on the bed in a room I’d almost passed, who held a man’s shirt by the collar.

  “If you tell me to fucking breathe again, I will remove your cock, shove it up your ass before cramming it down your throat,” the woman said as she shook him.

  I had to cover the inappropriate laugh that burst out from my throat and hustled past the doorway before I was caught.

  A nurse approached me. “You must be Natalie.”

  I held out a hand to whom I assumed would be my boss for the day. “Yes. Natalie Peterson. You must be Ms. Allen.” That had been the name Human Resources had given me to seek out.

  “I am. You’ll have to excuse that I can’t show you around. We are short-staffed: the attending called out sick. His replacement is coming from Long Island and hasn’t arrived yet. I’m the only CNM.” That meant she was a Certified Nurse Midwife and had the training to deliver babies.

  A wail came from the room I’d just passed. “I think she’s ready,” Ms. Allen announced.

  It was the same room I’d just passed. Now that I had time to look, I’d recognized the woman as being Liam’s brother’s wife. If she arrived yesterday, I was surprised she was still in Labor and Delivery, and not in recovery.

  “How long has she been here?” I asked causally.

  She stopped short of entering the room. “Far too long if you ask me. If she wasn’t a VIP,” she held up a hand to her mouth and whispered, “Their family donates a lot to the hospital. Otherwise, she would have been sent back home to wait there a few hours. Instead, she spent the night here. It’s been slow going. No one is close to delivering. That’s why the previous attending was sent down to bunk up. He’d been on over twenty-four hours, and we thought we had time. But let me see what’s what before calling him up. Why don’t you ask the desk nurse when Doctor Hough is expected to arrive?”

  She rushed into the room while I went to the desk as told.

  “Ms. Allen wants an ETA on Doctor Hough.”

  “I just got off the phone with her. She said she’s fifteen minutes out.”

  I rushed to the room to see Nurse Allen sitting on a stool between the legs of the blonde who looked ready to blow. She was flushed and veins were popped out on her forehead even though she wasn’t pushing.

  Nurse Allen put the drape back in place and said, “I can see the head. There’s no time to call the doctor,” she said calmly.

  “No time?” the blonde shouted.

  “It’s going to be fine. I’ve delivered hundreds of babies. I’m a certified midwife and your delivery looks cut and dry. In fact, I say one or two good pushes and your baby will be here.”

  “Did you hear that?” the woman cried. Poor Liam’s brother looked helpless. He was saved when she said, “I have to push.”

  “Wait just a minute,” Nurse Allen said.

  She went into action, directing me to help her. The other nurses on duty were with other patients. Once the warmer was there and a blanket ready, she had me hold up one leg and the husband hold the other when she told her to push. It took two times before a baby’s tiny cries filled the room. I took the baby from Nurse Allen and began cleaning him off when she came over and finished it up. I watched the parents as their baby boy was placed in his mother’s arms.

  “I told you it was a boy,” she said.

  He looked starry-eyed.

  When other nurses came in to help, I was sent to take the vitals of an incoming patient. By the time the day was over, I was beat. I’d only had a few bites for lunch, so I went to the cafeteria for dinner. I hadn’t yet made up my mind if I should go back to Liam’s hotel room or not. We hadn’t exchanged numbers for me to call him. Though I did have my key card to the room.

  There was also something else I needed to do. After getting food and finding a quiet corner, I called my mom.

  “Natalie,” she said.

  “Hey, Mom. How are you doing?”

  She had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, though she wasn’t a smoker. The doctor’s best guess was that it developed because of her asthma or she had an undiagnosed genetic disorder though there were possible other causes. It was progressively getting worse and if treatments didn’t help soon, it was possible she might need a lung transplant to survive. We just didn’t know yet.

  Before I’d left for work in New York, Mom had developed a respiratory infection that required her to be on short-term oxygen therapy. It wasn’t the first time it had happened. We’d been through this before and she knew what to do. Still, she had to shoo me out the door to get me on my way. I felt guilty.

  “I’m fine, Natalie. I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about you.”

  I laughed though I didn’t feel it. “Sounds like we’re the same. I’m fine too and worried about you all the same.”

  “Sometimes I wonder who’s the mother.” She laughed but it turned into an ugly cough.

  Every time I heard it, I got scared. My fear is what had led me to make a deal with the devil so to speak. My day of reckoning with my father would come soon. Hopefully, not too soon.

  “Maybe you should rest,” I said.

  “I’m not ninety, Natalie. I’m only forty-nine.” She been such an active, beautiful woman, I’d envied her. Now, she was looking more her age and it scared me. “Tell me about your apartment. I need to schedule UPS to pick up the boxes to ship to you.”

  Truth time and it sucked because I knew she’d worry. That was the last thing she needed.

  “Not yet. There’s been a complication with this virus going around. It seems the roommate I was replacing is no longer leaving.”

  “What?” Mom said.

  “I’m figuring it out. I’m crashing with a friend.” It was a tiny lie in the name of not making her worry. Besides, given everything I’d done with Liam, couldn’t we be considered friendly?

  “What friend?”

  I couldn’t lie to her. “His name is Liam. But more importantly, I’ve heard some things you should know. It’s about this new virus. Doctors at the hospital are scared because of how deadly it is, and there isn’t a lot in the way of treatment, though it’s very contagious. It affects the lungs. So you n
eed to stay home. Order anything you need online, and the cleaning lady can bring in any packages.”

  That was a service I had to pay for while I was traveling as a nurse on assignment with my agency. Though Mom thought she could do the same things as she’d done before, she couldn’t. When she didn’t answer, I said, “Promise me.”

  “Fine. I won’t leave the house.”

  “If you do, I’m coming back.”

  The warning was weak as I might have to do just that if I didn’t find a place to stay. I also considered looking for something big enough for her to come stay with me. She wasn’t an invalid, but we also didn’t know what exactly had brought on the COPD. Outside of what the doctors thought, it was possible it was something in the environment or air. I was afraid it would get worse fast, and she would need a lung transplant.

  “Yes, mother,” she teased. “You know how much I love you.”

  “I do and I love you more. You be good and be safe. Relax and put your feet up for once. I’ll be back before you know it.” Sooner than she might think.

  “You’re such a great kid.”

  “You’re such a great mom.”

  “Okay, fine. I’m not letting you off so easily. You’ve never told me about a Liam.”

  “I don’t have to tell you everything,” I teased.

  “True. But you’re my baby and I worry.”

  “Don’t.”

  “I’m getting off because the last thing I need to do is cry. Love you too, baby.”

  She hung up and I felt on the verge of tears myself. I finished my salad while I made a decision. I would be an adult. I could face Liam even after I practically begged him to fuck me.

  There were so many reasons why I behaved so badly. I would blame the wine which was partly true. The fact was there were some choices in life I wanted to make. He’d been one of them.

  Renewed with owning my sexuality, the only hitch in my current plan was how he would react to me after last night.

  When I opened the door to the hotel room, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

  Seven

  Natalie

  The room was dark except for the light from the TV. It bathed Liam in an artificial glow.

  “You came back,” he said.

  “Why wouldn’t I?” I let the door close behind me, leaving me in a shadow.

  “Oh, I don’t know. Based on the regret on your face, I’d say it was obvious.”

  I didn’t like him reading me so well.

  “Go ahead and say it,” he goaded.

  I blew out a breath, walked over to the sofa and sat next to him. I tucked up my feet before facing him. “You’re right. Last night shouldn’t have happened.”

  “The drunk girl’s excuse.”

  “I was drunk, and it’s the truth. Sounds like you’ve heard it before.”

  “No, I had friends who have. I never thought I would.”

  I put my hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  “There are plenty of women who wouldn’t regret a night with me. In fact, the maid offered to blow me.” Unable to speak, I just let my jaw hang open. “Don’t be surprised. Women throw themselves at me all the time.”

  “Do I need to move over so your ego can have more room?”

  He didn’t laugh, just held my gaze. “It’s the truth. Wasn’t that your line?”

  I looked away because there was no denying his hotness. What had Jody called him? Maroon on the air quality scale.

  “Did you?” I prodded.

  “Did I what?”

  “Did you take the maid up on her offer?”

  Instead of answering, he said, “Jealous?”

  I shifted my focus to the TV and hoped he couldn’t see my reddening cheeks. “You’re right. It’s none of my business.”

  “It might have been considering I’d turned her down because I was interested in a girl who ghosted me this morning. Now that we have an understanding, if the same maid comes by tomorrow, I might give her a different answer.” He got to his feet. “I ordered some food. If you could open the door when you hear a knock, that would be great.”

  “You’re leaving.”

  “I’m going to watch TV in the other room. We have enough room we don’t have to be in each other’s way.”

  He was halfway to the hallway when I said, “I thought we would just…”

  “Just what? That maybe I went and got condoms hoping that you would be willing to screw me? Sorry. I’m not that guy. If you get over your hang-ups or whatever, you buy condoms and use some of that whatever you had last night. A woman who knew exactly what she wanted when she asked me fuck her.”

  Tongue in cheek, I said nothing but sat and ate up all the guilt I felt. Then, I dug in my bag and found the tiny brown bag I’d gotten on the way home. On a whim, I’d stopped at this sliver of a convenience store between buildings. I’d gone in to get a Coke and saw the three-pack box of condoms. I’d meant what I said about regretting. At the same time, I wanted the option. Now I would never tell him. I tucked it back in my bag.

  Not fifteen minutes later, the knock came. I turned on the light and let the waiter come in. When he sat two place settings, I felt like the biggest shit. This man had thought of me. I signed the bill with some scribble then went to tell Liam the food was here.

  “Hey,” I said, popping my head in after knocking. “Your food is here.”

  He nodded but turned back to the TV. Apparently, I was no longer interesting.

  I’d eaten and wasn’t very hungry. Still the food smelled delicious, and I just had to look. There was chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans I wouldn’t have normally eaten, even though they looked good. What I couldn’t resist was the chocolate cake and scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

  Of course, he came in after I’d shoveled a mouth full of cake in my mouth. He didn’t comment only went to grab his plate. I tried to say Please stay. But with all the yummy goodness going on in my mouth, it sounded more like ease ay. I took a moment to swallow and then said, “Stay. Don’t go.”

  His eyes narrowed, not that I blamed him. Reluctantly he sat. I waited for him to eat a few bites, but I started tossing questions at him. “Why are you in New York?”

  “I came to see my father.”

  “Did you see him?”

  “I have.”

  Maybe I should have left it alone, but I said, “And you’re still here.”

  There wasn’t wine this time. Though he had a beer. He drank some before answering. “I met the man all of five minutes.”

  “Did you say what you had to say?”

  He nodded. “Mostly. It was a bit of a chaotic situation.”

  “Was he everything you expected?”

  “Considering he told my mother if she got a DNA test and it turned out he was the father, he’d take me from her. I’d say he was exactly what I expected.”

  That was colder than even my father. He’d never denied me. Though he hadn’t wanted my mother to leave with me.

  His statement had me curious. “What was that?” I asked.

  “He denied me, of course. Said there was no way I could be his son.”

  There was pain written on his face. “And you’re still here. Why?”

  “I guess I’m not done.”

  “Done what? You said what you said. He did the same. What more is there?” If I’d been in his shoes, I would have walked away with my head held high.

  “I’m going to prove him wrong,” he declared and there was a look in his eye that made me a believer.

  I nodded. “I get that. But couldn’t you leave a DNA sample and go home?”

  “I could, but I want to see his face when they receive the results.”

  He’d said ‘they’ not him. Was he looking for validation from his brothers too? “What does your Mom think about this?”

  “She understands.”

  “Your need to meet the man who helped give you life,” I finished for him.

  He silently agreed.

  “A
nd everything else?”

  “She wants no part of it.”

  “So again, I ask why are you here? Do you need a father in your life?”

  This was a hot button topic for me. I should’ve stopped, but I didn’t often meet someone in a similar situation as me.

  “No. My uncle was there my entire life. He taught me everything from catching a ball to flying a plane. He was there at all my games.”

  “How does he feel about you being here?”

  When he shrugged, his shoulders didn’t quite settle with his stiff posture. There was a little slump there. “I didn’t tell him. He’d probably call his brother and give him hell.”

  My eyes widened. “Oh, this is your father’s brother.”

  “Yes.”

  “Let me get this straight. Your uncle chose to be in your life when he didn’t have to. He was there for you in all the ways that a dad would be. Yet you’re here. Let me guess. Money. You’re here for the money and I wouldn’t have thought that.”

  “Thought what?” he snapped.

  “I assumed you were comfortable in your own skin and didn’t need money as a measurement for the size of your dick.”

  “You’ve seen my dick. I don’t need money for that.”

  I waved him off. “You know what I’m talking about. Let me tell you, I wish I had an uncle like yours. And I wish I didn’t know my father. My life would be so much better without him and his money. Don’t you know money comes with strings attached? The last thing I want to be is someone’s puppet.”

  The conversation was going sideways, but I couldn’t stop. My own issues were coming to a head.

  “Yeah. Sounds like you have a shit dad. The man I’m here for humiliated my mother, not only once. There’s at least another time I know about.” He paused to breath for a few seconds to contain the anger I saw simmering under the surface. “I dared to want to go to college. I got offered scholarships, but not any that covered the full tuition. I came home one day and overhead Mom asking him if he’d pay for my school. He had more than enough money to help even a little. I couldn’t hear what he said, I only saw her reaction. She cried. Mom doesn’t cry easily. She’s made of tougher stuff.”