---

I stared down at my phone, hoping I’d imagined the text flashing on my screen.

I blinked, trying to get the words to disappear.

Surely it wasn’t real.

He wouldn’t.

Fuck, he probably would.

My ex was that dumb, he would.

I blinked again, squeezing my eyes tightly, praying for the text to be gone when I opened my eyes.

Shit, it was still there.

“Motherfucker,” I cursed.

I shot off a text to my sister in response to hers.

---

Me: I’m going to fucking kill him.

Brynn: Ooh, let me do it first.

Me: Do not let Zara out of your sight. She is NOT going on that date tonight.

Brynn: Hurry home, sis. She’s already applying her makeup.

---

I called her. “I swear, I’m going to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze every last fucking breath from him. And then I’m going to get a knife and stab him so many times that when they sentence me for my crime, they’ll give me the death penalty even though they don’t give that to anyone anymore. I’m going to make him fucking hurt for this shit. This is the last time Linc screws with me!”

I was on my way to see Skylar King, but realised I needed a moment, or fifty, to calm down before I saw her, so I spun around to head outside for a smoke first. I stopped abruptly when I came face-to-face with Skylar’s brother.

King.

He watched me with an intensity that flustered me.

“Shit, Brynn, I’ve gotta go,” I rambled into my phone, not giving her a chance to respond to what I’d already said. “I’ll be home as fast as I can this afternoon. And thanks for the heads up.” Ending the call, I shoved my phone into my pocket and took a step backwards, away from King. “Hi,” I said, completely muddled by both the news Brynn had given me and the fact King was right there. I mean, he was so damn close and staring at me so intently that my thoughts had become a jumbled mess.

“Remind me never to piss you off,” he said, that voice of his a deep rumble that did things to me. Things I wasn’t used to from the men I spoke to. Goodness, he was dangerously sexy this close.

“Huh?” I had no idea what he meant. Especially not when all I could focus on was the way he watched me.

“The threat of strangulation and a stabbing frenzy.”

“Oh, that. Right.”

His lips twitched slightly, like he was amused by me. “Someone close?”

I let go of the breath I held. Thinking about Linc was enough to ease my nerves around King, because the anger he induced cleared my head of the disorientation King caused. “My ex is being an asshole.” I remembered what King had said about having experience raising girls. “Tell me, would you allow your fourteen-year-old daughter out on a date at night?”

“Only if I had eyes on her at all times.”

I frowned. “You’d stake out her date?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I know the shit that runs through a fourteen-year-old boy’s mind.”

“Oh, God.” I yanked my phone back out and hit Linc’s number. Looking up at King, who continued to watch me with that damn intensity I wish he’d let go of, I said, “One sec, I have to rip my ex a new one.”

Amusement flickered in his eyes and across his lips again.

When the call went to message bank, I let loose on Linc. “You better get your ass over to my place quick fucking smart, Linc, and tell your daughter that you made a mistake by saying yes to her date tonight. If you don’t fix this, I swear to God, you will regret it. I will find all the ways under the sun to make you regret it.”

I stabbed at the phone when I was done and looked at King and demanded, “What?” when I saw the way his eyebrows had arched. “You think I’m a bitch to my ex? He deserved that, for so much more than just this! I’m sick and tired of putting up with his crap.” My heart raced with anger and frustration. Why did I ever take this journey with Linc? He’d given me nothing but heartache and grief for years now, and I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle.

King shook his head. “No, I’m just thinking ‘good fucking luck’ to your ex.”

“Yeah, he’s going to need it,” I muttered before blowing out another long breath and changing the subject. “Are you heading up to see your sister?”

“Yeah. How’s she doing today?”

“Good this morning. She managed to put weight on both legs, which I’m really happy with. I’m just going for a smoke before I do this afternoon’s session with her. I’ll see you there if you’re still around. I have a list of physios for you to check out, too.”

He nodded and continued on. I watched him walk away, wondering again about that scar on his face. Heck, there were a lot of things I wondered about that man. Things I’d never find the answers to. Things I would probably rather not know. And yet, I’d found my thoughts drifting to him since we met.

That’s because you’re the good girl who always falls for the bad boy.

It’s time you got your shit together and found yourself a nice stable man.

Ugh.

I sounded like my mother.

Brynn was right.

I was turning into her.

“So you think she may be able to leave here in a couple of days?” King asked as I finished up Skylar’s session.

I smiled at Skylar who settled herself on the chair next to the bed. She’d worked hard today, and I was more than happy with her progress. “Yes.” I passed him my list of recommended physiotherapists. “Here’s that list I promised.”

“Appreciate it,” he said, taking the list and perusing it. “There are only a few names on here.”

“Yes.” When he glanced back up at me, questioningly, I added, “I’m fussy with my recommendations. I would never give you the name of someone if I wouldn’t personally use them.”

“Good to know.” He folded the piece of paper and pushed it into the pocket of his jeans. Then to his sister, he said, “I’ll get the guys to set up a room for you with everything you want, so text me a list today.” He glanced back at me. “Is there anything you recommend I get to make shit easier for her?”

Yesterday, I’d thought King a rude man. Maybe he was, but I couldn’t help softening my opinion of him as I took in how much he cared for his sister. I’d worked with a lot of families in my role at the hospital, and sadly, I wasn’t surprised anymore when it was clear some of them treated caring for an injured family member as the biggest burden they’d ever endured. That kind of scenario happened all too often. King was different. He cared deeply and by the looks of it, would do whatever it took to help Skylar recover.

I listed a few things I thought would help and had just finished when his phone rang. He checked the caller ID and said, “I’ve gotta take this,” before stepping out of the room.

“Thank you for all your help,” Skylar said, distracting me from watching King go. It was hard to draw my gaze from him though. When jeans hugged a man’s ass the way King’s did, it was almost impossible.

When I finally turned to Skylar, she watched me like she was entertained by me. Ignoring that, I said, “Absolutely.”

Smiling, she shook her head. “I can never work out why women are so freaking attracted to my brother.”

“It’s his ass,” I said, deadpan. “Because it sure isn’t his friendly vibes or anything like that.”

Her smile morphed into a laugh. “Honestly, I’ve watched women throw themselves at him, even when he turns assholey on them.”

I shrugged. “What can I say? We women are screwed up when it comes to men. I’ve always liked the bad boys, but almost everything about your brother tells me he’s more than just a bad boy. I’d take that ass, though.”

She continued to laugh. “I like you, Lily. You just say it like it is.”

I gathered my stuff to leave. I still had two more patients to see before I could go home and lay down the law to my daughter. “Between an ex I wanna strangle, three kids who cause me heart palpitations most days, and a mother who tests my patience with her crazy-ass way of living, I don’t have the time in my life or the energy to say it like it isn’t.” I paused for a beat before smiling at her and adding, “I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Do those exercises I gave you, okay?”

She nodded. “I wouldn’t dream of not doing them. My physio is bossy and will give me hell if I don’t.”

“Yes she is, and yes she will,” I agreed before exiting her room.

I’d almost made it to the lift at the end of the corridor when King came towards me, a look of deep concentration on his face. I had no idea what was going on his life, but from what I’d observed of him so far, it felt like he was dealing with something big.

His eyes met mine as we moved closer, and I did my best to ignore the way his attention stirred butterflies in my stomach. I’d never met a man like King before. He exuded power without even trying. It surprised me that I found this a turn on, because I’d never been about a man taking charge of me. But a girl had no freaking say over what got her excited, as much as she tried. And God knew, I’d tried.

“Thanks for all your work with Skylar.”

The butterflies in my stomach flapped their wings all over the place as his voice vibrated across my skin.

I decided then and there that dangerous wasn’t a strong enough word to describe King. If a man could elicit this kind of response simply from uttering a few words, I didn’t want to imagine how I would react to anything more. It was a good thing his sister would be going home in a couple of days.

I smiled. “Just doing my job.”

“Something tells me that you doing your job means a lot more than what it would mean for most people.”

My breathing slowed.

Not many patients or their family members acknowledged the efforts I went to. Most just thanked me and moved on to the next phase of their recovery.

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

His gaze swept down my body briefly before coming back to meet mine, and oh good freaking Lord did that cause a riot in my belly.

Dangerous? Freaking hazardous, more like it.

“I’ll go through this list of physios this afternoon and will be back in touch if I need you.”

With that, he left me to go back into his sister’s room, leaving me staring after him wondering what he meant by getting back in touch if he needed me. His statement bamboozled me, but then again, maybe it was just his ass that did that.

“Shit,” I muttered to myself. I had better things to do than stand here lusting after a man who probably went through more women in a month than I went through men in a decade.

I’m going to get through this weekend.

I’m going to survive my kids.

I’m not going to kill my mother.

I slid down the bath and submerged my entire body as I chanted positive affirmations that not even I believed.

I quite possibly might kill Linc.

That one rang true.

I’d had to drag him over this afternoon after I got home from work to retract his approval for Zara to go on a date tonight. He hadn’t wanted to, because he hated not being the fun parent, but I’d threatened to report him for late child support payments if he didn’t. Heaven knew why I hadn’t already. When we’d divorced, I promised myself I’d do everything to keep his relationship with the kids close, and for some fucked-up reason that I couldn’t let go of, I thought that not reporting him would help with that. He always came through with the money in the end, so while it could be stressful, it always worked out. If that changed, I’d definitely reconsider my stance.

I came up for air as a knock sounded on my bathroom door, followed by my sister’s voice. “Lil, can I come in?”

“Yeah, but only if you have wine for me.”

The door opened, and she held up a bottle of wine. “I have supplies.”

“Thank God, because it might be the only thing that will stop me from committing a crime tonight.”

She grinned as she sat on the edge of the bath and passed me the glass of wine she’d already poured. “I’m not sure if Holly has ever ushered me inside the house faster than she just did. Tell me everything.” Brynn’d had to rush off to a massage appointment when I’d arrived home, so she’d missed out on all the drama with Zara and Linc.

I gulped some wine down and squeezed my eyes closed for a moment before taking another gulp. Opening my eyes, I took a deep breath and said, “Zara hates me, and I doubt she’ll speak to me for a good month. Maybe a year. Mum stuck her nose in and told Linc off. They had a huge fight, which then led to me having a huge fight with Mum. She left in a huff, at which point I told Linc he’d pretty much reached my limit, and that if he didn’t get his shit together and back me on parenting decisions rather than going against me in order to gain the kids’ approval, then he and I were done.” I took another deep breath and downed the rest of the wine in my glass.

Brynn refilled my glass. “What do you mean by you guys being done? As far as I’m aware, you’re already done. Are you planning murder? Or is it code for something else?”

“Murder is definitely on my list of options, but I’d need to watch a heap more crime shows first to figure out how to get away with it, and honestly, when does a girl have time for that?”

Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “So, what then?”

I sighed and drank some more wine. “You know, I could really do with a smoke right about now, but I made a decision at lunch to give them up.”

Brynn cocked her head to the side. “Lil, stop avoiding my question.”

I stared at her, not wanting to admit the truth of the matter because I knew it could lead to an “I told you so” moment, and I really, really hated those moments. “Okay, fine, you were right—I need to stop letting him get away with so much.”

“Which means?”

“Jesus, Brynn, why do you have to push me on this? I know what I have to do, and I’m gonna do it.”

“I push you because your heart is too kind and I know you too well. You’re angry with Linc today, but what happens when that anger subsides? Will you still be so ready to let go of your tendency to go easy on him? I just want what’s best for you, and I don’t think the way you two have been co-existing for the past three years is the best for you anymore.”

“I agree.” I took a sip of wine. “And that’s why I told him we’re doing things differently from now on. He’s going to have the kids every second weekend, he’s not going to drop by unannounced, he’s going to pay child support on time, and he’s going to take the kids every alternating Wednesday night. And on those Wednesday nights, he’s going to help the kids with their assignments rather than just doing fun stuff with them.”

Brynn’s eyes widened. “You guys worked all this out this afternoon?”

I nodded. “Yes, and I’m serious about making it happen. I can’t go on in this super-stressed state anymore.”

“Good,” she said, standing.

“Where are you going?”

She jerked her head towards the door. “I’m going to check in on Zara. When Holly called, she said Zara was asking for me. I just needed to make sure you were okay first.”

I frowned. “Holly called you to come over?”

“Yeah, she said shit had gone down and she figured you’d need me. You raised some good kids, babe.”

“If only they all still loved me like that.”

“They do. Zara will come around.”

As she exited the bathroom, I called out, “Wait! Is tomorrow your fishing date with the prostitute?”

She looked back at me. “Yes, but can we not refer to it as a date? It’s just fishing.”

“We both know it’s not fishing.”

“We do not.”

“We do. And by the way, what’s his name?”

She poked her tongue at me. “I’m not telling you.” She closed the door and left me alone.

“I’m going to find out!” I called after her, laughing as I thought about my sister ending up on a fishing date with a prostitute our mother ordered for her. It was the kind of story that people just wouldn’t believe. And it was the exact kind of story that helped me through my days. Thank God for having Brynn as my sister. The hilarious shit she got up to always made me laugh and eased my stress a little.