Reign of a King (Kingdom Duet #1) by Rina Kent

There’s something euphoric about owning a fireball like her and making her come to me as if that’s what she’s always needed.

It’s one of those bizarre things that are only related to her. Kissing never mattered to me before to the point that I never did it.

But with her, I can’t get enough of it.

I don’t tell her that to keep her coming back to me for more.

“Later,” she mumbles. “I want to have dinner out tonight. A date.”

A date. I don’t even know how to date, but it usually includes Aurora loosening up and talking about her past. For that reason alone, I take her up on her offers whenever she asks.

“That’s two punishments.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“First one now?”

“No. I’m going to be late.”

“Here’s how it will go. I’m going to count to three and if you don’t go into the bathroom, you might have to call in sick.”

Her eyes widen and before I start counting, she jogs to the bathroom. My grin widens as I pick up my phone and leave.

My feet come to a slow halt in front of Alicia’s room and my smile vanishes.

I place a hand on the door as I often do.

Alicia is a reminder of when I also lost control. I have to make sure that doesn’t happen with Aurora.

She already shares her looks; she won’t share her fate.





33





Aurora





Damn Jonathan.

I curse him under my breath for the whole time I’m stuck in traffic.

The tyrant is bent on getting me out of sorts. He gets off on seeing me helpless, defenceless, and completely at his mercy.

Not that he has any.

He’s sadistic to a fault.

And you enjoy every second of it. Hell, you’re looking forward to tonight like you’ve never looked forward to anything before.

I shoo that intrusive voice away and release a breath when I finally arrive at my flat.

Paul called to tell me I had another package. Since I was already late, I texted Layla to carry on with the morning factory meeting without me and fill me in later.

I can’t miss any chance to know more about Alicia. I snooped through all the books in her room and even the library. She often circled and underlined words in red. Sometimes, she scribbled words like:

I wish you didn’t save me.

The worst thing you can do to a life is suffocate it.

A crime is a secret.

Bury them all.

The more I read, the deeper the hole between me and Alicia grows. I’m starting to doubt if I even knew my sister.

It’s like an entirely different being possessed her hand and scribbled those words.

Maybe it’s like with Dad. I thought I knew him, but…

I shut the door on that thought as I step into my building and smile at Paul, who’s watching TV with Shelby. My neighbour doesn’t even acknowledge me. It’s Paul who strikes up a conversation, asking how I’ve been.

He reaches behind the counter. “There was a man who came to ask about you the other day.”

My muscles tense. It must be the solicitor. “Did he mention his name?”

“No. He left when I told him you don’t live here anymore.”

Phew.

Shelby raises the volume of the TV and my relieved breath catches. A news anchor appears, his expression serious and it’s for a very good reason.

The man who’s sitting across from him in a grey room is the main character in my nightmares. The one who digs graves and suffocates people with duct tape.

Maxim Griffin.

The most notorious serial killer in the UK’s recent history.

My father.

The news anchor’s serious tone drifts from the TV. “Today, we’re having an exclusive interview with Maxim Griffin. It’s the first time in eleven years that he has willingly chosen to talk. What happens when a killer breaks his silence?”

The camera zooms out to focus on Dad. He’s sitting casually on a chair, wearing a black jacket and khaki trousers, appearing serene. His beard is trimmed, but he’s still the same — broad, tall. Handsome. Looking like every woman’s dream makes him so scary.

It’s why they fell at his feet.

When his suave voice sounds, his Yorkshire accent barely there, I almost topple over from the force of it on my nerves. “I chose to be silent, thinking I was protecting my daughter. But now, I realise she needs to be brought to justice, too.”

I stumble and nearly fall backwards.

No.

No, no, no.

“Miss Harper?”

I gasp as Paul touches my shoulder. My heart jumps in and out of synch as if it’s about to leap out of my throat.

“Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?”

I need to get out of here.

Not just the building, but out. Out.

I snatch the package out of Paul’s hand and fly out of the place where Maxim’s voice rings out, where he’s haunting and coming after me. My heart is hammering and my breathing is bursting out.

Tears stream down my cheeks as I feel the world closing in on me with its ghostly hands and meaty fingers.

It’s like that time all over again.

A body slams into me and I pause. My lips part when I meet her eyes. Those bright green ones. Sarah. I’ve never forgotten her name. The way she looks is different now. She’s not confused, crying, or begging me to bring back her mother.