DETHRONING THE KING
Jennifer Loren
Books by Jennifer Loren
The Laws of Kings Series
THE LAWS OF KINGS
DETHRONING THE KING
The Devil’s Eyes Series
THE DEVIL’S EYES
THE DEVIL’S REVENGE
THE DEVIL’S SON
THE DEVIL’S MASQUERADE: THE POISON
THE DEVIL’S MASQUERADE: THE REMEDY
THE NEW DEVIL IN CHARGE
The Finding Ava Series
FINDING AVA
RECKLESS
THE LONG ROAD
Short Story
THE HAND THAT HOLDS MINE
www.jenniferloren.com
Copyright © 2015 Jennifer Loren
All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
Any unauthorized distribution or use of this publication may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Acknowledgements
Copyediting: Erinn Giblin, Yours Truly, The Editor
http://www.yourstrulytheeditor.com/
Cover Design: Hang Le, By Hang Le
http://byhangle.com/
Prologue
Mark Twain’s last words came in the form of a note by his death bed, in which he wrote, “Death, the only immortal who treats us all alike, whose pity and whose peace and whose refuge are for all—the soiled and the pure, the rich and the poor, the loved and the unloved.”
Death. Death is where I live, who I am, yet the world continues to move around me. The sun persists in its journey to rise and fall, the moon continues to glow, all with no concern for my demise. The people go on about their lives, despite daily burdens, still in hope of achieving their dreams. And in the midst of it all, do they remember me? Does anyone speak my name? I want to call out, scream at them, “I’m here! I’m here if you would only look at me. If only you knew what I have been through, then surely, you would at least speak my name. Do it for me. Go ahead. Say it. Say my name so that maybe, just maybe, I might live again. No? Will you not bother to even stop and wonder where my body might lie? Or even if the thought of my lifeless body was true? I find little friendliness in death, not that I am permitted to seek it out anyway. No, I am expected to wait and wonder how will my story be written, my history told. I shudder at the thought of the lies and misunderstandings mixed into the shadow of the truth, the truth of where I really am. I guess I should have never expected anything more or less. Death was my fate … until now.
The winds have changed. The storms have swirled to their breaking point, and my soul has awakened my desire for revenge. Yes, the time has come to change my fate, change my history, but first, I have to change his. I have to make him pay for killing me, make him pay for the pain he has caused the ones I love. I have not allowed myself to even speak his name out of fear that I would not be able to keep myself from screaming and calling his attention to me. The squalls have brought change, a shift in the tempest’s energy, and now, I am no longer afraid.
Michael, our dear king, I wonder if you regret how we met? Stupid question I’m sure, so do you ever regret never really knowing me? No, of course you don’t. That is not you. No, you are too sure of yourself. You know everything. You push this world forward without any concern for my loss. You, oh yes you, have no fears because you believe your enemies are gone, that the threats to your empire are too feeble to put up a reasonable fight against you. It didn’t start with my death—your rise upon the throne. No, it started before me, before anyone even knew to fear you. You rose to your fate by walking across the dead bodies of any one that got in your way, of anyone who dared try to stop you. It must have been a sight to watch you from afar. It must have been a story that all would want to tell, if not for you hushing them before they had a chance. Well enjoy your kingdom while you can dear king, enjoy your riches, your whores, and your consummate battles against your pathetic enemies. Enjoy it all while you can, dear king, enjoy it while I’m dead, while I sleep in the shadows, while the world moves about with no concern or memory of my tragedy, because soon, yes, soon I will be alive again, and I will make your enemies stronger. Together, we will meet you at the edge of your kingdom and wage a war like you have never known, and in the end, our dear king, in the end you will be dethroned.
Chapter 1
Austin
Soon after we escaped Michael, we were smuggled out of the country and set up in Dace’s old crew’s new hideout. The situation hasn’t been ideal for anyone, but it has allowed Dace enough time to heal and for us to get far enough away from Michael so that we can breathe a little, and without worrying about someone coming to shoot us in the back. Dace won’t allow Antony and me to help in any of the missions, so we are able to spend all the time we need investigating Michael’s long history. I am good at digging into things that are meant to be secret, but Michael has one of the most secure systems, and no one can get in without a local connection. Even his own setup man, Dace, can’t figure out a way in without being within a few feet of the mainframe, but he is the genius that made it that way. The mainframe, it’s in a heavily guarded secured building. Michael meets there once a day, and goes through all his money, his notes, his contacts and every other detail that keeps him on top. If anyone gets out of hand and threatens Michael, he just reminds them how easy it would be to release incriminating information he has on them. There is nothing they can do to stop him or negotiate, so they falter.
Aaron and I were able to get into the building once, but our presence only seemed to help Dace find roadblocks at every possible method of entry, sending even the most tech savvy people into complete impasse. So, we are left here, too far away to do what we need, too far to be hurt by Michael, and still miserable in our efforts to break free.
Ever since we left the country, Dace has been determined to regain his strength in full if not more. He cut his waves of hair so he wouldn’t have to deal with it while trying to recover. He has nearly cut me out of his thoughts, too focused on whatever progressive move he has planned next. Dace is a man on fire you could say, only he seems more determined to get back to his old crew instead of back home where we can take care of Michael. He says it’s because he wants to repay them for taking care of us. I understand that, but why wouldn’t he let me help them while he is recovering? Watching him, day in and day out, go through his routine is inspiring but, at the same time, frustrating. I need him too.
I watch him make himself something to eat and stop briefly to kiss me before moving on with his day. The only thing he says is, “Good morning.”
I am beginning to think he feels uncomfortable with his ex here, as if being with me in front of her is wrong somehow. I watch her run up to him and talk as if they have no secrets from each other.
“They’re getting ready to head out. Are you sure you don’t want to go on this one? It’s going to be fun I hear, and you know there is no reason for me to go if you don’t.”
Dace laughs. “Le, you know damn well I don’t make the crew list for the jobs. So if you want to go, ask Peter. I need to go get in a workout before getting some work done myself.”
“I have some work he wants me to do too, but he listens to you. If you sa
y you want to go, he will rearrange the crew and the current projects, and I will get to go.”
“Why, just because I go?”
“You know as well as I do he wouldn’t put you with a newbie your first time back. He would want you with your old partner. We work perfectly together. You know that,” Leandra says with some new schoolgirl stance I have never seen from her before. I can’t imagine she is happy, having to stoop to such girly standards. Suppressing her usual harsh demeanor to be sweet, is not something I would think she would be capable of. She must really be desperate to get on this job or just any job with Dace.
“Le, next time, I swear. Peter wants me working on another case, which I need to handle from our computer system here.”
“Can’t someone else do it?”
“No, I am the only one that knows how to break into a company’s system and retrieve information,” Dace reminds her with a flirtatious touch of her chin.
“Not the only one.” I speak up, gaining his attention fully for the first time in a while. “I can do it and then you can go on this job with her.”
“Anna,” Le says, forcing a smile.
“Austin. My name is Austin, and you know that.”
“Whatever. Don’t you have to do your nails or something?”
Dace sighs stepping in between us. “Austin, I don’t think that’s a good idea, but thank you for the offer. I’ve already got the information I need to break in, I only need to search for the documents we need. It would take more time to try and explain what we need, than it would for me to just take care of it myself. Besides the crew needs to get out of here now to meet their contact.”
“Oh well, next time,” Le says, walking away before I can suggest another solution.
Dace waits until her back is turned and grabs my hand, squeezing with a smile. I take the opportunity to pull him to me and kiss him like I want to be kissed. “Let’s go back to our room so I can give you a full examination.” His eyes spark, but he looks around us and pulls back from me.
“That room is not exactly sound proof, Austin, and with Le right next door, it could be awkward. I don’t want to make things any more difficult between you and her or anyone else.” I sigh, dropping his hand and giving up again. “Hey, don’t look like that.” He takes hold of my face and turns me to look at him. “I tell you what. We will take a break from this place here soon, go into the next town, get a room, and spend a weekend alone together. How would that be?” I smile and nod with little hope of that happening anytime soon. He just told Peter he was ready to work whenever he needed him. I doubt he’ll tell him he needs a vacation in the middle of starting to work again. I let him walk away, my optimism waning as the distance between us grows. I turn around to Antony trying to smile at me.
“This place sucks, doesn’t it? I bet it’s been difficult being in the same room with him and still not being able to have sex. In his defense, the walls are thin. I heard Blake fart last night, and I thought the roof was caving in.” I laugh and smack his chest playfully for trying to cheer me up. “Seriously, he is trying to protect you. These guys would love to listen in on a sex scene starring you. Hell, they do everything they can to catch sight of you coming out of the shower. Dace has had a few confrontations already.”
“He has? He hasn’t said anything.”
“No, because he doesn’t want you to feel uncomfortable. He is doing his best to keep calm around you, but he wants to get naked and dirty just as much you do, trust me. You know, though, most of them are leaving this afternoon, and he does work out in the back room all by himself.” Antony smiles at me.
“You’ll keep the rest busy for me?”
“Well, I have been wanting to get back to that poker game. I do enjoy hustling money out of those bastards. I don’t know why they believe gays can’t play poker. It will probably take them at least three hours before they realize they have been hustled and another two before they figure out they can’t win their money back, no matter how much they try to cheat. I’d say you have plenty of time, and if not, then you guys need some kind of safe word.”
“Thank you Antony.” I kiss his cheek and give him a tight hug.
“You’re welcome, but you owe me, don’t forget that.”
“I won’t.” I yell back at him as I rush off. I make a quick stop at our room to change, but into what? I have so little here to choose from and certainly nothing that says, come to me now. I don’t think we have time for me to play hard to get. Blatantly horny is clearly the way to go right now. It’s a little tricky getting past the eating area where Antony is already luring his victims into his trap.
“So anyone want to play cards, maybe Go Fish or something?” Antony suggests innocently.
“Go Fish? Let’s play a man’s game instead.” Rick growls.
“Like what, Gin Rummy?”
“No something where we can get some cash involved.”
“Cash? Well, all I have is a couple thousand. I would hate to lose any of it; it’s all I have until the end of the month,” Antony says pulling out the wad of cash naively and laying it on the table.
“Oh … well I think we can make sure you have something left,” Julian says, sitting down as quickly as the rest do with their mouths watering at the thought of taking Antony’s money.
I shake my head when I briefly catch Antony’s eye. He is such a sneaky devil. With time on my hands, I concentrate on finding Dace. Rounding the corner, my eyes land on him, already working his muscles to keep his perfect body well-built and defined, in the gym. His fighting skills are on perfect display as he faces off with one mocked up dummy after another. I try to imagine his targets are Michael, which makes me even hotter. Every sound Dace makes causes my body to react from my head right down to the tips of my toes. The more I watch him move, the harder it is to control my urges and stay seated. The best I can do is uncross my legs and straddle the stool, rubbing my bottom against it slowly—desperately— trying to satisfy my desire until he’s done. It doesn’t work. The light grazing against my clit, the motion of his body, the sweat dripping off his nearly nude body in his workout shorts. It’s too much. He’s too much. His sounds of pounding the bag echo around the room and back to me with sex laced into every vibrating resonance. I can’t take it anymore. “Dace!” I scream, shocking myself but successfully gaining his attention.
He removes his headphones and smiles. “Hey Baby,” he says gazing over my body as if he knows of my intentions with the stool. “Whatcha doin?”
“I was wondering if you needed a real sparring partner. I mean, since the doctor gave you a clean bill of health and you seem strong enough to handle me … again.”
He steps back, considering my offer. “Yeah I think I’m strong enough to handle you now. I guess we should try and see before I go on a job and face someone less”—he looks up at me with a wide smile—“appealing to me. I mean, unless you and your stool have become way too close over there. I could turn out the lights and let you two be alone if you want?”
A raging desire surges over me. “Oh you!” I rush at him and instantly engage him in a sparring match. I know his weak spots, or I thought I did, but he closes every usual angle off to me before I can get him. I try a new move and end up wrapped up in his arm, my back against his bare chest.
“Austin, baby, you seem to have forgotten your panties this morning,” he says, letting his excited spear force itself between my legs, teasing me with a tickle of his own desire. I break away from him with a renewed excitement.
“I thought you wanted to work out … Baby?” I tease.
“Oh we are.” His sudden advance towards me throws me off, and I back into a bench and fall into a seated position in front of him. He surrounds me, not giving me any room to maneuver around him. “Giving up so easily?” I shake my head and remove my tank, proving I had no interest in underwear at all today. “Cheater.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Pushing his shorts down to his ankles, I exhale with pleasure. Taking the
long, pulsating muscle into my hands, I admire it slowly and respectfully with a kiss and a swirling taste of its tip. Dace tenses, sinking his hand into my hair and cradling the back of my head. Another hand reaches down to my cheek, letting his thumb sweep across with loving encouragement. My mouth fills deep with his cock, and I enjoy every bit of it until he pulls me back and looks down on me, rubbing his thumb across my lips.
“You’ve been so patient and understanding. I love you more than anything in this world. Now let me give you what you want and what I want too.” Taking hold of my head, he lifts me up to kiss me. “You want to go back to our room and try to be real quiet?”
“No, I don’t want to wait a second longer. Besides, we have all the privacy we want here.”
His smile tells me he agrees. My shorts fall off easily as I climb up on him and ease down on his throbbing excitement with a gasping joy. “Oh, Dace, I love you so much.”
He places me on the mat, smiling over me, taking in my lips, searching for my tongue, fondling my breast into his mouth with an alluring lick of my nipple, and then … then he moves. Oh, he moves, from this point to the depth of that, palming my ass up into his hips, kissing my heated skin with his warm, soft lips. I’ve missed this, missed being able to love him fully. Rising up, he lets me sit on him, but he keeps hold of my breasts to control my pleasure while that perfect pressure against my clit creates a storm within me. Dace takes hold of my hips and speeds my motions, rocking my body up along his shaft, turning up the pressure over and over again. Both of us exhale pleasure with wild abandon into the wide open space around us. Mirrors in the room steam, clouding the images of our naked bodies twisting and stretching around each other. It all feels so good that all I have to do is open my eyes and catch a single glimpse of his hand squeezing my ass and I immerse into him once more. Laying me back, he whispers his love for me into my mouth and thrusts his way to an explosive finale. I can barely move or think of anything more than just staying in his arms. Everything is perfect until we hear a door slam in the back.