The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga) (20 page)

“You look so happy Kazzy!
I don't think I have ever seen you this happy
.
”
She said beaming
,
thanks heavily to pregnant hormones.

“Well I have never been in love before!” At this she let out a high pitched scream and clapped her hands together. I half expected Frank to come running up the stairs with a baseball bat again.

“So come on tell me, how did it all happen?”

“I don't really know but he sort
of just confessed he liked me.” Which was the truth
, well kind
of
. I told her about how S
ophia invited me to sit at their
table after work and I ended up next to Draven. Ok
,
so this wasn't exactly the truth but it was as close to it as I could get. I told her about
,
after a few drinks, I relaxed enough to talk to him.

“It kind of happened really quickly but from what he says
,
he has
had a thing for me for a while,
which is really hard to believe.
” She screwed
her face up like she disagreed.

“No it isn't. H
e obviously has good taste and you could tell he felt something for you when he brought you home that night. But I do wonder what took him so long?” Well of course I knew the answer to that one but I wasn't about to disclose that with Libby
. Could you imagine me saying “Well see Libs
, here’s the thing,
he is a
Demon
/
Angel half breed and is like the Mafia Godfather of the supernatural world we live in
.
” I couldn't see it going down well at all. So instead I just said
,

“I guess he was just being cautious
.
”

“Well he is most definitely not a snob, so I will be the first to admit I was wrong about him. I thought he would be surrounded by bimbo strippers that had massive...well you get the message. It restores my faith in human nature that money isn't everything.” This I wanted to laugh at but managed to con
trol
my outburst. Firstly Draven couldn't get any further from human if he tried and secondly he wasn't the bimbo type. From the looks of Aurora he was more the blonde Goddess type
,
so I
failed to see what he saw in me but happiness kept me from caring.

“So from what I gather
earlier
,
you have, without a doubt hit all bases. So come on dish the dirt, how was it?” This had me howling with laughter and I threw my head back as more laughter followed.

“It is utter bliss and more
...incredible, mind-blowing and completely
like nothing I have ever known!
” I said and she sighed at the thought.

“He looked umm.....fit” She said which is her way of saying well equipped.

“OH YES” We giggled again.

I carried on talking about Draven for over an hour and only just had time for a quick shower ready to m
e
et Jac
k. This thought wiped the constan
t smile from my face
,
as I knew I was about to hurt him and it was something I was ashamed with myself fo
r getting out of hand. I had le
d him on when Draven had hurt me and I used him in the worst way....to get revenge. It was not a good moment for me and I was appalled at my actions. Well now it was time to face the music and put things right, even if I needed to beg and grovel. I wasn't going to let
it prevent me and Jack from
being friends. I knew Draven didn't like it but he would come around....wouldn't he?

I was ready for leaving, with a fresh clean outfit that consisted of my usual jeans and long sleeved top, with gloves underneath of course. I put my half wet hair up in a messy twist and bits fell down at the sides. The only differe
nce to my appearance was the
happy
new
glow my skin had acquired. I grabbed my long black jacket as it looked like it might rain later and headed for the door. I shouted my good byes to Libs and Frank and opened the door to a very handsome face, one I hadn't seen in years and one that would no doubt cause me even more problems with Draven......

An ex from
my
past.

Chapter 9

Hello Stranger

“Well hello Keira, looking fine as always
!
” Justin, Frank's brother
,
stood opposite me leaning casually on the door frame. His baby face features had grown into a strong looking expression and he was skinny no longer. It had been replaced with a wide chest and broad shoulders. He looked like he had just jumped straight out of a surfing magazine, with his long blonde dreadlocks tied back from his face by a bit of thin rope. He had surfer beads up both wrists and a
fossilized
sharks tooth tied round his neck with some black cord. He wore combat trousers and a T shirt under a thin zip up hooded sweater
, even though it was winter
.
And h
e looked fantastic!

“Justin, Hi...
what
are
you doing here?” I asked
,
trying not to sound as surprised as I was. I hadn’t seen Justin since my sist
er’s wedding and well, back then
I had a bit of a crush on him. Ok
,
so maybe more than a crush but
he had been with a girlfriend.

“Just here to see the big guy but I get you instead, which is far more of a bonus and may I say
much easier on the eyes
.
”
His compliment made me blush like a vicar in an underwear department! His lips formed a devilish grin at the sight of my pink cheeks, while I opened the door wider and called to Frank.

“Are you staying for long?” I asked
,
secretly hoping not because knowing Draven’s reaction to Justin’s flirting
,
it would be like lighting a firework and letting it go off in your hand. Hot and foolish!

“No
,
just passing through
.
” He said casually before Frank came to the door way.

“Ah
,
look what the cat dragged in! You back from trekking the jungle?” Frank said this while grabbing his brother into a bear hug. Justin was trying to breathe and
hit him on the back to be relea
sed.

“God Frank, what you trying to do, break my spine in two!” Justin took a swipe at him which he skilfully dodged. I moved out of the way to let them bond the way brothers did. I could never imagine going up to Libby after not seeing
her for months and punching her.
Oh yeah
,
she’d love that.

“So how was Costa Rica? I thought you would have been on a diet of rice and beans but you look like you have put some meat on those skinny bones lad!”

“Yeah
,
well at least I’m not a muscle head!” This was how it went on for a few minutes but I was trying to edge towards my car until they spotted me.

“Where you off to
Kaz?” It hadn’t taken Justin long to adopt my nickname.

“Oh
,
I’m meeting a friend
.
” He looked a bit disappointed and Frank nudged him.

“Yeah little Kaz here has been quite a hit with the guys in this town
.
” I rolled my eyes at Frank but he just laughed.

“I can see why
!
” Justin said
in a low voice I could still hear, making Frank laugh
louder.

“Don’t even think about it Romeo
, she’s
taken!
” Frank tried to grab
him into a head lock but Justin moved like lightening and was down by me in seconds
, jumping off the porch steps
. He looked down at me and I lowered my eyes before the blood rushed to my face.

“So
,
who’s the lucky guy?” I really didn’t wa
nt to be talking about this now.
I was already running late for Jack.

“Oh no one you
know. Anyway I must run but it was great seeing you again
.
”

“Oh
,
you’ll be seeing me next weekend
,
that is if my
big
Bro don’t mind letting me crash for a few days.” He said this last part at Frank and he looked happy enough that his brother was back. I
,
on the other hand
,
was
n’t
so sure Justin being back here was such a great thing.

“Sure, you know you can but first you go and see Mum and Dad
.
”

“Yeah, yeah I was on my way there next
.
” Justin rolled his eyes at me in a comedy fashion and I smiled. Then he put his arms around me and pulled me to his now hard chest. I froze but he just hugged me to s
ay goodbye. I swallowed hard, which
he must have heard because he laughed as I quickly unlocked my car door.

“Well I guess I will see you next week then
.
” I said while getting in my bronco and he watched me like a wolf would a piece of meat. I giggled nervously before driving off. On the way there I thought about how glad I was that Draven hadn’t still been
t
he
r
e when Justin had turned up. He didn’t like Jack because he felt something for me but at least he behaved himself! Justin was just a big flirt and would do
it
i
n front of anyone, including Draven. Oh yes
,
it was definitely better that Draven didn’t know about Justin. Then it hit me, Ragnar had probably seen the whole thing! Oh no! I
couldn’t see him which suggested I might have got
away with it but something t
old me this wasn’t a likely out
come. Oh well
,
it was only a hug.

I got to the din
er and checked the clock on the dash. I was only ten minutes late after some luck with traffic lights and a heavy foot on the gas pedal. Jack was already inside and I waved as I passed the
window. He had already secured a booth next to the window and soon the
butterflies in my stomach turned to wasps! I was dreading this but
I
knew it was the right thing to do. Of course it didn’t help that he was grinning at the very sight of me. It was going to be like dumping puppies.

He was wearing his usual ripped jeans and today’s choice in T shirt was a faded Rolling Stones
’
but the lips had cracked from years of washing. His hair was the same wild bronze with lighter bits at the front and it flopped around in every direction. His soft features and gorgeous
honey
eyes lit up as I came nearer.

“Here she is
,” h
e said getting up and hu
gging me. I didn’t tense up as
I had done with Justin. I don’t know what it was about Jack but h
e was one of those guys that put
you instantly at ease. He was
tall and had a toned build because he
spent a lot of hours hiking. We sat back down and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him. Then it faded as I realised that this might be the last time we were like this. That he might not want to be friends any longer. My heart sank.

“Hey Jack, I’m so
,
so sorry
.
” I blurted out and he looked shocked. I guess I just had needed to say it now for a long time
,
that it was the first thing I wanted out of my lips. At least I had said it even if it was the last time he wanted to talk to me.

“What for?” He was making this even harder, especially when he wouldn’t stop smiling at me like I was
bloody
wonderful.

“For everything! I have treated you all wrong, I should never have done that to such a good friend and then I gave you that letter and then I didn’t call…” I was fumbling out my words like they were hot mouthfuls I had to get rid of.