Page 35 of A King’s Obsession

That only made her laugh harder. “Baby, you old too.”

“And your ass twenty-six fucking with me, so what that make you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Smart.” She reached across the island and stole another piece of bacon from my plate, smiling like she'd just made the best point in the world. “Very smart.”

I smacked her hand away. “Eat your own damn food.”

“Yours taste better,” she argued, pulling her hand back before I could smack it again.

“It came out the same fucking pan.”

“Still taste better.” She shrugged and popped the bacon into her mouth.

I shook my head, fighting a smile. This woman got on my fucking nerves, and I liked that shit way more than I should’ve.

My phone started vibrating against the island before she could start interrogating me again. I glanced at the screen and almost laughed.

E. Of fucking course.

Ashlynn leaned sideways, trying to see who was calling. The second she caught his name, a slow smile spread across her face.

“Answer it,” she urged, sitting up straighter.

I looked from my phone to her. “Why you smiling?”

She reached for her orange juice like she wasn’t plotting shit. “I’m not.”

“Yes the fuck you are.”

That made the smile worse. She leaned forward against the island, looking entirely too eager. “Put it on speaker.”

“Hell nah.” I shook my head, already knowing that was a bad idea.

“Malachi.” She dragged my name out, giving me that look she always used when she wanted something.

I should’ve taken the call upstairs. Instead, against my better judgment, I answered and hit speaker.

“What up?”

E didn’t bother with good morning. His irritation came straight through the phone. “Explain to me again why the fuck Jru works at my club.”

I dropped my head, rubbing my beard while Ashlynn pressed her lips together across from me. “Our club,” I corrected. “And because we needed a fucking manager.”

“That’s not what I asked you,” E snapped, clearly not interested in my explanation.

“That’s exactly what you asked me.” I leaned back on my stool, refusing to entertain the same argument we'd already had.

Across the island, Ashlynn’s shoulders started shaking. I pointed at her, warning her without saying a word, but a little snort escaped anyway.

Silence came through the phone.

Then E’s voice dropped. “Is Ashlynn over there?”

I looked at her. She slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with amusement.

“Nah.”

“Nigga, I can hear her.”