After Tomorrow (Kingsley series Book 2) Read online

  After Tomorrow

  Kingsley Series Book 2

  Haylee Thorne

  Copyright © 2017 Haylee Thorne

  All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this book may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any medium, whether electronic, internet, or otherwise, without the expressed permission of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, locations, and names occurring in this book are the product of the author’s imagination, or are the property of their respective owners and are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual events, locations, or persons (living or dead), is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author. All trademarks and names are used in a fictitious manner and are in no way endorsed by or an endorsement of their respective owners. Contains sexual situations, violence, sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and/or mature topics.

  Recommended for age 18 years and up.

  For the girl who never thought she would amount to anything…

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  Taster of The Kingsley Series Book 3

  Acknowledgements

  Wanna keep up with Haylee?

  Sneak Peak - Losing Hope by Michelle Windsor

  “Don’t look at me like that,” she says with a chuckle as her gaze meets mine in the mirror.

  “Like what?” I answer innocently, schooling my features to match my tone.

  She gracefully slides from the small stool in front of the vanity. As she turns to face me, I get an eyeful of the delicate lacy undergarments that seem to cover so little, yet way too much at the moment for my liking. She raises her eyebrow, amusement painted on her beautiful face.

  “Like you have been starving for a solid week, and I’m a juicy hamburger.”

  My eyes wander hungrily across her body before they land on those incredible irises of hers. Her eyes are so expressive, I swear they change color with her moods. They are anywhere from dark brown to pitch-black, depending on what emotion drives her at the time. Currently, they are a smoldering dark chocolate color. I like this particular shade in those eyes—as long as I am the one putting it there. I take a step toward her and cannot help the tingle of excitement that washes over me as I note her reaction to my impending nearness. The subtle widening of her eyes. The way her breath catches in her throat. How she catches her full bottom lip between her teeth. I swear I could almost explode in my pants right here, right now, like a damn teenager.

  “Oh, Sweet Pea,” I tell her as I close the distance between us. “I think that if I would resort to comparing you to food items, I’d describe you more like a piece of Kobe steak…” I lean in and brush my lips across her collarbone. “And I could really go for some steak right now,” I add suggestively. A soft moan escapes her perfect lips, and that singular, small sound almost causes me to burst out of my pants. I press myself against her, letting her feel what she does to me. A sly smirk spreads across her face.

  “Mika James Kingsley,” she says as she lazily lets her hands slide from my chest to my stomach. “As much as I want to…feed you some prime Kobe steak…we are running late as it is.”

  I groan. “Nobody will notice if we are a little late.”

  She chuckles that sweet laugh of hers. Raeva wraps her arms around my neck and pushes herself onto the tips of her toes. Her mouth finds mine, and she kisses me sweetly. When I try and deepen the kiss, I feel her lips bloom into a smile.

  “Uh-uh,” she admonishes me. “I promise that I will be all yours when we get back later on tonight, Mr. Kingsley.”

  “You’re already all mine, Ms. Ray,” I grumble, admittedly somewhat disgruntled.

  Raeva presses her lips against mine once more. “That’s a fact,” she says with a wink. “But Jillybean’s opening is important to her, and I don’t want to show up late, especially since she has postponed the opening of Serenity because of me. And she’s not too happy with your involvement in that situation as it is. If you make us late to her opening…let’s not give her another reason to be annoyed with you.”

  I cringe when I think about the reason why Jill postponed the opening. She had to pick up the pieces after what happened only a couple of months ago. I had come so close to losing the only woman who has ever made me want…more. I am not ready to share her with the rest of the world yet. I want to keep her with me as much as possible, which has been hard since she refuses to quit her job at the Hillcrest Clinic. Stubborn woman. And of course I also have to work and have been working less than ever, even if I still work more than most. This event tonight is the last place I want to be. But she’s right, of course, and it’s not like I don’t have the rest of my life to enjoy every inch of her. I also can’t deny that I am also really fond of Jill; she is Raeva’s best friend, and the two of them are as close—if not closer—than sisters. Besides that, she has allowed my twin sister to help her replan this whole shindig, which has helped her tremendously. Mikaela has been in her element, and even though I am very sure that Jill is heavily benefiting from Mik’s involvement, I also know that she only agreed to let my sister help her because Raeva asked her to do so. And for that, I am grateful.

  “And you know that Mikaela will have your neck if you show up late to this event. Jill and Mikaela have been working their butts off to get this event together in such a short time.”

  It’s pretty impressive how well Raeva already seems to know my sister. I am not sure if I should be elated that they get on so well or terrified. I watch her step into a deep red, silk gown, and I know I am going to enjoy peeling it off of her. She smiles as she glances at me over her shoulder.

  “You mind zipping me up, Captain Caveman?”

  I will never admit to her that I am quite fond of her nickname for me; it has grown on me. I stride toward her and can’t resist the urge to kiss her shoulder as I tug on the zipper.

  “You look spectacular in this dress,” I murmur in her ear. “I cannot wait to rip it off you later.”

  She leans into the kiss, putty in my hands, and I cannot help the smugness that washes over me. The sound of someone clearing their throat startles me. I turn and find my twin sister standing in the entrance to the walk-in closet, and although I am slightly annoyed at her interruption, the feeling of complete elation at the sight of her is undeniable. She looks amazing. Her long blonde hair is twisted up in a half bun, and the silk gold gown she is wearing perfectly complements her eyes. My annoying little brat of a sister cleans up well.

  “Step away from the beautiful lady in the red dress,” she says sternly. “So help me God, Ivy League, if you make her late to this I will be forced to unleash my wrath upon you, and dear brother, you know better than to poke the bear.”

  I sigh. “Good evening to you too, little sister.”

  Mikaela breezes past me.

  “Rae, you look breathtaking,” she exclaims. “Let’s do your makeup.”

  Raeva smiles sweetly and takes the hand Mik’s holding out for her.

  “You finish getting dressed while I put the finishing touches on my future sister.”

  Raeva’s eyes snap over to mine, a look of
shock painted on that beautiful face of hers. I can’t help but chuckle.

  “Breathe, Sweet Pea,” I whisper in her ear.

  I lean in and kiss her temple. “I will be back shortly ladies,” I mutter as I turn and stride out of the walk-in closet.

  Mikaela has done a spectacular job with my hair and makeup. I barely recognize myself as I admire the finished product in the mirror. She helps me step into a pair of gold, strappy heels that lift me about six inches from the floor.

  “Perfection,” she mutters. “Absolute perfection. You’ll turn some heads tonight for sure, especially my brother’s,” she adds with a smirk and a wink. “I knew this dress would be perfect for you when I designed it.”

  Her excitement is contagious. I smile at her brightly, feeling giddy and excited for the night to come.

  “There is just one thing missing.”

  Instantly my mouth goes slack, and I turn at the sound of Mika’s voice. The butterflies in my belly are out of control. Just being in the presence of this man does things to me that seem to go outside the boundaries of my dominion, like the acceleration of my heartbeat, the stirring and tingling of my nerve endings, the perpetual smile on my face, and the way my breath catches every single time he walks into the room. I look over at Mikaela, who looks disgruntled for a moment, but then she gasps. I swear her face lights up like she’s experiencing a thousand Christmases at once. My gaze flashes over to Mika, who is holding a rectangular suede case in his hands. He strides toward me, and my heart catches in my throat. He stops inches in front of me, and he smiles at me. It’s weird. If I didn’t know better, I would have told you that his smile was shy and nervous, but that couldn’t be my Mika…right? Our eyes lock once more, and I am ready to drown in those clear blue irises of his.

  “Open it, Sweet Pea,” he mutters.

  I look at the beautiful case in his hands. My fingers tremble as they caress the length of the container. My digits curl around the lid and pull it up. I gasp as the enormous ruby on a delicate gold chain is revealed.

  “I knew it,” Mikaela whispers. “You’re giving her mom’s jewelry!” she exclaims excitedly.

  If I thought that my mouth was dry before, now it’s cork-dry. Mika pulls the chain from the satin bed it is lying on and steps behind me to fasten it around my neck.

  “Mika,” I almost whisper. “It is beautiful, but I can’t accept something as precious as this. If this was your mom’s…”

  Mika kisses the back of my neck. “Nonsense,” he mutters. “If anything, she would want you to have it. Believe me.”

  “No doubt in my mind, she would want you to have it,” Mikaela chimes in.

  I admire the extravagant piece of jewelry that is gracing my neck in my reflection. I clasp the chain between my fingers. It is beautiful. I turn to face my generous boyfriend and kiss him squarely on the lips. I am glad that Mikaela brought me some non-staining lipstick because I would have ruined my makeup, not to mention Mika’s poor face.

  “Thank you,” I whisper against his lips.

  “You are so very welcome, Sweet Pea,” Mika says as he pulls his cell phone out of his pocket. “It’s time for us to go. Sean is ready and waiting downstairs.”

  Before I can respond, I am taken into a bear hug. “You’ll officially be my sister before the year is out,” she whispers into my ear in a conspiratorial tone as she hugs me tightly. My shoulders tighten, and my heart nearly bursts out of my chest cavity. It feels like my eyeballs are almost popping out of my skull. The velvety smooth sound of Mika chuckling snaps me out of my inner turmoil.

  “Breathe, Raeva,” he says as he holds out his hand to me.

  Without even a moment of hesitation, I take it and let him lead me to wherever the night is taking us.

  We have been in the car for about twenty minutes, the three of us happily chatting about this and that, and are about to arrive at Serenity when I notice the vast amount of people and ocean waves of flashing lights. The hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention, and my stomach is churning. I grab hold of Mika, squeezing his hand tightly. He kisses the top of my head, instantly calming me somewhat. I hate the thought of having my picture taken after everything that happened with Jasper.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he whispers against my temple. “Look at me, baby,” he urges.

  He gently guides my head at an angle, and our eyes meet. “It’s just a red carpet, Sweet Pea. We will walk it, smile for a couple of pictures, and make our way to see Jill, okay?”

  I nod. He kisses my hand sweetly. We pull up to the curb, and Sean gets out to open the door for us. When he does, he assists Mikaela out of the vehicle first. Mika follows her and then turns to hold his hand out for me. I take it and step out of the vehicle, as graceful as I can manage on these sky-high stilettos. He places his hand on the small of my back, guiding me toward the carpet and the twenty something paparazzi. Just hold on to Mika and smile, I tell myself. I fall into sync with his steps, and Mika wields all the questions that the paparazzi are hurling at us. I look over at Mikaela, who is just a few steps in front of us. She is working this carpet as if she owns it, smiling brightly and answering questions left and right. I am admiring her overabundance of confidence and grace when I feel Mika’s grip on me tighten. I look up at him and see his mask slip ever so slightly. He suddenly tenses up, and I swear I see his nostrils flare. He’s still smiling, but the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

  “No more questions!” he barks.

  Anger is radiating from him, almost oozing out of his pores. I rarely see him lose his cool like this, and frankly, it worries me. We make our way to the front entrance faster than I thought we would. When we step inside, I sigh deeply in relief, and Mika’s hold on me lessens, but he doesn’t let go. Part of me wants to ask him what was said to him out there, but the look on his face right now tells me that now might not be the right time, so I put it in the back of my mind for now. I look around, and the place looks amazing. We are in the main lobby, but it has been transformed into something completely awe-inspiring. It looks like a grand reception area; the large cherry oak and glass reception desk has been turned into a bar. There are servers walking around with trays filled with goodies, some filled with glasses of champagne, and some with beautiful and delicious-looking hors d'oeuvres. I scan the room for my person when my eyes land on her. I nearly gasp. She looks incredible. She is always beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but right now, she looks out of this world! She radiates sunshine, and the silk Egyptian blue dress she is wearing right now does incredible things for her. I am willing to bet that Mikaela hooked her up, too; she has a great eye for these things. She notices me, and her smile widens. Jill strides toward me and pulls me in for a hug.

  “Holy shit, Rae! You look incredible,” she exclaims. “Let me look at you,” she says as she inspects me from top to bottom. “I’m so glad you are here. I’ve missed you.”

  I avert my eyes and bite my lip as I inwardly admonish myself. I try and swallow away the pang of guilt that is stuck in my throat. I have been neglecting my Jillybean lately, and I feel bad.

  “Stop it, Rae, that wasn’t a guilt trip. I am just happy to see my person. Okay?”

  I smile at her and nod.

  “Mik!” she exclaims excitedly.

  She walks over to Mikaela and hugs her, too.

  “Doesn’t it look incredible in here? I can’t thank you enough for all your help,” Jill says as she does a twirl. “And girl, this dress you sent over. I can’t get over how spectacular it is.”

  Mikaela beams.

  “Oh, it was my pleasure, thank you for letting me help you. Seriously, I needed something to keep my mind occupied,” she says, smiling widely. “I may have gone a little over the top.” She giggles.

  Mika chuckles.

  “You? Over the top? Never.”

  Mikaela playfully slaps him on the arm.

  “Seriously though, the place looks incredible. Congratulations on your opening, Jill.”

  Ji
ll smiles at Mika, and this isn’t the first time tonight that I have seen a smile that doesn’t reach the eyes. I don’t like it.

  “Thank you, Mika. And thank you for coming,” she replies a little too politely.

  Our eyes meet, and I flash her a warning look. She shrugs as she mouths, “What?”

  I shake my head. She can be impossible sometimes, but this is her night. So again, I am letting something go…for now.

  She looks over to Mika and Mikaela. “Excuse us, please. We will be right back.”

  Jill drags me away from Mika and his sister to a more remote area in the room.

  “We need to talk,” she says, face serious. My heart drops because I just know that she will be complaining about Mika, and I am not in the mood to fight about this right now at her big event.

  “I really don’t want to get into this again right now, Jillybean.”

  She raises her eyebrow.

  “This is not about Mika. Someone showed up, and I wanted to give you a heads up.”

  I rack my brain to figure out who the hell she could be trying to warn me about.

  “Listen, I told him that he wasn’t welcome here and that I would have his balls on a platter if he upsets you. But he came with Lindsey. He’s adamant that he just came to escort his sister to an event.”

  Austin Camden.

  My stomach starts to churn and nausea rises in my throat.

  “Do I need to tell him to leave?”

  I want to tell her to kick him out, and I am about to tell her just that when my gaze lands on Mika. He flashes me a smile, and I immediately feel better. Why the hell should I care? So instead, I shake my head.