I’m sure you’ll get it someday, but for now, you deserve the life of a teenager.”
Brier stood and knelt in front of Nalu. “I never had that. I didn’t get to go to high school. I wish I could have gone to one of those dances I see on television, but it’s too late for me.”
Brier took Nalu’s hands in his. “I want those things for you.”
Raven wiped the moisture from his eyes at the simple plea. He noticed he wasn’t the only one affected by Brier’s honesty. Both Nalu and Jared were also teary-eyed.
Nalu wiped his face with his arm. “How would I get money to live? I don’t know how to do anything else.”
“You’re only fourteen,” Raven reminded Nalu. “Now is the time for others to help take care of you. I’ll make sure you get the education you need so you can become anything you want to.” He knew in that moment he would do anything to give Nalu a chance to thrive.
Raven swallowed around the lump in his throat. He wondered if his dad felt the same way when he’d scooped Raven off the chair in the bar so long ago. “Deal?” he asked, holding out his hand.
Instead of shaking his hand, Nalu leant over and hugged Raven. Fighting his emotions, Raven enveloped the teenager in a hug. It’s a start.
* * * *
“What’re you doing out here all by yourself?” Seb asked, sitting in the chair next to Raven’s.
“I told Ghazi about his father and Halim, and he said he needed to be alone. What’re you doing out here?” Raven asked.
Seb shrugged. “Jared’s playing pool with Nalu, Jackie and Brier. I noticed you were missing, so I thought I’d look for you.”
Raven chuckled. “Did you think I was lost?”
“Aren’t you?” Seb asked, no trace of humour in his expression.
The question surprised him, but before answering, Raven took the time to really think about it. “No. Actually, I think for the first time in my life I might be where I’m supposed to be.” He glanced at Seb. “So how do I convince Ghazi I’m worthy?”
“You don’t.”
“Gee, thanks.” Raven sighed.
TO BED A KING
Carol Lynne
71
“What I meant was that you don’t have to convince him, he’s already convinced. He loves you, Raven.”
“Yeah. He loves me so much he prefers to deal with the news on his own.”
“This isn’t about you. The man’s just found out his father, the man he’s looked up to his entire life, was no better than a pimp. Give him a fucking break, dude.”
“But I thought people in love were supposed to lean on each other when things went wrong.”
“They are, usually. Some things a man has to work out on his own though. Doesn’t mean he loves his partner any less.”
Seb made a lot of sense, but Raven still couldn’t get over the fact that the man was actually there sitting next to him. “Why’re you talking to me? You never do that.” A thought occurred to him. “Are you feeling sorry for me or something?”
“Sorry for you? Please. You’ve got a freaking King in love with you. I just thought you might need someone to talk to. I actually like you, ya know.”
“Really?” he asked in a sarcastic tone. “That’s why you won’t let Jared within fifty feet of me without growling. You know, I may have a reputation for being a slut, but I wouldn’t do anything to hurt Jared.”
“I know. And it’s never been your reputation I’ve worried about.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Raven mumbled.
“Obviously I did. The reason I didn’t want Jared around you in the beginning was because I wanted him. I knew if he spent much time with you, you’d win him over. You’re like that, you know?”
“Like what?” Raven asked.
“Likeable. No matter what was going on, you’d always show up with that damn goofy smile on your face. It’s sickening to someone like me.” Seb scowled.
“Yeah, well, didn’t your mother ever teach you not to judge a book by its cover?”
“No, actually she didn’t. She was a drug addict. She was so busy trying to find
Brier stood and knelt in front of Nalu. “I never had that. I didn’t get to go to high school. I wish I could have gone to one of those dances I see on television, but it’s too late for me.”
Brier took Nalu’s hands in his. “I want those things for you.”
Raven wiped the moisture from his eyes at the simple plea. He noticed he wasn’t the only one affected by Brier’s honesty. Both Nalu and Jared were also teary-eyed.
Nalu wiped his face with his arm. “How would I get money to live? I don’t know how to do anything else.”
“You’re only fourteen,” Raven reminded Nalu. “Now is the time for others to help take care of you. I’ll make sure you get the education you need so you can become anything you want to.” He knew in that moment he would do anything to give Nalu a chance to thrive.
Raven swallowed around the lump in his throat. He wondered if his dad felt the same way when he’d scooped Raven off the chair in the bar so long ago. “Deal?” he asked, holding out his hand.
Instead of shaking his hand, Nalu leant over and hugged Raven. Fighting his emotions, Raven enveloped the teenager in a hug. It’s a start.
* * * *
“What’re you doing out here all by yourself?” Seb asked, sitting in the chair next to Raven’s.
“I told Ghazi about his father and Halim, and he said he needed to be alone. What’re you doing out here?” Raven asked.
Seb shrugged. “Jared’s playing pool with Nalu, Jackie and Brier. I noticed you were missing, so I thought I’d look for you.”
Raven chuckled. “Did you think I was lost?”
“Aren’t you?” Seb asked, no trace of humour in his expression.
The question surprised him, but before answering, Raven took the time to really think about it. “No. Actually, I think for the first time in my life I might be where I’m supposed to be.” He glanced at Seb. “So how do I convince Ghazi I’m worthy?”
“You don’t.”
“Gee, thanks.” Raven sighed.
TO BED A KING
Carol Lynne
71
“What I meant was that you don’t have to convince him, he’s already convinced. He loves you, Raven.”
“Yeah. He loves me so much he prefers to deal with the news on his own.”
“This isn’t about you. The man’s just found out his father, the man he’s looked up to his entire life, was no better than a pimp. Give him a fucking break, dude.”
“But I thought people in love were supposed to lean on each other when things went wrong.”
“They are, usually. Some things a man has to work out on his own though. Doesn’t mean he loves his partner any less.”
Seb made a lot of sense, but Raven still couldn’t get over the fact that the man was actually there sitting next to him. “Why’re you talking to me? You never do that.” A thought occurred to him. “Are you feeling sorry for me or something?”
“Sorry for you? Please. You’ve got a freaking King in love with you. I just thought you might need someone to talk to. I actually like you, ya know.”
“Really?” he asked in a sarcastic tone. “That’s why you won’t let Jared within fifty feet of me without growling. You know, I may have a reputation for being a slut, but I wouldn’t do anything to hurt Jared.”
“I know. And it’s never been your reputation I’ve worried about.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Raven mumbled.
“Obviously I did. The reason I didn’t want Jared around you in the beginning was because I wanted him. I knew if he spent much time with you, you’d win him over. You’re like that, you know?”
“Like what?” Raven asked.
“Likeable. No matter what was going on, you’d always show up with that damn goofy smile on your face. It’s sickening to someone like me.” Seb scowled.
“Yeah, well, didn’t your mother ever teach you not to judge a book by its cover?”
“No, actually she didn’t. She was a drug addict. She was so busy trying to find
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