Page 8 of Royal Beast (Royals of the Underworld #1)

KELLAN

I swirl the bourbon in my glass, watching as the amber liquid catches the light. I sit back, eyeing Darcy across from me. It’s done now. I’ve barely let it settle, but Darcy’s avoiding meeting my eyes, her gaze locked on something past my shoulder, her expression tight.

She’s having second thoughts. I can see it plain as day from the way she chews her lip and taps her fingers against her thigh. If she’s going to back out, better now than later. Might as well get it over with. I hold my tongue, daring her to spit it out.

Finally, she looks up, a flicker of worry in her eyes.

“I… I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to tell my father,” she says slowly, like she’s choosing each word with care.

So that’s what was on her mind. I take a slow sip, hiding the smirk that threatens to spread across my lips.

“Tell him whatever you want,” I say, setting my glass down with a soft clink. “If he’s got a problem, he can take it up with me.”

She blushes, that faint pink creeping up her neck, and I can’t help the satisfaction that flares up, knowing I’ve managed to get under her skin without even trying. Darcy’s tougher than she realizes, but there’s still that soft side just beneath the surface.

I glance at my watch, then over at Rory.

“We’d better get going,” I say, tossing back the last of my bourbon.

“Got a full day tomorrow, and I’d like to start celebrating early.

” I shoot her a look, enjoying the way her blush deepens, that last hint of composure cracking just a little more under my gaze.

Perfect. This is going to be fun.

I say my goodbyes to Rory and we head down to the parking garage. “We’re going back to my place tonight, so you’d better get your story straight for your father,” I warn her.

As I steer us through the city streets, Darcy pulls out her phone and stares at it like it might bite her. The tension is rolling off her in waves, and it’s all I can do not to laugh. Eventually, she takes a deep breath and makes the call, slowly placing the phone to her ear.

“Dad?” she starts, her voice steadier than I expected. “I have some news. I, uh, I got married.”

I bite back a grin while I keep my eyes on the road.

Her father’s voice comes through faintly, but I can’t fully make out whatever objections or questions he’s throwing her way.

I’ve got my own distractions. One hand is steady on the wheel, but the other finds its way to her thigh, resting there casually.

I let my fingers start a slow, lazy trace along the soft fabric of her dress, knowing damn well I’ve got her attention now, even with her father’s voice on the other end of the line. She tenses, trying to stay focused, and I can almost feel the panic as I let my hand move just a bit higher.

Her words falter, and I chuckle, enjoying watching her squirm.

She chokes out a few polite responses and tells him she’ll call later before hanging up, her hand still gripping the phone a little too tightly. I glance over, arching a brow.

“Everything go well?”

Her face is flushed, her expression torn somewhere between relief and exasperation. I let my hand settle, enjoying the way her breath catches as I squeeze her thigh hard enough to make her gasp.

“Relax, Mrs. Brannagan,” I say, letting her new name roll off my tongue with a smirk. “The hardest part’s over.”

But the way her eyes flash as she looks at me tells me she knows better.

We arrive at my building and head up the elevator to my penthouse. I swipe my keycard, and the door clicks open. Stepping inside, I watch as Darcy’s eyes flick around, taking it all in. Every square inch of the place has my signature on it—clean lines, modern decor, and plenty of open space.

I lead her past the entryway and down the open hall with dark wooden floors that gleam under the recessed lighting. “I have three bedrooms,” I say, nodding down the hall. “Plenty of space for the kiddo.” The corner of my mouth quirks up at the surprise on her face.

We move to the living area next, where floor-to-ceiling windows give a panoramic view of the city.

It’s a large space, plenty of room to entertain if I wanted to, though that doesn’t happen often.

A sleek leather sectional spans the length of the room, flanked by glass side tables, a large glass coffee table situated in front of it.

A massive TV is mounted on the wall above the gas fireplace.

Darcy looks impressed despite herself, eyes widening a little as she stares out the windows. We move on, and I guide her into the kitchen, a chef’s dream of stainless steel, granite countertops, and custom cabinetry.

“It’s fully stocked, even though I rarely cook,” I tell her.

Her gaze shifts back to me, a question in her eyes, but I keep walking. I show her the guest bath before leading her to the master bedroom.

“And here’s our room.”

She crosses her arms, glancing around at the minimalist design—black bed frame, crisp gray bedding, matching nightstands. Not a damn thing out of place.

“You can change up whatever you want,” I say, keeping my tone casual, “Since you’ll be living here, too.”

Darcy’s lips part, eyes narrowing as she realizes I’m not playing around. “You’re serious?” Her tone is a blend of disbelief and irritation. I can tell she wasn’t expecting this.

“That’s right,” I say matter-of-factly, not leaving any room for debate. “You and your daughter. No point in dragging this out. We’re married now, which means this is your place too.”

Her shoulders hunch. “I didn’t sign up to uproot my daughter overnight, Kellan,” she says, her voice gaining a little heat.

I shrug. “You’re my wife. There’s no sense in waiting. She’ll have her own room, whatever she needs. But this is where you both belong now.”

Darcy clenches her jaw and looks around again, her gaze hardening as she tries to push back. I hold her stare, letting her know that there’s no backing down from this.

The truth is, it’s less that I want Darcy close by and more that I want her away from her father and his foolish, dangerous decisions. But I’m not about to tell her that. It’s better for her to accept that she’s safe here.

“You can’t just boss me around,” she says, a defiant glare forming as she faces me. “I might be your wife, but you don’t have authority over me.”

I step forward, watching as her eyes flick back and forth, searching for an escape. “You’re mine ,” I say, my voice dangerously low. “If I have to remind you of that, I will.”

Before she can speak again, I crush my mouth to hers, pressing our lips together in a punishing, brutal kiss.

My mouth moves over Darcy’s, kissing her deeply as she slowly goes pliant in my arms. Her hands snake up to wind around my neck, and she pulls me down, kissing me back as I gently push her against the wall.

I trail wet kisses down her neck to her exposed cleavage.

“I’ve been thinking about you all day,” I growl, moving my hands up under her dress to stroke her bare skin. “You looked so delicious at the courthouse in that dress, like a sweet treat waiting to be unwrapped.”

Darcy shudders, knees parting as my fingers slide over her heated flesh to skate across her panties. The material is already damp with her arousal, and I grin, pushing them to the side to tease her slit.

“Kellan, you can’t win every argument with sex,” Darcy says, squeezing her eyes shut as I press a finger between her folds.

“You don’t seem to be asking me to stop,” I whisper in her ear, delighted by the way she shivers as goosebumps break out across her skin. She’s so sensitive, and I don’t know if I’ll ever tire of knowing how easily I affect her.

I pull away, watching the pout bloom on Darcy’s lips before scooping her up into my arms and carrying her across the room, depositing her on the bed. “You’ll have to forgive my impatience. I’ve been wanting to unwrap my wedding gift all afternoon.”

Attacking her neck with kisses, I push the material of her dress up around her waist and peel off her panties before tossing them to the side. “My sexy wife,” I say, smirking at the blush on her face. “You’re mine , Darcy. I’m going to fuck you until you remember who you belong to.”

Her eyes widen, and I plunge my fingers inside her again, curling them forward to brush over her inner walls as she squirms. “Fuck, I want you,” I breathe out.

Sitting up, I pull my stiff cock out of my trousers, the tip already leaking a steady stream of precum as I line it up with Darcy’s entrance.

Once I’m inside her, I lean down, bringing my lips to hers once again, kissing her into senselessness. Darcy’s tongue brushes over mine, and I suck on it as my fingers tangle in her hair.

The friction has me groaning as we move together, our bodies entwined like pieces of a puzzle. My fingers tease over her clit, moving relentlessly as we fuck. “Mine,” I whisper, staring deeply into her eyes. “You’re all mine.”

My words seem to spur her on because she starts rocking her hips into mine, hands gripping my back as we move. I feel her through the thin fabric of my shirt, but it’s not enough. I want more. I want to feel her skin against mine.

But I can’t move, not with the way her pussy clamps onto my cock, milking it for everything I’ve got. My eyes roll back in my head as I feel myself release into her, Darcy’s walls fluttering as she joins me.

We come down from our climax and lie side by side as we catch our breath. “You’re mine,” I whisper again. “Don’t ever forget that.”

We end up going a few more rounds, taking separate showers before falling asleep in the bed together.

The next day, Darcy leaves to get her daughter and to start the process of moving their things into my place.

While she’s gone, I clean out a bedroom for the kid, putting the stuff in my basement storage room so there’s enough space for her.

I arrange for some new furniture to be delivered, as well as a few toys and a large pink dollhouse.

I have no idea what the kid might like, but I want to make sure that Rose has everything a little girl could ever want.

When the two of them arrive, Darcy leads Rose into the penthouse and says, “This is where we’ll be living from now on, Petal.” Rose takes it all in, her eyes wide.

“I’m Kellan,” I say, stepping forward. Rose’s eyes meet mine and she looks me over.

“I’m Rose,” she replies, extending her hand. I take it gently, and she lights up, a big grin on her face. There’s something in her smile so familiar that it causes me to inhale sharply.

I realize that she looks like our family. She’s got eyes shaped like Rory’s and the same straight-sloped nose as Lucky and me, though mine is a little crooked from being broken.

Is it possible that Rose is my daughter?

I glance up, searching Darcy’s eyes, but she’s closed off, her expression unreadable, arms crossed. I’m probably not going to get the answers I seek from her.

Disappointment fills me, but I brush it away.