Page 47

Nic

Kai’s stony silence and the taut line of his shoulders tell me he’s already shut the door on this decision.

Tough. Because I’m about to wedge it wide open.

"So, it’s okay for you to talk to me about things, but I can’t get involved?"

His jaw flexes. "I already have a team working on this. Besides, this is my baggage, Nicole."

"And Cass was my sister!"

That lands. I see it in the way his jaw locks tighter. But he still doesn’t turn around. He just keeps staring out the window.

Goddammit, Kai.

I press harder. "Can you imagine if that was your sister? Imagine it was Lana who got drugged and made to drown herself, would you be content sitting on the sidelines while someone else ‘handled’ it?"

The muscle in his cheek jumps again. Still, maddening silence.

"And what if your security team fails?” My voice wobbles. "What if he somehow slips through their fingers? I could be the next one face-down in the water."

That shatters his control.

He moves—fast. In two long strides, and he’s in front of me, his hands cupping my jaw, tilting my face up so I can’t look away. His eyes burn into mine, the hazel in their dark depths flaring dangerously.

"That will never happen."

The sheer force in his voice knocks the air from my lungs, but I don’t back down. Instead, I arch a brow, feigning calm.

"And I can take that to the bank because what? You swear it?"

His voice drops to something lethal. "Yes."

"You’re not infallible, Kai!"

"And you’re not unbreakable!” His grip tightens just enough to make my pulse skitter. "What you’re suggesting—putting yourself in harm’s way—it’s a hard limit for me."

And there it is. The line I can’t cross.

Frustration rises inside me. "I just don’t see what the big deal is! I’m only going to his office to sign some papers and talk to him. What’s he gonna do, drown me in his iced coffee?"

Kai doesn’t find it funny. His jaw is clenched so tight I can practically hear his teeth grind. "Not a fucking chance, Nicole. You’re not going to see him, so drop it."

The finality in his voice makes my stomach twist with annoyance—and something else.

"You can’t stop me,” I say, testing him.

His hands slide into my hair, fingers working free my scrunchie until the strands fall loose around my shoulders. His thumbs stroke lazy circles behind my ears, sending a pulse of heat straight through me. It feels good. Too good.

He leans in, his voice a low whisper against my ear. "Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. See, I don’t need to stop you. I already know you wouldn’t do it unless I allow you."

Time stalls. The words hit low and hard, an ache blooming deep in my chest. I should shove him off me, march out of this suite, and handle this my way.

But I won’t. Because he’s right. Something deep inside me—something raw and broken and twisted—craves his approval.

This is the dynamic. The rarely spoken truth between us. It terrifies me. But it also fits too well.

I search the hard line of his jaw, the dangerous edge in his eyes, the control he wears like armor, and I wonder if I’m not batshit crazy for thinking I could be in a relationship with this man.

Is this really love, or just . . . a need for control? A need to be controlled?

I exhale shakily and force my shoulders to relax. "Okay. I’ll let you handle it."

His eyes narrow, no doubt shocked I’m suddenly relenting when he was just gearing up to take full control. "You mean that?"

"Of course.” I shrug, playing it off. "What’s the point of me fighting if you’ll end up winning, anyway?” I swallow the lump in my throat. "Besides, I understand . . . what you need."

His fingers flex against my scalp. "Which is?"

"You need control, Kai. And you need me safe. So I get it. I hate it, but I—yeah—I get it."

For a beat, he just watches me with a slight wince, as if he’s seeing something in my face that hurts him.

Then, his mouth crashes into mine—a bruising, possessive kiss. I kiss him back even as my stomach knots with unease.

A buzz interrupts us—his phone vibrating between us.

Kai pulls back with a soft curse and takes it out of his pocket. He glances at the screen, then presses a quick kiss to my mouth.

"It’s Lana. I left her in a daze this morning and haven’t told her anything yet. I should talk to her before she says something to David. Give me an hour, will you?"

I force a smile. "Okay, I’ll be waiting."

He drops a final kiss on my lips and moves toward the door. But just as he reaches it, he hesitates.

For a moment, I think he won’t leave. Then he swears under his breath, yanks the door open, and steps out.

The moment the door clicks shut, the knots in my stomach tighten viciously. I sink onto the bed, arms wrapped around my midriff.

Could I live like this? With a man this high-handed? A man who, when pushed to his breaking point, defaults to absolute control?

I know what my body wants. I’m unbelievably slick between my legs. But the real question is: should I live like this?

I glance at my paperback, wondering if I should swap my cozy mystery addiction for dark romance. I might learn something useful to navigate my real-life dom.

Not even a minute after he leaves, the door bursts open. Kai barrels back inside, chest heaving, his face a twisted mess of fury and need.

I only have time to straighten before he’s across the room.

"Kai—?"

His hand wraps around my throat in a firm chokehold, and suddenly, every nerve in my body is focused on him.

Fuck.

He applies just enough pressure to make my pulse kick hard against his palm—control and heat bleeding together—then slowly drags me up onto my feet, then onto my tiptoes, until our faces are inches apart.

His breath ghosts over my lips, hot and rough. "You’ll wear a wire,” he rasps.

Does this mean—?

"At the first sign of trouble, you say the code word ‘enough.’ I will come running.” His fingers flex against my throat. "And, Nicole, if you dare get a fucking scratch on yourself, so help me—"

I don’t wait for him to finish. I lunge. My mouth crashes into his, all the frustration, all the pent-up need detonating between us.

Kai growls against my lips, a deep, primal sound that vibrates straight through me, and suddenly I’m off my feet—hauled up and crushed against him. His arms lock around me, the tension in them like coiled wire, like he’s barely holding himself together.

He kisses me hard, no finesse, no patience. Just pure hunger. His hand fists in my hair, pulling tight as his teeth nip my lower lip, tugging until I gasp.

"Fuck, Nicole,” he snarls, before slamming his mouth back onto mine.

I claw at his shirt, desperate to get it off, but it won’t budge fast enough.

He growls, grabbing the back of his tee and yanking it over his head in one rough pull, then he tosses it aside.

Fuck me, he’s gorgeous. I take in his inked tanned skin, every defined muscle flexing with power. But I don’t have time to stare. Because he’s suddenly ripping my sweater over my head.

Having small, perky breasts means I sometimes get away without a bra,as long as the fabric is thick enough to hide my nipples.

Kai’s eyes darken. “You drive me insane, Nicole.” Before my sweater even hits the floor, he picks me up and throws me onto the bed.

He makes quick work of my leggings and panties, and then his hands are on my bare skin, callused fingers ghosting over my waist and ribs before cupping my breasts, squeezing just hard enough to make me gasp.

His mouth latches onto my nipple—hot and wet, his tongue flicking fast before he sucks hard.

"Fuck, Kai—"

He bites down, just enough to send sharp pleasure-pain searing through me, and I scream, arching under him.

He groans, dragging his mouth to my other breast, his stubble scraping against my skin, then as if he can’t wait another second, he moves back up, lining his cock hard against my slit.

Dark, molten eyes lock onto mine.

"I’m going to be rough,” he warns, lifting my legs over his shoulders before pinning my wrists above my head.

Heat pools in my core as I bite my lip and nod.

There’s a split-second of eye contact and then he slams into me in one deep, brutal thrust.

My back arches off the bed as he buries himself to the hilt, stretching me wide.

True to his word, he doesn’t give me a second to adjust. He withdraws his entire length, then slams home again.

And again.

And again.

Deep. Brutal. Unrelenting. Like he’s branding himself inside me, making sure I feel him for days.

Needing an outlet for the terrifying pleasure gathering in my pelvis, I twist my wrists free and claw at his pecs, my nails dragging down his skin, drawing a tortured groan out of him.

"Every fucking inch of you,” he growls, punctuating each word with a deep thrust. "Every sassy, stubborn, delectable inch of you is mine."

“And you’re mine, too,” I whisper. “You’ve always been mine.”

"Nicole, fuck—” His entire body jerks, his rhythm faltering like I just hit something raw and hidden, and then he breaks.

His orgasm rips through him, his muscles locking tight as a guttural moan tears from his throat.

The sheer force of it pulls me under, too. I shatter, my vision going white at the edges as my body clamps down on his, every nerve raw and alight.

The aftershocks pulse through me, leaving me wrecked, trembling, boneless under him. For a long, breathless moment, there’s only the frantic pounding of our hearts, the slick heat of our skin, the ragged pull of air.

Then he shifts, lifting his head just enough to look at me.

"I thought this was a hard limit,” I murmur, still breathless.

He huffs out a broken, breathless laugh. "Not if it puts that haunted look in your eyes.” His voice is raw. "Nicole—what the fuck are you doing to me?"

I stroke my fingers through his damp hair.

"Loving you, Kai Chase Mitchell Keoni."

And for once, he doesn’t have a single comeback.