“I understand,” I tell her. “Thank you for giving me the time to think it over.”
She nods sadly, almost like she suspects I won’t buy. I know I’ve had an offer on my house, but I could stop the sale, no paperwork has gone through yet. I stand and make my way to exit the store.
“Oh, Mrs. Walters,” I call her before I leave and she turns to look at me. “Does the shop have an apartment above it?”
She frowns. “I guess you could use it as that. We’ve always just used it as a couple of storage rooms.”
I feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach again as I walk outside. I could live above the shop, couldn’t I? I ask myself this question as I stand staring up at the outside of the shop. I need to do this. I need to chase this dream, or I’ll always wonder, and with wondering comes regret and I don’t do regret well.
When I finally arrive home, Kato is waiting outside, sitting on the stoop with Blanche at his feet letting him rub her belly. Of course she is. Damn cat. He stands when he notices me.
“Hey,” he murmurs. Reaching his hand out he grabs my arm and hauls me to him, kissing me with the passion of a man who will never experience another kiss again.
“Well, hello to you too,” I smile up at him when we finally pull apart.
He closes his eyes and rests his forehead against mine. It’s so intimate, so loving. I revel in the moment, until Blanche meows and scratches my ankle.
“Oh, for God’s sake, cat!” I snap down at the furry bundle below me. She smirks, I swear she does.
“Come on,” Kato urges, pulling me toward the front door. He takes the keys from my hand and opens the door, then strides straight through to the kitchen, sorting out Blanche’s food while I pull my jacket off and drop my bag. He’s so domesticated already, almost like we live together. I catch my breath at the thought. I’ve never lived with anyone other than my gran, and my sister when we were younger, so the idea of sharing my space again scares me, but it also excites me. I’m so in love with him, I’ve never given someone this sort of power over me. He has the ability to ruin me, but I like how vulnerable I allow myself to be with him.
I sit at the kitchen table and watch him. I need to talk to him about the house and the bakery, but I don’t want to think about any of it tonight.
“I’m taking you out,” he informs me, pulling me to my feet and resting his hands on my hips.
I smile up at him. “Oh, you are? Where are you taking me, then?” I question, dropping my hands onto his chest, I raise up on my tiptoes and kiss his lips gently. He takes over our kiss, sweeping his tongue into my mouth and groaning as he brings one hand up to my breast, rubbing his thumb across my still covered nipple. With a nip to my lips and a last kiss on my mouth he pulls away, his hand now cupping my cheek.
“If we continue, we won’t be going out. Go get changed, I want to show you off tonight,” he whispers.
I lean away from him. “Where are we going?”
He shakes his head, “Nowhere dressy.”
I shrug, “Okay.”
As I pull away, Kato doesn’t release my hand, so I twist my head back and look over my shoulder at him.
“I love you.” His words warm me.
Biting down on my lower lip I smile up at him. “I love you, too.”
“Wow, I’ve never been here before, I didn’t even realize this place existed,” I tell Kato as we walk into what can only be described as a biker bar.
Kato smiles down at me lovingly. “I used to come here all the time, it’s been a while though,” he tells me as we hit the bar.
“Kato! My man, how you doing, bro?” A huge, tattooed guy with a bald head and russet beard leans over the bar and claps hands with Kato.
“Kellan, it’s good to see you. This is my woman, Nola.”
Kellan holds his hand out for mine, and the moment I offer him it, he clasps my fingers and pulls my knuckles to his mouth.
“Well hello there, Nola, you’re far too beautiful to be on this mofo’s arm, if you ever want a real man, come see me,” he tells me, letting go of my hand and jerking his thumb toward his chest.
I laugh as Kato growls.
“Leave my girl the fuck alone, Kellan.”
Kellan flat out smiles at Kato’s warning.
“Relax, brother, what can I get you to drink? It’s clear you need something to chill the fuck out, never seen you like this,” he says, throwing a bar towel over his shoulder.
Kato looks down at me. “Never had this before. Not letting it go for anyone,” he explains, looking back to Kellan.
I stand, frozen as shock ripples through me. I’ve never experienced someone so openly showing their love for me. I don’t know what to do with it.
“Here you go, doll,” Kellan says, pushing a glass into my hand, “a shot of tequila, you look like you need it.”
I raise it to my lips, before Kato pulls it away. He looks at me, tilting his head and moving his gaze to my stomach.
My eyes widen and I gasp, slapping my hand over my mouth. For a moment, I’d forgotten I was pregnant.
“We came in for food, Kellan,” Kato explains to an obviously confused Kellan. “What’s good tonight?”
Kellan rubs his chin. “Martha’s on tonight, so almost anything is good, but we had some thick steaks come in today.
Kato nods. “Okay, we’ll both have steaks with loaded jackets, give me two cokes and we’ll be over there,” he tells Kellan, nodding to a table next to the window.
“Sure, man, should be around twenty minutes, here are your cokes.” Kellan pops the caps off two bottles and hands them across the bar.
Kato lifts his chin to Kellan and grabs my hand. He pulls me through the tables holding both of our bottles in his other hand. Dumping the cokes on the table, he pulls my chair out and motions for me to sit down.
I sigh as he takes his own seat opposite. “We need to talk,” I tell him.
“We do,” he replies, “but first I need to tell you some things.”
My stomach clenches at his words and I wonder what he needs to tell me.
“I wasn’t always straight down the line. I’ve done things in my past, shit I’m not proud of, but I also don’t regret any of it because it’s made me who I am.”
“Like what?” I ask.
His cheek twitches as he clenches his teeth and I know this is hard for him, only I’m not sure why.
“The stuff I tell you, although I won’t tell you all of it, might change your mind about me.”
“You killed someone?” I question, there’s an obvious wobble in my voice.
Kato shakes his head. “No, I never killed anyone, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t do some pretty bad shit. I got involved with people who were in gangs when I was younger. I think I was rebelling against my mom’s money and all the shit that surrounded it. I found it hard to transition from poverty to wealth. I never actually joined a gang myself, I was only on the periphery,” he tells me, looking down at the table.
“Why aren’t you looking at me?” I ask.
“Because I don’t want to see the disgust in your eyes,” he tells me, so matter of fact it breaks my heart.
“Look at me,” I whisper.
Slowly his eyes travel until his sad gaze is locked onto me.
“I fought, stole, beat people to within an inch of their lives. Guys in bars, in gangs, I even participated in a fight ring. I was an angry person back then. I’m not that guy anymore.”
His eyes plead with me to believe him, to love him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you all of this before you fell in love with me, before I got you pregnant,” he says, his gaze slipping to my stomach. “You should have known it all, but I was too selfish, I didn’t know if you would love me despite my past.”
“You don’t do that shit anymore?” I ask, needing confirmation.
“Not for a long time. I moved here and reconnected with Chance.” He shrugs.
“You were in prison together?” I ask, knowing Chance w
ent to prison a few years ago.
He nods. “Yeah, that’s where I originally met him. Like I said, I was on the outskirts of the really bad stuff. However, you know the saying, when you lay with dogs…” he shrugs, “I’m not proud of my past, but I can’t change it. All the laws I broke, it’s ironic that I went to prison for something I didn’t actually do. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He sighs dragging his hand down his face, but doesn’t explain any further and I realize I don’t actually need to know.
We stop talking as the server drops off our food and both force a smile and our thanks to the girl. The moment she leaves there’s an ominous silence, one I know I have to fill. I try to think of the words, to filter out the crap.
“If you want to end this, I’ll understand,” Kato murmurs so quietly a wave of nausea rolls through me.
I slide my hand across the table and reach for him. A confused look of hope swims in his eyes as he offers me his hand in return.
“You told me this was a forever kind of love, were you lying?” I ask.
He shakes his head fiercely. “No matter what you decide, Nola, I told you my love for you will be forever, even if we’re apart. You have this,” he thumps his free hand over his heart, “it’s yours. Always.”
“Then I’ll take it, own it and cherish it… forever.”
Kato stills, watching me, soaking in what I’ve said. Then suddenly, he stands with our hands still joined and pulls me from the table. “Watch our stuff, Kellan, we need to get something from the truck,” Kato shouts across the room.
Kellan nods, a smirk dancing on his face as I frown, unsure of what’s currently happening. Before I can question him, Kato drags me through the door of the bar and out to the car park. He pretty much hauls me to his truck, pulling open the tailgate and issuing demands.
“Place your palms on the tailgate, bend over and keep still.”
“What?” I breathe the word out as my heartbeat picks up speed.
Without an answer from Kato, I do as I’m told. Looking over my shoulder, I watch as rampant need and desire is like a fire in his eyes as he pushes my skirt up over my hips and strips my panties down my legs until they sit at my knees. Then his hand is there and pushing two fingers into me he hits me at just the right angle, making me cry out with need. I ignore the fact we’re in a car park, thankful his truck is parked in the corner so hopefully no one can see us. Looking toward the front of the truck again, I throw my head back and close my eyes as Kato drops to his hunches and swaps his fingers for his tongue.
“So fucking wet,” he murmurs against my pussy as his fingers move to my clit.
I hear voices and tense, but Kato doesn’t stop.
“Kato,” I whisper.
“I’m not fucking stopping, let them watch how I fuck you,” he commands and I pulse at his words. “Hmm, you like that, gorgeous? Maybe we’ll explore that at some point.”
The voices get quieter as they enter the bar, there’s a moment of noise and music, then everything falls quiet again as Kato pulls away. “We come together,” he tells me.
I look over my shoulder again and watch as he unzips his jeans and pulls himself free. His hand circles his dick and he moves it up and down with a couple of long strokes as precum gathers at the head. His eyes are hooded, his smile lazy.
“Pull your top and bra up and push your pretty little nipples against the bed of the truck, I want you to feel the cool metal and the friction as I fuck you hard.”
A mewl slips from me and immediately I follow his orders.
When I’m in place, I feel him against my pussy. He pushes in just a little and we both groan. Then Kato thrusts himself into me, filling me as he always does. Slowly, he works his dick in and out of me, then, as he picks up speed, his thumb finds my ass and he eases it into me. I feel deliciously full. My mind is somewhere else, noises come and go and all they do is serve to turn me on, knowing people could see us. What they’d see is rapture in my eyes, ecstasy on my face and bliss in all the curves of my body.
As we both build, completely in tune with one another, we crash into euphoria together.
Kato doesn’t pull away from me immediately like I expect, as we’re outside. No… He remains inside me as he kisses my spine, managing to turn me on again.
“We should go finish our food,” he whispers.
“Mmm,” I reply, “won’t it be cold?”
“No, Kellan will have collected it and put it on the warming plate.”
He eases his dick from me and I whimper at the loss. I know where he belongs and so does my body.
When we get back inside, I notice our table is still free and our belongings have not been stolen. Kato drags me over to the bar.
“Kellan, we’ll have our food in a minute,” he orders.
Kellan grins as heat rushes up my neck.
Ignoring Kellan’s smile, Kato looks down at me. “Dance with me?”
I nod as he drags me toward a small space in between all the tables. It’s clear this isn’t an actual dancefloor, but Kato doesn’t seem to care.
“What’s this song?” I ask as he leads me around the small space like he’s been doing it his whole life.
“Nothing Else Matters by Metallica,” he answers.
I listen to the hauntingly beautiful music and lyrics as people around the edge of the space watch us.
“Everyone’s watching us,” I murmur up to him.
He shakes his head and his lips twitch, “Listen to the lyrics, and don’t worry about what others think. For once, just do what you want.”
I close my eyes for a moment as he guides me, and I listen again to a beautiful voice singing about trusting in who we are and not worrying about anything else.
“It’s beautiful,” I tell him, opening my eyes and offering a wide smile.
“You’re beautiful,” he replies and takes my mouth with his.
We come to a stop as his hands hold my head, and the gentle kiss turns fiery and powerful. We both pull back at the same time, to catcalls, whistles and stomping of feet. He grins down at me, his hands still holding my head. “You want to get our food to go?” he asks, his voice raspy as though we hadn’t just had sex.
I look around and weirdly feel so at home in this bar. I nod, “Yeah, but I want you to bring me back sometime.”
“You got it, gorgeous.”
Chapter Eighteen
NOLA
I stand looking out of the kitchen window at Kato mowing the grass in my back garden. He doesn’t need to worry about my garden, not now I’ve decided to sell the house, but I haven’t told him yet. There’s a lot we haven’t yet talked about, like the baby. There’s also the fact that I need to go to the doctors and get the pregnancy confirmed.
For now though, with him shirtless and glistening, his muscles bunching as he moves, I’ll keep the knowledge to myself and just sigh as I ogle his body. It’s my happy place.
The house phone rings, unfortunately pulling my attention away from Kato’s ass.
“Hello,” I answer as I try not to cuss out Blanche who curls herself around my legs.
“Nola, my wonderful twin sister. How are you doing? Good I hope.”
I pull the phone away from my ear and look at it, checking I’m not imagining Bryony on the phone, being nice for once.
“Erm, I’m good thanks,” I reply when I put the phone back to my ear.
She coughs down the line, “So, I heard you had an offer on the house.”
My heart sinks when it dawns on me why she’s actually called.
I sigh, “What do you want Bryony?”
“You know what I want,” she snaps, her tone completely changing when she realizes I’m not buying her shit. “I want my cut from the sale of the house. It’s what I’m owed.”
I roll my eyes even though she can’t see me.
“Bryony, I’ve told you already, the house has nothing to do with you. If I sell it, the money will be mine.”
“Ugh!” she screams dow
n the line. Pulling the phone away from my head, I rub my ear, which feels like it’s been violated by her voice.
“I haven’t got time for this, bitch,” she snarls.
“Then stop fucking calling!” I bark, slamming the phone down. “God!” I shout, throwing my head back.
Kato walks in from the back garden. “What was that about?” he asks, nodding toward the phone as he sucks back some soda. I watch his throat move with the action of swallowing his drink and as my eyes move further down his body my gaze gets stuck on his chest again.
He holds his hand out and clicks to get my attention. I blink and look back to his grinning face. “See something you like, gorgeous?” he drawls.
“Mmm,” I reply, licking my lips.
“Who was on the phone?” he asks, which immediately kills my lady boner. No need to sing Barney songs today.
“Bryony.”
“She still giving you shit about the house?” he asks and I realize I need to tell him I’ve decided to sell it.
“Come on,” I say instead, grabbing his hand and leading him toward the bathroom. “Shower first, conversation after.”
Kato doesn’t complain.
My heart pounds in my chest as I worry about the conversation I need to have with him. I’m making chicken pasta for dinner, but I’m not hungry in the slightest. I know I can’t put off talking to him any longer. Although our shower was magical and extremely satisfying, I need to pull up my granny panties and be honest with him.
Kato places plates and cutlery on the table as I dish the food into a serving bowl. We’re completely in sync with one another and both totally at home together here. I’ve loved this place for my whole life, and with Kato sharing the space with me, it feels more like a real home than ever before.
Cocky Delight: A Hero Club Novel Page 13
