by Ella Miles
I knock loudly on his bedroom door and wait. I push my hip to the side, posing as best as I know how. I don’t smile, I don’t want to appear fake, but I do moisten my lips and give little pout.
The door creeps open slowly until I see Kade standing in the doorway, looking as gorgeous as I’ve ever seen him. Dark grey pants with a white buttoned shirt, open at the top, with a dark grey jacket over it. He’s shaved, but left just the right amount of stubble on his cheeks. And he’s grinning like he knows just how much effort it took me to be standing in his doorway right now.
“I thought you weren’t coming,” he says, rolling his eyes up and down my body.
I can’t focus when his eyes do that. So I wait until he’s thoroughly checked out the slip on my dress that skirts the line between being slutty and sexy. Until his eyes finish their trail up the pink and grey dress.
“Finished?” I ask, swaying my hip out even more.
“Never.”
I sigh. “I never said I wasn’t coming. Just that you were an ass.”
“That implied you weren’t coming.”
I roll my eyes and can’t help but let my eyes linger behind him to his unmade bed. His bed is a million times better than my bed, maybe because Kade is always in it. I can’t help that no matter how angry I am with Kade, I still want to end up in his bed tonight. How pathetic does that make me?
“I’m here. Are we going to this thing or not?”
“Absolutely.”
He holds out his hand to me, but I turn and storm down the stairs to wait in the garage. We hop into his McLaren and take off to his event. And some-fucking-how, my hand finds its way into his. Honestly, I’m fucking screwed, because even when I hate him, I want him.
“What is this event?” I ask, as we step into his bar. I never even asked where the event was, but I’m glad it’s here. We both feel comfortable in his bar.
“Don’t be mad.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What the hell did you bring me to?”
He looks straight ahead, with a panicked look on his face. Our fingers are still interconnected, and I can feel a coldness shoot through his body.
I turn to see what he’s looking at. Anastasia. Her fiancé. And my fucking family.
“Care to explain?”
He swallows and takes a deep breath, like that’s going to save him.
“Anastasia booked her engagement party here.”
“That doesn’t mean that we have to be here!”
“She invited me as well. And unfortunately, I can’t turn down an invitation to go to my wife’s sister’s engagement party. It wouldn’t represent my kind-hearted appearance I’ve worked so hard to build.”
“You mean your jerk, bastard, slutty reputation. The one that I married you to try to fix?”
He smirks. “Behave or don’t. I don’t care. I just got an excuse to have my wife get all dressed up and go to an event with me. No matter how boring.”
“You so owe me for this.”
He wiggles his eyebrows. “And how will I ever repay you?”
His hand slides down the back of my dress, stopping on my ass.
I blush. Damn him. He’s going to get me naked in one of the bathroom stalls most likely. Ugh, why did I have to fake marry such a good-looking man?
He brings his hand back up to a more appropriate spot in the middle of my back and guides me forward.
“You came. I didn’t think the Kings had time for our measly little family anymore,” Anastasia says, wrapping her arms around her fiancé. He doesn’t speak; he just stands stoically. He’s more of an accessory for Anastasia than a person.
“Of course, I wouldn’t miss my sister’s engagement party.”
Anastasia holds out her ring to me. “What do you think? Is it too big?”
I want to say yes. It’s far too big. And the only reason she has an updated version, twice the size of mine, is to compete with me.
“It looks great.”
I take Kade’s hand and excuse us toward the bar.
“I need drinks. Lots and lots of drinks, if I’m going to survive the night,” I say, as we stand at the bar waiting for Axel to serve us.
Kade grins and motions for Axel.
“What can I get you, boss?”
Kade frowns. “Don’t call me boss.”
“We want two shots of tequila, and then I want a whiskey.”
Kade eyes me out of the corner of his eye. “The same,” he says to Axel. “Whiskey? Really?” he asks me.
I nod. “I need something strong to get through tonight. I don’t care what it tastes like.”
Axel returns quickly with our drinks, even though there is a long line formed around the bar of people that were here first.
“Thanks.” I grab the first shot and down it, then snatch the second out of Kade’s hand and drink his too.
Kade chuckles. “You better not get too drunk tonight. I wouldn’t want to take advantage of you tonight,” he whispers into my ear.
“You are absolutely going to take advantage of me tonight. I need something positive in my life tonight.”
He laughs again, and I fall in love. I swear. All it takes now is a laugh, a smile, a look from him, and it’s as if I’ve developed amnesia. I can’t remember the bad, only the good.
“So what’s the plan for tonight?” I ask.
“You stay by my side all night,” Kade says, nodding toward a group of women that are eyeing him as if they are going to eat him up.
I smile. “Of course.”
“We will stay long enough for your family to realize we are still happily in love, and then I’m going to fuck you in the back of my car. And then again in the foyer of my house. Then my bedroom. And anywhere else I can think of.”
I choke a little on my whiskey.
Kade grins as he slowly sips his own.
I don’t care he dragged me to my evil sister’s engagement party. He probably did it to piss me off, but it’s not working. Something about his charming smile makes it hard to stay too mad at him.
His phone buzzes, and he pulls it out without checking the number first.
“Hello, Sebastian,” he says, with a hint of distaste in his voice.
I bite my lip to keep from smiling, because I know exactly what this call is about.
I can hear part of Sebastian’s conversation as I lean against Kade’s chest. But Kade doesn’t speak. I look up, and the shocked expression tells me he can’t.
I laugh and take the phone from Kade. He lets go of it easily.
“Hey, Sebastian. Kade has gone into a little bit of shock. Don’t worry, I’m here with him. But know he loves you and is very happy for you.” I end the call.
Kade stills, even more, if it’s possible.
“Kade?”
“Sebastian is going to rehab.”
I nod.
“He said you called him yesterday.”
I nod.
“He said you were the one that convinced him.”
I nod.
“Um… How is that? I mean…How?”
I smile. “I think Sebastian just needed to hear that he was forgiven. That what happened wasn’t his fault. And then when he is done with rehab, he can choose any path he wants.”
“I...uh…thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You’re incredible.”
His lips touch mine, telling me just how incredible I am. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, and he might as well be sweeping me off my feet right now, that’s how good the kiss is.
He tucks my hair behind my ear as he breaks the kiss. His lips tighten like he wants to say more but can’t.
And I feel uneasy. I’m completely flushed, and I need a minute apart to cool down if I don’t seriously want him to fuck me in the bathroom.
“Excuse me a moment. I need to use the ladies room.”
I step out from his clutches and race to the bathroom. When I get there, I splash water on my face, not caring if it messes up my makeup. T
he water doesn’t help, because I have butterflies dancing in my stomach all the way up to my chest.
I don’t know what’s real and what’s pretend anymore. I don’t know if that feeling deep in my gut is because I love him or hate him. I don’t know if I wear the ring on my finger because I’m supposed to or if because I want this to be real.
I don’t know anything anymore. All I know is that in a few minutes I have to step back out of this bathroom and pretend like nothing’s changed. But I know deep in my heart, the second he thanked me for helping his brother made me want to spend the rest of my life loving him. Even if Kade doesn’t always deserve it.
I dry off my hands, and then I walk back out to the party. Anastasia hasn’t made any speeches, danced under a spotlight, or had all the attention on her in any way yet. So I expect when I walk back out that it will be about time for her to capture everyone’s attention.
What I don’t expect is for her lips to be pressed against my husband’s.
I storm across the dance floor, not caring who I take out on my path. My heels clank against the floor so loudly I’m sure everyone can hear me. I glare at Anastasia even though I’m still twenty feet away. I’ve never hated her so much in my life. I don’t know what she is thinking, kissing Kade. I know she is used to getting her way. But this is taking things too far. She can’t just kiss Kade and expect he will fall madly in love with her, divorce me, and marry her. That’s insane to think that. But I don’t know any other reason she would have for kissing my husband than to torment me.
I get closer, and I start running. Planning on tearing the bitch from his lips and pulling her by the hair until I can throw her out with the trash.
Kade finally wiggles out of her grasp. And he looks pissed. Eyes dark, lips stern, and cheeks red.
“Get the fuck out of my bar!” Kade screams.
Anastasia folds her arms and raises an eyebrow. “Excuse me? I paid to be here. Not to mention, I’m your sister-in-law. You can’t just kick my guests and me out.”
Kade senses me and looks up. He struts over to me and holds me tight against his body.
“You are no sister-in-law. You aren’t even a sister. You are a piece of trash that needs to leave now. Stop trying to manipulate your sister and me.”
The entire crowd in the room has fallen silent. All eyes are on us. But I no longer care what any of them think. I’m just happy to have Kade hold me in his arms and defend me against my supposed family.
“You don’t get to kiss me and get away with it. I want you out of my bar and out of our lives until you can apologize.”
Anastasia’s eyes panic when he mentions the kiss. And then she looks to me like I might save her.
“Out,” I say, with the same fire in my voice as Kade.
Anastasia pouts before looking around the room at all the prying eyes. It only takes her a moment to decide it might be best if she walks away. Her fiancé comes out of the bathroom, and several people point outside, telling him to follow Anastasia out.
“This is unacceptable, Larkyn,” my father says to me sternly.
“Get the fuck out, Father,” I say. I’ve had enough. I’m tired of being mistreated by my family. I’m tired of them thinking they are better than me. I’m tired of being told I’m wasting my life. I no longer care about any of it.
“Out, everyone, now,” Kade’s voice booms.
Axel and the other employees get to work shoeing everyone out the door. While I stay tucked in Kade’s arm.
“I’m sorry,” we both say simultaneously to each other as the crowd starts to file out.
I smile.
“I shouldn’t have even engaged with Anastasia. I knew she was trouble and only wanted me for one thing. I should have been prepared for her kiss.”
I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have ever left you alone. I knew better. And you did warn me not to leave you alone.”
He kisses me gently on the lips. “Don’t ever leave me again.”
His words sound so sincere, but I know they aren’t. Time is ticking away. Less than nine months remain until our time is up.
“You okay, Larkyn? I’ll swear Anastasia was the one that instigated the kiss and Kade was just an honest bystander who broke the kiss the second he could,” Axel says.
I bite my lip with a smile. “You don’t have to worry about defending Kade’s honor,” I tease.
Axel smiles. “Good. Anything I can get you? Need a stiff drink after that?”
I look up at Kade with dreamy eyes. There is only one thing I want right now to make me feel better.
“No, um…we are good,” I say, stumbling over my words.
Axel looks from me to Kade and takes a hint. “I’m sending the staff home. The party didn’t last long, so there isn’t much to clean up. I’ll have tomorrow’s shift clean everything up before we open.”
I swallow, my mouth dry as I stare up at Kade. He’s handsome, and loving, and kind, and everything I’ve ever wanted in a husband. And he’s my husband. Too bad this isn’t real.
Kade watches Axel walk out of the bar, out of the corner of his eye. And then he grabs my ass, pulling me flush against his body as his lips crash into mine. We aren’t going to make it home. We aren’t going to make it anywhere. We need each other far too much after the emotional chemistry we have felt all evening.
Between me saving Sebastian, and him protecting me, we both owe each other a lot.
And we are about to make good on paying each other back.
I jump up, and he catches me as my legs wrap around his body. Our lips stay locked together in a dance that moves faster and faster, showing our true desperation.
“I can’t wait. I have to have you—”
His lips cut me off.
And he drops me into one of the couches sitting around a low table, near one of the bars, as his body crashes on top of mine.
I grab his pants fumbling with the button until I can finally jerk his pants down.
I don’t wait for him to remove my underwear, I push them down myself as his hand slides up my ass.
“Someone’s impatient.”
I tug on his bottom lip with my mouth, punishing him for stopping to do something as silly as talking.
He grins against my lips. “I don’t know how I ever survived without you.”
“Shut up and fuck me.”
That makes him chuckle.
He slides his hand between my legs, finding the sweet spot that only he knows where it is.
I moan as his fingers move over my body, igniting me and making me want him to be his forever.
Our eyes meet as his cock nestles in between my legs.
He opens his mouth, and I’m afraid of what he might say. We both feel vulnerable right now. We both just showed we care about each other more than we have ever let on. And that scares the crap out of me, because if he doesn’t tell me he loves me, or at least what he is feeling is real, then I might explode in pain.
He hesitates, and it can’t be good, so I kiss him, and it takes away whatever he was about to say away.
His cock pushes inside me, and I arch my back, begging his body to go deeper inside mine. Our eyes meet together, as bodies entwine. Our eyes stay open, together, as we both come.
We stay together a long time, neither of us speaking or moving. Kade finally pulls out of me, does his pants up, and then helps me up from the booth.
We both have so many things to say, but neither of us says them. Instead, we walk to Kade’s car, and he drives us home with nothing but the radio to keep us company.
I try not to let my mind race, but it’s difficult. All I can think about is how much I care about him. How much I want this to be real.
I rest my head against the window and close my eyes. If I sleep, maybe in the morning I’ll have a different perspective on my life. Instead of the heartache, I feel at the thought of losing Kade.
The car eventually stops as I doze off to sleep. I feel myself being lifted into Kade’s arms, but my eyes
are far too heavy to open. My head flops against his chest, and my breathing is heavy as Kade carries me inside and into my bed. He doesn’t bother undressing me; he pulls the covers over me as he sits on the edge of the bed.
I want him to climb in the bed next to me, but I know that would only make things worse. Our feelings are clouded enough.
Kade leans forward and kisses me softly on the lips. A perfect kiss to take with me as I fall asleep.
“I love you Larkyn,” Kade whispers, thinking I’m asleep. But I hear his words, or I dream them.
“But you can never be mine.”
16
Kade
How the fuck did I fall in love with Larkyn?
I have no idea, but it’s a problem. I’m breaking the one promise she swore she needed above everything else. I fell in love, and now I’m going to hurt her. And I’m pretty sure she is in love with me, or at least has feelings toward me too.
I need to talk to Larkyn. We need a new plan if we are going to survive these next several months without hurting each other. I just have no idea what the plan is.
“I made dinner for you,” Larkyn says, coming into my office and putting her arms around my chest like it’s the most natural thing to do.
Dinner would be the perfect time to talk to her. Tell her we need more boundaries. That she needs to start treating me like an ass too, because I’m falling far too hard for her.
“Sounds great, what did you make?”
She grins far too wickedly. “Your favorite.”
I raise an eyebrow as I follow Larkyn, who is basically dancing with giddy excitement, as she runs back to the kitchen.
I follow her at a slower pace, enjoying watching her show from behind.
And then I smell it. Garlic bread and marinara sauce.
I grin. “You remembered.”
She laughs, as she stirs the big pot and begins scooping out food into a bowl.
I can’t contain myself. I wrap my arms around her as I take a bite over her shoulder.
It tastes horrible.
I make a scrunched up face, unable to hide my disgust. Maybe this is just what we need. A playful, relaxed night where we have to order take out and realize we aren’t perfect for each other.
