Chapter Forty
I smooth my hands down my stomach, the silk of the dress sliding against my palms. My hair is dead straight, pulled back away from my face so it falls down my back. Diamond earrings dangle from my ears and a choker style necklace adorns my throat, complimenting the deep sweetheart neckline of the dress.
“Fuck me,” Willow whistles, entering the room with two champagne glasses, “You look hot babe.”
I eye her own dress, a full black number with a tulle skirt that has a subtle glitter to it and a corset style bodice which pushes her breasts up. Her long hair is up in curls, leaving just a few strands to fall around her face. A pair of black stilettos are on her feet which she walks in expertly as she passes me a glass.
I take a sip of the bubbles, turning back to the mirror, “Are you sure it looks okay?”
I’m not sure where the sudden insecurity has come from, especially since I love the dress and how it looks.
“Am I sure?” She scoffs, “You’re gorgeous.”
Perching on the edge of the bed, she watches me for a minute, “So you and Malakai?” She hedges.
I haven’t told her about the mind-blowing, earth-shattering sex we’ve been having. I’m not keeping it a secret, I just… I don’t know.
Something has shifted in me, granted, I still want to make his life hell but for an entirely different reason now. If I piss him off, maybe he’ll chase me through the house again and fuck me ten ways to Sunday like he did this morning.
The last I heard his car was being taken off to be professionally cleaned though he’ll be finding glitter in his car for ages, no amount of cleaning will get it all.
I hate him less than I did a few days ago.
Which is terrifying because if I don’t hate him, then what is it? He’s a dangerous, brutal man, a man who takes choices and lives, he isn’t a man I should even consider, let alone catch feelings for.
And how far do I even let myself feel? How far does this go?
But he’s a drug I can’t get enough of, a presence I need. His hands on my body feel like they belong, his voice a soothing balm when it should be alarm bells.
He is the devil.
A monster.
So why do I want to call him mine as much as he calls me his?
I drain my glass of champagne and grab the purse I’ve chosen for the evening.
“What about us?” I play it down like my heart isn’t skipping a beat.
“How are the both of you?” She asks.
I shrug, “Fine.”
“Do you still hate him?”
“A little less than yesterday,” I admit, “You ready?”
She purses her lips but ultimately drops the conversation as a smile comes over her face, “Absolutely. I can’t wait to see the guys faces when they see us.”
I shake my head, but I have to admit I’m looking forward to it too.
She links my arm as we walk toward the stairs, hearing the guys laughing from the kitchen. So normal and every day that I pause on the stairs, listening to the rich sound.
“You good?” Willow asks.
But of course, Willow doesn’t understand. She doesn’t know who these men actually are, doesn’t realize we’re about to join a room full of killers.
“I’m good,” I give her a tight smile, “Let’s go.”
We make it to the bottom of the stairs, and it’s as if the sound of our heels on the tile stops their merriment because their laughter ceases.
Willow enters the kitchen with confidence oozing from every pore. She knows she looks good and if the low whistle that comes out of Sebastian is anything to go by, he thinks so too. The damn man has hearts in his eyes. He eats her up, his thumb running along his bottom lip as he checks out every inch of her.
“Give me a spin, sweetheart,” He purrs, “Lemme see all of you.”
Willow throws him a wink and gives him the spin he requested before she refills her champagne glass and slots herself between Killian and Dean, who are checking her out appreciatively.
It’s not until Willow says my name that I realize I’ve stopped just shy of the door, in a way that hides me from them but not them from me.
“Oh right,” I half skip into the room, which almost makes me trip over the lengths of the dress and makes me wobble on the heels on my feet.
“Damn,” It’s Killian who speaks and I snap my eyes to him, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks when I see him obviously, and very appreciatively checking me out. I don’t know why I’m blushing; I’ve been checked out plenty but in front of these guys – I don’t know, feels different somehow.
“Olivia,” Malakai’s voice, a deep rumble that shoots awareness through me has my eyes flicking to him.
He’s staring at me, eyes moving over all of me like he can’t pick a spot to see first.
“You are devastating,” He breathes, taking a step toward me.
He’s handsome himself, in his all-black suit. His shirt is unbuttoned on the first few buttons at the top of his shirt, showing off tan skin. The suit fits his body like a glove, made for him to show off the lines of his body, strong arms, thick thighs and wide shoulders.
He’s looked at me like this before, like he’s in awe, wonderstruck but right now, it’s more intimate, even with the four other people in the room with us. It’s like they don’t exist though.
Someone clears their throat and I snap out of whatever trance I was just in. I drop my eyes from his and cross to the champagne, giving myself a little more liquid courage before I check out the other guys too.
Sebastian is in a black and white suit, vest, and tie and all, Killian’s is a deep navy, almost black but in this light the blue shines through and Dean is in white. I almost do a double take since I wasn’t expecting that. His white suit has been paired with a blood red shirt, unbuttoned at the top like Malakai’s.
All the guys are ridiculously attractive, unfairly so and all in different ways. Sebastian has his playboy charm, dimples and blond hair, where Killian and Dean, similar in looks with their darkness but where Killian is more open, Dean is reserved. The brothers both have a mysterious bad boy air about them which is an instant draw. Then there’s Malakai, God like Malakai, with his own devastating looks.
I swallow down my champagne thickly, glancing at the clock.
“Our ride will be here soon,” I say to the room. I’d booked a limo for us all, giving Dennis a night off and the opportunity for us all to travel to the event together.
I feel Malakai watching me still, feel every place his eyes touch but I don’t look at him for fear of him being able to read every emotion on my face.
At six exactly my phone buzzes to let me know our driver is here.
Everyone goes ahead and I hang back, hoping to be the last one out but Malakai is also waiting.
Before I can escape out the door, his hand slides across my back.
“This dress, Olivia,” He purrs in my ear, “You really look beautiful tonight, kitten.”
Swallowing, I will my cheeks not to bloom with color. His fingers play with the ends of my hair, “I like your hair like this.” He tells me.
“Thank you,” My voice shakes when I speak. What the hell is even wrong with me?
“Save me a dance tonight?” He asks, a flicker of vulnerability coming over him and this feeling inside of me only intensifies. I don’t expect real with Malakai but it’s the only thing he has ever given me. He doesn’t hide.
I nod, “All of my dances are yours.”
I almost bite my tongue when the words come out but then his face lights up, the smile stretching his sensual mouth boyish and playful. My heart stutters but then he’s guiding me out the door and into the cold. I’ve forgone a coat since I’ll be inside all evening but this quick stroll to the waiting limo has a chill biting in deep. Malakai ushers me into the limo and I take a seat at the end of the couches set up in the back. Sebastian is pouring champagne while Willow is squished between the two brothers, laughing at something Dean said to her.
Malakai climbs in behind me but instead of sitting in the vacant seat at my side, he takes my hand and pulls me up before he seats himself and tugs me onto his lap.
I’m so stunned by the move that for a moment, I freeze, but then I realize everyone is watching us and I start to squirm.
Malakai holds me tighter, “You’re where you belong.” He whispers.
“They’re all staring.” I hiss back.
“I don’t give a fuck.”
“I can’t sit on your lap, Kai.” The shortened version slips out for the second time today and I clam my lips shut. I’d heard Sebastian call him it and I liked how it sounded though I never had any intention of using it. It’s intimate. Much too intimate for us.
His eyes heat at the sound, dropping to my lips that I have painted red to pair with my dress.
“I like it,” He tells me, “When you call me that.”
“It was an accident.”
“An accident is breaking a vase,” He grins, “Calling me Kai is a natural progression between us.”
I roll my eyes at how ridiculous that sounds.
“That’s one red handprint on your ass.”
“Sorry?”
“Roll your eyes at me again, you’ll get two.”
Warmth blooms in my core which makes me pulse, only reminding me how hard he took me only hours before. But with his threats I always feel defensive and rebellious, so I lean in, “Is that supposed to scare me, Malakai?” My lips are at his ear which I subtly take between my teeth, “You’ll be disappointed to know, spanking me only gets me more excited.”
He makes a low rumbling sound like a growl as his fingers squeeze my hips, “Everyone is watching, Olivia.” He warns, “I have no problem showing them all that you’re mine, but do you?”
I pull back and clear my throat, “Can I sit on my own chair?” I say it louder, making sure they all hear.
He smirks, “No.”
“Fine.”
I spin on his lap, facing the rest of the party, making sure my ass is right over his cock.
“He always this controlling?” I ask the guys.
I ignore the way they’re all looking at us, pretending nothing has changed.
“Always,” Dean is the one to answer, leaning back with a grin. He throws an arm around Willow which has Sebastian growling but ultimately, he does nothing.
The rest of the ride to the hotel is had in jokes and banter, mainly between the three guys and Willow while I wiggle and move every so often against Malakai. I feel his cock twitching under my ass and satisfaction comes over me.
We pull up to the hotel and the driver opens the door. Sebastian is out first, then Willow, followed by Killian and Dean but as I get up to move, Malakai pulls me back.
“Are you trying to kill me?” He rasps.
“Next time,” I kiss the side of his mouth now we don’t have an audience, “Don’t tell me what to do.”
He lets me go this time and I climb out but when he doesn’t follow, I pop my head back in, “Are you coming?”
His neon eyes meet mine and his hand adjusts his dick, still hard and tenting his pants, “I just need a minute.”
A giggle escapes me, “I’ll meet you inside?”
“No, you wait there. Just give me a second.”
“Malakai, it’s cold.” I complain.
“We go in together, Olivia. You’re my wife, you shouldn’t be alone.”
“Yes, well you seem to have an issue right now,” I point out.
“An issue I should be getting you to fix,” He growls.
“You started it, Malakai,” I flick back my hair, “I just finished it.”
“You forget,” He lets out a breath, adjusting himself again, “I have a whole, unrestrained day with you to claim, and I don’t forget things, Olivia.”
“I’m terrified,” I deadpan.
He glares at me and then mutters, more to himself than to me, “She’s trying to fucking kill me.”