Chapter 16
Kiera
He knew I was lying, and from the fury brewing in Jackson’s piercing blue eyes, I was certain it was only a matter of time before he erupted.
At my lie, or at Alec for hurting me, I didn’t know.
All I could think was that I’d seen him lose his mind at me once before, and it wasn’t something I wanted to experience again.
“Babe, who’s at the door?” Alec’s voice rang out from the hallway, and in the blink of an eye, Jackson had replaced his snarling face with a beaming smile as if he wasn’t prepared to rip someone’s throat with his bare hands.
Alec yanked the door open, his narrowed gaze on me before realizing who I was talking to. “Jackson, good to see you again.”
He held his hand out, and Jackson took it, shaking it with enthusiasm. My heart stopped beating as I waited with bated breath for Jackson’s response, praying to a God I didn’t believe in that he wouldn’t challenge Alec about the bruise to my face.
“Good to see you too, man,” Jackson replied, his tone light before he dropped Alec’s hand. “You too, Kiera.” He indicated to my cheek. “I see you’re still as clumsy as you were when we were kids.”
My eyes widened as Alec stiffened beside me before wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me tightly into his side. A warning to shut the fuck up if there ever was one. “I keep telling her to watch where she’s going, but she’s in her own little world half the time, aren’t you, babe?”
A flash of fury lit up Jackson’s eyes once more, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “I guess some things never change. Kiera was always wrapped up in herself.”
His insult was like a barb to the chest, and I lowered my gaze to the ground to prevent him from witnessing my bottom lip wobble. Jackson knew that damn well wasn’t the case; growing up, the only person I was wrapped up in was him.
Unsurprisingly, Alec sniggered instead of defending me as he pulled me inside, indicating to Jackson to follow. I made my excuses that I needed to check on dinner, desperate to get away from the stifling atmosphere filling the hallway from Jackson’s dominating figure.
I busied myself with checking the food I’d spent all afternoon preparing, blocking out the rumbles of deep voices echoing somewhere in the house. My mind began to spiral. What if Jackson told Alec about the party? What if he showed Alec the video?
“Mom, what time’s dinner?”
Almost dropping the cherry pie I’d removed from the oven to ensure it wasn’t burning, I spun to find my daughter standing in the kitchen doorway. “Jesus, honey. You scared the life out of me.”
She giggled, her soft lilt hitting me in the chest. “Sorry, not sorry.”
Returning the pie to the oven, I pulled her into my arms and kissed the top of her head. Her mere presence brought calm to the storm swirling inside of me. “Dinner will be ready soon. I made your favorite.”
“Pot roast?”
“Yup.”
Billie gazed lovingly up at me, and in the few short seconds as I held her in my arms, everything felt right in my world.
She was my reason for breathing. My smile faltered, though, when footsteps neared the kitchen.
Looking up, I met Jackson’s penetrating gaze as he followed Alec across the threshold.
I shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, my eyes darting between him and Alec in a bid to see if he’d spilled my nefarious secrets, but his face gave nothing away.
“Jackson, have you met Kiera’s daughter, Billie?” Alec asked, ignorant of the way Jackson was staring at me.
Like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to rip my clothes off or rip my heart from my chest.
He tore his eyes away, a genuine smile lifting his beautiful lips. “We haven’t been properly introduced, but from the top she’s got on, I reckon we’ll be the best of friends before the night's over.”
An enormous smile lit up Billie’s face as she glanced down at the hockey shirt she was wearing. In the past few years, she’d become obsessed with hockey, and her favorite team was the Vegas Golden Knights. “You like the Knights too?”
“You bet,” Jackson replied. “Unlike your uncle.”
Billie rolled her eyes, placing a hand on her hip. “I know. How can Uncle J think the Sharks are better than the Knights?”
He snorted. “Your Uncle J is an idiot.”
“Yup, you can say that again,” Billie retorted, and I couldn’t stop the smirk from creasing my lips at her sass, even toward someone she’d just met.“Who’s your favorite player?”
Jackson tapped his lips. “Hmm. That’s a tough one. Think I’ll have to go with Stone. What about you?”
“Easy. Noah Hanifin.”
“That’s ‘cos you lurve him,” Alec interrupted, mocking Billie for her schoolgirl crush.
Her cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson. Never in my life had I wanted to rush across the room to wrap my hands around his throat and choke the life out of him for embarrassing her. From the glare Jackson shot Alec, I figured he felt the same way.
“I don’t blame you, kiddo,” Jackson said, reaching out to squeeze Billie’s shoulder. “That man is fine.”
He threw a wink at her, and the frown on her face lifted to a conspiratorial smile at Jackson. Warmth flooded my body at the way she was looking at him, and a sudden rush of emotion soared through me, causing a lump to clog my throat.
When I was younger, I’d always imagined having kids with Jackson, and they’d look up at him in the same way Billie was right then.
Tears stabbed my eyes, and I turned away before anyone could see them, my heart breaking at the knowledge I’d never have kids with Jackson.
Or anyone else, for that matter.
Dinner was an interesting affair. On multiple occasions, Alec attempted to get Jackson talking about investments, but each time, Jackson dismissed him, focusing his attention on Billie.
By the time the main course was finished, I had a feeling Jackson had achieved what he said he would: become the best of friends with Billie. The two of them laughed and talked together, discovering that not only did they follow the same hockey team, but they liked the same music and TV shows.
While I couldn’t help but appreciate the effort he was putting in to get to know her, the barbs around my chest tightened with every giggle Jackson pulled from Billie. In a different world, a different lifetime, this was the kind of happiness I could have given my daughter.
And had for myself.
After I’d cleared the plates, Billie asked if she could be excused to go to her room, telling me that she was too full for dessert. Hardly surprising, given she polished off two helpings of pot roast.
Alec was only too keen for her to disappear, no doubt hoping to nail Jackson down to a conversation about money. Sure enough, the second the door closed behind Billie, he slid into the vacant chair next to Jackson.
“So, then. Let’s talk. What are you-” The blaring ringtone of his phone cut him off. He muttered a curse under his breath as he pulled the phone out, a deep frown creasing his brows. “Shit. I’m sorry, but I need to take this. It’s a contact calling from Singapore, and I really need to talk to him.”
“Go for it,” Jackson said, leaning back in his chair and giving me a deviant smirk. “I’m sure Kiera can keep me entertained for a while.”
Alec clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. I shouldn’t be long. No longer than ten, maybe fifteen minutes.” Not waiting for a response from Jackson, he answered the phone and headed out of the kitchen, likely going to his office to talk in private.
Ignoring Jackson’s burning gaze, I loaded the dishwasher before pulling the cherry pie out of the oven.
My body tensed when an intoxicating presence surrounded me as Jackson pressed his chest against my back.
Placing his hands on either side of me to rest against the counter, I was trapped.
His nose nuzzled into the crook of my neck as he inhaled deeply, and my breath caught when his hardness rested against my ass.
“Is it worth it?” he whispered, his hot breath caressing the shell of my ear.
“Is what worth it?” I replied, attempting to ignore the throb growing between my legs.
“Letting him treat you like shit just for his money.”
A surge of anger powered through me, and I spun to face him, jabbing him in the chest. “You’re a fine one to talk. At least I get something in return from Alec.”
He shuffled forward, closing the small gap between us, his cock now pressing against my stomach. Reaching up, he gripped my chin between his thumb and finger before lowering his mouth to mine.
Butterflies burst to life in my belly, flapping wildly at the thought that he was about to kiss me, and God, did I want to feel his mouth on mine. I’d been deprived of his kisses for far too long.
“See, here’s the thing, Kiki,” he whispered, his hot breath brushing over my lips. “I think you like me treating you like shit. Want to know why?”
“No. Fuck you,” I hissed, refusing to play his game while my fiancé and daughter were in the house.
He chuckled menacingly, his mouth trailing the tiniest of kisses along my jawline as he reached my ear. “I know, because you get so fucking wet for me.”
I shoved my hands against his chest, needing to put some space between us because I couldn’t deny his words. He’d barely touched me, and my panties were growing wetter with each passing second.
But the asshole didn’t even flinch. Instead, he grabbed my hips, holding me firm as he slid one hand down the side of my skirt to hitch it up. “Shall I prove my point, Kiki? Shall we find out just how much your cunt loves what I do to it?”
“Jackson, no, we’re-” my protest was cut off with a muffled groan as he yanked my panties to one side and sliced a finger along the length of my slit.
An accomplished smirk spread over his lips when, unbidden, my legs parted to allow him better access. “Well, well, well. Seems I was right. You really are a greedy little slut for me, aren’t you?”
He thrust two digits inside of me, pumping his fingers several times, and my second attempt to push him away failed when he pressed his thumb against my clit. I grabbed onto his shirt, smashing my face against his chest to silence my groans.
“Jackson…we…you,” I panted, my core clenching deliciously as he found a rhythm of thrusting his fingers inside my hole while rubbing my clit. “Alec or Billie could hear.”
“Then you'd better come quickly, Kiki. And make sure you don’t scream my name when you do.”
As his movements grew more intense, my heart raced, adrenaline pumping through me at the thought of being caught. Deep in my belly, my climax grew, and my head lolled back at the pleasure thrumming through me.
“Jackson, please.”
He released another dark chuckle. “Fuck, Kiki. You beg so sweetly for a filthy whore.”
My head dropped down as a snarl twisted on my face. Meeting his eyes, though, the fire his words had elicited was instantly doused when his gaze dropped to my mouth, and he licked his lips.
Inside my head, a little voice started screaming, ‘Kiss me, please, fucking kiss me.’ Without meaning to, I sucked my lower lip into my mouth to stop the needy groan from escaping, and a growl rumbled in his chest.
He slowly lowered his mouth to mine, his fingers still working me into a frenzy. When our mouths were almost touching, I closed my eyes, exhilaration hitting every nerve in my body. I didn’t think I’d ever feel his lips against mine again.
Footsteps banged from the hallway, and Jackson jumped back at the same time I shoved him away. Adjusting my skirt, I spun around so Alec wouldn’t see my heated cheeks.
“Sorry about that, Jackson,” Alec said as he entered the kitchen. “I couldn’t let that client go, he’s bringing a huge amount to the company.”
“It’s all good,” Jackson replied, stepping away and leaving me bereft of his touch.
The scraping of a chair indicated he’d retaken his seat. Hoping I’d composed myself, I turned to face the two of them to find Alec still tapping at his phone while Jackson glared at me with heat blazing in his eyes.
Alec took his seat again, looking between Jackson and me with a furrowed brow. I swallowed the nerves creeping up my throat as I pulled my gaze away, certain guilt was etched into every crevice on my face.
“I hope Kiera was good company while I was busy,” Alec said, an underlying threat in his tone.
Jackson grinned at him before returning his eyes to mine, malice sparkling in them. “She was excellent company.” He raised his finger, sucking it into his mouth. “She was even good enough to let me have a sneaky taste of her pie.”
Never before had I wished for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.