Keiran
T HREE YEARS AGO
Fascinated.
That was the only word for how the women looked at de Laigny the moment he walked into Harbour Locke Country Club. One tried to play it cool with a sip from her drink, only to snort it up her nose, and end up being that month's meme with her coughing fit.
The men walked past also ended up staring, albeit with more bitterness than admiration. 's tall, lethally powerful build was pure testosterone. Next to him, they were nothing but cholesterol in golf shirts.
Their reactions, however, meant nothing at all to .
He was here to do one thing, and the sooner he was done with it, the better.
Check on the girl. Get all bases covered. Leave.
That was the plan.
But when he slipped inside the library, and he saw Viktor Biancardi's half-sister about to fall off a step ladder—-
What the hell?
His instincts kicked in even as his jaw clenched in disapproval. Having everything planned out - and never deviating from it was how he had always lived his life and defeated his enemies. So catching Viktor's little sister in his arms like this when they weren't even supposed to interact?
Not good.
And when he gazed down and saw the way she was stared up at him?
Even worse.
gritted his teeth as he set her on her feet. "Be careful next time," he bit out before swiftly turning his back, not wanting to give her the chance to speak.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
There was a reason this girl was the adopted daughter of Marvin and Gail Quinn. And it was the same reason Viktor hadn't let her know she was a Biancardi. Viktor's world only meant death and darkness. And since that world was also where belonged, to be seen with him was a curse innocent girls like her didn't even deserve to know existed.
Do better, de Laigny!
had introduced himself to the club manager as the owner of a small carpentry business. It was a cover-up, of course, and he had offered the lowest bid for his services because he needed the quickest and safest access to the club.
His blood debt to Viktor Biancardi was like how all deals were made in their world.
A life for a life.
It was that simple.
And in their case, Viktor held the key to unmasking the people behind Onesimus' abduction.
In return, it would be 's lifelong duty to take care of Cadence Quinn, and this included having secret cameras installed in her home, her school, and every place she frequented, including this posh little club where all the rich folks in their town enjoyed flaunting their newest clothes and toys.
gave his men a week to finish the job. But what he didn't realize was how by the end of that same week...he would also end up rescuing Cadence from disaster two fucking times more .
There was that day she had her nose stuck between the pages of another cookbook, and she was so intent on what she was reading that she didn't even realize she was about to walk straight into a wall...if not for seeing her from across the hallway and saving her cute little nose from a bloody fate.
And then there was the other time when she didn't see a wet spot on the floor, and it was again losing his cool as he sprinted like the next fucking Usain Bolt, and all so he could keep her from cracking her skull wide open.
Thank fuck his men were about to finish the job today...or this girl would kill him far more easily than his enemies ever had a chance to.
But just as was about to leave and walk out of her life for good—-
Are you fucking kidding me?
He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a girl with shoulder-length caramel-colored hair balanced precariously on a flimsy-looking branch as she tried her best to reach for God knew what.
What the hell was wrong with this girl?
was tempted to just walk out then and there.
But then he saw the branch start to break—-
Ah, fuck.
Cadence could only gulp when she once again found herself in the arms of the only man she had ever crushed on.
.
And as always, he looked absolutely furious with her as he dumped her back on her feet.
"Why can't you just fucking ask for help when you need to?" snarled.
"I—-I'm s-sorry," Cadence stammered. "I didn't m-mean to—-"
"Then stop trying to give me a heart attack, dammit!"
"I wasn't—-"
"Then why do you keep getting into trouble whenever I'm around?" growled. "Or is that your way of trying to catch my attention?"
Cadence's face turned red when she realized what he was implying. "I...I..." She found herself taking a step back as her body started to shake. "I would n-never..."
realized two things as he watched her doe-like eyes slowly fill with tears.
The first truth that hit him? He had hurt her.
The second truth that hit him? He cared that he had hurt her because he wanted her.
FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.
All Cadence wanted to do was flee, but no sooner had she turned around when he spun her back around, and she found herself gazing up into 's eyes.
"Damn you."
The words should've hurt her. Scared her. But instead it made Cadence catch her breath because of how his voice had suddenly turned rough, and even in her innocence, there was no mistaking the desire in his eyes.
"I d-didn't mean to fall," she heard herself say unevenly. "I'm n-not lying—-"
"I know."
Then why did he—-
"I wish I could convince myself you're lying," bit out, "but I know you're not, and that's what makes it hard for men like me to forget why we have to stay away."
Cadence swallowed hard. She knew she wasn't supposed to say this, but...
"What if I don't want you to stay away?"
One second, they were standing a few feet apart.
The next moment, she was pressed against a stone wall in the garden, hidden behind a curtain of hedges and flowering vines. Far from prying eyes. Far enough to hide what he was about to do to her.
His mouth crashed into hers.
It wasn’t gentle.
It wasn’t slow.
It was like a man on the edge of death, dragging her down with him.
Cadence moaned into his mouth, fingers clinging to his shirt even as he kissed her like he hated her for being so damn perfect.
's hand slid under her skirt, and a groan escaped him when he found her already wet for his touch.
Cadence bit her lip to keep from making a sound, but then his fingers stroked her again, deeper, slower, and her knees buckled.
“K-—”
He clamped his hand over her mouth, his voice like gravel against her skin. “Don’t. Say. My name.”
Her body trembled as his fingers found the sensitive nub at the center of her, circling, pressing, teasing.
She whimpered behind his hand, and could only clench his jaw as the sound had him throbbing more painfully behind his pants.
“You have no idea what you do to me,” he growled. “No idea how close I am to ruining everything."
He slid two fingers inside her, and she gasped against his palm.
“Shh,” he whispered, his mouth brushing her temple. “It's okay. I'm just giving you what we both want. And you want this, don't you?”
His Cadence nodded frantically, her breathing coming out in cute little gasps, her sweet hips already starting to move with his rhythm.
“That’s it,” urged. “Just like that. Take what I give you.”
Her hands reached back, clinging to his thighs as her body started to shake.
“I can feel it,” he murmured. “You’re close. You’re so fucking close.”
Her muffled moan was his undoing.
pressed his palm tighter against her mouth, his fingers working her relentlessly as she came—hard, shaking, helpless. Her body clamped around him, her moans swallowed by his hand as she slumped against the wall, spent.
An eternity seemed to pass before Cadence was able to find the strength to look up, and her chest squeezed when she saw his hooded gaze.
"W-What now?" The words came out in a tremulous whisper. "Are you going to pretend nothing happened between us?"
"No." His lips tightened. "I'm going to pretend I won't do it again."