Chapter 1
Chapter One
Kain
I glanced at my watch, saw that it was four in the afternoon, and cursed. Where does the time go? The day was almost over, and I still hadn’t bought flowers for my mother. Today marked twenty years since her passing. The past few months had flown by, with one deadline after another.
Hire more help.
That wasn’t the issue, as I had thousands of employees under Kessler Corporation.
Despite that, urgent matters required my personal review.
A drunk driver had rammed his SUV into the ground floor of the twenty-story Kessler Building.
Luckily, no one got hurt in the accident.
But the ground-floor retail space and a portion of the second-floor gym, Kessler’s Studio, needed major renovations.
I’d just approved the repairs for the engineers, laborers, plumbers, and electricians to start the detailed work.
Details mattered to me. Details had helped me escape a hell no one should ever experience.
I had other gym locations throughout the country, but this one was in the building I lived in.
The Kessler was one of four properties in Etched Square.
My friends and I had purchased the land after a fire destroyed most of the original buildings.
We had turned the square into a popular area in Brookline, a bustling town next to crowded Boston.
When I finished my emails, I got up and walked to the bookcase with a framed photo of my mom and me when I was sixteen. She’d just bought me a new sketchbook and colored pencils so I could start adding to my art portfolio. My dream of becoming an illustrator died with her.
“Any flower preferences today, Mom?” I studied the picture of her, loving emerald eyes with dirty blonde hair piled up high. The makeup had hidden the bruise on her cheek, courtesy of my fucking father.
Emotions constricted my chest as anger and resentment surged.
If I had been home all those years, I could’ve protected her from the asshole.
He’d broken her, literally and figuratively.
Two days after my escape, I returned home and found her unconscious on the kitchen floor.
By the time the EMTs arrived, they confirmed she was gone.
That was why the police officers hadn’t been able to reach her when I was being examined in the hospital.
“You’re free now,” I had said on the day I released her ashes into the sea.
While I was trapped in the underground complex, my mother had been in her own prison too. My despicable father ended her life. This world was messed up in so many ways. So many evil deeds done. It was as though the devil gave out free tickets to join his legion.
It had been twenty years since my escape, but the darkness I experienced still lingered, often suffocating me.
Healing from the trauma had been difficult, but therapy and keeping busy helped tremendously.
But today wasn’t the day to think about any of that—the devil wasn’t allowed to intrude on my mother’s memorial.
Every year I’d buy my mother flowers and place them on my dining room table along with all her favorites: meat lasagna, fried chicken, and chocolate cake.
I placed the picture frame back onto the bookcase, grabbed my coat, and left my penthouse office, taking the elevator down to the first floor.
Looking into the gym, I waved at Don Goodwin, the studio manager who also helped at Body Canvas, my tattoo parlor on the other side of the building.
As I stepped out onto the sidewalk, the January chill slammed into me, biting my face.
But I’d take cold air over a blizzard any day.
Zipping up my coat, I pulled on the hood and headed toward the flower shop I’d seen the other day instead of the closer one in Etched Square.
The extra distance would help clear my mind.
I wasn’t a flower guy—I knew little about them and didn’t have the patience for them. But my mother loved all kinds of plants, so I’d developed a friendly appreciation for these pretty things. I’d adopted ten thriving plants when she passed. Sadly, only one aloe plant survived.
Forgive me, Mom.
I’d like to think those plants were with her now.
As I strode down the sidewalk on Beacon Street, another gust of chilly wind smacked into my face.
I should’ve taken my Rivian R1S, but parking wasn’t guaranteed in this busy area.
Besides, I needed to release some tension.
The past few weeks had brought on nightmares, reminding me of a past I’d buried.
Years of therapy had suppressed the bad dreams, but now they were back with a vengeance.
Perhaps the chaotic lifestyle wasn’t healthy after all.
Hopefully, once the renovations and other projects were resolved, the nightmares would stop.
I bumped into a man in a brown coat carrying a shopping bag.
“Ah, sorry,” I apologized.
“It’s okay.” He nodded and continued walking, probably thinking I was an idiot.
What the hell was wrong with me? It was as though my body had detached from my mind.
A scattered mind made mistakes, and I didn’t need that right now.
Slowing my pace, I inhaled the crisp air, filling my lungs with energy.
As I breathed out, I glanced around. A few new stores had opened on Beacon Street, bringing more businesses within walking distance of Etched Square.
I maneuvered around a group of people looking at the display windows of a gift shop and hurried into Happy Flowers.
The heat warmed my face, making me feel better.
A mixture of floral scents and soil surrounded me, reminding me of a hike in the woods.
Six customers browsed the bouquets while another four hovered around the display of potted plants.
Happy Flowers had a wider selection of flowers, plants, and gifts compared to the flower shop in Etched Square. Why were so many people shopping for flowers in January? But what did I know? I only needed flowers once a year.
What should I get my mother this year? Three men browsed the shop. I studied them, hoping their choices would inspire me.
A bearded man in a blue coat bought a vase with pink flowers, while another man stood with a woman looking at large potted plants.
The man wearing a red cap picked his own flowers.
He chose six red roses and various leafy stems that looked decent together.
He seemed like a man who bought flowers often.
I didn’t want to get red roses for my mother.
Yellow was more cheerful. I spotted a curvy vase with yellow roses and tiny white pompom-looking things.
As I made my way toward it, a beautiful woman walked out from the back room, carrying a vase with interesting purple flowers.
A powerful energy gripped me, anchoring me to the spot.
Bat wings flapped in my chest, a sensation I hadn’t felt before.
Time stood still, and everything in the store other than the woman with the unique flowers faded into the background.
I blinked, fully aware of this odd experience.
Tingles erupted on my skin as if an electrical current zapped me again and again.
Something about this woman mesmerized me.
Or I was losing my mind.
“Excuse me,” she said in a lovely voice, yanking me back to reality while soothing me like a warm bath.
I shifted to let her pass, and her arm brushed against my coat. An energy zipped down my spine, forcing me to straighten up. What the hell?
My body wasn’t in control right now. Hell, I wasn’t in control of myself at all. It must have been my lack of sleep. Could this be a sign I was coming down with something?
No, this was something else, something I couldn’t decipher yet. I was both perplexed and fascinated by this experience and the powerful realization that I had to know her. That overwhelming feeling rose to the forefront, piquing my interest.
She looked at me and smiled, then placed the vase on the glass display. Her amber eyes pierced through me, and I wobbled a step back.
What the fuck?
I couldn’t stop staring at her. If I kept this up, women would stop coming to my gym and tattoo parlor because I’d be branded as a creep. But I couldn’t pry my eyes away from her—it was as though an invisible thread linked us together.
If my friends were here, they’d get a kick out of this. A woman carrying a bouquet of flowers knocked Kain Kessler out. At forty-two, I should have had better control over my mind and body. But right now, that control panel was compromised.
Reset!
Trying to gather myself, I inhaled a deep breath as the floor beneath my feet trembled. Or was I hallucinating?
Mind you, I was six foot three and packed with muscles, so I didn’t normally “wobble” unless it was intentional.
Not only that, but my skin also continued to tingle as if I were getting acupuncture treatment.
My stomach churned as if it were roasting a chicken.
A warmth bloomed from within me, and I had no fucking clue where it came from. The start of a fever?
Please, no. I had too much shit to do and no time to be stuck in bed.
The gorgeous woman had long brown hair tucked to the side with a flower clip. Dangling earrings glittered in the light. She wore a soft pink sweater that accentuated her cheeks, brightening her eyes. My gaze slid to luscious lips, and my cock twitched. Nope, not the start of a fever.
Stop staring. I heard my inner voice but ignored it.
Like a satellite programmed for her, I followed her as she moved to another section of the store. I felt like an idiot but didn’t know what else to do.
An older woman with a young girl approached her. “Miss, I’m picking up an order for Carrie Turner.”
“I’ll get it for you.”
My gaze didn’t waver from her. For a moment, I forgot why I was in the flower shop.
A sales associate with blonde hair approached me. “Can I help you, sir?”
I was grateful for her presence. It severed the invisible tie that connected me to the mesmerizing woman.
“What are those flowers called?” I pointed to the vase of purple flowers.
“They’re passionflowers. Aren’t they gorgeous? They sell out fast.” She held up the display. “Do you want them? Or do you need something else?”
“I need her.” I jerked my chin toward the woman who had me glued to the floor.
The sales associate flicked a look at her coworker and turned back to me with a smirk. “Eva will be right with you.”
Eva. The sound reverberated throughout my body like some mystical force. Like an echo from the depths of the ocean with the power to affect the entire ecosphere.
What the fuck? I blinked at the inanity spewing from my mind.
Eva glanced over at me as she rang up the man with the red cap. I didn’t smile. I didn’t nod. I didn’t do a damn thing except stare at her like a fool. My heart thundered so loudly that I feared the entire store might hear it.
When the last customer left, Eva stepped away from the counter and looked at me. “How can I help you?”
Something in me cracked a little. Maybe it was my bones thawing from being frozen in place. Or maybe I was hearing things.
The door chimed, and a shirtless teen with messy brown hair wearing sweatpants, barged in, singing Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” His eyes zeroed in on Eva.
Fear splashed onto her face as the kid darted toward her with his arms stretched out as though wanting a hug.
Horrified, she dodged him and bumped into a metal display case.
It wobbled, and I ran over, clasped a hand over it, and held it upright, shielding her from the danger.
Several vases slammed into me and crashed to the floor.
The kid grabbed Eva, sniffing her. Scared, she pushed him away. As I straightened out the display case, an old woman rushed into the store, looking concerned.
“Oh my God, Milo!” She hurried over to the teen, draping a coat over him. Then she opened a small bottle and held it under his nose. “Inhale.”
Milo did as she asked and appeared calmer. Then he burrowed into her, whimpering. His demeanor was that of a toddler, not a teenager.
I stepped in front of Eva, creating a barrier between her and the unpredictable teen.
“It’s all my fault. I’m so sorry,” said the woman with tears in her eyes. “I only left him for a moment to do the laundry. Milo didn’t mean it. My grandson is harmless.”
Eva stepped up to the boy and, to my surprise, patted him on the arm. “It’s okay. I’m not mad.”
“He’s been through a lot.” The grandmother glanced at the broken vases on the floor. “Let me pay you for the damages.”
An associate hurried over with a broom, sweeping the debris to the side.
“Don’t worry about it.” Eva offered a warm smile. “It was an accident. You should take him home. He’s trembling.”
Grateful, the grandmother nodded and thanked Eva several times before leaving.
A quick glance at the damage told me the loss would be somewhere in the low thousands.
Those fancy vases and fresh flowers looked expensive.
She could probably write them off. But this was a small flower shop that didn’t have a generous budget to play with.
I understood because I’d been there when my business first started.
I helped Eva pick up the damaged flowers, placing them on the counter.
“Thank you for your help.” She gestured to the metal display. “I would’ve been injured if it weren’t for you.” She raked a gaze down my body. “Are you hurt?”
I plucked some leaves and petals from my coat. “I’m good.”
I should have left and let her tend to her shop, but I stayed and helped her fill up the display again.
“I’ve got it.” She smiled, and my heart did strange things in my chest. “Are you looking to buy flowers for someone?”
I glanced at the passionflowers. “Can I get a bouquet of those?” Then I turned to four potted plants on the floor. “I’ll take those too, including the three succulents.”
Eva raised an eyebrow. “Are you decorating a space?”
I wasn’t, but that was a good idea. My office needed a change.
“I’ll be back later with my car to get the plants.”
When she gave me the receipt, our fingers touched, sending a powerful wave of energy circulating through me.
I knew I’d completely lost it when I blurted out, “Wanna have dinner with me?”
She blinked in surprise, and I felt a tug on my cock. Scratching the back of her neck, she considered me. “Um . . . Sorry, but I have other plans.”