Chapter Five
Leah hated mindlessly window-shopping. There was a time she enjoyed staring through the windows, looking at all the impressive things on offer. As a kid, she would imagine herself as an adult, being able to buy things. Now, she had the money and the means to get them, but she didn’t want them.
All she wanted to do was to be away from Cain, but even that was impossible for her as he placed one of his guards on her. She didn’t even need to turn around to know he was there, waiting, watching, observing.
Rather than get angry, she kept walking. The streets were busy, but she didn’t pay much attention to the people milling about. She was much more interested in what was going on back home. Leah had left Cain behind in the hope of clearing her head, and now it didn’t feel clear. She didn’t feel anything.
It had been a good few years since she had run away from her problems. She tended to stand and face them head-on.
Running a hand down her face, she blew out a breath as she climbed into her car and made her way back to the house. The guard followed her all the way to the main gate. She had no doubt Cain got the message she was home, even before she got there.
Parking the car, she sat back and waited. Last night had been a disaster.
Now, she wasn’t the kind of woman to have expected sunshine and rainbows. She’d never even taken time to think about what it would be like to be with a man. Sex and men hadn’t appealed. But, last night had gone so wrong. It wasn’t even funny.
Grabbing the keys from the ignition, she stepped out of the car and made her way up the steps. It was already starting to get dark, and the temperature had dropped.
She stepped into the main hallway and was instantly attacked with a horrid scent.
“What is that?” she asked. She made her way toward the main kitchen, where she found Cain with a frying pan, poised over the sink. It looked like there might have been flames at some point, but now there were none. There was smoke, and a rather red-faced Cain.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Cain turned toward her and carefully put the frying pan into the sink.
“Leah,” he said.
“Cain,” she said.
“You’re home.”
“And you’re attempting to burn it down?” she asked.
“I am not attempting to do anything of the sort. I am attempting to make dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Yes, dinner. You know, for you to enjoy.”
Leah stared at him for a few seconds, because she couldn’t quite comprehend what he was saying, and then it was like something clicked inside her brain, and she knew what he was trying to say.
“You’re trying to cook me dinner?” she asked.
She glanced around the kitchen, and knew Frank, his chef, was not going to be pleased. Not that he’d say anything to his boss. No one would dare disagree with Cain. She couldn’t blame them. This man was scary, and he didn’t even need to try.
“Yes.”
“What are you trying to cook?” she asked.
From the smell, she would guess garbage, but again, she didn’t say anything.
Cain looked at her, and he wasn’t entertained. “Are you even hungry, or did you sneak in some food while…” He trailed off without finishing his sentence.
Leah couldn’t help but smile. “Your guy wasn’t inconspicuous to me, but then I know what I’m looking for.” She stepped into the kitchen and rolled up her sleeve. “I am starving, but I’m not that desperate for food that I’d be willing to eat it, so how about I take over?” she asked.
She’d never seen Cain move so fast. It was cute, but she refused to let him see that. She was still mad at him, and none of that was going to change anytime soon. Ignoring him, she stepped up to the kitchen counter, and it looked like he’d burnt every single vegetable they owned at that point.
Capsicum were soft and burnt to within an inch of their life. If vegetables could talk, she had a horrible feeling they would be screaming abuse and neglect.
This wasn’t good, but it wasn’t terrible, until she went to the fridge. He’d emptied the fridge of everything but cheese and a jar of pickles.
Pulling out her cell phone, she made a quick text to Frank, to let him know he was going to need to do a lot of shopping before he came into work. After that, she gathered the few ingredients that were left, and she saw he’d also left the bread Frank baked yesterday.
Cain had turned into a rather fussy eater, and he preferred home-baked bread, along with many other homemade items. Not that she was complaining. Frank was an amazing baker. Sure, he hated baking bread, but he loved his job a lot more than complaining about it.
“What are you doing?” Cain asked.
“The only thing left to do. You’ve not given me much to work with.” She rolled her eyes, but she also felt charmed by him.
Slathering the bread with butter, pickle, and then thick slices of cheese, she cut them on the diagonal and handed him a plate. She did the same with her own, grabbed a few snacks from the pantry, and carried them through to the main dining room table. The stench in the kitchen was a little overpowering. She had no idea what he attempted to cook, or what he hoped to do to it. Either way, she wasn’t interested in finding out.
It was kind of a relief to step back into his home, to find him in some sort of disaster. She didn’t have to think about him storming out on her as if she’d done something wrong, like after her first sexual experience, which she was not interested in repeating.
Taking a bite of her sandwich, she couldn’t help but close her eyes. This may be simple, but it was delicious, and right now, it did hit all the right spots. She took another bite, and after about four bites, one of her sandwiches was gone. She hadn’t even realized how hungry she was until she began eating.
“I think we should talk,” Cain said.
Leah shook her head. “No. What happened, happened. We can’t change it, and I don’t want to stand around talking about it either. I want to forget it, and the only way to do that is to move on. I can pretend it didn’t happen. So can you.”
It wasn’t exactly a request but more like an order for him to understand. She didn’t want to have to talk about what happened between them. The truth was, it was too painful. The whole experience on a physical level as well as an emotional one. He didn’t even realize the level of rejection he’d given her by his dirty look, but also by leaving.
“No,” Cain said, and it took her aback.
“What?” she asked.
“You heard me. I’m not going to pretend this didn’t happen. You know what, yes, I fucked up, and I get that you’re pissed at me. It’s not going to change what happened, and you know what, I don’t want it to change what happened. I fucked you, you were a virgin. One day soon, we’re going to be doing this again, and then you’re going to have your mind blown. Until then, you’re sleeping in my bed. You belong to me, and there is no way I’m giving you back.”
At first, Leah didn’t know what to do. Cain sounded so sure of himself. She honestly believed she must have hallucinated the whole thing, and yet, one look at him and she knew he was deadly serious.
“What the hell?” she asked.
“Do I need to repeat myself? I didn’t believe you were one of those women who struggled to hear what I’m saying.”
“Did I hear correctly? You’ve moved my stuff into your room? You’ve been in my room, touching my things?”
“Yes, and moving them.” Cain smiled and winked at her. “You do not have to worry about changing rooms, I’ve done it all for you.”
She had an overwhelming desire to slap him, but instead she clenched her hands into fists and tried to ignore the sensation working its way through her. There was no way she was going to give him that satisfaction.
“You just made a massive mistake,” she said.
“I don’t think I have.”
She’d pressed her hands on the table and moved in close so they were nearly touching, but just their faces. The moment she did so, she knew she was a little too close to him. She refused to back down.
Cain stood and closed whatever distance was between them. “This, between us, is happening, and you can fight it all you want, it’s not going to change what we’re going to do.” And he finished it with a kiss.
****
Cain expected her to fight him. He didn’t expect anything less. Leah was a strong woman, and he heard her stomp upstairs, and he followed behind her, also granting her space. Other than on the security footage where she beat the crap out of his son, he’d never witnessed her losing her cool.
“What the ever-loving fuck!” It was rare for her to curse and he found her adorable as she did so.
She came out of her bedroom, which no longer held any touch of Leah. He’d moved everything. She didn’t even wait for an invite back to his room. She shot him a glare and then stormed into his bedroom.
Did she not realize how sexy her ass looked as she walked right past him? He couldn’t believe he’d fucked up in such an epic fashion. Right now, he could be balls-deep inside this woman. Only, he’d lost her trust.
He’d gain it back.
Cain didn’t lose, and one day soon, she was going to trust him again, and he was never going to lose her. She was a rare gem.
He saw her, wanted her, and he was going to have her.
“I can’t believe you did this,” she said. Her hands went to her hips. “My things are in your closet!”
“I know. I had this perfect space, and your stuff fit into that space.”
“I have no idea what you’re trying to do, but you know what, it’s not going to work, so you need to stop.”
“I’m not going to stop.”
“This isn’t funny,” Leah said.
He closed the distance between them and reached for her ass. He grabbed her and pulled her in close. She smelled so good. It might have been vanilla, or possibly coconut, or even cinnamon, or perhaps a mixture of all three. Either way, she drove him crazy, and he felt how aroused he was. He needed her.
Cain could wait, though he didn’t want to.
“Are you telling me, right now your pussy is soaking wet?” he asked.
She glared at him, opened her mouth, and closed it.
“Don’t lie to me. Remember. I told you, I don’t like being lied to.”
“You’re in no position to make these kind of demands.”
Cain smiled. “Are you trying to test me, Leah? I have no problem being tested, because I know I am going to win.”
He couldn’t help but press his face against her neck. Did she not even realize she wasn’t fighting him? If she told him no, he’d let her go. He was never going to force a woman, nor would he ever chase one, at least until Leah. All his life, women had been lining up to garner his attention. The only woman he wanted was the one in his arms. She was stunning.
Leah tensed up, and then she pulled away from him. It would have been so easy to keep her, to make her want him. This time, it was going to have to be on her terms. There was no way he was going to allow her to blame him, for caving to him.
He smiled at her and waited.
“You don’t get to win everything, Cain.”
“You’re right. This round, I didn’t win. I fucked up this round, but I’m not going to beg for forgiveness.”
She snorted.
“No, I’m going to earn your forgiveness. Not by words but actions. You’re used to people fucking up, and I did, but in a completely different way. Don’t worry, Leah, I’ll make it up to you. I’ll let you get changed, and I’ll give you the space you need.”
It was the last thing he wanted to do.
He’d have loved to share a shower with her, but that time would come. Leaving his bedroom, he didn’t look back and it took every ounce of strength not to, but he was able to handle it.
Cain made his way down to the kitchen, and he stared at the disaster he’d created. His chef was going to be so pissed at him, but that was why he paid him well. The least he could do was clean up some of the mess.
He gathered the dishes, and he was pretty sure he’d ruined one of the frying pans. Whatever needed replacing, he’d arrange it. After all, it was his money. Once the kitchen looked okay, he made his way to his office, fired up his laptop, and checked a few emails. He had several men and women looking after his son. Danny was a pain in the ass and likely to get himself into trouble.
Sure enough, he’d entered Bratva territory, and one of his guys had intervened at a possible kidnap attempt. He clenched his hands into fists.
Danny’s mother had been a pain in the ass whore, when she was alive. When he fucked her, he didn’t know how money hungry she’d been. It was something he came to learn the moment she knocked herself up.
Cain ran a hand down his face, as the memories of dealing with Danny’s mother assailed him. All she ever wanted was his money and wealth. She was quite happy to go to bed, to offer her body. She even tried to blackmail him with their son. She’d threatened to take Danny to his enemies and offer him as leverage. She didn’t know that threat had been the final straw for him. He’d killed Danny’s mother. No one threatened him and got away with it, especially not that little whore who’d manipulated her way into his world.
It was why he made sure to know everything about a person before he allowed them to get close. He was not going to make the same mistakes again.
Leah was nothing like Danny’s mother. She was nothing like a lot of the women he’d come to know over the years. Maybe that was why he couldn’t get enough of her. She was so different.
He finished up his business, with instructions to have Danny under house arrest. The maids and nannies he’d given Danny over the years had done a piss-poor job in raising him. He knew he’d done the best he could, but he’d never wanted kids.
Getting to his feet, he found himself pausing as he thought about Leah, heavily pregnant with his child. It was a visual he couldn’t eradicate from his mind. It was like she was right in front of him, naked, her stomach protruding with their child. She’d make one hell of a mother.
In a blink of an eye, he’d gone from not wanting kids to suddenly craving two, three, maybe even four, five, or six.
He wanted Leah bound to him, and that was what children did. They bound people together, whether they liked it or not.
Leaving his office, he checked to make sure the house was locked up, not that he believed anyone would try to break into his home. No one would. Or if they did, he had the means to protect himself and Leah. No harm would come to her.
He entered his bedroom and found Leah already safe in bed, the blanket pulled up over her body.
“I’m not having sex with you,” she said.
He smiled. “Not right now, but don’t worry, you will.”
She growled. “Has anyone told you, you’re so rude?”
“Plenty of people.” He moved toward the bed and pressed his hands on either side of her head. “And guess what?” he said, smiling down at her. She looked so good laying in his bed, with her head on the pillows.
“What?” she asked.
She clearly attempted to look defiant, but it fell flat.
“I don’t give a fuck what people think.” However, he did care what she thought. He refused to tell her that.