Chapter 35
Ace
ARE THEY DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL?
You’re mine. Do you understand me, Ace? Or have I not been making it clear enough?
The butterflies in my stomach flutter around wildly as I stare back at him on the screen, admiring his dark features. God, he’s so handsome. So powerful. And dominant in the best way possible.
“You have,” I answer quietly.
He studies me, and I’m glad I walked down a hallway to get away from all the dancers to have some privacy, because I feel like I’m in trouble right now, and I’m not sure why.
“So, I’ve been making it clear, but you don’t believe me, angel?”
Shit.
“It’s not that I don’t believe you.”
His dark eyes soften, and he shakes his head. “Whoever made you doubt your worth shouldn’t be fucking breathing right now.”
That’s not romantic.
Not romantic at all.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
But it’s so romantic.
“I’m going to tell you again. I want you with me as much as possible. So why don’t you pack a bag to take with you when you go have a girls’ night, and then you can go over to my house to sleep. I’ll join you in bed in the morning.”
He wants me at his house… while he’s not even there.
“Or you could come to my house and climb into bed with me,” I say with a smirk.
Kian’s expression softens. “Doesn’t matter to me, angel. Wherever you are in the morning, I’m showing up there. Just know you’re welcome in my house, so you can soak in the hot tub before you go to sleep. I read it’s good for pain.”
The fact that he’s been reading up on migraines and my injury is so damn thoughtful. Kian is so busy, but he still finds time to research my issues?
“Actually, that sounds kind of nice. Maybe I’ll sneak into your backyard at midnight and go skinny dipping.” I smirk at him through the camera.
Kian’s eyes darken again. “You let anyone else see your naked body and I’ll cut their eyeballs out myself, angel.”
A shiver runs down my spine as heat spreads over my cheeks. “Noted.”
“Besides, you don’t need to sneak in. I already set your birthday as both the door code and the alarm code. Make yourself at home. Leave your scent everywhere for me.”
I can’t help but giggle. He’s so damn possessive, and I love it.
“Got it. Pee everywhere. Anything else, Daddy?” I ask with a grin.
Kian actually laughs and looks up as male voices talk in the background. “I need to go, angel. I’ll be in touch later.”
“Okay. Have fun… Whatever you’re doing.”
He makes a face and then nods. “I’ll try, angel. Be safe and be good.”
Ace: Is your invite for girls’ night still open?
Jordyn: I was hoping you’d change your mind. Come over any time after seven. Wear comfy clothes.
As I finish changing into my regular clothes, my phone pings, and when I see Kian’s name, I smile.
Kian: Mathius is the driver picking you up. He will be standing at the valet stand and will show you his ID. Do not go with anyone else other than him.
Not only is he possessive, but he’s protective, too. I get the feeling he may be over the top like Luciano is. But he means well, and that’s what matters. The way Kian controls me is nothing like how my mom did. Kian doesn’t seem to want to change me or mold me into something I’m not.
Ace: Thank you for arranging that. I could have found my way home myself.
Kian: No, angel. It’s Daddy’s job to do that.
When I get home, I’m practically walking on cloud nine as I shower and find something comfortable to wear over to Jordyn’s.
Yoga pants and a crop top are my go-to for comfort, so that’s what I pick before I find a small bag to pack some clothes in.
Is it odd that he wants me to stay in his house while he’s not there?
Probably, but I don’t care. I want to feel close to him, even if he’s gone.
Besides, waking up to Kian getting into bed with me sounds like an amazing way to start the day.
Mathius is waiting for me in the driveway when I reemerge from my house, and he nods but doesn’t say anything as he holds the back door open for me. I’ve decided he eats small children for breakfast and possibly kills people for fun.
“Thanks, dude,” I quip as I climb in, and I swear the corner of his lips twitches a little.
Quinn is already there when I arrive, and both women step out onto the front porch, bouncing up and down excitedly when I get out of the car.
“I’ll be waiting here,” Mathius says.
“Oh, uh, well, I’m going to be here for a while. I can call you when I’m ready to go, so you don’t have to wait.”
Mathius peers down his crooked nose at me. “I’ll wait.”
His tone leaves no room for argument, so instead, I smile and nod, backing away to join the girls on the porch before we make our way inside.
Jordyn’s house is as extravagant as she is, yet everything about it is comfortable and welcoming. There’s nothing stuffy about it.
After growing up in my mother’s home, where sitting on the couch was like an act of crime because it’s designer and not meant for sitting, her words, not mine, I made a promise to myself to never let my home be a museum of things people can’t touch.
I’m glad Jordyn seems to be on the same wavelength as me.
Because I never had any other examples, I thought all wealthy people were as awful as my mom and those she surrounded us with. Turns out, she’s just a bitch, and so are her friends.
“Do you want something to drink?” Jordyn asks from the built-in bar off to the side of the living room.
“Just water for now. It was hard today at work, and I need to hydrate before I try any alcohol again,” I answer.
Jordyn smiles and hands me a bottle of water, then offers one to Quinn before she plops down on the couch, curling her feet under her.
“Caleb is ordering pizza for us. It will be here in an hour,” Jordyn announces as she looks at her phone.
I glance at her, confused. “Caleb?”
She nods. “My bodyguard. If you weren’t already banging Kian, I’d introduce you. Caleb is fine as hell. Don’t tell my husband I said that, though.”
Quinn bursts out laughing and rolls her eyes. “Definitely don’t tell Cash. Caleb is nice. We don’t want him to die.”
My cheeks feel like they’re on fire when I think about Jordyn’s words.
Banging Kian.
Is that all we’re doing?
That’s what we agreed on the first time we met.
But it feels like things have changed since then.
A lot.
“So, do either of you know what business the guys are going to handle?” Quinn asks.
I shake my head. “Kian didn’t say. Should I be worried? It seemed kind of sudden.”
Quinn and Jordyn shoot each other a look before Jordyn reaches out and pats my leg.
“Don’t worry. Whatever they’re doing, they’ll be careful. They aren’t going to do anything that stops them from coming home to us in the morning,” she answers, and I can’t help but notice how she didn’t really answer my question.
“Are they doing something illegal?” I ask.
“Let me ask you this,” Quinn starts sweetly as she rubs her rounded stomach. “Would your feelings for Kian change if it were?”
I barely have to consider that before I shake my head. “No.”
Growing up in a mafia family, illegal activities were part of life.
I was shielded from so much of it after my father died, but I was aware enough to know we had a different kind of life than most. There’s no doubt that Luciano has the blood of dozens of men on his hands.
I still think he’s one of the best men in the world.
“We don’t know what they’re doing tonight. Sometimes, they tell us, and sometimes, they don’t. If we ask outright, they tell us, but I know whatever it is Xander is doing, he’s doing it for good reason, so all I care about is that he’s safe,” Quinn explains.
Jordyn leans into me. “If it bothers you, ask him tomorrow when you see him. Kian will tell you if he knows it’s important for your peace of mind.”
She’s right. Kian told me he would never lie to me because he expects the same from me. We’ve only been seeing each other for a week, though.
“Thanks,” I tell them. “And thank you for including me in your girls’ night.”
Jordyn grins. “Hell, yeah. Let’s get this party started.”