Chapter 17 - Jade #2
If that wasn’t the slickest dismissal ever, I don’t know what it is.
Kratos all but just told these guys to get lost, and the best part is, I know they’ll listen.
If my short time around the guys and Kratos has taught me anything, it’s that he’s higher up on the food chain than they are, and they all know it.
Just like I knew they would, they head out, nodding in a show of respect as they pass him. Zander hesitates for a moment before he pulls me into a hug.
I melt into his arms and hug him back, that light feeling returning now that I’m not worried things will dissolve into an all-out fight. His lips brush my forehead ever so gently before he releases me, heading out the door where Roderick and Spencer are waiting.
Trent hangs back, looking between Kratos and me as if he’s concerned about leaving me with him but also unsure how to say so without Kratos eating him alive.
I give him a small smile and a nod to let him know I’ll be fine. He looks like he wants to argue, but makes the smart choice and follows after the guys before Roderick shuts the door, closing me in with Kratos.
Neither of us speaks for a few minutes, and I know without asking that he’s waiting to make sure the guys actually left.
His shoulders slump as he leans his ass against the large desk that sits behind him, and I take in the room for the first time.
I’m not sure whose desk it is, but it's expensive, I can tell just by looking at it. Looking around the room, I realize everything here is. For some reason, I have a hard time picturing Jake sitting behind it, even though I know this is his house; maybe it’s his father's. Jake wasn’t a small man exactly, but when I try to picture him sitting behind that desk, my brain can only imagine him looking out of place, like a child trying to play pretend.
It doesn’t appear all that big now that Kratos is leaning against it, though I get the feeling he’d have that effect on most things.
I’m pulled from my thoughts as Kratos finally speaks.
“What am I going to do with you?” His voice is barely more than a whisper, but with how quiet it is, I have no problem hearing him.
This room is strangely quiet, even with the noise I know is just on the other side of the door.
If I didn’t know there was a party just down the hall, I would have never guessed it. Is the room soundproof, and if so, why?
I ignore the question; for now, I have more important things to worry about.
“I have a few ideas,” I tell him, walking toward him with a teasing smile. He may be serious, but I’m still feeling playful. He’s either going to play or not, but there's only one way to find out.
His eyes narrow as I approach, but he doesn't actually look upset. “That’s not what I meant.”
Let’s see just how far I can push Daddy K before he snaps.
It’s probably a stupid idea. No, it most definitely is stupid, but I can’t find it in myself to care.
This man could put me in the ground, and something about that makes this even more exciting.
Some people would probably say that makes me crazy, but danger is a language that I’m fluent in, and sometimes, you can’t help but slip back to what you know.
It’s comfortable.
I stop a few feet away from him, putting my hand to my chest in mock horror. “What do you take me for? Get your mind out of the gutter.” I pitch my voice higher than usual and screw up my face in disgust, but I can’t erase the smile that still sits on my lips.
He stands abruptly, knocking something to the ground as he does. I don’t dare look to see what it was, though. Everyone knows you don’t take your eyes off a predator, and right now, everything about Kratos screams predatory.
Predatory and fucking delicious.
As he walks toward me, I take a step back, followed by another, until my back hits a solid surface.
Without even realizing it, he's backed me against the wall. He’s so close that every breath I take is him.
I can’t stop the shiver that works its way through my body as he floods my senses—soft cinnamon and something woodsy that makes me think of nature.
I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is, but it’s intoxicating.
“Don’t play coy with me, Jade,” he says, leaning forward into my space.
He braces both of his hands above my head against the wall, effectively blocking me in with his body.
I could easily slip away. Use my small size to my advantage, but as I crane my neck to meet his eyes, I decide I don’t want to.
“Who says I’m playing?” I ask him. My voice comes out far more breathy than I intended. I know he hears it. How could he not? My stomach is in knots, and I feel my cheeks heat as a blush takes over my face.
When was the last time I felt like this?
Never.
The better question is, why?
I’ve used my body to get ahead in life for as long as I can remember. So why does this feel different?
I bite my lip, hoping it will help me keep my damn mouth shut. If I open it now, I’m not sure what will come out, and with the way I’m feeling, that could be very dangerous. His eyes dart down to my mouth as he watches me, and I can’t look away as I watch his pupils blow wide.
I know that look.
It appears I can push Daddy K’s buttons pretty well. The thought makes me proud, prouder than it probably should. The only issue is it’s not just him I’ve pushed.
One of his hands drops from the wall, coming to rest on my cheek. Using his thumb, he pulls my lip free. “Don’t do that. You’ll fuck your lip up, Killer.”
As soon as my lip pops free, he pushes back off the wall, turning and making his way back to the desk.
Something inside me won’t let him have the last word, and the words are out of my mouth before I can think better of it. “Okay, Daddy,” I say, just barely loud enough to be heard.
He pauses for a moment, letting me know he did, in fact, hear me. But other than that, he doesn’t react, and while I was hoping for more, I still mentally high-five myself.
“So, have you decided on what you want to do about college yet?” he asks, once again resting his beautiful ass against the desk. Kratos may be big, mean, and scary, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s also mouth-watering—every damn bit of him.
I push off the wall and make my way to one of the chairs in front of the desk.
The chair is huge and surprisingly comfortable as I sink into it.
I guess when you have money, you really do get the finer things in life.
I’ve been in the beds of many wealthy men, and none of them have shit on this damn chair.
I wonder if they’d notice if I took it?
Kratos clears his throat, and I snap my head up to look at him. I was so distracted by the chair that I forgot he had asked me a question.
“I’m open to trying it. Clair told me that if I don’t like it, I don’t have to keep going, so there's no harm in giving it a shot.” I shrug my shoulders because it doesn’t matter to me one way or the other, but it doesn’t sound terrible, so why not?
He nods but doesn’t comment. “And how is life with the Spades?” he asks.
Again, I shrug. “Good. I mean, I haven’t been there long, but Clair is nice, and she’s helping the girls. What more could I ask for?”
“I didn’t ask about the girls, Jade. I know how they are.”
I look up at him for a moment, not knowing what he wants from me. I doubt he hasn’t been keeping tabs on me, so what is he looking for me to say?
“How are you? How are they treating you? I’ve worked with those three long enough to know that Spencer’s probably not happy with you being there.
Roderick, I’m sure, won’t be hostile, but he’s never one to be outwardly accepting of strangers or change.
I’d bet Zander is fine, he loves women and attention, but he also isn’t great with boundaries.
” He watches me as he talks, and I make sure that I stay still so as not to give anything away.
The way he watches me makes me feel like he sees right through me.
“I can take care of myself, thank you.” My tone is harsher than I meant, but I don’t apologize. I don’t need to be saved, and given his insight into my background, he should know that better than most.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t. Don’t put words in my mouth.
My responsibility is to make sure you are safe and happy.
This isn’t about if you could handle something bad, but about the fact that you no longer have to.
” His tone matches my own, his face stern as he holds my gaze.
It only lasts a moment, though, before his face softens once again.
He pushes off the desk, and in the blink of an eye, he’s before me, kneeling on the ground in front of me.
I watch him for a moment before I give in. I’m not sure why it matters so much, but clearly, it does.
“It’s been great,” I say with a small smile to let him know I mean it.
“You pegged them pretty well. Roderick is stoic, but he has his moments.
He taught me to cook eggs, and he's patient. Zander is very accommodating. He's been teaching and showing me things I never thought I would get the chance to experience.” Kratos raises a brow at me in question, and I can’t hold back the laugh that bursts out of me at his reaction.
I may have worded it like that on purpose, oops.
“He’s been a gentleman about it, don't worry. We all had a rough start, but it’s better than I had hoped after they learned about my past.” I look down at my hands, where they're folded in my lap.
Being normal has never been something I thought was possible, something I never even let myself hope for, but now I feel like it could be, and I want it.
Wanting things in life is dangerous, no matter how strong you are. I haven’t wanted something for myself in so long that I forgot how consuming it can be.
“What about Spencer?” he asks, and I return my attention to him, pushing my thoughts aside to focus on the conversation.