Chapter 23 Zander #4
In his office, Kratos has cameras on most of the floors, but standing and watching the party floor below gives you a sense of power and accomplishment that the screens just can’t.
It was so surreal the first time we were invited up here a few years back.
The feeling of being on top was better than the high I used to chase with drugs.
I leave her to look and head over to Kratos' door. It’s closed, but I don’t hear any voices from the other side, so I knock and hope I’m not interrupting something important.
The door swings open, and Kratos stands in the doorway, taking up all the space as he towers over me.
Shit, this guy freaks me out. I’ve never liked being around him, and I have to fight the urge to take a step back with how close I am to him right now.
Without a word, his eyes dart over my head to Jade, and I find myself more relaxed than before.
I didn’t come here for me. I came here for her, so I need to get it the fuck together.
“Zander,” he says after a moment of us just standing there without a word, and I hear the question in his voice even without him asking it.
At the sound of his voice, Jade turns to look at us. The smile that lights up her face should upset me. Hearing Mad say her nickname earlier had me ready to lay him out, but this does nothing.
She smiles up at him, and the look in her eyes is a lot like the one she tends to give me. While I might not want to share, I think I can manage it if it makes her happy. If it keeps her demons away and this look of bliss on her face.
“Hey, Big Daddy,” she says, walking over to stand with us. The smirk on her face screams trouble, and I have to work harder than I should to keep my own in check as she toys with him.
He huffs a sigh before stepping back and holding his arm out so we can enter. Jade doesn't hesitate, trailing her finger over his chest and down the length of his extended arm as she walks past him, only to go and sink into his chair—the big one behind his desk.
This girl has balls of steel.
I walk in behind her, shaking my head as I go. Kratos closes the door, and I drop into one of the seats in front of his desk. You know, the ones I’m sure he intended us to sit in.
When Kratos turns back and spots her in his seat, he lets out a groan that borders on a growl, running his hand down his face in a clear sign of exasperation.
“Killer,” he says, and my back stiffens for a moment, unsure what that means. That is until she lets out a very girlish giggle.
“What’s wrong, Daddy?” she asks him, and I realize Killer wasn’t something sinister. Instead, he said it in response to her being in his chair. He’s given her a nickname.
I try to control my reaction, but I’m sure if anyone cared to pay attention to me, the shock would be clear on my face. Thankfully, Jade seems to hold his full attention.
Kratos stalks around the desk to stand next to his chair, looking down at her.
She looks small next to most people normally, but the size difference between them is even worse with her sitting as he towers over her.
He reaches for her, and I stiffen even as I remind myself he won’t hurt her.
He’s the one who told us to keep her safe, so doing so would be just plain stupid, but even still, I can’t stop myself from worrying anyway.
He doesn’t hurt her, but what he does is almost more shocking than if he had. Putting his hands under her arms, he effortlessly scoops her up before sinking into the chair and depositing her on his lap.
Neither of them makes a big deal about it, but I’m losing my mind.
Kratos never lets women so much as touch him.
I’ve never seen him even attempt to pursue one.
I’m sure it would have been easy for him, but he’s never been interested.
Now he's sitting at his desk with Jade on his lap as if it’s no big deal, as if this is somehow normal.
Jade’s cheeks heat as she looks up at him from her new seat, and his lips twitch just the slightest bit at the edge in an almost smile.
What the fuck is going on.
They stare at each other for so long that I feel like they might have forgotten I’m even in the room. I’m not jealous exactly, but I also don’t feel completely comfortable watching them while they are all but eye fucking.
I clear my throat, and just like that, the Kratos I’m used to is back. Gone is any softness, and he's once again the ruthless killer who scares the shit out of most people, including me.
“Been spending time at Emerald today, I see?” He reaches out and grabs Jade’s chin, moving her head back and forth to get a good look at her new jewelry. He nods, letting us know he’s happy with the work, and her face lights up.
“Yeah, Jade needed a day out, so we walked the streets for a while. When she saw the art in the window, we went to take a look. She picked that, and Mad did good, but she wanted to talk about a tattoo, and apparently, the boss isn’t in at the moment,” I tell him with just a hint of a teasing tone.
It’s not enough for Jade to pick up on it, but I know he will.
He gives me a dry look before he huffs out a breath again and turns his attention back to Jade.
“What were you looking to get?” he asks her.
“Oh, um, I wasn’t really sure about anything.
I had a few ideas, and there were some amazing pieces on the wall, but I wasn't set on anything. I guess I can put more thought into it now that I’ll have to wait, huh.
” I can hear the sadness in her words even though she plays it off as if it’s not a big deal.
Judging by the way Kratos' brow dipped, he heard it too.
“I don’t have anything here,” he tells me, and I nod because I didn't think he would. “Have Dom call and push my one o’clock meeting to tomorrow. I'll take her with me and meet you guys back here for our meeting later.” He stands with Jade still in his arms as if it’s nothing, and I mean, it probably isn’t.
I can lift her easily enough, and Kratos is built like a fucking tank.
“Tell the boys we’ll meet at nine instead of seven,” he says over his shoulder, scooping up his key off the hook and going over to his closet for his shit.
He looks down at Jade for a minute, and I get the feeling he doesn’t want to set her down.
I can't blame him, but it would probably be easier if he did. After a moment's hesitation, he does. With her feet on the ground again, she takes a step back, shooting me a questioning look around Kratos. I just shrug at her like I have no idea. I do, of course, but it’s more fun to make her bug Kratos. The look she gives me lets me know she’s onto me.
Before she can call me out on it, Kratos sets a helmet on her head, pulling her attention back to him. He now stands with his leather on and helmet tucked under his arm while he continues rummaging around in the closet for something else.
“Okay, what is happening?” Jade finally asks, and I can't help but find it hilarious that she's yet to put the pieces together.
“You wanted a tattoo, right?” I ask her, and she looks at me like I'm stupid.
“Yes, but I don't see what that has to do with any of this,” she says, gesturing at Kratos wildly with her arms.
“The boss isn’t in the shop, but that doesn't mean you can’t still get what you want, Doll.
You just have to know the right people,” I tell her purposefully, not telling her flat out.
It takes a moment, but I can see the wheels turning as she slowly puts the pieces together.
Then, before my eyes, I see the moment she gets it.
Her eyes go wide before she turns to Kratos with her hands on her hips in a show of her frustration.
She’s tiny and adorable, but it's still crazy to see anyone dare look at Kratos like that.
He doesn’t even bat an eye at her, as if she's not there staring him down. She huffs before giving up and just talking to him instead. “You own the shop?” she asks just as he seems to find whatever he was looking for.
To my surprise, he pulls out a leather much like his own, only smaller. Vengeance isn’t an MC exactly, but for those of us who ride, we had leathers made a few years back.
Kratos holds it out for her without offering her an answer to her question. I can see it annoys her that he isn’t answering, but she still relents, spinning around and sliding her arms in before he fixes it for her.
She pulls her hair free from where it got trapped underneath, and with a hand on her shoulder, he spins her around to lace up the front for her.
She bats his hands away, and he pauses to look down at her as if she is merely an unruly child.
“I can lace my own damn vest. How about you answer my question instead, Daddy,” she says with so much sass that even Kratos seems momentarily surprised.
“Yes, I own the shop,” he says, pushing her hands away to lace her vest, ignoring her protests. “And if you want a tattoo, you'll drop the attitude and be a good girl.” He finishes lacing her up and grabs her chin, tilting her head back until her eyes meet his.
Even across the room, I can see her pupils blow wide.
I’m unsure if it's from the manhandling or that he told her to be a good girl, but I couldn't care less. Just like when they were dancing at the party, they have a magnetic pull when they’re together, and I have to adjust how I sit in hopes that it’s not obvious just how much I enjoy seeing them like this.
“Understand, Killer?” he asks in a low, husky voice that I know she will melt for. I’ve noticed she loves the deeper tones, the whispered breaths.
I love teasing her with them.
She whimpers in response, and it goes straight to my cock. Kratos steps into her space, and it’s not easy to miss that she has the same effect on him as he presses up against her.
“We talked about this, Doll. Words, remember,” I say before I can help myself. I don’t think Kratos would take advantage of her, but still, better safe than sorry.
Her eyes dart over to me. I'd thought she'd forgotten I was here with how much attention she was getting from Kratos, but the heat in her eyes tells a different story. They roam down my body, stopping at the now very obvious bulge before she looks back at Kratos again.
I see her throat work as she swallows, her head tilted so far up that every bit of her neck is displayed. I want to wrap my hand around it and hear the noises she makes for me. I bet she wouldn't mind putting on a show for Kratos.
“I understand, Daddy,” she breathes, and I’m unsure if she's relenting or trying to taunt him. Kratos takes a deep breath, and I hear the low rumble in his chest from here as he pulls himself together before dropping her chin and taking a step back.
Her eyes run the length of his body like they did mine a moment ago. He makes no move to adjust or attempt to hide the effect she so clearly had on him. Her eyes light up, and a cocky smile curves her lips when she notices.
“What are you still doing here, Zander? I gave you an order. It wasn't a suggestion,” Kratos spits at me, turning toward where I still sit in the chair with a front-row seat.
“And miss this show?” I wave my finger in their general direction. “I think not.” Pushing out of the chair, I nonetheless head over to Jade before I wrap her in my arms and plant a kiss on her forehead.
“I’ll see you later tonight, Doll. Be good,” I say before I shrug. “Or don’t, either way.” I feel her laughter against my chest as she hugs me back. Kratos’ eyes all but burning a hole in my skull at the comment.
I leave the office and head down to find Dom stocking the bar for tonight.
Dropping onto one of the stools, I tell him what Kratos said.
A few minutes later, his office door closes, and we both look up to see them walking down the glass hallway.
Jade is talking about a mile a minute about something, her hands gesturing around like crazy with a wide smile.
Kratos walks beside her, and even from here, I can see the small smile on his face.
He did a pretty good job of keeping it in check earlier, only letting the tiniest bit show, but I can see it.
He’s just as fucked as I am. It’s all over his face.
“Wow, she must be something if she’s gotten to the boss,” Dom comments as we watch them.
“Yeah, she sure is,” I say, and I’ll be damned if I don’t have the same stupid ass smile on my face.