Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
R onan
Even though I’d already come twice tonight, the thought of her sweet little pussy bare under her dress made my cock hard as a rock.
She was fire wrapped in silk, and she didn’t even know it.
Kiera stood there, her green eyes blazing with a mix of defiance and embarrassment as she glared at me. The deep emerald gown clung to her curves, highlighting every dip and slope, every inch of her that I’d spent too long pretending I didn’t notice. The fabric shimmered faintly under the warm light, its color a perfect match for the fiery red waves that framed her face.
Her cheeks were still flushed, a pretty pink that only made her eyes seem brighter. Her posture was as stiff as ever, her arms crossed over her chest in a way that only made me smirk.
She hated how vulnerable she felt, and she hated that I could see it.
Good.
I let my gaze drift, taking my time. The curve of her hips, the way the fitted bodice of the dress emphasized her waist, the faint swell of her breasts where the neckline dipped just low enough to tempt me. Everything about her demanded attention—her body, her defiance, her pride—and I wasn’t sorry for taking it all in.
Not one bit.
Kiera shifted under my scrutiny, her hands tightening against her arms. “You’re staring,” she said sharply, her voice cutting through the quiet.
“I am,” I said simply, letting my smirk deepen.
Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t argue. She knew there was no point.
“Come,” I said, stepping closer and offering her my arm. “We have things to discuss.”
Her eyes flicked to my outstretched arm, her lips parting slightly as if to argue. But after a moment’s hesitation, she let out a frustrated sigh and slipped her hand into the crook of my elbow.
The touch was hesitant, reluctant, but it was enough.
Her fingers were delicate, her hand light on my arm as I guided her toward the exit of my penthouse. Every step made the fabric of her gown sway, the soft rustle of it brushing against my pants like a whispered promise. The heat of her was close enough to feel, her presence electric, and I couldn’t stop the faint hum of satisfaction that settled in my chest.
This wasn’t the first time Kiera had looked beautiful. But tonight? Tonight, she was breathtaking.
“You clean up nicely,” I said, my tone casual, though I knew my words would land like a spark on kindling.
She stiffened, her fingers twitching slightly against my arm.
“Don’t push it,” she muttered, glaring at the floor.
I chuckled, the sound low and amused. “I’m only stating the obvious.”
She didn’t respond, but I caught the faintest flush spreading across her neck. She hated compliments, especially from me. And that only made it more fun to give them.
As we reached the edge of the living room, I slowed, turning slightly to look at her again. She glanced up, her fiery red hair catching the light in a way that made her green eyes glow like polished jade.
“You’re beautiful,” I said softly, my gaze lingering on the faint freckles dusting her cheeks, the delicate curve of her jaw, the way her lips pressed together as if she could stop herself from reacting.
Her cheeks flamed brighter, and she looked away quickly, her fingers tightening around my arm.
“Ronan…”
“Yes, love?” I asked, letting the endearment roll off my tongue.
She glared at me, the fire in her eyes sparking back to life.
“You don’t have to do this. Pretend to care or—or compliment me just to mess with me. I know you’re just?—”
I turned, cutting her off by tilting her chin up with my free hand. The faint hitch in her breath didn’t escape me, and I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping to a low murmur.
“Who says I’m pretending?”
Her lips parted, her eyes wide and unblinking as she stared up at me. For a brief moment, I saw the flicker of uncertainty, the vulnerability she tried so hard to hide. And it only made me want her more.
As I gazed into her eyes, I felt a pang in my chest that I couldn’t explain. She didn’t belong in this world of mine—she was too fiery, too untamed, too herself.
And yet, every time she turned those stunning eyes on me, every time she pushed back when no one else dared, I felt something crack open inside me. I felt the ground shift beneath my feet, like the axis of my world was tilting toward her.
She made me feel like a man. When she looked at me, it wasn’t as Ronan O’Malley, the name whispered in fear and respect throughout the city.
It was just me.
Kiera didn’t realize it yet, but she was mine. She’d been mine from the very first moment I’d laid eyes on her. Maybe even before then, before I had the words to understand it or the courage to admit it to myself.
And I was never going to let her go.
Her fingers squeezed lightly around my arm again, breaking me from my thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, I guided her toward my private elevator, her reluctance evident in every step. I could feel the tension radiating off her, the way she tried to hold herself stiff and unyielding, but her hand tightened against my elbow just slightly every time she faltered in those adorable little kitten heels.
The girl had fire, but she was no match for me. Not now. Not ever.
I pressed the call button, and the sleek doors slid open with a quiet chime. She hesitated for a second before stepping inside, her bare arm brushing mine as she moved. The scent of her—clean and soft, with the faintest hint of whatever body wash she’d used in the shower—wrapped around me as I followed, letting the doors slide shut behind us.
As the elevator descended, I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She was staring straight ahead, her jaw tight, her cheeks still flushed from earlier. The deep green of her dress made her hair look brighter, her skin softer, her eyes piercing.
A memory surfaced without warning, vivid and sharp.
The first time I laid eyes on her, she’d been crawling around on the top bunk in Leena’s dorm room, wearing a pair of shorts that were just a little too short, her legs bare and golden in the late afternoon light. She’d been making her bed, cursing under her breath as she fought with the fitted sheet, and I’d walked in without knocking, expecting Leena to be alone.
She’d frozen the moment she noticed me, her wide green eyes locking onto mine. For a second, neither of us spoke. She’d just looked over her shoulder at me as she perched on that bunk, her red hair messy, her cheeks flushed, her hands gripping the wrinkled sheet and her ass cheeks peeking out from beneath her shorts. She stared at me like she was daring me to say something about it.
And in that moment, I’d decided.
One day, I was going to have her.
It wasn’t just the way she looked—though that had certainly caught my attention. It was the spark in her eyes, the fire in the way she didn’t back down even as she climbed down from the bunk, her chin lifting as she asked:
“Do you always just walk into rooms uninvited, or is this a special occasion?”
I’d smiled then, slow and deliberate, and her cheeks had flushed a deeper shade of pink.
“Depends,” I’d said, leaning against the doorframe. “Is it always this interesting when I do?”
She’d rolled her eyes, muttered something about me being an ass, and turned back to her bed. But I’d seen the way her hands shook slightly as she tucked the sheet into place, the way her jaw tightened when she realized I wasn’t leaving.
That had been a few years ago, back when Leena and Kiera were just freshmen at Columbia. I’d barely known her then, but I’d known enough.
And now, years later, with her standing next to me in this elevator, her fingers brushing my arm, I wasn’t going to let her go.
She wasn’t just my little sister’s best friend anymore.
She was mine .
The elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors slid open to the quiet expanse of the private garage. My car was waiting where I’d left it, sleek and black against the polished concrete, and I felt Kiera’s hesitation as I stepped forward, her hand still holding my arm.
“This isn’t over,” she muttered, her voice low, but edged with the same defiance I’d seen in her eyes all those years ago.
“No,” I said simply, my lips curving into a faint smirk. “It’s not.”
Because I wasn’t done with her.
Not by a long shot.