Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
R onan
Kiera sat quietly on the couch, chewing her lip, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. Her phone sat heavy in the palm of my hand, and I didn’t waste any time as I scrolled through the call history.
The last outgoing number was one I didn’t recognize. A burner phone, no doubt. It had to be Leena. I pressed call, holding the phone to my ear as I turned my back to Kiera, bracing myself for the headache I knew this was about to become.
The line rang twice before a familiar voice crackled through. “Kiera?”
I felt my jaw tighten. “Not Kiera,” I said, my voice low, clipped.
There was silence on the other end, then a quick intake of breath. “Ronan?”
“Yeah, Leena. It’s me.”
“Where’s Kiera?” she asked quickly, her voice hitching with a mix of guilt and nervousness. “Why do you have her phone?”
“Because she’s here,” I replied coolly, “and because you’ve got some explaining to do.”
“I—” Leena started, then stopped. “How did you even?—”
“Where are you?” I interrupted, cutting through her fumbling excuses. “And don’t lie to me, Leena. Not today.”
There was a pause, and I could practically hear her debating whether or not to fight me on this. Finally, she sighed.
“Fine. I’m at the Catskill Pines bus station,” she muttered reluctantly. “It’s this tiny little stop up in northern New York—practically in the middle of nowhere. My friend bailed on me, so I figured I’d just take a bus back to the city.”
My fingers curled around the edge of the phone, my knuckles white. I exhaled through my nose, forcing my voice to stay steady. “Stay put, Leena. I’m sending Finn and Bradan to get you right now. You’re not getting on that bus, do you understand me?”
“Ronan, come on?—”
“Do you understand me?” I snapped, my tone sharpening just enough to shut her down.
There was silence for a beat, and then she grumbled, “Yeah, I understand.”
I softened my tone just a fraction, though the urgency of the situation still pressed hard on my chest.
“Leena, listen to me. This isn’t a joke. Lorenzo Benedetti is dead. His house exploded this morning. If someone finds out where you are and thinks they can use you to get to me, you’ll be a target. You have no idea how serious this is.”
I heard her quick intake of breath, and when she spoke again, her voice was smaller. “I… I didn’t realize it was such a big deal.”
“Well, now you do,” I said firmly. “Stay exactly where you are. Don’t talk to anyone, don’t move, and don’t make me have to repeat myself again. My men are already on their way.”
“Fine,” she muttered, quieter now.
I ended the call without another word and slid Kiera’s phone into my pocket before pulling out my own.
“Finn,” I said the moment he picked up. “I’ve got her location. She’s at the Catskill Pines bus station. She’s waiting there. You and Bradan get to her now. Bring her back safely.”
“On it, boss,” Finn replied quickly, the sound of car doors slamming in the background. “We’ll get there fast. What about trouble? You expecting anyone else to have eyes on her?”
“It’s possible,” I said tightly, running a hand through my hair. “Be ready for anything. If anyone so much as looks at her the wrong way, you take care of it. Understand?”
“Understood,” Finn said, his voice sharp with focus. “We’ll call you the second we’ve got her.”
I hung up and slid the phone back into my pocket, turning to find Kiera still sitting on the couch. Her eyes were wide, cautious, watching me like I was a maze she wasn’t sure how to navigate.
“You found her?” she asked quietly.
“She’s fine,” I said curtly, though the tension still thrummed through me like an electric current. “Finn and Bradan are on their way to get her now.”
Kiera exhaled, a mix of relief and lingering nerves. “Good. That’s… that’s good.”
I didn’t say anything.
She was worried. I could see it in the way her hands fidgeted against the fabric of her leggings, in the way her eyes kept darting toward me like she wasn’t sure what I might do next. She was trying to play it cool, but the truth was written all over her body—tension in her shoulders, her lip caught between her teeth, her breath just a little too quick.
And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t do something to me.
Something dark. Something hot.
I let my eyes linger on her for a moment longer than necessary. She noticed, of course. She always noticed. Her gaze flicked to mine, wide and uncertain, and I watched her try to hold steady as my eyes bore into hers.
“You look nervous,” I said finally, my voice low, deliberate.
Her lips parted slightly, her teeth releasing her bottom lip, and she swallowed hard before replying.
“That’s because I am.”
I wanted to go to her. I didn’t rush. I just walked toward her slowly, my steps unhurried, my eyes never leaving hers.
“You should be,” I said, my tone soft, but laced with steel.
She flinched slightly, her hands tightening against her knees, but she didn’t look away. Even when she was scared, she was defiant. It was one of the things about her that drove me fucking insane and one of the things that made my cock as hard as iron.
I stepped closer, close enough now that I could see the faint tremor in her hands and the way her chest rose and fell a little too quickly. She was trying to look strong, trying to look like she could handle me. But I could see it in her eyes, that mix of fear and something else—arousal, both heady and unwanted.
I leaned down slightly, bracing my hands on the back of the couch so I caged her in. My face was just inches from hers now, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off her skin, close enough to see the way her pupils dilated as she looked up at me.
“You’re nervous because you know that deep down, I wouldn’t lie to you,” I said softly, my eyes locking onto hers. “You know what I’m capable of. You know that when I say I’m going to punish you, I mean it.”
Her lips parted, a soft, shaky breath escaping as she stared at me, unable to look away.
“And the worst part?” I continued, leaning just a fraction closer so my lips were near her ear. “You don’t hate the idea nearly as much as you think you do.”
I felt her body stiffen beneath me, the tension rolling off her in waves. She wanted to argue—I could see it in the way her hands curled into fists, in the way her jaw tightened. But she didn’t.
Because deep down, she knew I was right.
“Go to the bedroom, Kiera,” I commanded gently.
Her head snapped up, her eyes wide. “What?”
“You heard me,” I said, locking eyes with her. “Go to the bedroom. Sit on the bed. And wait for me.”
The flush on her cheeks deepened, blooming like roses under her skin. She opened her mouth as though to argue, but the words seemed to stick in the back of her throat. I tilted my head, waiting.
I wouldn’t repeat myself again.
Finally, she stood. The nervous energy rolled off her in waves, but she didn’t fight me. Her voice was soft, barely audible as she whispered, “Yes, sir.”
The words hit me like a lightning strike.
Something dark and visceral uncoiled in my chest, low and hot. My jaw tightened, and my pulse kicked up with a sudden force I hadn’t expected.
Yes, sir.
Two small words, but from her? They tasted sweeter than they had any right to.
Kiera must have noticed my reaction because she froze for a second, as if realizing what she’d just said. But it was too late. I let the moment stretch, my lips curling into a slow, predatory smile.
“Good girl,” I murmured.
She gulped, her breathing quickening, and I didn’t miss the way her body tensed. Her gaze flicked to mine, searching, nervous, but she didn’t move. She just stood there, waiting for me to tell her what to do next.
I held her there a beat longer, enjoying the way her resolve started to waver. Finally, I gave her a small nod, my smile deepening.
“Go,” I said softly, the command laced with steel.
She turned quickly, her footsteps soft against the hardwood as she moved toward the bedroom. I stayed where I was, watching her go, my cock as hard as a fucking rock.
I was going to enjoy what came next. In the end, she would too.