Kaden
Chapter fifty-three
When Ivan calls, it’s never because he’s craving friendly company. It’s because he needs something from me. Which leaves me with the urge to fucking strangle the Pahkan for interrupting my time with Melody.
But I know I have to play nice. Especially if I want to stick close to her. I have to follow his rules and still be present during operations to keep our agreement secured tightly. I’m probably the most docile I’ve ever been, like a damn dog waiting for its owner to drop a bone.
My phone is warm in my hands as I hold it to my ear. “I’ll handle it.”
Ivan hums. “I don’t want any survivors.”
I stare at the safe house, my head tilting as I watch figures shuffle past the tinted windows. “They’re already dead, and they have no idea.”
The line goes dead as I finish my cigarette in peace. I watch the movement of the traitors as they work diligently. They have no idea their Pahkan has already caught onto their mutiny and sent death himself to their doorstep.
But they will soon enough.
Four men.
All were once highly regarded enforcers who held a special place with Boris, the King, before his tragic passing. They slipped through the cracks somehow, finding their way to New York to start fresh and blend in with Ivan’s current runners.
My head tilts as I examine every soaked edge of the house’s wood. Gasoline is a tool I don’t use often, but on special occasions, how could I not? There’s nothing better than an open fire in the dead of winter.
I flick my burning cigarette onto the porch, watching as it instantly catches fire. “Oops.”
I ease back against my car, tucking my hands in my pockets as I watch the flames lick up the side of the home quickly.
It takes a few minutes for anyone inside to notice they’re being roasted alive.
I pull my gun from its holster, waiting to see if anyone gets a wild hair and actually makes it out of the burning building.
The wood crackles loudly, splintering as a scream pieces the air.
Someone’s on fire.
The front door swings open, but the flames are too much as a man runs out. He makes it down the steps, falling to his knees before me as he attempts to drop and roll, but his whole body is engulfed. Charred skin touches my nose as I watch him with sick amusement.
His screams turn to gurgled groans as he sags lifelessly against the paved sidewalk.
His back rises, but it’s only on reflex.
The sounds around me are a symphony of suffering as the two other men inside attempt to make it out.
One crashes through a window, hurling his body’s momentum forward as he lands in the snow.
I raise the barrel of my gun to him, giving him a chance to turn on his heel and book it for the dense forest that blankets the backyard.
He’s a good twenty feet away, freedom in his grasp when I fire, and the crack pierces the air.
His head juts forward unnaturally before he sprawls to the Earth in a heap.
Only one more left. I wait him out, crossing my ankles as I hum a tune. It doesn’t take long before the whole foundation cracks and he’s buried beneath the debris.
“Ouch,” I muse.
He yells for help, begging anyone close to rescue him from the confines of the building.
I kick off my car, sauntering over to the burning porch as the heat of the fire bites past my jacket.
I crouch down, resting my hands on my knees as I make eye contact with the shaken man lying on his stomach in an attempt to escape the fire roiling over him.
“No one can save you,” I snicker cruelly. “The Pahkan sends his regards.”
His eyes widen as the color drains from his face. “Smerti.”
“In the flesh,” I snarl as the ceiling gives and crumbles on top of him. I bounce up from my spot, slinging my keys around my finger as I dial Ivan back.
He picks up on the second ring. “That was fast.”
I shrug as if he can see me. “I work well when I have a reward system.”
He sighs deeply, the weight of our deal strangling him. “How is that going?”
I get in my car, slamming the door behind me. “I hope you have a tux. You’ll be attending a wedding soon.”
He growls into the receiver. “You can’t force Melody to marry you—”
I laugh loudly, cutting him off. “That’s none of your concern. Just be ready when I tell you. I’ll initiate her into the family, and she won’t have a choice. All I’m asking is that you use your power to make her stay.”
He scoffs. “I’m not trapping her for you, Kaden.”
My darkness stretches, tugging at my lips. “You will if you expect me to keep killing for you. Let’s not forget how important Saint and I are for your cause. Without us, you wouldn’t be where you are today.”
There’s a tense moment of silence where I know I have him by the throat. “You’re a fucking snake.” Ivan bites. “She won’t forgive you, you know?”
“That’s a cross I’m willing to bear,” I say casually as I pull away from the curb.
I can feel him shaking his head in disbelief from the other side of the phone. “You’re not done working today. Go to the New York branch and establish a foothold with my men.”
“Sure,” I muse. “After a little stop.”
“Kaden—”
I hang up on him before pulling up the address of the bridal shop that Melody is currently at with Mom and Kodi.
Mom is three chutes of champagne deep as she rests back across the luxurious red sofa in the viewing room.
Kodi holds her glass high, the white lights twinkling off it as she waits patiently for Melody to finish trying on another dress.
I’m hidden in a connected waiting room, biding my time until I can be alone with my girl.
No one knows I’m here as I pace impatiently. A worker passed not long ago, her eyes widening at the sight of me before she rushed off like her heels were on fire.
“Oh, my god!” Mom gasps, causing me to whip around.
Nothing could have ever prepared me for the vision. Melody steps out of the dressing room, a boutique attendant trailing behind her as she smooths out the long, elegant train of the dress. The gown is chiffon and lace—ethereal, and hopelessly romantic.
The bodice is crafted delicately with hand-sewn floral patterns that climb gracefully over her torso and trail into sheer sleeves.
The lace blends with her skin, giving the illusion of frosted glass as a soft neckline stops at the base of her throat.
The chiffon of the skirt moves with her, making her seem as if she’s gliding through the air rather than walking.
She isn’t just stunning.
She’s fucking breathtaking.
My lips part as the wind rushes from me. I can’t move—can’t think—beyond her. How many times have I had this same fantasy? Where she was dressed in white as she held a bouquet in her hands?
In those dreams, she’s looking at me with a soft, fond smile, her eyes glassy with her joy. There is no Dylan there. It’s only us and the future we’ll share.
Dylan.
The fucking obstacle.
His name sits bitter and sour on the tip of my tongue as I stare at what he thinks belongs to him. Little does he know, I have my own fucking agenda that will eradicate him right out of Melody’s life. He’s dug his own grave, and I’m only waiting to strike.
“That’s the one,” Kodi whispers in wonder.
Melody smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes as she smooths a hand down the fabric. Her walls are already splintering under my touch, fracturing the weak bond she has with her fiancé. Our wager flickers through my mind.
She won’t admit that she still wants me. Not yet. She’s confused and probably scared of giving her heart away so freely again. That’s okay. I don’t expect her to run into my arms like she used to.
She’s grown, matured into a woman who can make her own decisions. I just have to convince her that my choices are what’s best for her. She can have her stolen time, but every path leads back to us. I’m not going anywhere, and the sooner she realizes that, the better.
It’s manipulative and conniving, but desperate times…
The boutique attendant whisks Mom and Kodi away to discuss alterations and timing, leaving Melody alone on the small platform as she examines her dress closely. Her hands dance across the chiffon, moving it aside as she feels the smoothness beneath her fingertips.
I creep in, moving so silently that she doesn’t notice as I ease down on the sofa and rest an ankle over my knee. As if drawn to me by that invisible string, her eyes snap up and connect with mine. There’s a beat before she slaps a hand over her chest, and the breath is squeezed from her lungs.
“Seriously?!” She hisses in a whisper as she turns to face me.
I circle a finger lazily, my eyes soaking in every dip and curve of her. “Give me a turn, baby. I want to see what belongs to me.”
Her face heats as her mouth moves too quickly for her words. “I-I don’t belong to anyone…”
I tilt my head, my eyes narrowing as I hold up my left hand and curl my ring finger toward my palm. “Forgetting something?”
She slaps a hand over her bare knuckle, hiding her ringless finger as if it’ll erase the image from my mind. She hasn’t worn that thing since Dylan left, and I’ve been enjoying it.
“Turn for me, Sunny,” I purr darkly. “Let me get a good look at the blushing bride.”
Her throat works in a gulp before she bunches the chiffon in her hands and spins on the stage.
Her train follows after her, cascading down past her pretty pink painted toes.
My cock is so hard it’s fucking twitching against my leg, pulsing with the urge to flip her dress up and taint any fond memory this may hold for her.
She’s fucking radiant.
And Dylan won’t even get the chance to see. How sad.
I rise, the invisible twine pulling me to her as she watches me move across the room. Her body faces the three floor-to-ceiling mirrors as she peers shyly over her shoulder. Soft golden curls fall past her shoulders, and my hands itch to fist them.
I step up on the platform with her, making her gasp as my hands wrap around the waist of her dress. I lazily run them upwards, taking my time as I trail nipping kisses along her bare shoulder. When I get to her pulse, I lightly bite down as my palms near her breasts.
“Kaden,” she whispers, scandalized.
I love the taste of my name on her tongue. It’s one of my favorite sounds.
I cover her cleavage, wedging my fingers under the delicate lace as her hands shoot back and grab my thighs. She tilts her head, giving me better access as her eyes flutter.
“Hey, Mel, I was wondering if you—OH, MY GOD!” Kodi screeches from the doorway.
Melody’s eyes fly open as she shuffles forward quickly, leaving my grasp. Kodi is still standing on the threshold, a hand slapped over her eyes as her other fans quickly at her face.
“Are you decent?” She asks.
Melody clears her throat, grabbing the skirt of her dress as she puts distance between us. “Um, yeah.”
“Oops,” I shrug, tucking my hands into my pockets as my sister glares at me.
Kodi flies into the room, wagging a finger. “What the fuck are you doing?!”
“Visiting,” I tilt my head.
The maid of honor grabs at her temples in clear distress. “No! No! You can’t be here!”
My brows rise as I smirk at Melody. “You told her about us.”
She ignores me, closing her eyes as she pinches the bridge of her nose. She’s trying to find reprieve, but it’s hard when I’m so close to her, ruining everything.
Kodi waves her hands animatedly, then takes a deep breath and points at Melody.
“You are not allowed to do this. We’ll discuss it in the car.
” She whips around to me, anger pinching her features.
“And you! You have some fucking nerve! You leave for six years and magically pop back up when my best friend is finally happy? Do you have any idea what she was like that first year? Do you?”
I open my mouth, but I don’t get a chance to speak before Kodi’s rage swells.
“Get the fuck out of here!” She hisses. “Melody can make her own decisions, but until then, she’s fucking neutral. No contact. No manipulation. And no more fucking groping my best friend!”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “Okay. Okay. I only wanted—”
“Give me a big fat fucking break!” Kodi snips. “For once in your life, Kaden, SHUT UP!”
I roll my lips in to keep my laughter contained. This isn’t the time or place. Especially not when my girl is clearly distressed in the corner of the dressing room.
I turn to Melody. “Do you want me to leave?”
She blows out a breath, rubbing the lace of her dress between her fingers. “Yes.”
Fuck, that hurts. “Then, I’m gone. I’ll see you at the house, okay?”
She nods.
Kodi ushers me out of the room, and my eyes narrow on her before she slams the door in my face. I deadpan at it, sighing before I head back out to my car.