Kaden
Chapter sixty-six
Another morning sleeping beside the love of my life, and another cup of coffee that tastes slightly off, but I can’t put my finger on what Melody did to it.
As I turn the taste over on my tongue, my brow furrows.
It’s subtle, and I commend her efforts for not giving me a single fucking clue as to what she’s doing to my drink.
Fuck, her revenge is hot. I never thought I would get so turned on by her spitefulness.
She sits across from me at the dining room table, her mug lifted to her lips as she takes a slow sip and peers at me through her lashes.
She rose with vigor this morning, declaring that she needed to return to her flower shop to check in with her staff.
We’re waiting for Sergey to arrive to accompany her today.
Ivan needs to see me, which means we’re both busy.
Unfortunately.
I hate my friend for taking me away from my wife so early. He’s definitely getting an earful from me. I’ll do whatever menial task he needs, but I’m going to complain the whole time.
Melody sets her cup aside, crossing her legs as she tilts her head. “You still can’t figure it out, can you?”
I take another generous sip, my lips curling slightly. “Figure what out?”
She grins connivingly. “Nothing, dearest.”
I’m hard enough to pound nails.
I’m pretty sure if she tried to poison me, I would bend her over the table and fuck her until I died with her pussy stuffed full of me. It would be a hell of a way to go. Heaven.
There’s a knock on the front door, and I rise to answer it as Melody enjoys her coffee. Sergey is dressed like he’s going to the gym with his matching black tracksuit.
“Good morning, Smerti,” he breezes right past me as he pinpoints my wife with a crooked smile. “Solnyshko, I am ready to learn.”
Melody stands, smoothing down her pink sundress as she smiles in a warm welcome. “We have twelve bouquets to put together today. I hope you’ve brought your game face.”
My gaze bounces between them as I scowl.
Since when did they get so close?
Sergey, the fierce enforcer that he is, places a hand across his chest. “My wife expects pictures. I cannot fail you.” Melody grabs her purse, bouncing over to the foyer before the guard stops her. “Do you have…”
She frowns before recognition pings. “Oh! My birth control? Yeah, it’s in my bag.”
Birth control?
When did she start taking that?
She isn’t privy to my mood as she pats my chest affectionately and pushes up onto her toes to kiss me. “Have fun. I’ll make dinner tonight. How does Italian sound?”
I snake an arm around her waist, tugging her flush against me as I give her a much deeper, claiming kiss. When we pull away, she blinks past the fog clouding her eyes.
“Sounds perfect,” I nip at her bottom lip.
I watch them leave, my hands tucked into my pockets as I smile and wave from the threshold. The moment Sergey’s car disappears down the driveway, my face falls into something dangerous.
Birth control.
She’s taking birth control.
I’m not angry at her for using it, but I know my sister.
She’s always wanted to be a mother. She used to talk about having kids all the time while we were growing up.
She would go on these long-winded stories about how she was going to have a big house, a wonderful husband, and a small army of tiny, patterning feet following her around.
I didn’t think of a future until Melody came into the picture. When she told me about those dreams, I always imagined myself as her husband at her side. I would give her a whole yard full of kids if she only asked.
Birth control.
I don’t know why it’s bothering me so bad, but now I have something else to plan today. Call me sick, but my sister already envisioned our lives for us.
And I want to give her everything she’s ever asked for.
“Next Wave Gen has become the top shipping company in America. It’s looking to expand within the next two months.” Ivan drones as he sits behind his desk.
He flew in for this—dragged Saint out of his tunnels and into the daylight. Or as close to daylight as the back office of my strip club ever gets. The room smells like smoke and money. The bass from the main floor bleeds faintly through the walls, a steady heartbeat beneath the tension.
Saint is sitting on the desk, his boots planted on the floor as he flips a pocketknife in his hand. “Okay, cool. What the fuck do you want us to do about it?”
Ivan sighs, pressing a thumb into the bridge of his nose. “Six years…”
“He wants us to take control,” I shrug.
“Ah!” Saint’s brows lift.
“So, you want them to sign over the company. With help, of course.” I say.
“Correct,” Ivan concurs. “It would make a great addition to the others under our control.”
I hum as my eyes roll up to the ceiling. “Sure, we can make them cooperate. But I want something in return.”
Ivan’s head snaps toward me, irritation flashing across his face. “One favor,” he says coldly, “and now you think you can demand payment every time you do what I ask?”
My smile is tight and humorless. “Just one more thing, and then I’ll leave you alone.”
He sits back in his chair, waving a hand over his desk. “Make your case.”
“Sugar pills,” I shrug easily.
He blinks. “Sugar pills? That’s it?”
I blow out a breath as I glance around the office. “Preferably in the same packaging as this.” I slide my phone across the desk, and the Pahkan glances down at it.
“Kaden…”
“Don’t ask questions you won’t like the answers to,” I sing.
My friend slides a hand down his mouth, staring at the image of Melody’s birth control like it’s a monster rather than a contraceptive.
“That’s fucked, Kaden,” Saint snorts.
“If she’s taking birth control, then she doesn’t want a baby,” Ivan says pointedly.
I roll my eyes. “Relax. I’m not a complete monster. I’m going to bring it up during dinner tonight, and if she says yes, then I’m replacing her birth control. We’ll call it a miracle.”
Ivan closes his eyes as he shakes his head. “You’re sick.”
“Says the man who runs a whole crime family,” Saint laughs.
“Well?” I push.
The Pahkan gives a heavy, resigned sigh as he waves a dismissive hand. “I’ll have them when you get back.”