Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
KAI
I'd never said the words "I love you" to anyone before. Not romantically, anyway. Sure, I'd told Lia I loved her, but that was different. Sibling love. The kind that was obligatory and comfortable and safe.
This was something else entirely.
The words had come out so easily with Aria. Natural. Like they'd been sitting in my chest waiting for the right moment to escape. And when I'd finally said them, watching her face in the morning light, I'd felt this strange combination of terror and relief.
Terror because I'd just handed her a weapon that could destroy me completely. Relief because pretending I didn't feel it had been exhausting.
But she hadn't said it back.
She'd frozen. Stuttered something about sex and circumstance and confused feelings. Then scrambled out of my bed when Marco warned us about Luca.
I understood. Our situation was complicated as hell.
We were trapped in an impossible scenario where love was probably the stupidest thing either of us could feel.
And she was eighteen, for fuck's sake. Barely an adult.
Still figuring out who she was outside of what her family had trained her to be.
But understanding didn't stop the small ache in my chest when she'd looked at me with those wide, panicked eyes and basically said everything except "I love you too."
How did I know I loved her? Good question. One I'd asked myself repeatedly over the past few weeks.
It wasn't just the sex, though that was phenomenal. Wasn't just her looks, though she was gorgeous. Wasn't just the fact that she was forbidden, though that definitely added to the appeal.
It was the way she looked at me like I was more than just the heir or the enforcer.
The way she called me out when I was being an ass.
The way she made me want to be better than what my father had made me.
The way she'd walked into my office and locked the door because she couldn't stay away, even though every logical part of her brain was screaming to run.
It was everything. She was everything.
And yes, I was probably a bit broken that she hadn't immediately reciprocated. But I could wait. Would wait. Because pushing her would only drive her away, and I'd rather have her without the words than lose her completely.
Though if I was being honest, the whole thing was kind of funny in a dark, twisted way. Here I was, a grown man who'd killed more people than he could count, getting his feelings hurt because a girl didn't immediately declare her love after one night together.
My mother would have found that hilarious. Would have told me I was being dramatic and that real love took time.
God, I missed her.
The morning after our close call, I was in my office reviewing security protocols when Marco walked in.
"Morning." He dropped into the chair across from my desk like he owned it. "Sleep well?"
"Well enough." I kept my eyes on the papers in front of me. "You?"
"Better than you, apparently. Considering I didn't have to smuggle anyone out of my room at dawn."
I looked up. He was grinning.
"That was too close, Kai. Way too close. If I hadn't seen Luca heading your direction and warned you, he would have walked in on something that would have gotten you both killed."
"I know."
"Do you? Because it seems like you're getting sloppy. Taking unnecessary risks. Thinking with your dick instead of your brain."
"Watch it."
"I'm serious." Marco leaned forward, expression going serious.
"Luca is suspicious as hell. He's watching you constantly.
Watching her. Looking for proof of exactly what's happening between you two.
And the second he gets that proof, he's going straight to your father. You understand what that means?"
"Of course I understand. I'm not an idiot."
"Then stop acting like one. I get it. She's under your skin. You're in love with her." He held up a hand when I started to protest. "Don't bother denying it. It's obvious to anyone paying attention. But love doesn't mean shit if you're both dead. So be smarter about this."
He was right. I hated that he was right, but he was.
"I'm handling it."
"Are you though? Because from where I'm sitting, you're one bad decision away from disaster."
"I said I'm handling it."
Marco studied me for a long moment, then sighed. "Fine. But when this blows up in your face, don't say I didn't warn you."
He left, closing the door behind him.
I sat there, turning his words over in my mind. We were being sloppy. Taking stupid risks. And Luca was watching.
Time to get creative.
I picked up my phone, called Luca directly.
"We have a situation at the warehouse on Fifth Street. Possible theft, maybe worse. I need you to check it out personally. Take Tony and Sal, report back what you find."
"Why can't you handle it yourself?"
"Because I have other business here that requires my attention. Are you questioning my orders, Luca?"
Silence for a beat. "No. I'll handle it."
"Good. Be thorough. Check everything. This could be a bigger problem than we think."
He hung up without responding. Suspicious bastard, but he couldn't refuse without looking insubordinate.
I waited ten minutes to make sure he'd actually left, then headed straight for Aria's room.
She was sitting by the window with a book, sunlight catching in her dark hair. She looked up when I walked in, and her entire face lit up.
That look. That fucking look was worth every risk.
"We're going out."
"What?"
"Out. On a date. Like normal people. Get dressed." I crossed to her, pulled her up from the chair, couldn't resist running my hands down her arms. "Wear something casual. We're leaving in twenty minutes."
"Kai, that's insane. We can't just leave together. Someone will see. Luca will find out."
"Luca is currently investigating a fake situation at one of our warehouses across town. He'll be gone for hours." I cupped her face, forced her to look at me. "I'm taking you on a real date. No guards, no watching, no hiding. Just us. A few hours of normal."
Her eyes searched mine. "This is reckless."
"I'm aware. Do you want to come or not?"
She bit her lip. I could see the internal debate playing out on her face. The logical part of her brain warring with the part that wanted this as badly as I did.
"Yes. God help me, yes."
"Good. Twenty minutes."
I let her go reluctantly. Every time I touched her, I wanted to keep touching her. Wanted to map every inch of her skin, memorize every curve, brand myself into her so completely she'd never forget who she belonged to.
I was obsessed. Completely, utterly obsessed with this girl.
And I didn't give a single fuck.
Twenty minutes later, she emerged wearing jeans and a simple blue top that made her eyes look enormous. Her hair was loose, falling in soft waves around her shoulders. Minimal makeup. She looked young and beautiful and absolutely perfect.
I'd changed too. Dark jeans, black button-down, no suit jacket. As close to normal as I got.
We slipped out through the back gate using the service entrance. I'd grabbed keys to one of the staff vehicles, a nondescript sedan that wouldn't attract attention. No family cars with their distinctive plates. No guards. Just us.
The risk was enormous. If we got caught, if Luca found out, if someone reported seeing us together...
Worth it. Completely worth it.
The drive took an hour. I headed to a small town I'd scoped out months ago when I'd first started planning my exit strategy. Far enough from the city that no one would know us. Small enough that people minded their own business.
The restaurant was tucked on a quiet street, family-owned, the kind of place that had been serving the same recipes for three generations. Warm lighting, checkered tablecloths, the smell of garlic and tomato sauce and fresh bread.
Perfect.
We sat in a back corner booth, as far from the windows as possible. Old habits died hard.
Aria looked around, wonder written all over her face.
"This is nice. Really nice."
"You sound surprised."
"I am, a little. I figured you'd take me somewhere... I don't know. More upscale?"
"Upscale restaurants have witnesses. People who might recognize us. This place?" I gestured around. "No one knows us here. No one cares. We're just another couple having dinner."
"Are we? A couple?"
I reached across the table, laced my fingers through hers.
"What do you think we are, Aria?"
Her face flushed. "I don't know. This is all so new. So complicated."
"It doesn't have to be complicated. Not tonight. Tonight, we're just Kai and Aria. No last names, no family business, no arranged marriages. Just us."
She smiled. That real smile that made my chest tight.
The waiter came. We ordered wine, pasta, too much food for two people. I didn't care. Wanted to give her everything. Wanted to see her happy and relaxed instead of scared and trapped.
The conversation flowed easily. She told me about the books she'd been reading, the sketches she'd been working on. Her dreams of going to college someday, maybe becoming a teacher.
"I know it sounds silly." She twirled pasta around her fork. "Given everything. But I used to think about it all the time before my parents died. Having a normal life. A job I cared about. Making a difference somehow."
"It's not silly." I squeezed her hand. "It's a good dream."
"What about you? What did you want to be before all of this?"
"Honestly? I don't remember ever wanting anything else. My father made sure of that. Started training me young. Made it clear that this was my destiny whether I liked it or not."
"But if you could choose now? If you could walk away from all of it?"
I thought about it. Really thought about it instead of giving her some bullshit answer.
"I'd want to take Lia somewhere safe. Set her up so she'd never have to worry about money or security. Let her live whatever life she wanted." I paused. "And I'd want you with me. Wherever we ended up."
Her eyes went wide. Soft.
"That's a nice fantasy."
"It's more than a fantasy. I'm working on making it real."
"Do you really think that's possible? Getting out? After everything?"
"I have to believe it's possible. Otherwise, what's the point of any of this?" I moved my thumb in circles on her palm. "The thought of a future with you is the only thing keeping me sane right now. The only thing making all of this bearable."
"Kai..."
"I meant what I said this morning. I love you.
And I know you're not ready to say it back.
I get that. Our situation is fucked up and complicated and you barely know who you are outside of what your family trained you to be.
" I lifted her hand to my lips. "But I'll wait.
However long it takes. Until you're ready. Until you're sure."
Tears gathered in her eyes. She blinked them back.
"I never thought my life would take this turn. Never imagined I'd be sitting in a restaurant with someone like you, talking about love and futures and impossible dreams. This is all so new to me. Overwhelming. But I appreciate your understanding. Your patience."
"You're worth waiting for."
We finished dinner slowly. Talked about everything and nothing. She told me about her mother, the good memories before the cancer. I told her about mine, the woman who'd stood up to my father until the very end.
It was the most normal evening I'd had in years. Maybe ever.
When we finally left, the sun had set completely. Stars were visible in the clear sky, something you never saw in the city.
I drove back slowly, not wanting the night to end. Not wanting to return to reality where we had to hide and sneak and pretend.
About halfway back, I pulled off onto a dark side road. Killed the engine.
Aria looked at me, questions in her eyes.
I reached over, cupped her face in my hands, brought her mouth to mine.
She opened for me immediately. My tongue swept past her lips, tasting wine and something sweet. Her hands fisted in my shirt, pulling me closer across the console.
This wasn't the desperate hunger from last night. This was something deeper. Slower. My mouth moved against hers with deliberate intent, memorizing every sound she made, every response.
I angled her head, deepening the contact. My hand slid into her hair, gripping gently. She moaned into my mouth and the sound went straight to my cock.
When I finally pulled back, we were both breathing hard.
"No matter what happens," I kept my forehead pressed to hers, "you're mine. Even if I can't stop the wedding. Even if everything falls apart. Even if we both end up dead because of this. You belong to me."
"And you belong to me." Her voice was fierce. Certain. "No matter what happens, I'm choosing you. Not your father. Not some escape plan. You."
Those words. Fuck, those words.
I wanted to pull her into the back seat. Wanted to make her repeat them while I was inside her. Wanted to mark every inch of her skin so she'd never forget who she'd chosen.
But we were already pushing our luck. Had been gone for hours. Needed to get back before Luca returned and started asking questions.
I started the car, pulled back onto the main road.
We made it to the estate with twenty minutes to spare. Parked the sedan back in the staff lot. Slipped in through the back gate. Aria hesitated before heading to her room.
"Thank you. For tonight. For making me feel normal for a few hours."
"Anytime. Literally anytime you want normal, you tell me and I'll make it happen."
She smiled, went up on her toes, pressed a quick touch of her lips to mine.
Then she was gone, disappearing down the hallway toward her room.
I stood there for a moment, trying to get my body under control, trying to wipe the stupid grin off my face.
My phone buzzed. Luca.
False alarm at the warehouse. Nothing there. Heading back now.
Perfect timing.
I headed to my office, pulled up security footage, made sure there were no gaps that would show Aria and me leaving together.
This had been reckless. Stupid. The kind of risk that could get us both killed.
And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Because for a few hours tonight, we'd been just Kai and Aria. Two people who loved each other, planning an impossible future.
And that future was worth fighting for. Worth dying for, if it came to that.
I just hoped it wouldn't come to that but in this world, hope was a dangerous thing to hold onto.