5. Kate
Kate
Being with Michael in his domain snapped me out of my stupid, drunken, romantic haze of want. The weight of reality crushed the fantasy.
He was dangerous—something his sexy mouth and velvet promises made me forget.
I needed out. Now. Before I gave him the last parts of myself. I’m a modern woman who wanted sex with a hot man without strings. Nothing wrong with that, except for when the man is a mob boss and his friends all carry and bury.
Because when he finds out what I did… he’ll destroy me.
I’m the reason his twenty-million-dollar riverfront development fell apart.
I’m the one who tangled his permits, planted just enough obstacles to stall his plans.
And worse—worse than all of that—I’m the woman a federal agent approached.
The one who didn’t say yes, but also didn’t say no.
They want Michael, his brothers—men, their empire.
They think I’m their in. They were watching him…
watching me… an d I am getting entangled for what?
Good sex? Stupid. The whole thing. I needed an exit ramp. Fast.
But Michael isn’t just a casino boss. He’s the boss. King of the shadows in this town.
And I just let him kiss me like I belonged to him.
I slipped through the casino’s service hallway while Vito was hunting down me a bottle of specific sparkling water.
I made the brand up. He was distracted. I was determined.
I ducked into a utility corridor, pushed through a maze of concrete halls, and eventually shoved open a supply door that dumped me into the back of the gaming floor.
Lights. Buzzers. The constant ding of jackpots.
I moved fast, hugging the walls, keeping to the crowds. I tapped my phone and summoned a ride. Exit signs blinked overhead, but the cameras were everywhere. I prayed he was too distracted upstairs to check them.
When I hit the last door, I practically threw myself through it.
Cool night air. The sound of waves. Freedom?—
“Going somewhere?”
I froze.
Michael.
Leaning against the railing outside the loading bay, arms crossed, face blank, but eyes like ice and fire.
“I wasn’t sure how long you’d be. I’m tired,” I said, trying to play it cool, even though my pulse was galloping.
He stepped closer. “I’m tired too. Of all your lies.”
My heart stuttered.
This wasn’t the man who kissed me with fire. This was the man who ran empires. The one people feared.
“I’m leaving.”
“It’s cute you think so,” he said, smirking, jaw ticking.
“Boss,” one of his men stepped in quickly, clearly aware of the powder keg between us. “It’s urgent.”
Michael raised one finger to silence me, eyes never leaving mine. “What?”
“Krystal. She’s out of her mind. The boys can’t handle her. We had alarms tripped from breaking glass. She’s out of control. This time she’s on the casino floor.”
I lifted a brow. “Guess that breakup speech didn’t land as smoothly as you hoped.”
He didn’t flinch.
“I should take care of that,” he said. “But I don’t care about her. Never did. Call her brother. Let him deal with her. After all, he’s the one that pushed her on me. He can deal with the fallout.”
“That’s brutal. This thing between us isn’t her fault. She didn’t trip that wire…” I crossed my arms, summoning all the cold I could.
He stepped closer, wrapped a strand of my hair around his finger. “We’re going to the lake cabin. Now.”
On cue, a dark SUV rolled to the curb like it had been waiting all night.
I tried to step back.
He was faster.
He spun me, lifted me like I weighed nothing, and deposited me into the backseat with one large hand on my ass.
My phone buzzed again—Claire.
“Hey! Give that back!” I reached for it as he plucked it from my purse.
“You’re not calling for backup, sweetheart.”
He answered it.
“Kate isn’t available right now.”
“Claire! HELP! HE'S?—”
He held me off effortlessly with one arm. “She’s dramatic,” he said, chuckling into the mic. “Didn’t know she was into role-play. Gotta go, Claire Bear.”
I smacked him hard in the chest.
“There are laws against this.”
“Everyone saw you leave with me. Cameras outside Pier 19 caught you kissing me. If anything, they’ll think you kidnapped me.” He grinned. “Relax. I won’t hurt you… unless you keep lying.”
He yanked me onto his lap like he owned me. One hand on my thigh. One under my jaw, forcing me to look at him.
“Come clean, Kate. Don’t make me regret what we could be.”
His mouth met mine again—slow, dominating. He tasted like control and lust and something dangerous I didn’t want to want.
I should’ve pushed him away.
I didn’t.
His hands moved over me like I was his. I wanted it. Even if it burned. Even if it broke me.
Even if I’d have to betray him soon.