4. Kieran
Kieran
The engine purrs to a stop as I roll into the restaurant lot, headlights cutting through the evening haze just shy of ten. My fingers drum against the leather-wrapped wheel, the rhythm syncing with the low thrum of the engine beneath me.
Then I see her.
Through the glass doors, Kelsey stands near the entrance, her cognac curls catching the overhead lights like liquid amber.
The strap of her bag digs into the soft curve of her shoulder, and she shifts her weight, one hip cocked in that way she does when she's trying to look casual but isn't quite pulling it off.
A guy looms too close, his body angled toward hers like he's staking a claim. He's smiling and leans in as he talks, his hand gesturing just a little too much.
Kelsey's response is weird, her lips press into a thin line, no warmth reaching her eyes. She takes a half-step back, putting a sliver of space between them, but he closes it immediately, his foot sliding forward like he's testing the water.
My jaw tightens.
She glances toward the parking lot, her gaze skimming over the rows of cars before landing on mine. For a split second, her shoulders relax, just a fraction, before she schools her expression and turns back to him.
But as she tries to walk out, he blocks her way.
I don't wait anymore.
The car door swings open with a quiet click, and I step out, the cool night air doing nothing to temper the heat crawling up my neck. My shoes hit the pavement with purpose, each step measured, controlled.
By the time I reach the entrance, the guy's still talking, his voice smooth, persuasive. He doesn't even notice me until I say her name.
"Kelsey."
Her head snaps toward me, those cornflower blue eyes widening just enough to give her away. Relief flickers across her face. "Kieran."
I step beside her, close enough that the sleeve of my jacket brushes her arm. The scent of her shampoo hits me, and I have to fight the urge to pull her against me.
"Ready?"
She nods, quick and eager. "Yeah."
The guy finally registers my presence, his gaze flicking between us like he's trying to piece together a puzzle. "Who's this?"
I meet his eyes, unblinking. "I'm here to pick her up."
His brows knit together. "Can't you see she's talking to me?"
"Can't you see she's uncomfortable?" My voice stays even, but there's an edge to it, a warning wrapped in civility.
Kelsey shifts closer to me, her arm pressing against mine. The contact sends a jolt through me, sharp and electric.
I turn back to the guy, my patience wearing thin. "We're leaving."
The guy opens his mouth, but the words die before they leave his lips.
I step forward, just an inch, and the space between us shrinks. My shadow swallows his, my height making him tilt his head back to meet my gaze. His Adam's apple bobs, and his fingers twitch at his sides like he's debating whether to push back.
He doesn't.
A muttered curse slips out under his breath, and he turns on his heel, shoulders stiff as he walks away. The glass door swings shut behind him with a quiet hiss.
I look down at her. "You okay?"
She nods again, her voice softer this time. "Now I am."
I press my hand lightly against the small of her back, guiding her toward the car. The heat of her skin seeps through the thin fabric of her shirt, and my fingers itch to pull her closer.
Once we're inside the car, Kelsey buckles her seatbelt with a quiet click, her exhale shaky as she leans back against the seat. "Sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for." The words come out rougher than I intend, but I don't take them back.
"He wouldn't take the hint."
"I saw." My fingers flex against the wheel, the leather creaking under my grip.
Her expression softens, just a little. "Thanks."
I glance at her before pulling away from the curb, the streetlights casting shifting shadows across her face. "Next time, call me."
She huffs, a small, exasperated sound. "I don't want to bother you. I would have been able to handle it."
"I know." The words taste like ash. "But you shouldn't have to handle something like that."
She opens her mouth like she's going to argue, then closes it, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. "I didn't think it was that serious."
"He wasn't letting you leave. And why didn't you just walk away?"
She sighs, her shoulders slumping just a fraction. "I was trying to be polite."
"Polite doesn't mean standing there while someone ignores your boundaries." My voice is low, controlled, but there's a growl beneath it, one I can't quite suppress.
Her arms fold across her chest, her fingers digging into her biceps. "I didn't want to make a scene."
"That's why you call me." The words come out harder than I mean them to, but I don't soften them.
She gives me a small, wry smile, her eyes flicking up to meet mine. "Why do both of you keep telling me to call?"
"Because you don't listen."
"I listen."
"Next time, you don't have to be polite." I glance at her, my gaze lingering a second too long. "Especially in that situation."
She bristles, her chin lifting just a little. "I wasn't in danger."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
"No." The word snaps out before I can stop it, sharp and final. "You don't."
She goes quiet, her fingers twisting in the hem of her shirt. The silence stretches between us, thick and heavy, until I exhale and loosen my grip on the wheel, my knuckles aching from the pressure.
"I'm not trying to lecture you."
She arches a brow, her lips quirking. "You're not trying hard enough."
Despite myself, the corner of my mouth twitches. "Fine. Maybe I am."
She studies me, her head tilting just slightly, like she's trying to figure me out. "Why are you so worried?"
The question hangs in the air, heavy and unanswered.
Why am I so worried?
The truth sits on the tip of my tongue, bitter and undeniable. Because the thought of someone else touching her, wanting her, makes my blood boil. And the idea of her being uncomfortable, even for a second, guts me.
Instead, I keep my eyes on the road, my hands steady on the wheel, and let the silence take over.
* * *
The front door clicks shut behind us, the sound sharp against the quiet hum of the house.
Kelsey's curls bounce with every step, the rich cognac brown strands catching the light as she turns to face me, her cornflower eyes narrowed in that way that makes my chest tighten.
She's got her arms crossed, pushing up the swell of her breasts just enough to distract me from the argument still hanging in the air.
"You haven't even told me why you're so worried," she says, her voice laced with that stubborn edge that drives me fucking wild.
My jaw clenches. "You could have gotten hurt."
"I said I could have handled it."
I stare at her. "I know."
"Then why are you still giving me that look?"
Because the idea of her dealing with it alone, even if she could handle it, makes my fingers curl into fists.
Kyler's head snaps up from where he's lounging in the living room, his eyes locking onto us. "What happened?"
I don't take my eyes off Kelsey. "Some guy was bothering her."
She whips toward him, her curls swinging with the motion. "He was just asking for my number, and I wasn't interested."
"Which is exactly why you should've just left." The words come out harsher than I mean them to, but I can't help it. The thought of her standing there, fending off some asshole who wouldn't take no for an answer, makes my pulse spike.
Kyler's expression darkens, his broad shoulders tensing as he pushes himself up from the couch. "He wouldn't leave you alone?"
Kelsey's fingers tighten around her arms, her knuckles whitening. "He eventually did."
I set my keys down on the console table with a deliberate clink. "After I showed up."
She throws her hands up, her frustration finally boiling over. "You two are acting ridiculous."
Kyler's eyebrow arches, a slow, dangerous tilt. "What?"
"Like you have some right to be jealous."
I step closer, the heat of her body radiating against mine even though we're not touching. "Jealous?"
"Yes. Both of you." She jabs a finger between us, her voice rising. "How can either of you be jealous when…" She points at me. "…you're married to my mother?" Then she turns that finger on Kyler, her eyes flashing. "And I'm not even sure if you're seeing anyone else."
Kyler's lips quirk, amusement flickering in his gaze. "Don't worry. I'm not seeing anyone."
Kelsey blinks, her breath hitching just slightly. "Really?"
"Really. Just haven't found someone interesting."
She blushes then turns back to me, her mouth opening.
I cut her off before she can say anything. "Your mother and I aren't what you think we are." lean against the console table, the wood cool beneath my palms.
Her brows knit together, confusion clouding those bright blue eyes. "What do you mean?"
I exhale, slow and measured. "My marriage to your mother was transactional."
She waits, her silence pulling the words from me.
"Her company was on the verge of bankruptcy. She needed someone with the capital to keep it alive."
"And why would you agree to that?" she asks, her voice softer now, hesitant.
"Connections. Expansion opportunities. A stronger position in several markets."
Kyler nods, his arms crossing over his chest, the tattoos on his forearms shifting with the movement. "It was just a contract."
Kelsey's gaze darts between us, her fingers stilling as she processes the words. "So you weren't in love?"
"No."
The answer comes out flat, unapologetic. Because it's the truth. There was never anything between me and her mother beyond mutual benefit. No passion, no love—just a business arrangement that served its purpose.
Kelsey's throat works as she swallows, her eyes flickering with something I can't quite read. "Then why are you still married?"
"Because neither of us had a reason to end the arrangement…"
Until now.
But I don't say it out loud.
Because I still don't know what's happening between us.
Kyler checks the clock on the wall, the movement sharp, decisive. "All right. Enough arguing for tonight."
Kelsey's head snaps toward him, her curls swinging with the motion. "What?"
"Let's continue this during dinner."
I push off the console table, the wood creaking under my weight. "He's right."
Kyler straightens, his broad frame filling the space as he turns toward the kitchen. "Come on. You can interrogate Kieran while we're eating."
Kelsey lets out a sharp laugh, the sound bright and unexpected. "I'm not interrogating anyone."
"It felt like that," I tease.
She rolls her eyes and follows Kyler, her hips swaying with each step, the curve of her ass taunting me as she moves away.
I watch them go, my fingers flexing at my sides, the urge to reach out and pull her back almost overwhelming. But I don't. Instead, I shake my head, the tension in my shoulders easing just a fraction.
At least she knows now.
That's what matters.