“No one knew about that,” Rick says. “Dad may have reconsidered tampering with your birth control if he’d known you’d forfeit your shares to your father if you got pregnant and didn’t marry the baby daddy, because it was an uncalculated risk.”
“I didn’t know about any of this,” Kai says, eyeballing me. “Or the fact Dad was planning on taking you that night and holding us both hostage until the baby was born and we got married.”
That doesn’t surprise me. I only wish Atticus had succeeded where Louis did. “Except my father got the better of him again, and he got to me first,” I say.
Kai sinks to his knees in front of me. “I was fucking terrified of what he’d do to you.” He anxiously scans my face. “And I was ready to burn down his fucking house, to put a bullet through his skull, if he didn’t tell me where he was keeping you, but he outwitted us all again.”
“Because he blamed your family for the shootout and paid off his buddies to issue warrants for your arrests.”
Kai shakes his head. “Our contacts have already made that go away.”
“They have?” I frown, because I don’t recall Charlie telling me that. “So why are you hiding out here then?”
Kai casts a glance at Rick over his shoulder. “You didn’t tell her?”
“Thought it was best she heard it from you.”
“Heard what? What don’t I know?” My gaze bounces between them.
“Your father wants to protect his interests. To ensure I’m not around to marry you.”
“I don’t understand.” All the tiny hairs lift on the back of my neck, and my sixth sense already knows I will not like this.
“Your father has put a hit out on me, Abby. If he finds me, I’m dead.”
CHAPTER NINE
My brain hurts. I don’t understand, and it makes little sense. But that’s because I’m trying to apply logic, and logic won’t work because my father is a psychopath.
I don’t just throw that out there in jest.
I’ve Googled it, and he meets the definition, and some.
According to stats I read, over thirty percent of executives in senior level positions in business display psychopathic tendencies.
Go figure.
Michael Hearst definitely falls into that categorization, and, in his psychotic brain, Atticus is the devil incarnate who needs taking down on multiple levels. There’s no doubt in my mind that’s why he did it. And it’s why he wants Kai dead.
My hatred for Atticus Anderson intensifies. His meddling has hurt me on several fronts, and I will never forgive him or his older sons for how they’ve fucked up my already fucked-up life.
Kai stares at me, watching my brain fail to compute everything. My emotions are veering all over the place. I hate him as much as I love him, but I don’t want him to die. I don’t want anyone to die, because then justice hasn’t prevailed.
“Well, that sucks,” I admit, once I’ve gotten my wayward emotions under control. His face contorts in annoyance. “What? Did you think your little dramatic statement would have me declaring undying love?” I cross my arms over my chest, and the motion reminds me I’m still in a towel. “Because, news flash.” I poke his solid chest with the end of one finger. “I still fucking hate your guts.”
“He didn’t know, Abby,” Rick says, coming to his brother’s defense.
“I’m adding that to my list too!” I glower at Rick. Kai’s brow creases in confusion, and conflicting emotions briefly flash on his face. I lean in close. “You may not have known about the plan to get me pregnant, but you still lied to me. For months! You fucked me knowing I had no clue who you were! You held me in your arms at night all the while you were betraying me.”
I rise, stepping around him, adopting a cold, harsh glare. “I found it in my heart to forgive you for the callous way you treated me at the start, but I can’t forgive you for this.” I put my face all up in his again. “I won’t forgive you for this. You’re already dead to me.”
Before he can respond, another hulking form enters the room claiming our attention. Sawyer is wearing black jeans and a tight-fitting black button-down shirt with his hair styled back in his usual fashion, looking perfectly poised and presentable, as he strides across the room to me. He thrusts his arm out, flipping his palm up. “Hand it over.”
Kai rises, watching the interaction between me and his friend with sharp eyes.
“Hello to you too,” I deadpan, tipping my head to the side.
A charming smile graces his lips, and he leans down, kissing my cheek, lingering a fraction too long. A predictable low growl rumbles from Kai’s chest, and Sawyer smirks. “It’s good to see you,” he says, his eyes roaming my towel-covered body, and fury rolls off Kai in waves.
It’s good to know he’s still as possessive as ever. I can work that to my advantage.
“And I’m glad you’re safe,” Sawyer adds, straightening up and thrusting his palm out again. “But you still need to hand it over.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I protest, knowing full and well he’s somehow detected my cell phone.
His gaze lands on the pathetic plastic bag on the bedside table, and he reaches it in three long strides, not asking for permission as he rummages through it, finding the evidence immediately.
I sigh in resignation, rolling my eyes to the ceiling.
“What the fuck?” Rick says, shock splaying across his face when he spots the cell in Sawyer’s hand. “I searched her when we first picked her up, and she didn’t have that on her. I swear.”
“Who knows where you are?” Kai questions, pinning me with his “no bullshit” lens.
“No one knows where I am,” I truthfully reply.
“Don’t fucking start with me, Abby!” he barks. “It’s too dangerous.”
My nostrils flare. “Listen up, asshole, because you seem hard of hearing.” I step right into his space. “No one knows where I am because the text I sent Xavier went undelivered.”
“She called him,” Sawyer confirms, not looking up as he scrolls through the call log on the phone.
Kai exhales heavily, stabbing me with a venomous expression. “You knew you were coming here, so there was zero reason to involve his annoying punk ass.”
“You kidnapped me against my will. That was all the reason I needed. That, and he’s the only other person besides Charlie I trust.”
His eyes glaze over, and if looks could kill, me, Charlie, and Xavier would be ten feet under by now. I flip him the bird, loving how easy it is to push his buttons.
I think Kai might be losing his touch. Imagine that.
“You’re testing my every last nerve.” He’s struggling to rein in his temper as he grabs my elbow harshly. “What the fuck did you tell him?”
“Fuck. You.” I rip my arm away, nearly losing my towel.
Kai looks like he’s ten seconds away from personal nuclear detonation when he throws me over his shoulder and stalks into the closet.
“Let me down, jerk face!” I pummel my fists on his back.
He places my feet on the ground in the middle of the mammoth closet with more tenderness than I expect. Especially with how he’s glaring at me like I’m Damian from The Omen. “Put something on,” he demands, waving his hands at the rows of female clothing.
“They’re not my clothes.”
“Faye won’t mind.”
I arch a brow. “Faye?”
“Her and her husband own this place.”
“And, what, they’re letting you stay here indefinitely?”
“They’re letting us stay here for as long as we need to.” He takes a step toward me. “Now, stop deflecting, and pick something to wear. You’re not going back out there in a towel.”
I smirk, planting my hands on my hips. “Then I guess we’re staying put.”
A cool breeze wafts over my skin as he whips the towel off me in one lightning-fast move, leaving me standing buck-ass naked in front of him. Indignation and fury charge to th
e surface, and I’m tempted to lunge at him and beat him with my fists, only I know from previous experience how quickly he can restrain me.
His eyes zoom in on my chest, and a familiar lust-drenched haze burns in his eyes. “Fuck. Me,” he rasps, biting down on his lower lip in a way that always turned me on.
“In your dreams, asshole.” I hold my head up high as I brush past him, deliberately shoulder-checking him. I browse through the clothes hangers.
His strong arms wrap around me from behind, and I’m hauled back against his warm chest. “I don’t think so, baby,” he whispers. He runs his nose along the column of my neck as one hand moves up to cup my left boob. He kneads my flesh roughly, and a strangled cry escapes my mouth at the pleasure-pain sensation his touch invokes. While my breasts aren’t quite as sensitive as they were a few weeks ago, they are still tender. Pressing his growing erection into my ass, he licks my neck and nips my earlobe, and liquid warmth floods to my core. “You’ll be on your knees begging me to fuck you before the week is out.”
“Still delusional, I see,” I retort, attempting to remove his hand from my breast.
“Keep denying it, but I don’t believe you.” He moves his hand down lower, pausing momentarily on my belly, and I squeeze my eyes shut at the rapid onslaught of emotion. His hand is on the move again, and I whimper when he slides one finger inside me, thrusting his solid hard-on into my ass and grinding his hips. “Liar,” he whispers, pumping his finger slowly in and out of me.
That one word brings reality crashing down upon me, and it’s all I need to come to my senses. Jerking my elbow back into his gut, I free myself and spin around with rage rampaging across my face. I poke my finger in his chest, as fire incinerates me on the inside. “There’s only one liar in here, and it isn’t me!” I screech. “You have some nerve”—I prod his chest with my finger again—“calling me deceitful and a liar when every word out of your despicable mouth has been a deliberate manipulation of me!” I slam my palms into his chest, shoving him forcefully as weeks of pent-up frustration run free. “I fucking hate you!” I scream. “And I hate this Godawful chemistry between us! But I will fight it. Like I’ll fight you.” I pound my fists into his chest while he stands mute as a statue, letting me hit him, examining me like I’m some weird alien creature. “Every. Fucking. Step. Of. The. Way!”
“Ahem.” A throat clearing pulls my gaze away from Kai.
“What?!!” I snap at Sawyer, halting my attack.
“Quit fucking around, and get out here. We need to talk.” His eyes drop down my body, and I remember I’m stark naked.
Freaking awesome.
“You might want to put clothes on first.” Sawyer licks his lips as he fixates on my breasts. “Although it seems a shame to cover those beauties.” He waggles his brows, and Kai comes out of his semi-comatose state, whipping me behind him and shielding my body from sight.
“Get the fuck out before I knock you into next week.”
“Losing your touch, Anderson,” Sawyer taunts, backing out with a smirk on his face.
Silence descends, and we stare at one another for a few beats. But I’ve said what I wanted to say, and I need to stop sharing air space with him, so I focus on the closet, inspecting the clothes as I try to find something to wear. I choose a short black cotton jersey dress with long sleeves, because all the jeans and pants look way too long. Kai watches me silently, and I ignore him, giving him my back as I pull the dress over my head.
“Underwear and bra,” he barks.
“I’m not putting some other woman’s underwear on even if it is clean.” I fold my arms across my chest.
“I can see your fucking nipples,” he hisses.
“Tough.” I move to go past him, but he stops me.
“Stay. Here. And don’t test me. You might be pregnant, but that doesn’t mean I can’t put you over my knee and spank the shit out of you.”
Liquid lust floods my body at his words, and he smirks. “Told you.” He presses his mouth to my ear. “Liar.” He slides his hand up under the dress, brushing the tips of his fingers along my slit. “And if the others weren’t outside, I’d drop to my knees and prove it.”
My knees wobble, threatening to go out from under me, and I inwardly curse my stupid, weak hormones. He kisses the top of my head while winding an arm around my lower back to steady me. “It’s okay, baby. I missed you too.” I don’t need to look at him to see the gloating smirk, because it’s all too obvious in his tone.
I flip him off, pouting and glaring at his retreating form, wondering how he’s maneuvered into pole position.
It won’t last long though, and I’ll never stop battling him.
Even if my body refuses to cooperate with my mind.
He returns a minute later, dropping a pair of plain cotton panties and my bra on the bench before whipping the dress up over my head, exposing my body to him again. I scowl. “I’m well able to dress myself.”
He smirks, grabbing the panties and dropping to his knees. “Lift,” he commands, tapping my foot.
I ignore him, keeping my feet firmly planted on the ground, and I can keep this up all day.
I gasp, stumbling back and gripping onto the side of the closet as his hot tongue swipes along my folds. “What the hell are you doing?” I pant, hating how needy I sound. It’s been weeks since I’ve known any action, and my body has grown accustomed to regular daily workouts.
I’ve missed sex with him.
Not that he’ll ever hear those words leave these lips.
I won’t give him any more opportunity to gloat.
“Every time you disobey an order, I’m sticking my tongue inside you. It’s not a chore. But you might not like an audience. And if we’re not out there in two minutes, the others will move the meeting in here.”
Pushing his face away from my groin, I lift my foot, admitting defeat. He pulls my panties up my legs, fixing them in place, not missing the chance to brush his fingers against my pussy. I narrow my eyes, and he grins, flashing me a blinding smile that disarms me, momentarily stunning me into silence.
When he smiles at me like that, it’s like I’m basking in the most heavenly sunshine. It’s like a luminous light that shines only for me. My heart pumps faster, my breathing stops and starts, and my resolve weakens. His face draws me in, like it has on countless other occasions, and I’m leaning toward him before I’ve even registered the movement.
“Baby.” Standing, he cups my face. “I’ve waited five long weeks for this.” He lowers his mouth, and his lips are mere millimeters away from mine when I wake up.
I duck down at the last second, slipping out of his embrace as he kisses air.
Holy shit.
I’ve seriously got to keep my distance from him.
Because his sexual allure is like a spell. One I’m powerless to resist.
And I’m determined to be stronger this time. He doesn’t get to betray me and have me again.
This time we’re playing by my rules.
And he’ll learn that lesson the hard way.
CHAPTER TEN
“Stop getting your panties in a bunch,” I tell Sawyer. “I called Xavier on Sunday night when we were in the middle of nowhere in Nebraska. I had no clue where we were heading because the guys refused to tell me. Xavier doesn’t know where we are,” I huff out. “Unfortunately.”
“For his sake, I hope he doesn’t,” Sawyer replies.
“Are you threatening him?” I lower my voice, stepping up close. “Because I’ll fucking end you if you harm one purple hair on his head.”
“There’s the sass I’ve missed so much,” Jackson says, finally making an appearance. He saunters toward me with that infamous shit-eating grin of his, his messy blond hair tousled all over his face and those mischievous blue eyes raking me in from head to toe.
I fling my arms around his neck, stretching up to nuzzle my mouth into his neck. “I missed you too. So, so much.” I cling to him, pressing my body flush against his, feeling ima
ginary daggers embedding into my back the more I hold onto him.
It takes Jackson all of point five seconds to notice the obvious change to my silhouette. “Holy fucking shit, beautiful.” He holds me at arm’s length, his eyes almost bugging out of his head as he ogles my boobs. “Your tits are fucking fantastic.”
“I had a feeling you might like,” I tease, gripping onto his waist as I shamelessly flirt with him.
“Can I feel?” he asks, making a cupping motion with his hands as he waggles his brows.
“If you want to eat shit for the rest of your life,” Kai replies, injecting himself into our conversation.
“You can feel,” I blurt, wanting to take back control. Before Kai can protest, I grab Jackson’s hands, planting them firmly on my chest. His heated gaze meets mine for a split second, and then he’s gone.
In the blink of an eye, he’s thrown to the floor, landing unceremoniously on his butt. He curls into a ball, clutching his stomach and cracking up laughing.
“You’ll pay for that,” Kai says, pulling me back, and he’s practically dripping in rage.
“Bite me.”
“I’ll do more than that,” he says, and my body hums with expectation.
“Oh, God.” Sawyer emits a frustrated sigh. “I can’t believe we’re back to this.” He shakes his head.
“She’s a fucking handful,” Rick agrees, and I swing for him. This time, he’s ready, and he holds my fist in his hand, halting my punch before it makes contact.
“It’s his fault too!” I protest.
“And now, you sound like a whiny three-year-old.”
I stick my tongue out at him. “Don’t forget you’re on my Anderson shit list too.”
“And let me guess. The only one not to make the list is Harley.”
“Harley’s sweet and hot as fuck,” I say, purely to get a rise out of Kai. Plus, I know I’m about to lose that angle, so I want to piss him off first.
Kai tugs at his ear, like he can’t believe what he just heard. “Come again?”
“Now, it adds up,” Rick says, grinning. “You didn’t hook up with Harley. That was an excuse so—”
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