Porter noticed right over Miles’s shoulders the horde of zombies approaching. His chuckle was instant, as were the others around him. He seemed to have landed himself directly inside an episode of The Walking Dead. Right then and there, he decided that tonight he wasn’t targeting zombies with his paintballs, but he was targeting the source of Kenzie’s pain, the source of her trouble, and the distance that kept him from understanding it all.
With tension in his muscles and confusion in his heart, he lifted his gun, aimed, and fired.
Chapter Nine
By the time Kenzie made it to the wedding, her hangover from last night’s drinking had finally decided to die an ugly death. Her headache had lessened—thanks to the painkillers Cora had given her. Now, as she listened to Kyler and Ella exchanging sweet vows of love and commitment to each other, she felt a little more like herself, even if all her troubles returned to her like a germ that she couldn’t scrub away. She was also so ready for round two of partying tonight.
The chapel was small, but it had enough chairs for all in attendance, which was fifty people, she figured. It had classic Vegas flair, with rich dark red fabrics draped along the walls for the burlesque theme and dark red roses in black vases situated around the room. A red carpet ran the length of the isle, with black lace on the sides. But the most beautiful thing in the room was Ella, who wore a stunning white-feather corset dress. A red ribbon laced up the back, and the dress was adorned with rhinestones and diamanté. The skirt had layers upon layers of white netting that cascaded into a stunning train. Kenzie figured it was a burlesque costume, but it happened to make a gorgeous wedding dress, too.
As the loving words were exchanged and the crowd was silent, Kenzie felt Porter’s stare as he sat behind her. She didn’t have to turn around to know that he was looking at her—she could feel it right down to her toes. All throughout the ceremony, he had been watching her, and it was her reaction to him that was making her uncomfortable. Part of her liked that he followed her so intently, and that was disconcerting.
The other part of her wanted to turn around, jump in his arms, and have him hold her. To tell him everything that was going on with Adrik, and then to have him tell her that she was going to be okay. That her store was safe. That she was safe. But terror slid through her to do it.
She sighed, and then someone nudged her arm. Kenzie spotted Cora examining her carefully until she finally whispered, “You know, for being at a wedding, you look absolutely miserable.”
Kenzie shrugged. I am miserable, stressed, and confused.
Cora pleaded, “Kenz, I wish you would talk to me.”
Kenzie found herself wanting to talk about it, but now was not that time. Hell, it seemed like there was never a good time. Even if there was, Kenzie didn’t know how to even ask for help for all the shit that was going down. She pulled her attention back to Ella, who was placing the ring on Kyler’s finger.
She cleared her thoughts, focusing on her friends. Today was their day. She wouldn’t let anything ruin that, so she attempted to wash all the worry from her body with another sigh, when a touch slid up the back of her neck. She startled and silently cursed that she’d decided to wear her hair up today. Though the moment the finger slid back down her neck, she sensed her mind going quiet, her sighs no longer needing to escape her.
The touch was that soothing.
She sank back into her chair and embraced the soft finger traveling over her as she continued to watch the ceremony. Porter’s touch held her in the present, not letting her mind travel anywhere else but on the happiness surrounding her.
With both wedding rings now in place, the official said in a loud voice, “You may now kiss your bride.”
Loud applause and whistles rang out in the small chapel, and Kenzie clapped right along with them, tears of joy welling in her eyes. She’d never been sappy at weddings before, but apparently, she was a complete basket case now.
Smiling from ear to ear, Kyler tucked Ella’s arm in his as they headed down the aisle, and that’s when Porter’s touch left Kenzie’s neck. The moment it did, all her worries, all her stress returned—smacking into her like a freight train running at full speed. She quaked with the disgust of it, and rose, not looking at Porter. She almost sensed that if she did, he’d see right through her, and her heart was where no one should visit—that’s where demons lived.
Row by row emptied, and she followed Cora toward the chapel’s double doors, when a hand caught hers. She was tugged into a small dressing room off the main entrance—Porter shut the door behind them and locked it. His eyes…oh, how they blazed, and a flare of heat ripped through her.
Dressed in black dress pants, the vest she bought him, and the silver tie, along with the fedora, Porter was a perfect ten. The hat was tipped to the side, sitting just over his eye, and he, in all his masculine sexiness, tightened her thighs.
Without hesitation and with conviction, he had her chin in his light grasp, easily positioning her against the mirror behind her on the wall. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him as he unbuckled his pants and they dropped to the floor. The passion there in the depths of his eyes, the strength they reflected, consumed her.
In complete silence, not asking for her permission, he hooked her leg around his waist and grasped her panties, pulling them to the side. Then, with a statement all of its own, he entered her. His shaft pushed inside her, allowing her to feel every spectacular inch of him. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as he began thrusting, not slow and easy but hard and unforgiving.
She was wet. God, was she wet for him.
He was divine.
His hard cock fit her perfectly, hitting her sensitive spots inside that brought her to pleasure instantly. A moan escaped her, and he growled low in his throat. “Silence.”
Kenzie knew his demand was an order because if she moaned loudly all would hear, and this wasn’t the place for it. She wondered why he was even doing this now, but as he continued to thrust into her, leaving her pinned against the wall, she decided she didn’t care. Pleasure stole over all the worries and the pain that lay ever so present inside. Her mind settled, her body becoming all his to take in whatever manner he chose.
She sensed a need to get closer, and drew her hands up to his face, and that low growl came again, so soft that only she could hear it. Consumed by him, she drowned in his powerful eyes, the type of eyes that always aroused her—the stern expression that resided only in a Dom.
His cock hardened inside her as she cupped his sculpted face, feeling his breath against her mouth. She inhaled his woodsy scent mixed with the musky aroma of their lovemaking, and she drowned in the beauty of it all. There was nothing between them now. She sensed herself falling deeper when his thrusts grew rougher. That intensity she saw burning in his features as he remained focused all on her, as if he’d been starved of her. The fact that she’d been refused an orgasm for what seemed like so long made her pleasure soar. In two short thrusts, she was coming, just as easily as she inhaled a single breath.
She craved shutting her eyes and tumbling into her orgasm, but his powerful stare wouldn’t release her. The silent demand washing over her that she needed to keep looking at him. That he demanded that of her now. In this split second, she couldn’t refuse him.
She didn’t want to anymore.
Her inner muscles squeezed him tight with each contraction of her climax, and as her breath hitched and eyes watered with the intensity of her silent orgasm, Porter bucked and jerked against her, not letting a single sound escape his mouth. Though Kenzie noticed something new in his eyes, the approval of what she’d given him now—her soul.
His breath finally fluttered across her face and he stopped thrusting, staying right there deep inside her, telling her this was exactly where he belonged. Right there, with no one around them, with no Club Sin, she began to believe him.
He kissed her mouth softly, then asked in a breathless voice, “Feeling better now?”
Her heart
dropped right into her stomach. No, that wasn’t what she wanted him to say. I needed you. I saw you needed me. Not a question from a Dom that noticed strain in a submissive and wanted to ease it. The question was less than personal, not filled with any emotion, and her soul shattered into pieces.
This was exactly why she didn’t allow herself to get too close. Porter made her forget their arrangement, and in less than a month this would be over between them. She pulled her leg away, glancing at Porter’s chest, hearing him heave the heaviest sigh she’d ever heard. She ignored it and fixed her panties. “We shouldn’t be in here. We shouldn’t be doing this.” Without looking back to him, she unlocked and opened the door, making sure not to open it so wide that others might see Porter.
Kenzie couldn’t do this, so she did what she could: She walked away from Porter.
—
Three hours later, Porter sat at the table with the Club Sin guys, watching all the girls dancing on the dance floor in Aces casino. The steak-and-lobster dinner had been incredible, leaving Porter’s stomach full and his mouth still watering. Dmitri had clearly spared no expense for the reception.
The room was decorated in the same burlesque theme as the chapel, with flower centerpieces that had big white and purple flowers in the center. The chairs had been adorned with deep red chair covers, and the private room had stunning chandeliers over the tops of the tables, giving off a warm glow through dinner as a man played soft music on the piano. Porter was impressed Dmitri had pulled the venue together on such short notice, but he also figured Dmitri had the staff to do it, as Aces put on many parties for businesses.
Porter also assumed money played a factor, too.
During dessert a burlesque show had been put on for the quests, though the women never went down to their panties and bare breasts with the tassels, which Porter thought was for the benefit of Kyler’s family. He was sure the male cops at the dinner would have approved, and so would have anyone from Club Sin.
All in all, the ceremony and reception had gone on without a hitch, and Kyler and Ella were beaming with joy. Though Ella maybe just a little bit brighter. Porter noticed a definite glow about her, and he suspected the baby was a contributing factor to that.
He sipped his beer and leaned back in his chair by the bar, watching Kenzie twirl around on the dance floor. Typically, he would’ve loved the view. Dressed in a gorgeous hot-pink-and-black corset with a miniskirt in front and a long burlesque skirt at the back, she was breathtaking. The only problem: She was also completely smashed.
Throughout dinner he’d seen her down five shots of whiskey, and she hadn’t once looked to him, even though he’d been staring at her nonstop. Earlier he’d sensed her stress even when he’d been sitting behind her—Christ, it had radiated off her—and a plan formed. He wondered if possibly Kenzie needed to shed some of her tension with a sexual release and that’s what all her strain was about.
That was the first step to his checking off the list of things that could be wrong. She was a confusing little thing, making his head spin. Though, in the seconds after her release, her reaction wasn’t what he expected. She didn’t seem relieved; she actually looked worse.
Not what he’d intended. He wanted to see the Kenzie who showed control in all aspects of her life. He hadn’t expected through their time together that it would be him showing her how to control her choices, her body, even her orgasm. Nor had he anticipated how involved he would become in her life.
As the song changed from fast to slow, he noticed that Kenzie stopped dead with the blue, green, and red lights flashing over her, also she was wobbling slightly on her feet. He hastily pushed out of his chair, leaving his beer on the table, and went to her. Just as went to leave the dance floor, he planted himself right in front of her and caught her in his arms.
“A dance, my lady?” he said, smiling down at her.
She peered up at him like a lost little girl, but also a very drunk one. He knew Kenzie enjoyed her booze, and that was fine, but this was past anything he thought she’d do to herself. This wasn’t a fun drunk. This was a drunk to make you forget your present.
He didn’t like it.
In fact, he fucking hated it.
Holding her in his arms, he moved slowly, since she had trouble remaining on her feet. She avoided him, looking at his chest and stayed remarkably tense in his arms. “Are you enjoying yourself tonight, kitten?”
“Too much, I think.” Even her hand barely held his, as if she was afraid to touch him. Earlier he thought his actions would bring them closer together. To show her that he knew what she needed when she needed it. That quite possibly she’d recognize how attuned they were. He also thought it would help her shed this edginess.
As always, Kenzie made no sense.
He slowly moved her across the dance floor, reminding himself that she responded well when he outright confronted her. While he enjoyed dancing with her, he couldn’t dance around the issue now. “Why are you drinking yourself stupid?”
“I’m not stupid,” she snapped. “You wanna talk about someone being stupid—”
“I never said you were,” he interjected, not letting her finish that insulting statement. He observed her carefully, knowing that whenever Kenzie became cornered she reacted defensively. He held her tighter to him now. “I asked why you are drinking yourself stupid. What are you running from?”
“Nothing,” she said, again refusing to look at him.
He stopped dancing. “I wish you would talk to me. I don’t like you this way, kitten.”
“Speaking of stupid, that nickname is at the top of the list, by the way. I am nothing like a damn kitten, unless you mean that I currently want to claw off your face.” Her eyes narrowed, and there was quite a bit of ire in them. “You know what? I never asked you to like me.” She forced her hand out of his and stepped out of his hold. “You also don’t have to dance with me.”
He closed the distance, paying attention to the others around him, and hoped that no one took notice of them. He didn’t want to cause a scene, but he had a bad feeling that Kenzie was going to anyway. He looked over his shoulder and noticed Dmitri at the table with Presley, Aidan, and Cora. All eyes were on them, so apparently Kenzie was already making a spectacle of herself.
Porter gestured to the door and waited for Dmitri’s nod in understanding that Porter was taking Kenzie home. He took her hand, tugging her with him. “Come with me.”
“I’m not going…” she loudly responded.
That’s all she got out before he crushed his mouth on hers, ending the conversation. She tasted of whiskey and he felt her loss of control, and more than anything, the trembling of her lips was indicative of a woman falling to pieces.
When he broke the kiss, he brought his mouth close to her ear. “Tonight belongs to Kyler and Ella, and you will not forgive yourself for making a scene. Take my hand and follow me out. We’re going home.”
He grabbed her hand and led her away. Anger flickered hot in his veins, and he wasn’t sure where the anger should be directed. It wasn’t at Kenzie herself. No, he sensed too much going on with her for him to be furious with her. His red-hot rage was at the situation.
He needed control. He craved it like a drug. Right now he controlled shit.
Once he made it outside of the private room, the sound from the casino rushed over him and he cursed it. He needed silence to think of his next steps. Tonight Kenzie behaved in ways that went beyond what he’d thought her capable of. She was crumbling around him, and he could do nothing to stop it.
She stayed silent behind him until they were outside, and then she ripped her hand from his. “You can stop fucking manhandling me!” she shouted.
Heads turned in their direction.
Porter frowned and took the final steps toward her, leaning down into her face. “See that cab over there? You are going to get your pretty little ass in the fucking backseat and say nothing. I will not discuss anything with you while you are in this state.”
<
br /> “I’m not in any state, you big ass,” she slurred.
As childish as she was acting at the moment, his heart only went out to her. She wasn’t behaving like herself, only telling him how bad things were for her. He reached for her arm, but she dodged him and cursed. When she nearly went ass over teakettle, he gathered her in his arms and growled, “Enough.”
Her eyes were glossy and dazed; she was only a battered soul staring back at him. “I can’t get into that cab.”
“Why is that?”
“I’m going to be sick.” She pulled away from his arms and ran toward one of the potted plants by the entranceway, leaned over it, and hurled.
Porter looked at the valet as he approached Kenzie. The man gawked at her in complete horror with his mouth agape. Porter asked, “Do you have a tissue?”
The man reached into a drawer on his stand and handed Porter a couple of napkins. “Please remove her immediately.” He picked up the telephone and added with a hard voice, “I need someone to come clean up out here. Someone has vomited in our plant at the entrance.”
Porter finally reached Kenzie and placed a hand on her back, rubbing it and waiting for her to stop heaving. When she did, he held on to her arms to steady her and wiped her mouth with the napkins. “Any more arguments about going home?”
Her eyes were bloodshot as she leaned all her weight against him. “Nope.”
Chapter Ten
The bright sunlight shining through the window woke Kenzie, as did a headache the size of Las Vegas. She groaned, refusing to open her eyes, feeling as if she belonged six feet under. Someone clearing his throat refused her wish to die right then and there, and she forced one eye open.
First, she noticed a cathedral ceiling with white beams and light wood planks. She lifted her head, instantly regretting it as it throbbed in retribution. The room spun as she focused on the simple oak furniture in the room and the pictures of old Vegas on the walls. Confused by her surroundings, she sat up, and felt a tug on her wrist. Instant fear washed through her and she shot up, discovering she was handcuffed to a bed wearing only her bra and panties.
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