Kade POV
I don't know why I'm hesitating, I came here because I wanted this. Pushing away the doubts, I reach up, grabbing the back of his neck and dragging him down until our mouths meet, and the second my lips crash against his, Darren takes control, his hand fists into my shirt. He yanks me closer, his body heat pressing into mine. The whiskey on his breath mixes with mine, and the taste of it is sharp between us. I expect him to ease into it, to test the waters, but he doesn’t, he isn't waiting around for any other sign of confirmation, he has everything he wants.
He devours me. His teeth scrape my bottom lip, tugging just enough to make my breath stutter my body reacts instantly and his tongue flicks against mine, demanding more and consuming me.
I don’t hesitate, I meet him with the same intensity. My body pushes his back against the bar while my hands grip the front of his shirt, dragging him closer to me.
Darren exhales a quiet chuckle against my mouth, like he’s amused by my urgency, by the way I can’t seem to slow down. But I don’t care. My skin is burning, my pulse erratic, and all I can focus on is the way he moves against me. All I want is to be devoured, to have everything in my mind disappear, even just for a moment.
His fingers slip under my shirt, slowly sliding up my muscles, tracing the lines of them, his touch is firm. He presses me back, guiding me toward the bed with slow and steady steps. I don’t stop him. I let him take me there. His body pushes mine onto the bed as he bites against my lip harder.
Slowly, his fingers curl around the waistband of my jeans, his smirk still in place, but there’s something darker behind his eyes now, something deliberate, I don't give myself chance to consider it. The cool air hits my skin as he drags them down, slow, watching me like he’s waiting for me to second-guess myself.
There's no second-guessing, I lift my hips, letting him strip them off completely.
“Not shy, are you?” he muses, his hands gripping my thighs, sliding up, teasing but firm.
I exhale sharply. "I wouldn’t be here if I was.” That's the truth, I wouldn't be near him, near this room if I was.
He shifts back up my body while laughing quietly. I feel his body pressing into mine, his mouth moves against my neck and my jaw as his hands stroke along my body. It feels like he's trying to memorise every part of me. My head falls back against the pillow, and I let myself sink into the heat of his touch, the way his hands and mouth feel as they pull me apart piece by piece.
My body arches up into him, desperate for more of him. My hands lift, and I drag my fingers down his back, feeling his muscles shifting as he moves against me. My hands grip his hips, pulling him closer, and I gasp at the friction as I feel his hardness pressing against my own through the denim of his jeans.
His lips crash onto mine, hungry and insistent. Darren kisses like he’s trying to devour me, all teeth and tongue and urgency. I match his pace, pouring weeks of anger, frustration and desire that I hid into every movement of my lips against his.
Suddenly Darren pulls back, his chest heaving as he looks down at me, his eyes are dark and hooded. He says nothing, just stands and deliberately removes the rest of his clothing. My eyes drink in the sight of him, lean muscle, golden skin, and I'm glad I came here.
Slowly, he moves back onto the bed, his body covering mine. The feel of his skin against mine sends heat coursing through me, we kiss again, but this time slower. It's still just as passionate, and I run my hands along the muscles of his back as he begins to move. He grinds against me in a maddening rhythm.
Grasping into his mouth, I groan as Darren slides his hand between our bodies. He wraps his fingers around our lengths and strokes us against each other. My hips buck involuntarily as his hand moves quicker, we're already slick with both of our arousals. The dual sensation of his length sliding against mine, and his hand working us together is almost overwhelming.
His lips drag down my neck, biting as his warm breath teases me.
The sound of a door swinging open is loud, followed by a sharp click and a flash of light.
Darren instantly jolts upright, and my body tenses. My instinct kicks in too late as I whip my head toward the doorway, my eyes blinking against the sudden burst of light. It was a camera, a fucking camera!
And the man holding it, standing there looking smug, has my stomach drop, my entire body going cold and rigid. Nikolai Volkov.
Shit.
Nikolai stands just inside the room, his phone in his hand and his face is unreadable, except for the slight, knowing smirk that curls at the edges of his lips. Darren moves quickly, pushing up onto his knees, his body still half-draped over mine. "What the fuck?" he shouts.
Nikolai though, doesn't answer, hell he doesn't even look at Darren, his gaze is fixed on me. It's slow and calculating.
“You don’t waste time, do you, Mercer?” His voice is smooth and amused, like he’s not standing here with the kind of evidence that could rip my entire career apart.
Rook POV - A Few Weeks LaterThe room is dimly lit, the only glow coming from the small nightlight near the crib. I pace back and forth, arms cradling Nikolai’s tiny body as he fusses, his cries quieting only slightly before starting up again. He’s been restless all night, shifting against my chest, letting out little whimpers that turn into louder cries every time I try to sit down.I bounce him gently, rubbing slow circles on his back. “Come on, kiddo,” I murmur, voice low and tired. “I thought we had a deal. You cry, I fix it. Why am I not fixing it?”Nikolai lets out another frustrated little wail, his small hands fisting into my shirt. I sigh, shifting my grip and trying a different motion, swaying side to side instead of bouncing. It helps, only a little.The door creaks open, and I glance up, expecting Rose for a second before I realize it’s Kade. He leans against the doorway, eyes shadowed
Kade POVMr. Wilson is already waiting near the reception desk, his expression unreadable.“Mr Volkov,” he greets, offering his hand.I shake it quickly. “You got the paperwork?”He nods, handing me a folder. “Everything is here. The mother signed before leaving. There are no complications on her end.”I flip it open, scanning over the signatures, the legalities of it all. “I’ll need to take these with me. Rook has to sign too.”“Of course,” he agrees. “It’s all legally binding from her side. Once Rook signs, everything is finalized.”I exhale, closing the folder. “Where is he?”Mr. Wilson gives me a small smile, one I don’t quite know how to read. “Follow me.”I do, walking down the hall behind him. Each step feels heavier than the last, my mind still struggling to catch up with the reality of this. I knew t
Kade POVDamon, the asshole, doesn’t even try to help. He just watches, completely entertained, as Rook practically shoves me out of the way and drops to his knees in front of the carrier.“Holy shit,” Rook breathes, hands already fumbling with the straps. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing him home today!”“That’s because I couldn’t get hold of you!” I glare, rubbing my shoulder where I slammed into the doorframe. “Maybe if you weren’t busy building a fucking pillow kingdom, you would’ve answered your damn phone.”Rook doesn’t even pretend to listen. He’s too focused on carefully unfastening the baby, his hands surprisingly gentle despite his excitement. As soon as the last strap is undone, he lifts him out, cradling him against his chest with a soft look that immediately makes my frustration waver.Damon, still standing off to the side, crosses his
Kade POV7 Months later.The glow of the computer screen casts a cold light over the office, the only illumination in the dim room. I lean back in my chair, scrolling slowly, staring at the latest set of pictures.Amelia, standing in the dirt streets of some place I’ve never been, her veil caught in the wind, the sleeves of her habit rolled just enough to keep them from dragging in the dust as she hands out supplies to a line of waiting children. A small boy is tugging at the edge of her simple gray tunic, looking up at her like she’s some kind of angel. And she...she’s smiling. That soft, peaceful kind of smile I haven’t seen in years. The kind that makes it seem like she’s found something better than what we had, better than me.I exhale slowly, jaw tight as I move to the next image.This one is blurrier, probably taken by some reporter who didn’t care enough to focus the camera. She&r
Kade POVThe room is filled with the kind of silence that speaks louder than words. The kind that weighs heavy, pressing against my skin like a second layer. It’s not quiet because people are unsure, it’s quiet because they know.This is a moment of history. The kind that is spoken about in hushed tones years later, the kind that determines the future of an empire.I walk forward, my steps slow, measured, my face unreadable. Every person in this room is watching me, their gazes heavy, waiting for the moment that solidifies what they’ve already known. That I am taking over. That the seat of power no longer belongs to Nikolai, but to me.The long table standing in front of me is made of dark, polished wood, deep scratches marking the years of decisions made over it. It’s not just a table, it’s where orders are given, where alliances are made and broken, where men have bled for the choices they made sitting here
Rook POVThe hardest part of yesterday was Amelia. While she was gone he could tell himself stories, make himself feel better. The fact is, when he saw her, he then felt it. He realised what he had tried to pretend wasn't there.He was brooding for the rest of the day then, and I know it's because Amelia didn't stay, she didn't ask to see Harlow. She didn't come back for a coffee, does she even drink coffee? I don't know, I thought nuns didn't do anything fun.He's still brooding today, I didn't hear what she whispered to him. I saw it though, the way his face broken, the way he gave up trying to get her home.I watch Kade from across the room, the way his fingers drum against his knee, his jaw locked tight, his eyes distant. He hasn’t said much since yesterday. He’s here, but he’s not. His mind is somewhere else, somewhere far from me, far from this house.I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Kade,&rdqu