All Chapters of They Know What She Wants: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

I could feel his pulse racing against my lips, the heat of his skin, the faint taste of salt when I pressed an open-mouthed kiss there. He didn’t slow, didn’t pause… just climbed the stairs with steady strides, one arm banded under my ass, the other splayed across my bare back. I was completely naked, clothes abandoned somewhere downstairs. He kicked his bedroom door shut behind us, the click loud in the quiet house. He lowered me slowly onto the mattress, following me down until his weight pinned me gently, his mouth finding mine again. This kiss was different from downstairs, it was more slower, deeper, and less frantic but no less hungry. His tongue stroked mine lazily, like he had all the time in the world now that we were here. I arched up into him, hands sliding under his shirt to feel the heat of his back, the flex of muscle as he held himself over me. “You’re still dressed,” I whispered against his lips, tugging at his shirt. He pulled back just enough to smirk. “Fix i

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ “So are you going to start talking?” Mia’s voice cut through the quiet of the kitchen like a perfectly aimed dart. I froze with my hand halfway to the fridge door, the cool air wafting out and doing nothing to calm the sudden heat in my cheeks. I sighed, long and defeated, letting the door swing shut. I’d been stupidly grateful when I woke up and realized I had no classes today—blissful, delusional hope that I could hide in the mansion, maybe spend the day curled up with Gage if he wasn’t buried in work, and avoid the inevitable Mia interrogation at least until tomorrow. But Mia Ramirez doesn’t do “later.” She does “now,” preferably with relentless eye contact. She was perched on one of the high stools at the kitchen island, legs swinging, arms crossed, looking entirely too pleased with herself. Her curls were pulled into a messy bun, and she wore an oversized university hoodie that probably belonged to whatever guy she was casually seeing this week. I’d been wearing

We found a small table by the window at Bean & Leaf. Our peppermint white mochas arrived in red cups, topped with whipped cream and crushed candy canes that melted almost immediately into sweet pink swirls. Mia took one sip and let out an exaggerated moan. “Okay, this was worth the line. I’m in love.” I laughed, wrapping my cold hands around my cup. The warmth seeped into my palms, grounding me. For the first few minutes, it was perfect—Mia rambling about her plans, me nodding along, the cafe bustling around us and the hiss of the espresso machine. I let myself relax, just a little. The conversation with Mia in the car still lingered in the back of my mind, but the sugar and caffeine and normalcy helped push it down. We were halfway through our drinks, picking at a shared gingerbread muffin, when I felt a prickle on the back of my neck like someone was staring. I glanced up casually, scanning the room, and my stomach dropped. Ellis. One of Noah’s friends, the

She bit her lip, and nodded. “It was okay. Would’ve been more fun if you’d been there.”I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sweetheart, I seriously doubt an old man like me tagging along on your girls’ night would’ve improved anything. I’d have scared off half the bar just by glaring at anyone who looked at you too long.”She tilted her head, that little spark I was starting to crave lighting in her eyes. “Oh, I don’t know. I think the place would’ve been a lot more interesting. And I’d have had the hottest date in the room.”Cocky little thing.I took one last pull on the cigar, crushed it out in the crystal tray on the console table, and closed the distance between us. She straightened as I approached, but didn’t back up. Good girl.I stopped just close enough that she had to tip her head to hold my gaze. “Hot date, huh?”“Scorching,” she added, voice softer now, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. I arched a brow. “Is that so?”“Yeah, you might be intimidating at first glance bu

We worked in near silence for the better part of an hour, Jax and I moving through the penthouse like a cleanup crew after a crime scene. I handled the personal items myself—anything that felt intimate, anything I didn’t want another set of hands on. The silk ties went back into their drawer, folded precisely the way I liked them. The watches returned to their velvet trays, each one clicked into place like ammunition sliding into a magazine. The cash envelope was gone, but I didn’t dwell on that yet. Jax focused on the bigger mess, hanging suits back in the closet, pairing shoes, stacking the vinyl records in their proper order. He didn’t ask questions, didn’t crack jokes anymore. He knew when to shut up, which was why we’d stayed friends this long.When everything that mattered to me was restored, I stepped back and surveyed the living room. It still felt fucking wrong. That goddamn bitch!The things I’ll do to her when I get her,I opened the terrace doors, letting the cool win