KILLIAN

 

Storming back into my office, I was more fucking furious than I remembered being in a long damn time. Scratch that. More fucking furious than I was exactly two days ago and I was damned near ready to blow a gasket then.

I knew exactly why Lucy Martin was here. It was an open secret that branded me as Rafael King’s fuck up grandson. Everyone and their grandma knew Lucy was here solely to spy on me and report to Grandfather.

Hell, I knew Fridays were spy days—at least for those that made it that far. As soon as she got up, I knew where she was going.

So why the fuck did I feel like Lucy betrayed me?

Worse, why did it make me feel worthy for one damned minute when she said, “What I can tell you is Mr. Killian is going to be an even greater man once he’s able to put all this behind him. You’ll see.”

Not a great man. A greater man.

I didn’t aspire to be a great man, much less a greater man. Lucy had no goddamned right to put that shit in Grandfather’s head. It was already too late for me. I’d burned all my bridges when it came to Rafael King. There was no way he’d ever see me as anything but a major screw-up.

Damn Lucy Martin! Damn her for making me forget everything about why she was really here!

When she slunk in less than a minute later it was all I could do to keep from cursing her out. Or throwing her out of my office. Hell, the building.

I was sure she expected it which was why I didn’t give Lucy the goddamned satisfaction.

Let her stew.

Keeping my focus on the incomplete formula before me, I outwardly acted as if she wasn’t there. That was easy enough to do. I did it on a daily basis, but the difference was I enjoyed watching Little Lucy surreptitiously.

Now, I refused to do that and more.

No more watching her bite her lip in concentration.

No more hearing her sigh as she crossed her legs.

No more seeing her apply lip balm to bee-stung lips.

No more thinking about how perfect and right her body felt pressed up against mine.

No more replaying our kiss over and over again.

No more feeling my heart lighten as I remembered how beautiful and happy she looked in the helicopter.

Damn her. She ruined my week with her bullshit.

How fucking dare she have seen good things in me? I wasn’t a goddamned charity case! I didn’t need her to talk me up to Grandfather, to explain why I was this way. It was none of her damned business.

I didn’t need some twenty-three-year-old kid attempt to psychoanalyze me.

What the fuck did she know about life anyways? She had her nice little family waiting for her on the stoop like a trio of happy, scruffy dogs. What did Lucy Martin know about pain, suffering, and disappointment?

My grandfather just plucked her out of obscurity and into a cushy job. We turned away applicants every week and here she came, rolling up in here and disrupting my world.

Bitch goddess.

Fuming, I watched as my hand flew across the board. The coefficients, usually neat, were a scrawl of numbers.  

Normally, I’d lose myself to thrill of equations. I loved their deceptive simplicity and how my mind worked so quickly my hand struggled to keep up.

Not now.

Now I felt every second as it ticked by. I didn’t want to work out this formula. I wanted to unload on the treacherous woman sitting behind me.

There was a time and place for everything. I just had to wait out the clock. Thirty more minutes and then I’d attack and attack hard.

“Mr. Killian?”

Outwardly ignoring her, I kept writing. Slower but constant.

She cleared her throat and tried again. “Mr. King?”

Nothing.

“Uh, I’d like to explain about what you just uh, heard.”

“Be. Quiet.”

“We have to talk.”

“I will talk to you when I’m damned good and ready. Now. Be. Quiet.”

“No.”

Slamming my marker down, I crossed the room and stood right in front of her. Lucy got up, as if that was going to do anything to help bridge the distance. She was small and would always remain so.

Just as she’d always remain my grandfather’s spy.

“Killian, Mr. Killian, I understand you’re upset. I should’ve told you where I was going—”

“Did you think I wouldn’t know you went and fucking snuck behind my back to give Gramps a report? Did you think I forgot for one damned second why you were here in the first place?”

The pathetic thing was for one damned second I actually did.

Sadness marked her like the slashes across my board. Her bright gaze dimmed. “No, I didn’t. I just hoped you’d know by now I’m here to help both of you. I meant every word I said to your grandfather. I know you’re a good man. A great one even.”

“Wrong fucking thing to say to me, Miss Lucy.”

“It’s true.”

“No, it’s not! You don’t know the first thing about me, Lucy Martin. You just think you do. My God, can you really be this blistering stupid? Following me around, watching me work on things you can’t possibly comprehend, does that somehow make you an expert on my life? Well, you’re wrong. You don’t know the first thing about me and no amount of money Gramps pays you will ever change that.”

Lucy put her hands on her hips. She didn’t move back an inch. Instead, she raised her head higher. “I know you hurt every day of your life, Killian.”

“You should keep your nose out of my business.”

She didn’t respond to my warning growl other than to keep pushing. “I understand why you’re hurting, Killian. I do. But keeping yourself cut off like this is no life at all. You haven’t lost everything—”

“Shut your mouth.”

“No. This is too important, don’t you see?”

This bitch lost her goddamned mind! Not just that but her mouth didn’t stop either.

“Quiet I said!”

“Your grandfather hired me because you’re lost.”

“He doesn’t need a map to find me. He knows exactly where I’m at day or night.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.” She wrung her hands, a thoroughly unusual action for this nosy woman. “He sees the good in you. He sees you’re self-destructing but he doesn’t know how to help you. The wall between you is too high—”

“Stop.”

Rage pulsed through me. I was losing control. Years of practice made it easy to fall back on my patent drawl. It would save me.

It had to.

“You’re boring me, Lucy. I won’t tolerate your insipid thoughts. Take them elsewhere. I’m sure Gramps would love to hear them. You can continue talking about me. Twist the knife as you mourn over the poor devil.”

“Don’t do this. You’re not a devil. You’re a great man. I can see it. Everyone else would too if you’d just let them. Stop letting fear rule you, Killian. Your grandfather wants to help you more than anything because he loves you.”

She was wrong. Grandfather didn’t want to help me.

If he did he wouldn’t have abandoned me right after my mom died.

He wouldn’t have taken Timmy from me.

He wouldn’t have shipped me off to that cold-blooded bastard, Prince Peter Von Hügel.

He wouldn’t have left me there to rot for an eternity of three years.

I needed the Kings and all I got was an army of Austrian servants who were more interested in maintaining a pile of stones than the Von Hügel heir. Remembering the unending loneliness and suffering lit a fuse on a decade-long powder keg.

“Loves me? You have got to be kidding me.”

“He loves you! Anybody with eyes can see that, Killian!”

“You’re out of your fucking mind, bitch, to say that to me—”

Lucy hauled off and smacked me in the mouth. Way harder than a girl her size should’ve been able to. The sting in my jaw battled with the sting in my ears when she yelled, “Don’t you ever disrespect me like that again, Killian King! I am not a dog and I am not one of your hoochies! When you talk to me you will talk to me with respect!”

Looming over her, I roared back, “Don’t ever raise your hand against me again!”

“Then don’t ever call me out my name again!”

I spit out a guttural curse. Angry temptation dared me to call her a bitch or worse. Who the hell did Lucy think she was to physically attack me? All for spewing a name that fit…

It did, didn’t it?

Our chests rose and fell in unison, out of breath as if we were doing more than fighting. My fury instantly turned to something familiar. Zeroing in on her mouth, I wanted to taste this little warrior goddess. Again.

“Lucy Martin, you are tangling with the wrong man. Walk away from this or I promise you will regret it.”

She stared at the corner of my mouth. I felt the trickle of blood. Did she feel guilty?

I doubt it. She hit too damned hard to feel bad.

“I already regret it, but I’m not going anywhere, Killian. I don’t care how much you threaten me.”

“Is that what you think this is? No, no, no. It’s not a threat, Little Lucy. It’s a promise.”

Lucy’s pretty eyes widened. She lost her combative edge. “You talk big. You use that nasty mouth of yours to push everyone away. But it’s not going to work on me. I’m not leaving you, Killian. I’m staying right here and prove it to you. Do you hear me? I don’t care how long it takes.”

Her ballsy declarations should’ve suffocated me. Or pissed me off at the least. Instead, I panicked. Lucy had no business making vows to me she’d never keep.

I didn’t want them. I wanted her, but I didn’t want broken promises.

“Nasty? I’ll show you nasty.”

This would push her away like nothing else could.

Grabbing Lucy, I took her mouth roughly. No sweetness, no seduction. It was a kiss of raw domination. Her full lips were just as delicious as I remembered them to be.

Better.

I expected my little goddess to haul off and hit me again. I’d deserve it and would accept whatever punishment the NDA couldn’t cover. Instead, she did something incredible, shocking even.

Lucy moaned like I’d made all her filthy wishes come true.

It was just the opening I needed.  

Slipping my tongue into her hot mouth, I couldn’t believe how fucking good she felt. Closed mouth pecks on the lips for the benefit of Russian thugs had nothing on the real thing.

I was a goner as soon as I tasted her.

Lucy clung to me, hands tangling deep in my hair. Without me coaxing her, she brought her thigh up and rested it on mine.

Incredible.

Every time I broke away for a breath, Lucy arched closer and pulled me to her. She wasn’t alone in her greed. I chased her back, kissing her mouth, cheeks, jaw, and neck. Lucy’s labored breathing was barely drowned out by mine.

I’d never shared a kiss like this. Passionate, sweet, and aggressive, as if neither one of us could decide which way we wanted it. Maybe because it was all three.

When she whispered my name, looking up at me as if I was her birthday and Christmas all rolled up in one, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time. There was a stirring, not just in my cock, but in my heart.

Heart? The hell was this?  

My heart had no business making an appearance. Useless. I let go of Lucy slowly. My body thundered to bring her back. I needed to touch her body, mouth, pussy…

Twitching with need, I took a deliberate step back.

Lucy Martin was dangerous. My instincts warned me that I’d end up regretting this if I didn’t walk away.

Now.

I could abandon my plan and find another random model or actress to fuck within the hour. Going through enough of them I’d soon forget all about this innocent sexpot. Eventually, I’d wonder what I even saw in her.

Her sweet smile.

Her beautiful eyes.

Her stubborn chin.

Her curvy body.

Her gorgeous ass.

Christ! Seeing Lucy with a red and swollen mouth, I drifted back to her. I couldn’t help myself. Didn’t want to. Not anymore. Not when it hurt too damned much to have even this small distance between us.

“Killian…” she sighed as I took her back in my arms.

Fitting my mouth over hers, I breathed in her scent. She felt right, more than right. She felt perfect, as if she was born for me. And the way she kissed seemed to prove it.

Lucy’s kisses grew confident, bolder, as she tasted me. Every part of me hardened when she sucked my tongue. Her hands roamed feverishly across my back, digging her nails hard into my shoulders.

Damn it felt good.

It was too late for me because I had to see this thing through. I wasn’t going to rest until I had her completely. Then once I had Lucy in my bed, surely I’d go back to normal.