If I was a better man, I would’ve offered to stay, slept in one of the lavish guest rooms. However, I knew there was no way I could keep my hands to myself if I stayed here tonight, and Emily wasn’t ready for that yet.
Hell, I wasn’t sureIwas ready for that yet.
13
Kieran
I was not a man who wassurprised by much. I’d lived too hard and fast to be shocked by anything, but I would admit, seeing how whipped Knox was over a sweet little virgin was a new one for me.
Then again, after meeting Emily Campbell tonight, I would have to say I was a little whipped, too. Funny thing considering I wasn’t one to take to a potential romantic interest quite this quickly. Most of my encounters were sexual in nature, but they always held a sense of detachment to them because I preferred them that way. The only consistent one in my life was Knox, and what we had … well, it was complicated, to say the least. However, it was stable and it was real, but at the same time, it wasn’t something that fulfilled either of us. Not completely.
Which was where the lovely Emily came in, and I would admit, my interest had been sparked from the first conversation I’d had with Knox. But after meeting her, I’d sayintriguedwas a word better suited to what I was feeling.
That could’ve had something to do with the fact that I’d spent the last two years getting updates about the object of our affection from those Knox was paying to keep tabs on her. Between the RA at her dorm, three of her professors, and a couple of intricately placed students, I received consistent updates from which I would decide what information was necessary for Knox. I knew the man. Knew him better than he knew himself, even, which was why I was trusted with such a task. After all, Knox had been determined to keep his distance from Emily, at least until today. According to him, it had been imperative for Emily to get a taste of what the world had to offer before he offered her the world.
He would never admit it, but Knox was a romantic at heart. A kinky one, sure, but a romantic no less.
And I was hoping to reap the benefits of that kink.
Starting tonight.
When I left the club, I had my driver deliver me to the Fifty-Seventh Street apartment rather than Emily’s Fifty-Ninth Street penthouse. I knew that was where Knox would end up once he finished getting Emily settled in, and I wanted to be there when he returned. For much of the past two years, Knox and I had been living together, despite the fact I still had my own place and he had his, neither of which was this one. We would come and go depending on what was most convenient, but most nights we spent together, and I’d grown familiar with the arrangement.
Once I made it inside, I tapped out some instructions on the electronic tablet, had lights coming on, soft music playing through the speakers in the walls, the mood set. I headed for the living room, poured myself a glass of scotch, and strolled to the windows to look out, all the while wondering what exactly Emily and Knox were doing right then. Had he given in to his urges? Had she?
The thought had me reflecting on tonight, on Emily’s reaction to Knox. No doubt about it, she was upset with him for whatever transgression she believed he was responsible for. Knowing what had happened, and having heard the stories of his mother’s duplicity, I could only imagine what Rhett and Kitty had told Emily when everything went down. There was little doubt that her head had been filled with all sorts of lies, and it would take time to convince her that Knox wasn’t the bad guy they likely portrayed him as.
Perhaps Knox was telling her the truth right now. Breaking the news that he hadn’t ripped her life apart; her own father had done that.
No. I doubted he would ever admit as much. Knox would do whatever it took to protect Emily, and keeping the truth of what her father and his mother had done was important to him. He’d all but commanded me to keep my mouth shut where that was concerned, and I had promised him that I would.
My phone buzzed at the same time one of the electronic smart home panels chimed to signal the arrival of a guest.
I smiled to myself, continuing to stare out into the night as I waited patiently while the elevator delivered Knox to our floor.
As I drew on my patience, I played out the scene that was about to take place. I knew Knox was in a mood, which worked in my favor. It always did whenever he was wound tight. It was in these moments that I reminded Knox he wasn’t the only alpha in this relationship. We both craved the rebellion, the resistance. For us, winning was nothing without a fight.
And bloody hell did Knox like to put up a fight.
My cock stirred just from the thought of the battle that would likely ensue. I wasn’t a masochist by any stretch of the imagination, but I did thoroughly enjoy Knox’s many moods.
I heard the deadbolt disengage, the door open.
“I thought you might spend the evening in her bed,” I said as I watched his reflection in the glass, his long strides bringing him toward me.
“You underestimate me.”
I smiled at that, turned to face him. “What did the doctor say?”
“Possible strain. Nothing serious.” He poured a glass of scotch, took a sip. “Told her to stay off of it for the rest of the night.”
“So you left her locked in her palace?”
Knox’s grin was wicked. “She’s safe and secure. Come morning, she’ll be sneaking around to check it out, I assure you.”
I could almost picture it now, Emily walking through the eight-thousand-square-foot apartment, checking all the nooks and crannies to see what Knox was up to.
“Did you tell her it’s a gift? The apartment, that is.”
