His eyes darken as he looks down his nose at me. “I own this town, birdie. I can do what I want where I want. Don’t worry yourself, the security cameras wouldn’t be able to make out what we’re doing. It’s why I picked this table.” He leans in closer, his lips meeting back with mine, kissing me more aggressively this time. This is what it feels like to be owned by Kasen Throne. It’s dangerous and intoxicating at the same time. When he eventually pulls back from me, he sucks on my bottom lip roughly, his dark eyes locking with mine in a way that sends a shiver down my spine. “You’re not going anywhere until I hear you cry my name.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “K,” I warn him. I’m overwhelmed by him, by how he’s kissing me and finger-fucking me. I think I need space. “I need to use the restroom.”
One of his brows pops up, like are you fucking serious? His fingers are buried deep inside of me, and any other time, I wouldn’t walk away this close to an orgasm, but right now, I feel like I can’t breathe and not in a good way. He pumps them in and out of me, his thumb running over my clit like he has no intention of listening to me.
“Just give me a sec, okay? I’ll come right back.”
He sucks in a full breath, removing his fingers. “Be quick or I’ll come find you, and trust me when I say you might like it rough, but you have seen nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you if you keep running from me.”
My heart quickens, sending a strange flutter right the way to my pussy. Shit, I like the way he dirty talks. Maybe I’m just scaring myself because I don’t trust him. I lean in and kiss his lips once more. He tastes so damn good, it makes my head spin with need. “Not running this time. You can fuck me as hard as you want, wherever you want, when I get back.”
With a low growl, he helps me shift off his lap and back to standing. I hurry for the restroom just round the corner from where we were. Fuck, what is wrong with me? I go into a stall and close the door, trying to catch my breath. That escalated so quickly. I shouldn’t let him have another part of me. This is what he wants. But the truth is, it’s what I want as well, and I have fought it for so long. How badly could it really hurt if I just give into desire?
Deep breaths, Dove.
I stay with my forehead leaning into the door while I try and get my shit together. I need a clear head around him, and I promised myself I wouldn’t do this, not with him. He has too much power over me already.
I do my business then wash my hands, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed, my eyes bright in a way I haven’t seen in so damn long. My body is lit up for him. But he’s the worst, and I know I should go back out there and demand he take me home so I can sleep off my bad life choices, not sleep with him. I’m so torn I don’t know what to do. I glance around the room, looking for an escape, but there are no windows. It’s probably the only reason he let me come in here alone. My heart flutters with fresh panic. I’m running out of time before he comes in here and takes what he wants. I have no choice but to go back out there and man up.
I go to leave. I walk past one of the stalls and a hand grabs me and pulls me inside with her. I glance up to see Miss Arnott, the reporter. “I was hoping I would bump into you,” she says.
“It’s not really bumping when you dragged me in here.” I laugh, wondering what on earth this girl’s go is.
Her face is more serious than when I saw her last. “I needed to talk to you where they wouldn’t see.”
“Okay,” I respond, intrigued.
“We don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll get straight to the point. Did you know all of the buildings built by Throne Enterprises have the exact same security systems hardwired into the buildings? That’s shops, bars, houses, and apartments. Do you find that weird?” Her eyes are so intense it sends a shiver down my spine. From our last interaction, I thought she liked Kasen, but this doesn’t seem like it.
I think on her comment for a second. And yeah, from what I have seen in all the places the boys have taken me to, I do remember the same type of security systems, with that fingerprint technology. I didn’t question it till now. “Why would I? That sounds like smart business to me, probably saves costs,” I say, a sense of protectiveness rising through me for them.
She nods. “Yeah, maybe. What if there was more to it?”
Why does the way she’s looking at me make me feel a little sick? “Like what?”
She glances over her shoulder. “I have probably said too much already.”
“If you know something, tell me,” I demand. I’m stuck with these boys, and while I don’t like her implying they might be up to something dodgy, I know they are hiding shit from me, a truckload of it, and I want to know what it is.
She wrings her hands, scratching at a red spot on her wrist. “I don’t know anything for sure, it’s just something in this town feels off to me. How did Kasen get so powerful?”
I shrug. “His dad. Their business owns half the town, you said so yourself in that article you wrote. And from what I have experience with, money equals power.”
“How does that happen though when you start out owning a simple development company, knocking down beach shacks to put in apartments. That kind of business should gradually gain traction with each new site they acquire. But it’s like overnight Keller Throne went from nothing to billionaire. Right around the same time your mum, our mayor, was killed. She was fighting him on some of the developments, and maybe he didn’t like it and made an example of her.”
I stare back at her. She’s right, but what’s her point? We all know there was dodgy shit going on behind the scenes. It’s what my mum was trying to stop. It’s not new information, not really. “I’m not sure what you want me to do with this information. Do you know something about what happened to my mum?”
“I’m sorry to say it so matter of fact, but now you’re back, I thought maybe you deserved the truth, or at least to know there could be more to her cold case. I don’t have all the facts yet, Dove, but I’m working on it.” She sucks in a deep breath then rolls her lips. “I guess for now, I’m just saying be really careful. I’m pretty positive Keller had something to do with your mother’s death, and I don’t want you to end up dead at the hands of his son.”
A shiver slithers down my spine. This is a warning about Kasen. I take a shaky step back. “I don’t think he would really hurt me,” I whisper almost to myself. Would he?
“Yeah, and I bet your mum thought the same, and that’s why she so fearlessly stood up to him.”
The door behind us opens, and I jump, thinking it’s the man himself. A couple of girls come in with their arms around each other laughing loudly, clearly more than a little tipsy.
There is a new nervousness flashing in her eyes I don’t like. “Good luck with it all, you lucky girl. Guess I will be writing a story about your wedding next,” she says all perky, before leaving me alone, wondering what on earth just happened.
That was strange, freaky strange. Has she uncovered something while she’s been investigating the family? Is that what she was trying to get at? She thinks Keller might have been the one to kill my mum, but what evidence does she have? Shit, why didn’t I ask more questions. I was in shock and not prepared. I’m going to need to track her down again, without the boys around.
