Chapter 25

Kelvin's POV

I held her chin between my fingers, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my touch. Her lips parted slightly, and her breathing was uneven and filled with the scent if whiskey.

She was testing me and pushing me.

And damn it, I liked it.

Her challenge hung between us, thickening the air, twisting the tension into something tangible. My grip tightened just enough to make her feel it, just enough to remind her who she was dealing with.

"You want me to make you?" I murmured, tilting my head.

Her smirk didn’t waver, but her pulse did, fluttering at the base of her throat like a trapped bird.

I pulled her up in one swift motion, forcing her to her feet. She stumbled, the whiskey making her legs less steady than she probably wanted to admit. My other hand shot out, gripping her waist, steadying her.

She sucked in a sharp breath, fingers curling against my chest before she caught herself and tried to pull away. I didn’t let her.

Instead, I leaned in.

My lips brushed against hers…not a kiss, not yet. Just enough to feel the heat between us, to make her wait for it.

Then, without warning, I bit her.

Not hard. Just a sharp nip on her lower lip, enough to make her gasp, enough to catch her off guard.

Her hands shot up, pressing against my chest, but she didn’t push me away.

I felt the tension ripple through her, the way her breath hitched, the way her fingers curled instead of shoving.

I pulled back just enough to see the shock flickering in her wide, dark eyes. A flush crept up her throat, her lips parted in stunned silence.

I smirked, running my tongue over my own lower lip, tasting the faint hint of her.

"Careful, little bird," I murmured. "You challenge me, and I will always meet you halfway."

Her tongue flicked out to lick where I had bitten her as she glanced at me with her dilated pupils.

I exhaled sharply, my smirk deepening as I watched her. She didn’t even realize what she was playing with.

“Sir, let's take her…” one of the guards started to say but a glance from me shut him up.

With a sigh, I slid an arm under her knees and scooped her up effortlessly. She let out a soft sound of protest, but it wasn’t real. Her body melted against mine, her fingers gripping the fabric of my shirt as I carried her toward the door.

I walked through the dimly lit corridors of the estate, my footsteps measured and steady, even as she nuzzled closer into my chest.

"Where are we going?" she murmured, her breath warm against my skin.

"Home," I said simply.

She made a small noise, half protest, half acceptance, and curled her fingers into my shirt like she was a child.

When we reached her room, I pushed the door open with my shoulder and stepped inside. I moved toward the bed, but the moment I lowered her onto the mattress, she tightened her grip on my shirt.

Her legs shifted, and before I could pull away, they wrapped around my waist, locking me in place.

I froze.

Her arms followed suit, sliding around my neck, pulling me down with her.

I growled in warning, my eyes glinting with evil thoughts. "Laura…"

"Please. Stay," she mumbled.

"You're drunk," I reminded her.

She hummed in response, her grip unwavering. "I know."

"Then let go," I said, though I made no real effort to pry myself free.

She shook her head against my shoulder. "Don't wanna."

I could feel the warmth of her breath against my skin, her body pressing into mine, soft and insistent.

"You want to cuddle?" I asked, amusement lacing my voice.

She nodded against me. "Mm-hmm."

I exhaled through my nose, my hands bracing on either side of her head. "Laura—"

"Kelvin," she interrupted, her voice small but firm.

I looked down at her, at the way her lashes fluttered, at the slight pout on her lips.

Those lips I wanted somewhere.

I had no idea why I stayed back like she asked. Maybe because I wanted to watch her expression in the morning when she woke up to see me by her side.

With a resigned sigh, I shifted slightly, adjusting our position until we were lying side by side in a reverse spoon position. Her arms remained locked around me, her face buried in the crook of my neck, her breath steady and warm.

I let my hand rest on her waist, fingers brushing the fabric of her dress as I thought about how much longer I had to put up with this.

The room was quiet except for the sound of Laura’s slow, even breaths. Her grip on me hadn’t loosened. I stared at the ceiling, my fingers idly tracing patterns on the fabric of her dress as I contemplated the mess I had gotten myself into.

Then, my phone vibrated.

I cursed under my breath and reached for it, careful not to jostle her too much. The name flashing across the screen made my jaw tighten.

I exhaled through my nose before swiping to answer.

"Kelvin," his deep voice rumbled through the speaker. "How did the meeting go?"

I smirked, leaning my head back against the pillow. "It went okay."

There was a short pause, the kind that told me he was analyzing every syllable I had just uttered. "Okay?" he repeated. "That’s all you have to say?"

I could hear the skepticism laced in his tone, and for good reason. My meetings were usually followed by a detailed report, who said what, who needed to be dealt with, who was foolish enough to think they could double-cross me.

But tonight?

Tonight, my attention was tangled in the form of the woman clinging to me like I was her lifeline.

"Yes," I said, keeping my voice neutral. "Okay."

Another pause. Then, his voice turned slightly amused. "You’re home early."

I let out a quiet chuckle, rubbing a hand down my face. "You could say I was… detained."

There was a beat of silence before he asked, "By who?"

I turned my head slightly, glancing at Laura. Her face was peaceful, lips slightly parted, completely unaware that she had her legs locked around a man who could ruin her without a second thought.

I let my lips curve into a small smirk as I answered, "A certain someone."

"Kelvin," my father warned. "You know better than to waste time on distractions."

I hummed in response. "She’s different from what I expected."

There was a sharp inhale on the other end of the line, followed by a pointed, "Different how?"

I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I watched the way Laura’s fingers twitched in her sleep, as if she were still holding on even in her dreams.

"She just is," I finally said.

My father made a noise of disapproval, but he didn’t push. "Keep your head straight. I won’t tolerate any unnecessary weaknesses."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Don’t worry, Father. I know what I’m doing."

"See that you do."

The call ended, and I set the phone aside, exhaling slowly.

I should have been irritated that I let myself get caught up in something like this. But instead, as I glanced down at the woman in my arms, all I could think about was how dangerous she was.