CH.85

Killian looped his arm through Serena’s, "Come on, gorgeous, our ride for the night should be ready by now," he purred in his velvety baritone. "I'm taking you out for an evening you won't soon forget, filled with all the finest indulgences money can buy. Maybe then you'll finally stop moping over events that clearly doesn't deserve those luscious tears of yours."

He began steering her with gentle insistence towards the front doors, leaving absolutely no room for argument or protest.

Serena could only shake her head in bewilderment and allow herself to be led outside where a sinfully curvaceous form of a top-of-the-line exotic car awaited them in the circular driveway.

Th cars in this villa were easily one of the most luxurious, powerful and exquisitely crafted vehicles Serena had ever laid eyes on in her life - a masterpiece of engineering and design reserved only for the uppermost echelons of the financial elite.

"Is any of this really needed?" she managed to sputter out, her words catching in her throat as she slowly turned in a circle, taking in every tantalizing line and contour of the sleek machine.

Killian didn't respond immediately, instead ushering her towards the rear passenger door like a true gentleman.

"This is just a little something to help you unwind and forget your troubles for an evening, at least," he finally replied. "First, we're going to hit up one of the finest, most exclusive restaurants this city has to offer. A place where money is no object and only the crème de la crème even have a prayer of getting past the front doors. I'm talking world-class cuisine, luxurious ambiance, and high prices - the whole nine yards of indulgent luxury."

Serena opened her mouth with a dozen questions and protests dancing on the tip of her tongue, but Killian swiftly raised a finger to his lips in a silent shushing motion.

"After we've treated those gorgeous curves of yours to a feast fit for royalty, it's off to the hottest, most VIP nightclub around," he continued. "A place where pleasure and sin seem to linger in the very air itself. We'll dance until dawn if you'd like, drink until the world spins, and just lose ourselves in the intoxicating thrum of the music for as long as your heart desires."

Serena could only gape at him for a long moment, her mind working to catch up with the rapid-fire descriptions he had just painted.

This all sounded...utterly and unnecessarily extravagant.

Killian reached out with one hand to gently grasp her chin, holding her gaze firmly with his own just as she was about to voice her skepticism.

The wicked gleam in his gray depths seemed to spark and intensify as he leaned in close enough for her to catch the faint, woodsy notes of his cologne.

"Trust me, sister-in-law, just this once, let me show you how the truly privileged live. How the upper echelons of society's elite indulge their every whim and fancy without a care in the world. If anyone deserves a night of pure, unadulterated hedonistic bliss, it's you after all you’ve been put you through."

His words seemed to slither through her defenses, igniting a spark of reckless curiosity and the faintest tendril of excitement deep within Serena's core.

Perhaps he was right - perhaps allowing herself to be swept up in a whirlwind of indulgence and delights was exactly what she needed to momentarily forget her heartache over Knox's behavior.

Serena silently acquiesced, sliding into the plush leather interior of the high-end car.

Killian was already rounding the chassis to meet her on the other side by the time she had sunk into the buttery soft seats.

Serena leaned back and closed her eyes, trying her best to simply relax and let the tension seep from her shoulders as the car pulled away from the villa’s driveway.

She couldn't quite shake the sense of melancholy that seemed to cling to her despite Killian’s best effort to cheer her up.

Thoughts and mental images of Knox began creeping back into her mind almost immediately. She wondered where he was at this very moment, if he was truly with his mistress.

The mere idea caused a fresh stab of pain to lance through her heart.

Killian must have sensed her brooding because he reached over without preamble to give her knee a reassuring squeeze.

His expression was one of genuine understanding and care when she turned to face him.

"None of that now," he chided gently, attempting to engage her in lighthearted conversation and distract her from her inner demons. "Tonight is all about leaving your troubles at the door and embracing life's finer pleasures to the fullest."

Serena forced a tight smile and tried to respond, to play along with his easy going banter, but her heart just wasn't in it.

She knew he meant well, that he was only trying his utmost to distract her from her misery and anguish, but the wounds were still so fresh and raw. Like a deep cut that had just started to scab over only to be torn open again.

Killian gave an understanding sigh and a rueful shake of his head. He recognize that she simply wasn't in the right mental space for casual conversation. At least not yet.

If only he could reveal the truth to her - the whole, unvarnished truth about Knox's identity and the circumstances that had brought them all crashing together.

Killian wished more than anything that he could ease Serena's mind, soothe her fears and insecurities, and help her understand the bigger picture at play.

But some secrets were not his to divulge, no matter how much it pained him to see his sister-in-law suffering so deeply.

For now, the only thing he could do was offer her an evening of extravagant distraction and indulgence in an effort to temporarily balm her aching heart.

This mate bond was simply a disaster. The idea of turning into such a mess once he finds his mate made him shudder.

'I will be damned if I let such a nuisance in my life. Absolutely not in the world that a mate bond is going to cause me to become a wreck. I will kill or reject her the moment I find her. ' he swore internally as he settled back against the plush leather once more, allowing a comfortable silence to fall between them for the remainder of the drive.

The sleek sports car was pulled up to the front entrance of what was undoubtedly the most luxurious, elite restaurant Serena had ever laid eyes on.

She immediately recognized it as the same high-end establishment she had been brought to at after the trial.

It was only now that she realized this was the same location she had once wished to visit with Alex and enjoy its world-class cuisine and sumptuous environment for herself.

How unpredictable this life was.

Even from the street, she could see that this place absolutely oozed wealth, power, and exclusivity. The kind of decadent indulgence that only the uppermost echelons of society could ever dream of affording.

Tight security, gleaming uniformed staff attending to every tiny detail, and an air of sophistication that seemed almost palpable.

“How did you even manage to get us a table here?" Serena asked in a hushed tone of awe as their door was opened by an impeccably dressed valet.

"I thought this place was near impossible to get into without serious connections or more money than God!"

Killian flashed her a mysterious smile as he looped his arm through hers once more, allowing the immaculately attired staff to lead them inside with a series of deep, respectful bows and deferential greetings.

"Let's just say I know a guy who knows a guy… The kind of connections that make the impossible...merely improbable at best." Killian replied with a casual shrug, though the wicked gleam in his eyes hinted that there was far more to the story than he was letting on.

Serena took in the surroundings as they were escorted through the lavish interior towards one of the private dining rooms.

Gleaming marble floors, soaring frescoed ceilings, priceless works of art adorning the walls. It was as though they had stepped into another world entirely, one of unimaginable luxury reserved only for the elite upper crust of the financial aristocracy.

The aromas wafting through the air were a tantalizing blend of exotic spices, rich reductions, and the faintest whiff of something sweet and indulgent.

Just inhaling deeply was enough to set Serena's mouth watering in anticipation. Clearly, this place was the absolute pinnacle of haute cuisine.

Perhaps an evening of indulgence in such extravagant surroundings was exactly what she needed to momentarily forget her troubles. To fully immerse herself, if only for a few blissful hours, in life's finer pleasures and sensory delights that she had only dreamed about until now. She mused as a small, genuine smile finally graced her lips.

The grief and inner struggle seemed to subside, if only slightly, as she allowed herself to be swept up in the infectious expectation that her companion emanated.

For tonight, she would leave her troubles and insecurities at the door and simply indulge.

Serena had already began to loosen up by the time they were taken to their quiet, intimately lit dining alcove, which was discretely hidden from prying eyes.

Her chuckles flowed more freely when Killian told his usual scandalous stories, his wicked sense of humor never failing to put a smile on her lips even at her darkest moments.

A waiter appeared at their side, presenting them with a wide menu of rare delicacies and an impressive wine list.

"Well, then, sister-in-law, let me be your guide as we start on a sensory voyage this evening. I can promise you an experienced that will completely wow this night forward..."