Chapter 37: Ghosts from the Past

KIANA

~Cooper.~

I was glued to the television screen, unable to look away. The headline read:

~Dangerous convict breaks free during prison transfer.~

But how? Did he have assistance? He must have!

It felt like I was trapped in a recurring nightmare. Cooper was out there again. He was free, and he might be coming for me.

But if he did, I would be prepared. No matter how terrified I was, I couldn’t let him control me like he had for the past four years.

“Kiana, we can leave if you want. I can drive you—” Crystal started, but I cut her off.

“No. I’m not going anywhere,” I declared with determination.

“Are you sure about this?” Mia questioned.

“I’ll get in touch with Chase,” Ben said, pulling out his phone.

“I’m staying put. I refuse to let this disrupt my life anymore. Ben, don’t worry about it. I don’t want Chase to stress. He’s got enough on his plate, and he’s sure to find out soon enough.”

“Too late. He’s already on his way. He must have seen the news at the same time we did.”

“Okay. But I’m fine, guys, really.”

They all stared at me as if expecting me to break down, but I wasn’t going to. I took a quiet, deep breath, then flagged down the bartender.

“Shots for everyone, please,” I requested, then turned to my friends. “We’re here to have a good time, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” I said, forcing a smile.

We downed our shots, then another round, and another.

Before long, Mia and Crystal were on stage belting out “Don’t Stop Believin’.” It was comical. They were both horribly off-key, but it only made me love them more. It was almost enough to make me forget about Cooper.

Suddenly, I felt an arm wrap around my waist from behind. I nearly panicked until I recognized the familiar spicy scent that always made my heart flutter.

“Hey, baby. You okay?” Chase murmured, leaning down to gently capture my lips.

I turned to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I’m okay, really.”

He gave me a soft smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll catch him. I’m already on it,” he assured me.

“I know you are. I don’t want to think about him anymore. Let’s just enjoy the night.”

“Okay. Whatever you want,” he agreed.

After a few more rounds, Mia and I took the stage with “Mamma Mia.” Then Ben followed with an Elvis number. He was surprisingly good. I tried to coax Chase into singing with me, but he wouldn’t budge.

Eventually, we all went our separate ways. Chase and I headed back to the penthouse while Ben drove the girls home.

I took a shower and then slipped into Chase’s hoodie and my shorts.

“Hey, I wanted to ask you about something…,” I started, pulling my damp hair up into a messy bun. “I noticed a bank transfer from you the other day.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Chase replied, grinning mischievously.

I had told him to stop sending me money months ago. There was no need for him to pay me now that we were genuinely together—or ~whatever this was~, which was far from pretend. Plus, it made me feel like a charity case.

“Chase, I don’t need your money, and I don’t want it,” I said sincerely, sitting next to him on the sofa.

“The contract is still technically in effect.” He smirked.

I huffed and stormed into his office. He was stubborn about this—~but so was I~.

I knew where he kept the contract, the one that labeled me his “stand-in-girlfriend.”

I grabbed it and marched back into the living room. Chase watched me with amusement as I lit the corner of the paper with a lighter and tossed it into the fireplace. I watched it burn with a sense of satisfaction.

“There. No contract. No more payments.” I made a show of hands.

“I have copies, Kiana,” he teased.

I rolled my eyes. He approached me and placed his hands on my hips.

“All right. If it upsets you that much, then I’ll stop,” he said, nuzzling my neck.

“Really?” I asked, hopeful.

“Yes, but on one condition.”

~Here it comes.~

“I get to help you open your own animal shelter once you graduate.”

“No, Chase!” I protested firmly.

I’d already paid my tuition for the upcoming year, and the other payments I’d received from him were enough to cover the remainder of my tuition and expenses until I graduated, as well as my living expenses for at least another year beyond that.

“Then expect to keep receiving anonymous deposits in your account,” he said, a smug grin on his face. He was determined to have the upper hand in this, ~as always.~

But I was determined to win this time. “I am not letting up on this. I can do this on my own,” I said, trying my best to sound resolute. “I don’t want another penny from you, got it?” I emphasized my point by jabbing my finger in the air.

“Got it,” he replied. “I promise that was the last one.” He traced a cross over his heart with his finger.

“Thank you,” I murmured, leaning in to kiss him, already scheming how to repay him someday.

His hand tangled in my hair, deepening the kiss. I let out a moan as I felt his eager arousal pressing against me.

He caught me effortlessly as I jumped up and wrapped my legs tightly around his waist. I shed my clothes as he carried me toward the bedroom before gently laying me on the bed. He peppered sweet kisses down my neck and stomach, stopping at the edge of my panties.

He skillfully removed my black lace thong, and I felt his tongue teasing my clit. It didn’t take long for that familiar buildup to start. He thrust two fingers inside me, pushing me over the edge, and I climaxed on his fingers, soaking him and the sheets.

When I regained my senses, he had stripped and flipped me onto my stomach. Without any hesitation, I felt his cock plunge into my aching core. A loud moan slipped from my lips, matched by his grunt of pleasure.

He knew exactly what I liked, and he ~never~ disappointed. He took his time, savoring the moment, then became ravenous just as I was reaching my peak.

I lost track of how many positions we tried or how many times I came. I stopped counting after six.

This man was the envy of every man and the dream of every woman. And he was mine…

~All mine.~

COOPER

My arms were bound behind me with thick rope, securing me to a rough wooden chair. My face throbbed with pain, and I could feel the swelling setting in.

The numerous cuts on my body stung, left unattended. I was weak, drained, as I stared into the face of the man I once trusted.

~Kenzo.~

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

When I managed to escape the prison transport—thanks to a guard who was easily swayed by a little extra cash—I’d turned to the only person I could. But the moment he saw me, his eyes had hardened, and I was met with a devilish glare.

I’d learned a lot about Kenzo over the years—I thought I knew him—but right now I could see nothing of the man I’d known when I was growing up.

He had beaten me relentlessly for hours, never explaining why. All I could do now was beg and hope for mercy. But Kenzo was a ruthless killer. He knew neither mercy nor forgiveness.

~If only he knew I was his son.~

“Why?” he echoed my words, his voice eerily calm before erupting into laughter and crouching down to meet my gaze.

“Because you touched my daughter, Cooper. I saw and heard ~everything~,” he said, his voice a low drawl.

Shit.

The warehouse where I took her. He had cameras there? I’d be lucky if he killed me quickly. His obsession with his daughter was one thing, but to harm her meant a slow, agonizing death. I’d seen him do it to others for far lesser offenses.

“I—I’m your son! You and my mother had an affair, right? And Rose isn’t your real daughter! She doesn’t deserve your care. She could never understand you. But I can,” I stuttered out the truth, knowing he would believe me. He had to.

He laughed. “You’re as delusional as she was. I fucked your mother long after you were born, boy. How thick are you?”

~No! He’s lying!~

He cocked his head to one side, looking thoughtful for a moment. “Is that why you hurt my baby girl?”

“I never touched her. We dated, but she made up a lie because I broke up with her before I left for university,” I stammered, grasping at straws.

He chuckled again, this time more menacingly.

“You think I trust you? I know a liar when I see one, Cooper. I trusted you with her. With my daughter!” he bellowed. “You’re going to suffer. But don’t worry. I won’t kill you. ~Not until I’ve had my fill~.”

He moved toward a metal table littered with an array of torture devices.

He selected one and walked back toward me. Before I could even see what he’d chosen, he clamped it onto one of my fingers so tightly that I cried out.

~No!~ “Kenzo, stop,” I pleaded, but my words fell on deaf ears.

He pushed down, and the skin around the base of my finger split with a sickening pop.

A scream tore from my lips as my finger fell into his hand, his face adorned with a self-satisfied smirk.

“I’ll be back soon. I just needed a piece of you for…~evidence~,” he said, exiting the room.