22.

Chapter — The Ride to Temptation

Kieran had expected Noah to look beautiful.

But not like this.

The door creaked open, and, Kieran Wolfe lost his breath.

Noah stood there, shy and fidgeting, his delicate fingers brushing against the fabric of his shirt—the shirt Kieran had gifted him. It fit him like a second skin, hugging his petite frame, the buttons teasingly undone just enough to reveal a glimpse of porcelain skin. But that wasn’t what stunned Kieran into silence.

It was the sheer sinful elegance of him.

Noah’s dark hair, always carefully kept, was now slightly tousled, his long lashes fluttering as he hesitated under Kieran’s burning gaze. The expensive silk clung to his form, outlining the curve of his waist, the dip of his collarbone—and those pants.

Tight. Slim. Hugging.

God, was he even wearing anything underneath?

Kieran’s hands clenched at his sides. This was my gift. His. And seeing Noah actually wear it, seeing him dress like this for him—fuck.

His mouth ran dry.

Noah shifted under his stare, cheeks tinged with the softest pink, eyes flickering down nervously. “Kieran…?”

The sound of his name, so soft, so hesitant, snapped something in him.

In one swift motion, he closed the distance, the bouquet nearly crushed in his grip. Noah gasped, stepping back instinctively, but Kieran caught him—one strong arm snaking around his waist, tugging him close.

“Sweetheart,” he rasped, his voice lower, darker. His fingers traced up Noah’s arm, barely skimming over his skin, feeling the way he shivered beneath his touch.

Noah bit his lip, avoiding his eyes.

Kieran smirked. “Look at me.”

Noah did, reluctantly. His sapphire eyes shimmered, wide and vulnerable, framed by the longest lashes Kieran had ever seen.

Perfection.

Kieran swallowed, his jaw tightening as his gaze roamed freely—taking in every inch of him, memorizing every detail.

“I should lock you up,” Kieran muttered, almost to himself. “Keep you all to myself. Look at you, baby. Do you even realize what you do to me?”

Noah’s breath hitched.

Kieran could see the effect of his words—the way his throat bobbed, the way his fingers trembled slightly against Kieran’s chest.

He leaned in, lips brushing against the shell of Noah’s ear.

“baby ” he murmured, fingers ghosting over the undone buttons, “you look so damn ruinable.”

Noah made a strangled noise and turned his face away, his embarrassment reaching a fever pitch. “I—I just wore what you sent me…”

“Oh, I know,” Kieran purred, his smirk widening. “Which means you knew exactly what you were doing.”

Noah let out a soft whimper, and Kieran’s control snapped.

He crushed him against his chest, the bouquet falling to the floor as his hands tangled into Noah’s hair, his other hand gripping his waist with bruising possession. “I could devour you right now,” Kieran whispered against his cheek. “Right here, against this door. Would you let me?”

Noah trembled, fingers curling into Kieran’s suit.

Kieran chuckled darkly, pressing a slow, teasing kiss to the corner of his lips, just barely missing them.

“You don’t have to answer, sweetheart.” His fingers trailed lower, down to Noah’s hip, squeezing just enough to make him gasp.

Kieran smirked against his skin.

“Your body’s already screaming for me.”

*****

Noah sat stiffly in the luxurious leather seat, his hands neatly folded in his lap, trying desperately not to stare.

But it was impossible.

Kieran looked dangerous tonight.

The moment he slid into the driver’s seat, Noah felt his throat tighten. The soft glow of the car’s ambient lighting bathed him in shadows and gold, accentuating the sharp cut of his jaw, the intensity in his dark eyes, the way his fingers flexed effortlessly over the steering wheel.

He was dressed in all black—tailored to perfection, the fabric hugging his lean, muscular frame like a second skin. His sleeves were rolled up just enough to reveal his forearms, veins subtly visible, finger adorned with sleek silver ring that gleamed under the passing streetlights.

Noah’s fingers twitched in his lap.

He had always known Kieran was attractive. Too attractive. It was one of the reasons he tried to keep his distance—because getting too close to something this intoxicating was dangerous.

And yet here he was.

In his car.

On a date.

Noah swallowed hard, forcing his gaze out the window, but it didn’t help. The quiet hum of the engine, the scent of Kieran’s expensive cologne—rich, dark, and utterly masculine—wrapped around him like a trap.

Then—Kieran shifted gears, and his thigh flexed beneath the smooth fabric of his slacks.

Noah’s breath hitched.

His mind betrayed him, immediately conjuring images of those strong thighs pressing against him, caging him in, his voice low, teasing—

Noah squeezed his legs together and turned his head sharply, willing his thoughts to behave.

But Kieran noticed.

“Something wrong, sweetheart?” His voice was pure amusement, thick with a knowing smirk.

Noah’s entire body stiffened. “N-No.”

Kieran chuckled, deep and indulgent, as if he could see straight through him.

“You sure?” One hand stayed on the wheel while the other reached out—fingers tracing the edge of Noah’s sleeve, barely touching, just enough to make his skin prickle with awareness.

Noah bit his lip.

He had been so caught up in trying not to look at Kieran that he hadn’t noticed how close they were sitting.

The car was spacious, yet somehow, Kieran had managed to make it feel suffocatingly intimate.

He wasn’t even touching him, not really, but his presence alone was enough to set every nerve in Noah’s body alight.

Kieran sighed, tapping his fingers against the wheel. “You’re staring, kitten”

Noah’s breath stuttered. “I—I wasn’t—”

“Oh, but you were,” Kieran mused, his voice dark with amusement. “You like what you see?”

Noah turned scarlet, gripping his knees tightly. “I—”

Kieran smirked, leaning ever so slightly toward him, his voice a husky whisper.

“Go ahead, baby. Look at me all you want.” His lips curled into something wicked. “I belong to you, after all.”

Noah’s heart stopped.

His lips parted, breath shaky, unable to form a response.

Kieran’s eyes gleamed, satisfied. He turned his attention back to the road, humming as if nothing had happened.

Noah, on the other hand, felt like he was about to die.

******

The car rolled to a smooth stop, the hum of the engine fading as Kieran unfastened his seatbelt with deliberate ease.

Noah, on the other hand, was frozen.

His wide, dark eyes took in the scene before him, lips parted slightly in awe.

The restaurant—or rather, the palace of indulgence—stood before them, draped in golden lights and shadows, perched high above the city like a kingdom of the untouchable elite. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched impossibly high, the glass reflecting the glittering skyline beyond. The entrance was lined with sleek black cars, and the doorman stood poised in a crisp suit, waiting with practiced professionalism.

Noah swallowed.

This wasn’t just any restaurant. This was the restaurant. The one where billionaires dined. Where people booked months—years—in advance just to get a seat.

The kind of place Noah had never even dreamed of stepping into.

Yet here he was.

Here they were.

His fingers trembled slightly as he turned to Kieran, still struggling to process it. “You… booked this place?”

Kieran smirked, unhurried, unbothered, as if what he had just done was the most natural thing in the world. “Bought it, actually.”

Noah choked. “You—what?”

Kieran chuckled, sliding out of the car and moving over to his side. He opened the door with a casual grace, then leaned down, his shadow swallowing Noah whole.

“Come on, baby,” he purred, offering a hand. “Let me show you your kingdom.”

Noah’s heart slammed against his ribs.

Everything about this was overwhelming—the grandeur, the extravagance, the possessiveness dripping from Kieran’s voice like sin.

He hesitated. “Kieran… this is too much.”

A dark chuckle.

“Too much?” Kieran repeated, as if the concept was foreign to him. Then, slowly, he leaned in, his breath hot against Noah’s ear.

“Sweetheart… I haven’t even started yet.”

Noah shuddered, his entire body heating at the dangerous promise in Kieran’s voice.

Before he could protest, Kieran grabbed his wrist, strong fingers wrapping around his skin with an unyielding grip, and pulled him effortlessly out of the car.

The moment Noah’s feet touched the ground, he felt it.

The attention.

Eyes. Everywhere.

Heads turned. Murmurs started. People—men, women, the rich and the powerful—stared at him.

Not just because of the restaurant, not just because of the money—

But because of Kieran.

Because Kieran wolfe was him.

The young king of untouchable wealth, the name whispered in shadows, the heir of a dynasty built on power and control.

And he had walked in with Noah Everly.

Noah stiffened, a surge of anxiety rising in his chest. “Kieran, people are staring—”

“They should be,” Kieran murmured, brushing a thumb over the inside of his wrist. “ you're too beautiful & You’re mine.”

Noah sucked in a sharp breath, heat crawling up his neck.

Kieran was enjoying this.

The attention. The way people looked at Noah. The way Noah squirmed under their gaze.

He liked it.

Possessively. Obsessively.

Kieran smirked, tilting his head. “You’re blushing, little one.”

Noah’s breath hitched.

And then—Kieran leaned in.

Low enough. Close enough. His lips just barely grazed the shell of Noah’s ear.

“Should I make them look even more?” he whispered darkly.

Noah flinched, pushing at his chest with a horrified stammer. “Kieran—stop!”

Kieran laughed, rich and indulgent, but he pulled back, amusement dancing in his dark eyes.

“Relax, sweetheart.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind Noah’s ear, gaze lingering far too long. “They’ll know soon enough.”

Noah didn’t even want to ask.

He was scared of what that meant.

Instead, he let Kieran guide him inside, past the stunned staff, past the high-society onlookers, past the velvet ropes and into the heart of a world Noah didn’t belong in.

And the moment he stepped inside, he realized—

He wasn’t leaving this place unchanged.

"********

The restaurant was empty.

No, not empty. Cleared.

For them.

Noah’s stomach twisted as he took hesitant steps inside, the silence eerie, suffocating. The dim chandeliers cast golden shadows on marble floors, and every table stood untouched—pristine, prepared, but abandoned.

Kieran had made sure of it.

Because tonight, Noah wasn’t just his date.

He was his possession.

Kieran’s presence loomed behind him, a silent predator reveling in his discomfort.

"Like it, baby?" His voice was dark silk, rich with amusement. "I wanted it to be just us. No distractions."

Noah swallowed.

Distractions?

Or witnesses?

Kieran reached forward before he could step away, gloved fingers tracing down his spine in a featherlight caress. A simple touch—yet it sent a violent shiver through Noah’s body.

"You're trembling," Kieran noted, voice dripping with dark satisfaction.

Noah stiffened. "Because you’re being insane! You cleared out an entire—"

His words died in his throat as Kieran suddenly pressed closer. Close enough that Noah could feel the warmth of his breath against his skin.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” Kieran murmured, voice dropping to something more dangerous. "You’re mine, Noah. And when I want something—" He dragged his fingers up, ghosting over Noah’s throat, feeling the way he swallowed hard. "I take it."

Noah sucked in a sharp breath, the weight of those words sinking in.

This wasn’t just a date.

It was a declaration.

A dark, possessive warning that Noah had no escape.

Kieran moved then, stepping around him, towering, untamed. His gaze roamed Noah’s body with a slow, sinful appreciation—taking in every inch of exposed skin, every little detail that Emma had “fixed.”

And then—his lips curled.

“You look exquisite,” he murmured, almost reverently. But there was something else in his gaze. Something darker. Hunger.

Noah took a step back. “Kieran—”

But Kieran only smiled.

A sharp, dangerous smile.

And then—he grabbed Noah’s wrist.

A gasp tore from Noah’s lips as Kieran pulled him forward, guiding him through the silent, golden room with effortless authority.

“Kieran, wait—”

“I’ve waited long enough, little one.”

A slow, deliberate pull—and suddenly, Noah found himself in front of an impossibly large chair, something that looked more like a throne than a seat in a restaurant.

Kieran sat first, relaxed, indulgent. And then—he pulled Noah into his lap.

Noah gasped. “Kieran—what are you—?!”

“Shh,” Kieran hummed, one strong arm circling around Noah’s waist. His other hand found Noah’s thigh, pressing possessively over the silky fabric of his dress pants.

Noah froze.

The heat of Kieran’s palm burned through the material, sinking into his skin.

“Kieran—this—this isn’t how dates work—”

Kieran’s grip tightened.

“Baby,” he purred, low and velvety. “This isn’t just a date.”

A slow drag of fingers. A dark, knowing chuckle as Noah twitched.

“This is the start of something you can never run from.”

Noah’s breath hitched.

And Kieran?

He smirked.

Because he could feel it.

The way Noah trembled, the way he reacted.

The way his body betrayed him—just like it always did.