King of Depravity: Chapter 6

I know that fucker wants to make a playground out of Chloe. Granted, that’s what I want too, but I won’t actually hurt her. I don’t think.

It’s an interesting realization, and I cock my head as I ponder. When did that happen? When did I decide that I wasn’t going to break her?

I didn’t like the sound of her cry, or the way she said please, like I was about to slit her throat. There is a particular way people who are about to die beg…like there is no ego left, only a plea for humanity. I’m normally immune, but I don’t like the sound when Chloe makes it.

My teeth grind together.

Chloe tries to push off the wall, but wilts against it again, when her heels won’t quite support her.

Alexander strides toward her, as he licks at the corner of his mouth like he’s about to devour her.

Fuck.

If I step out of the shadows, the Russians will know I’m here. That will be it. No more using this location to watch. To listen.

But if he touches Chloe…

I could kill him.

His death would put the Russians on notice that someone was hunting them. But if he dares to put his hands on her again…

He stops right in front of her, her chin notching up, her eyes wide with fear and glossy from her tears.

“Look at what I’ve found.” Alexander rumbles and then he reaches up a hand and rubs his thumb over her cheek. She turns away, which only invites him to wrap his fingers around the back of her neck and he jerks her face toward his.

Both my hands clench as Chloe cries out.

Triston appears at the end of the hall. “Using the head too?” he says to Alexander who instantly lets Chloe go.

Triston and Gris are twins. They both inherited our mother’s classic looks and her charm, and I’ve seen them skate through some pretty gnarly situations.

I don’t pay a lot of attention to the business end of our business, my job is in the shadows, but I’m well aware that we’re moving through the millions and into the billions in assets because of the two of them.

Which is why I know that Triston is about to handle this situation. I relax back against the wall.

Alexander eases back away from Chloe, dropping his hand, but his face is full of his frustration. “I was on my way when I found our pretty waitress taking a break.”

Triston looks at Chloe, his gaze bland, as he smiles. “I can see why she’d need one. She’s been hustling all night. Is this place always so busy?”

Chloe nods, not speaking.

From the bar, Mozart filters from the piano, Dimitri clearly playing.

Triston has stopped, not moving on, though Alexander is openly glaring at my brother.

“I’m sorry to ask you to return to the main room when you’ve been working so hard all night, but I know my brother Rush was hoping for a highball. They’re his weakness.”

“O-of course,” Chloe clears her throat and then scoots past Alexander. She only wobbles on her heels once, and then she’s off down the hall, smoothing her ponytail before she rounds the corner.

My girl knows how to put a face back on. And while it’s impressive, it’s become clear that someone taught her to do so, after they made her suffer.

As much as I still want to dirty her up, I also want to know who the motherfucker is who has made her so afraid.

“You’re treading where you don’t belong,” Alexander spits at Triston.

“Careful,” Triston answers back smoothly. “You don’t want to pick a fight with me.”

“Because your brother married into the Kincaids?” Alexander sneers.

Triston only smiles. “Because we’re outpacing you in growth and profits, two to one.” Triston looks over his shoulder, and seeing Chloe gone, moves past Alexander, and heads to the bathroom door. His eyes meet mine before he pushes open the door. Unlike Alexander, Triston knew I was here all along.

Alexander follows as I shrink even deeper into the shadows. I listen to him spit a string of curses in Russian as he makes his way into the bathroom after my brother.

I take the opportunity to return unnoticed to my table.

Chloe has dropped the check, even though I didn’t ask for it.

I look over to find her cashing out at the bar. She slips on her leather jacket, stuffs her money in the hidden back pocket, and heads for the back door.

Dropping some bills on the table, I follow, not that it’s hard. Dimitri commands the room and every eye is on him as he plays.

I stick to the edges where the light is low, already knowing the way to Chloe’s apartment. Either she knows I’ve followed, or she’s worried I might, because she looks over her shoulder several times.

When she gets to her door, she does one final check before she slips her key into the lock and disappears into the house, the deadbolt clicking behind her.

But I’m already moving around back. I jump to catch the raised ladder of the fire escape. Her window is locked, but opening a latch like hers is a job for amateurs and in a second, I’m sliding the window open and letting myself into her room. I lean against the wall in the corner.

I can hear her moving around, going into the bathroom, brushing her teeth. She finally comes into the room with her jacket over her arm. Pulling the money from the secret pocket, she pulls out her bed frame and stuffs the cash into a little hiding spot. Did she make that hole in the wall?

I study the paintings on the wall again, my breath catching. I love every one of them, the one of her face in pieces best of all. It’s dark, gritty and when I first looked at it last night, it made me feel…seen.

But my attention is captured by Chloe again as she unbuttons the oxford, shrugs it off, folds it, and sets it on top of the tiny bureau. Then it’s her shoes and finally her pants.

My cock is raging hard in my dress slacks as she reaches one hand back and unclasps the bra, letting the straps slip down her shoulders.

Fuck, her tits are absolutely fantastic. My initial assessment of them was all wrong. They’re not big but full, and I want to stuff my mouth full. “You ought to warn a guy you’re going to show him tits that good.”

She screams, her arms coming up to cover her chest even as she stumbles back toward the door. “Killian!”

“Relax,” I rumble, though I’m aware I scared the shit out of her. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

“You shouldn’t be here at all.” She spins away, which only gives me an amazing view of her ass in a thong, as she snatches the shirt and pulls it to her chest, turning back around. “Seriously. This is so fucked up.”

“Yeah. Maybe,” I shrug, pulling off my T-shirt to show my tatted-up chest. The tattoos on my hands are meant to intimidate. They’re part of the work. But the galaxy I’ve been having tattooed across my chest is for me alone.

She lets out a strangled cry. “What are you doing?”

But I only toss her the shirt. “Put it on if it makes you feel better.”

She catches the shirt, holding it in her hand as she looks down at it. I pause too, waiting to see what she’ll do. I’m actually holding my breath, I realize, as I wait to see if she’ll accept my small gift. Like the coffee, I want her to take it. Want to see her wrapped in my clothes.

Slowly, she unfurls the T-shirt, attempting to put it on while still holding her oxford to her chest.

Rumbling out my frustration, I close the distance between us. She jolts, her eyes going wide with fear, but I only stop in front of her, snatching the T-shirt back and opening it up to pull it over her head.

Grabbing the hem, I open up one side so she can stuff her arm into the sleeve, then I repeat with the other, until the shirt falls down around her body, hitting at her mid thighs.

“You’re small,” I grunt.

“You’re big.”

That makes me smile. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

She shakes her head. “You should be. You can’t just let yourself into my room.”

“It was way too easy,” I return, kicking off my shoes. “You need much better locks.”

“Killian, what are you doing?” she’s dropped the oxford, but now her arms are back around her middle.

“You think I’m leaving you alone after the way Alexander Ivanov threatened you tonight? You’ve got no security here. It’s pathetic.”

She blinks at me, her mouth opening and closing before she finally says, “You’re here to protect me?”

“Damn right I am. I’m sorry I left you to face him in the hall.” My gut twists. “It’s a business thing.”

“I don’t want to know.” She leans against the bureau, eyeing me warily.

“Smart.” I shuck off my pants and then lay on her tiny twin mattress, my feet hanging off the end. “You need a bigger bed.”

“I don’t.”

“Come here.”

“No.” She shakes her head, her arms still around her middle.

I put my hands under my head, flexing my abs. “Fine, but it’s going to be a long night with your back against the bureau.”

“Killian you have to go.” Her voice pleads with me, and I know we’re going to go round and round all night if I don’t concede something.

“It’s just sleeping. Nothing else.” I take out one of my hands from under my head to wave her forward. “I’ll be a good boy and I won’t even ask you to suck my cock again. Though, to be clear, you’re free to do so of your own volition.”

Her lips part as she stares at me. “You really are mental.”

“That’s the consensus.” I wave at her again.

Very slowly she pushes off the bureau and tiptoes toward me, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. She stops at the edge of the bed, indecision in every line of her face.

I reach up my hand, circling her wrist. But this time my grip is light, soft, as I give her the smallest tug. She heeds my request, bringing a knee to the mattress before she slides in next to me, on her side, not touching me.

Fuck that. Wrapping an arm around her back, I pull her into my side. To my surprise, she comes, molding into my body. “I’m not much better.”

“What’s that now?” I ask as her cheek settles on my shoulder.

“How insane is it that the man who stalks me, manipulates me, breaks into my apartment, is the guy that I snuggle up to in bed? It’s so crazy that being next to you makes me feel safe.”

Ah. Now we’re getting somewhere. “You’re not wrong. I’m one of the monsters that go bump in the night.”

“Yeah.”

I don’t know why I do it. I’ve never kissed a woman when I wasn’t filling her mouth with my tongue, but I brush a light kiss over the top of Chloe’s head.

She must use a coconut-scented shampoo, because the fruity scent fills my nostrils.

“But maybe just now, you need a monster to fight back the other monsters.” I pull her even closer, my dick making a tent in my boxer briefs.

“Like if I decided to be a dragon rider and I had to worry that the dragon might burn me alive, or toss me off in the air, but if I tamed the dragon, then I’d be the safest girl of them all.”

“I don’t know what shit you’re talking about, but I’m not the type to be tamed.”

“It’s a book…” she murmurs but she sounds sleepy as she relaxes more of her weight onto me. “And you’re right. I’m not interested in taming any man. I just want them to leave me alone. Is that too much to ask?”

“Maybe you should get really fat,” I volunteer. Then narrow my eyes. “Nevermind. I bet you’d look amazing with extra curves. All that jiggle would be hot as fuck.”

My cock leaks a bit of cum.

“You’re too much,” she sighs and then goes quiet, her body giving a little involuntary jerk to let me know she’s fallen asleep.

Part of me wants to jerk off. My cock is beyond needy.

But instead, I wrap my other arm around her and close my eyes.

I’ve had sex, but I’ve never slept with a woman. Right before I drift off, I wonder what other firsts are coming my way.