He swallows hard, then continues, gaining a little more strength with every word. “They… they wouldn’t have a life without you. And the drugs…” Another tiny laugh, almost self-conscious. “Half the city would be hookedanyway. You don’t force them. You just… provide the good stuff, the clean stuff.”
His shoulders straighten a fraction. His voice grows steadier, more determined, as if he’s trying to convince both of us. “And last night… after you showed me everything…” He finally lifts his eyes and holds my gaze properly this time, cheeks flushed but jaw set. “I realised you only end the lives of people who are really bad. Or… or when it’s a small sacrifice for the greater good, like my parents.”
By the end, there’s a quiet fire in his voice. He’s not just defending me anymore… he’s trying to make me believe it too. His small hands have stopped fidgeting. They rest on his thighs now; fingers curled like he’s holding onto this new truth with everything he has.
I just stare at him. I search his blushing face, trying to understand how the fuck this shy, broken kid just managed to spin every monstrous thing I’ve done into something that almost sounds…okay. Almost noble.
In the same week I had Armen cut a man’s ear off, murdered half a gang, blew up their garage, raided their home, tortured one of their members… and here Kit is, sitting on my desk,defendingme like I’m some kind of necessary evil.
A slow grin pulls at my mouth; his words clearly having affected me more than I’ll ever care to admit. “So… you want me to babysit you while you go shopping, huh?”
Kit’s rolls his eyes, facing away, his cheeks flushing bright red. “Stop sayingbabysit,” he whispers, the word barely audible.
I lean forward in my chair and grip his thighs hard enough to make him gasp, fingers digging into the soft fabric of his jeans. “Did you justrollyour eyes at me?”
He slowly turns his head to stare at me, clearly debating how to react. I keep the grin on my face and wait, genuinely having no idea what he’ll do next. Everything he’s done today has been so far out of character it’s almost disorienting, but in the best possible way.
Then Kit smiles, small, shy, and undeniably bold. He leans down until his lips are right next to my ear, voice breathy and soft. “Sorry,Sir… I’ll be a good boy.”
Fuck. A low groan escapes me before I can stop it. Heat floods my body so fast it’s almost embarrassing.
“Let’s go,” I rasp, “or I’m going to fuck you right into this desk.”
Kit pulls back with a triumphant little smile, clearly pleased with himself. He slides off my desk and heads for the door first, hips swaying just enough to be deliberate. I watch him go, jaw tight, already regretting my own words.
Chapter Thirteen
~ Almost Normal ~
Kit
The SUV glides smoothly along the highway, Jeremy driving with that calm, professional steadiness he always has. I still can’t quite believe this is happening… Soren actually stopped his work. And now here I am, sitting in the back of his custom-built SUV, heart hammering for an entirely different reason than fear.
I can’t bring myself to look at him. Any scrap of confidence I had back in his study has completely evaporated the moment he climbed into the car. He’s wearing one of his perfectly tailored black suits, jacket open just enough to show the crisp white shirt underneath. His dark hair is styled back, a few strands still loose over his forehead. His tanned skin looks unfairly flawless under the tinted windows, and that gold watch on his wrist catches the light every time he moves. His tattooed fingers are thick and strong, wrapped around his phone.
I tried to sneak one glance earlier, just one. He caught me immediately and gave me this tiny, knowing grin thatmade my face burn so hot I thought I might combust. I looked away so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash.
Selina and Armen sit opposite us in the facing seats, the spacious cabin easily fitting six. There’s still an empty middle seat between Soren and me, like some invisible barrier. Wherever Soren goes, they go too. I guess they’re right below Ray in the hierarchy. Ray had already been sent off to handle something else.
Thankfully, Selina and Armen are talking quietly between themselves and don’t seem to have noticed my embarrassing blushes.
The SUV indicates off the highway onto a wide, tree-lined road I’ve never seen before. It leads to a massive, sleek shopping complex that looks more like a luxury resort than a mall. Glass and marble everywhere, perfectly manicured landscaping, and not a single chain store in sight. I grew up in this city, and I’ve never even heard of this place.
I frown and look at Selina. “Where are we?”
She smiles warmly. “Kitty, this is the only place the boss will shop. You don’t think he’d be caught dead in a common mall in the middle of the city, do you?”
I let out a weak laugh. “So… what, this is a mall for the rich?”
Armen winks at me. “He gets it.”
I tense a little. “Wait… you’re joking, right?”
Soren lets out a low huff of a laugh beside me and glances over. “Two hours,tops. I’ve got shit to do.”
I nod quickly. “Yep.”
Selina leans forward a bit, her voice gentle. “I’m proud of you for trying again. We can leave whenever you want, okay?”
