Page 25 of King of Temptation

“I’ll see what I can do.” Still gripping her shoulders, he leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. “In the meantime, I believe your Daddy has some things he’d like to discuss with you, so I’ll give you two some privacy.”

“Thank you, Brody.” From the corner of his eye, Brody watched his cousin rise from his chair and shed his suit jacket. “Aria, I want you here, bent over the desk with your elbows on the wood. I think it’s high time I introduced you to the cane.”

Sympathy welled in Brody’s chest as the color drained from Aria’s face. “The cane? Don’t you think that’s a bit of an overreaction?” she stammered out.

“An overreaction to my wife sneaking out of the house without a guard while our family is at war?” Eyebrow raised, Killian popped the button of his shirtsleeve to roll it up to his elbow. “If anything, I believe I might be underreacting.”

“What happened to the notebook? Keeping track of things for after the baby is born?”

Killian’s expression softened, just a bit. “That’s for minor infractions. This is too big to wait. But the cane is very thin and won’t hurt the baby, which is part of why I’m using that rather than my belt.”

“You’re sure.”

“Very sure.” Leaning over, Killian tapped the surface of the desk. “Now please get in position, Aria.”

Moving so slowly it was downright comical, Aria crossed the room to position herself per her husband’s instruction. And damn if Brody didn’t feel a tiny bit jealous that he didn’t have his own babygirl to punish on a regular basis.

After the war. Once things were settled and he didn’t have to worry that loving someone would be putting them directly in harm’s way, then he’d get serious about settling down.

And he’d try his damndest not to regret that it wouldn’t be a certain nosy, whiskey-eyed author over his knee and in his bed.

Chapter 9

Goldie

She didn’t sleep worth shit, thanks to her conversation with Aria. The other woman’s warnings had played over and over in Goldie’s mind all night, keeping her from anything approaching a peaceful slumber.

On the bright side, she’d gotten plenty of work done. Since she couldn’t sleep, she’d decided to write, and the words had flown in a way they hadn’t in quite some time.

Asshole mafia guys were good for something, it seemed.

“Mornin’, Austen,” a gruff voice greeted her as she stepped inside the bakery.

She grinned at the bearded man behind the counter. “Boone. I haven’t seen you in a bit. How’s everything? How’s Naomi?”

As it always did, the mention of the big bad biker’s younger sister softened everything about him. “She’s great. Been taking on more hours down at that free clinic, so I have to stay on her about not working too much. But other than that, she’s good. How’s the writing going?”

“Pays the bills,” she answered with a grin, earning her a snort of laughter as she’d known it would. “I was up pretty much all night working, so I’ll need an extra shot of espresso in my mocha, if you don’t mind.”

One dark eyebrow raised in a move that reminded her so much of Brody it made her chest ache. But just as Boone opened his mouth—to scold her, knowing him—the bells above the front door rang and he glanced over, his eyes narrowing at the newcomer.

“The fuck are you doing here?”

Before Goldie had a chance to turn and see who had put that hard look in her friend’s eye, a familiar voice froze her in place. “Can’t a guy just stop in for a sweet treat every now and then?”

Daddy.

No. Not Daddy. A real Daddy didn’t spank you and then make you come harder than you ever have before and then completely ghost you.

Refusing to give him the satisfaction of even acknowledging his existence, she kept her gaze locked on the display of treats in front of her while Boone let out a derisive snort. “Guys, yes. You? No. What do you want, Brody?”

Apparently unperturbed by his less-than-warm welcome, Brody stepped up to the counter, the sleeve of his suit jacket brushing up against her bare skin and making her wish she’d worn a sweater despite the warm April air outside. “Aria had that strawberry roll yesterday and now she’s obsessed. Wants to try all the flavors.”

“So you’re Killian’s errand boy now?” Boone asked, still clearly skeptical of Brody’s presence.

Beside her, Brody lifted a shoulder in a gesture of nonchalance. “Who am I to deny a pregnant woman her cravings?”

“Uh-huh. Well, you’ll have to wait until I’ve finished with my other customers.”