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CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Kace and I bundle up and then exit the restaurant. Nelson meets us at the front of the Escalade and Kace hands him a card. “That’s where we’re going.”
Nelson gives a nod of agreement before Kace and I head toward the rear passenger side door. “Wait,” I say, halting as Kace opens the door for me. “What is the plan for me when you’re with Nix?”
“You’re with me baby. His house is a few miles down the road. We’ll be in and out, in half an hour, if I have my way.”
I blink, not sure why this hasn’t hit me before now. “I’m going with you to Nix’s house?”
“Yeah. That’s the plan. It won’t take long.”
“Kace no. That is going to be weird. I can’t intrude on your agent in his home.”
“Baby, it’s not a big deal.”
“You said yourself that he’s not overly pleasant. I’ll stay here and wait.”
A gust of wind lifts my hair and shoots cold air right down my collar. I shiver and hug myself. “Climb in,” Kace orders quickly. “We’ll talk inside where it’s warm.”
“I’m going back inside. I’m respecting you and your business. It’s not a big deal. Hot coffee and some of that cake I saw them passing around works just fine for me.”
He studies me for several beats and then snakes his phone from his pocket. I grab his hand. “What are you doing?”
“Cake sounds good. I came to the Hamptons. Nix can meet us here.”
“No. God, no. I’ll go to his place. After all you’ve done for me, I do not mean to be difficult. I’ll be fine.”
Kace’s hand slides under my hair to my neck. “Me buying you things is not meant to make you feel required to endure something uncomfortable. That’s not who I am. That’s not who I want us to be.” There is an urgency to him that isn’t just about me and now. I’ve hit a nerve I do not understand, but it’s raw and real. “That was never my intention,” he adds. “My money does not buy your agreement.”
“You’re right. It doesn’t buy me. Being considerate is just me. And not for one second did I feel that you were using money to control me, Kace. You want me to go, though. I will. Let’s go to him.”
“Yes, I want you to go, but I don’t need you to do this for me to be good with us.”
“Like I do not need you to buy things for me to be good with us. But you wanted to do those things for me. And I want to do this for you.”
He studies me again, eternal seconds passing before his mouth closes down on mine, a rough passion in his kiss that I want to read, but too soon, it’s over. He tears his mouth from mine, and orders softly. “Climb in, baby.”
This time, I don’t hesitate. He wants me with him and I’m going with him.
I settle into the backseat and he follows, shutting us into the warmth of the heater Nelson has left cranking out air. Kace’s hand settles on my leg, possessiveness in his touch. Once again, I think that I really do have this sense I hit a nerve with Kace that I’m not well-versed enough on this complicated man to understand. But I want to understand him. I only know that I must, that it feels necessary. So quickly, too quickly perhaps, Kace is becoming a part of my life. He’s becoming important to me. And I’m not blind to the message he’s sending me by taking me along for this meeting. We’re building a bond. And the more he pulls me into his life, the more I have to come clean about mine.
The idea weighs on me, but not for long. The drive is short, and already it seems, as Nelson slows and turns into a property, we’ve arrived at Nix’s place.
“It’s beautiful,” I say, as I bring a giant mansion on the water aglow in lights, into view.
“As would be expected,” Kace says dryly. “He’s a filthy rich bastard who pimps me out no more.”
“Ouch,” I say. “That sounds like acid in the water.”
He shrugs as the vehicle halts in the driveway. “I actually like the guy. He’s just not listening right now, which is pissing me off.”
He reaches for the door and I catch his arm. “I know we’ve talked about me being here being fine, but it really seems like Nix will think I’m a distraction.”
“There’s nothing to distract from, Aria. I’ve been telling Nix and Bear that I’m done for a year. I gave them both notice. Bear gets it. Apparently Nix just needs me to look him in the eyes and say it.” He opens the door and steps outside, helping me out, only to waste no time once the door is shut. He leans into the Escalade, speaks to Nelson, and then he’s lacing his fingers with mine, pulling me toward the long staircase, which leads to double red doors.
