The Unfortunates(93)

The door begins to open and I see his bare hand as it grips the metal handle. I squint as my heart crashes painfully into my ribs.

“Dad!” I hear a voice shout in the distance and the door stops. Vince.

I see only Michael’s hand and a small glimpse of the sleeve of his jacket before he closes the door marginally.

“Go!” I whisper to Kade. “Make yourself invisible.”

He sends a glance over his shoulder—a warning glance that sends chills through my stomach and states clearly, ‘Don’t fuck this up.’ I shake my head. ‘I won’t,’ and Kade disappears. I slide from the bed and lean against the cold, slim metal post at the foot of the mattress. I hope he doesn’t invite Vince in… that’d ruin everything. The low murmur of conversation is quick and brief. I don’t hear a word of it, then the door opens and Michael steps inside. Nausea swirls in my tummy as he does a double take, letting his eyes rake over me. Michael kicks his door shut behind him and stuffs his hands into his jacket pockets.

“There better be a good explanation,” he says, his voice thick with warning and promise.

“Uh…” I swallow hard and rub my fingers over my palms behind my back. “Yes, sir, there is.”

I hate the way my voice shakes and I hate the way my lips tremble. I’ve never been terrified of Michael, but in this moment, I most certainly am. He stalks closer, his movements purposefully intimidating.

“Spit it out, Unfortunate. Why are you in my room?”

Every movement he makes is calculated—like a wolf—and the cold gleam in his eye reinforces my thought.

“I’ve come to see you,” I tell him, forcing confidence into my tone.

“That much is obvious. You’re in my room.”

Confidence, I remind myself. Confidence is sexy—according to Kade. I’m not sure how sound his advice is… confidence may be sexy, but being an Unfortunate and all, I can’t really do much with it. Confidence is a killer in my case. Literally.

“Perhaps you don’t understand,” I say, pushing off his bed. “I’m here to see you.”

I lock my stare with his and assess his body language. His broad shoulders are squared and tense. I barely see his dark irises between his suspicious slits and he tightens his jaw on and off in some kind of irregular rhythm.

“You’re barking up the wrong tree, Unfortunate.”

“Am I?” I counter, closing the distance between us on the tips of my toes and with a seductive sway in my hips. “You’re not the slightest bit curious to see what I have that makes your son so obsessed?”

I say it loud enough for Kade to hear and I almost smile at the thought of his scowling expression. I’m going to pay for that later.

“Kaden has always been the clingier one of the two, so don’t put any stock into his words and actions, foolish girl. You have what every woman has.”

What Kade has for me is much more than clinginess. He might not admit it, but I can feel it. I smirk and reach out for him. “Do I?” His entire body tightens as I run the very tips of my fingers over his shoulder.

His brows pull in. I love toying with his mind. It’s thrilling… excitement crackles through my body, heating me from the inside out. I circle him, taking note of the way his shoulders relax into my touch.

Gotcha.

“Wouldn’t you like to see for yourself?” I ask as I come to stand in front of him once more.

For a moment, he ponders the idea and I wait patiently as his wolfish stare roams me again, from head to toe. Then he surges forward and grips my hips. I gasp, more in shock than anything else as he yanks me up, wrapping my thighs around his body. Michael is strong-ish looking, but not like his sons, and as he holds me in his arms, I’m slightly worried he’s going to hurt his back, but his face betrays no sign of strain and his movements are strong and fluid as he carries me across the room to his desk. Rather harshly, he drops me against the white-painted wood. The cool surface freezes my bare ass and it is anything but arousing. Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure the swirl of uneasiness in my belly is disgust. I don’t want to do this. Surely, I’ve distracted him enough? He lowers his mouth to mine and stops as he inhales my breath. I simper and it feels fake—in a painfully obvious way—as his nose twitches and he picks up the scent his son left on me. “Have you been drinking whiskey, Love?”

If only he knew. “It’s forbidden, I would never,” I reply, squeezing him with my legs and pulling him closer. His back was to the bathroom. He’ll never see Kade come from there.

Michael’s cold hand presses against my outer thigh and I fight the urge to shudder as he drags his freakishly soft skin up mine. “I think you’ve been naughty…” he murmurs, our lips almost touching.