Page 56 of Mark & Don't Tell

Heart rate mostly settled, I head out of the alley and onto the sidewalk, breathing out a sigh of relief when I see Kai leaning against a very expensive car and frowning at the front doors. Once I get close enough for my scent to waft in his direction, he breathes in, and his head snaps toward me, pupils dilating slightly as he takes me in.

The difference between my jeans and his are a couple hundred dollars, and the simple white tee he’s wearing fits in all the right ways, stretching tight across his chest, wrapping perfectly around those strong biceps, and cut around the torso in a way that’s breathable but still doesn’t leave much to the imagination.

Kai is fit.

“Daria.” He purrs my name as his gaze slowly tracks back up my legs, and I try not to melt on the sidewalk.

“Hey,” I say, voice breathy—mostly from the fire escape, but also because Kai is hot as hell and he’s mine. Whoa, girl, he’s still technically courting you.

“Where did you come from?” His eyes finally meet mine.

“Is that a pickup line?”

He smiles. “I expected you to come out of the front.”

“Oh, right.” I vaguely gesture behind me. “There’s a back way.” A full two seconds pass, and Kai gives me a look that makes me worry he suspects something is up, but he simply steps away from his car and opens the door for me or, rather, lifts it. The interior is all black leather with red stitching that matches the paint job.

“Scared?”

I pull my attention from the pretty car that I have no business getting inside of and look at Kai, remembering the way Vic had asked me the same thing. “No.”

“Get in the car, Daria.”

Oof. Yes, Daddy, whatever you say.

He doesn’t move when I step toward the door, and I tip my head back to meet his heated gaze as I place my hand on the top of the car. As warm citrus coils around me, I release a soft sound of approval. Kai’s chest rumbles with a purr when I turn, my ass brushing over his body as I sit.

The scissor door closes with a soft click, leaving me in the car alone as Kai walks around the front. I suck in a deep breath, greedily basking in his scent and shamelessly brushing my fingers over the seat, marking it with my scent. I do a quick sweep of the inside of the car, noting that there’s only a small storage space behind the seats, since this car is meant for two people.

Kai’s door glides open with a soft whir, and I watch with fascination as he folds himself into the low-slung vehicle. He’s so tall, I expect him to look awkward, but of course, he doesn’t. No. Kai looks right at home as he presses the button to turn on the car, pushing in the clutch and placing his hand on the gear shift.

He glances at me. “Seat belt.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” I say with a grin, tugging on my seat belt. As soon as the metal clicks, Kai checks traffic and tears away from the curb, sending my heart rate skyrocketing and my cunt fluttering in approval.

His knuckles are white on the clutch. “You smell fucking divine.”

“So do you,” I confess.

“Did you mark your seat?” he asks, flicking his gaze to me before focusing on the road.

“Yes.”

“Good,” he says, smirking as he merges onto the freeway. “I like to go fast, but I don’t want to scare you. Are you okay with that?”

I appreciate him checking in, but this car was made for speed. “Show me what you got, big guy.”

“Tease,” he tosses in my direction before punching it.

My back presses into the seat, and a huge smile tugs at my lips as he effortlessly weaves in and out of traffic, heading out of town. With the vibration of the car hitting in all the right places, I press my thighs together, attempting to ease the ache between them. My thong is soaked.

“Where are we going?” I ask, hoping the distraction will keep him from noticing the musk feathering around the edges of my lavender scent.

“How do you feel about helicopters?”

Twenty-One

KAI

---