Page 304 of By His Rule

Aubrey nods. “Yes, but not personally. He’s too weak to get his hands dirty, but we also have the man he paid. He was just as easy to find.”

“What are you going to do with them?”

She tilts her head to the side. “Do you want to know?”

Acid swirls in my stomach. Despite appearances, Aubrey is lethal. She just covers it with a sweet smile and a banging body.

“Do whatever with the man he paid. I don’t know him, nor do I care to. But…” I glance at Kian, scared that he’s not going to approve of my next request, but when I find his eyes, all I see is understanding.

He nods, encouraging me to continue.

“Hurt Matt as much as you like, just…let him go after.”

Aubrey agrees, although she doesn’t look overly thrilled by the idea as Kian pushes from his seat and walks toward me.

Taking my hand, he pulls me to my feet and wraps me in his arms.

“You sure?” he asks.

“Very. No matter how bad his past is, everyone deserves some kind of a future.”

He drops his lips to my ear, and I shudder the second his breath rushes over my skin.

“You’re incredible.”

My entire body sags with happiness and relief, and he happily holds me up.

“I should probably go,” Aubrey says, slinking toward the door. “Call me if you need me.”

Before I can thank her, she’s slipped through the door, leaving us alone again.

“It’s over?” I whisper, blinking up at Kian.

“No, babe. It’s just starting.”

72

LORELEI

It’s been two weeks of pure heaven.

The kind of heaven that I never thought I’d have.

Sure, there have been times with my previous boyfriends that I thought were good. But I’m quickly discovering that those times weren’t all that, because this right now? Bliss.

Is it just the honeymoon period? Maybe. But I’m not worrying about what is going to come next or how our relationship might change. I am fully embracing what we have right now. And it is incredible.

By day, we work seamlessly side by side. Of course, Kian is as demanding and as overbearing as ever, and he still drives me insane most days, but now, he always soothes the annoyance with a little kiss or cuddle where he can.

And then, as soon as we walk out of Callahan Enterprises, we forget about being colleagues and focus on being a couple.

More often than not, we head back to his place and he either cooks or we get takeout.

We have been to my apartment, but it’s only been to collect things that I need.

Every time I’ve gone back there, I’ve expected to feel like I’d gone home. That I’d want to stay. But I don’t. It’s tainted now. Tainted by him.

I’ve tried my best not to think about him and what he did. I have questions. So many freaking questions. But I also have very little confidence that I’d ever get the answers. I’m not even sure he has them.

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