Page 58 of Indecent Villain

His eyes drop, and he focuses on Kinsley, becoming angry when he notices our intertwined hands on her stomach.

"Kinsley." He holds out a hand. "Cannon Edge."

She releases my hand and takes his. "It's nice to meet you."

Rossi laughs.

What the fuck is wrong with him tonight?

Edge goes rigid and meets my gaze.

Is Edge trying to tell me something? I feel like I’m surrounded by a nest of vipers ready to strike.

"We all know Kinsley is not pleased to be meeting the man who killed her parents," Rossi says.

A tick starts in Edge's jaw, which is a sure sign the man is about to lose his temper.

With Kinsley’s hand still in his, Edge says, "Do not believe everything you are told about me. When we speak privately, you can ask me anything you wish, and I promise on my name, to answer you truthfully." To me, he says, "I hope you can facilitate the meeting. You have my word, no harm will come to Kinsley."

Lost for words, I nod. First, Rossi is either amused or trying to fuck shit up, and now Edge sounds more fucking sincere than I've ever heard him. What the fuck is going on?

"Allow me to introduce you to my brother and sister." Edge moves beside Kinsley. "This is Xavier, the one with the brains, and this is our sister, Cleo."

"Don't I have any brains, brother?" Cleo hisses with a disregarded glance at Kinsley.

Edge mutters something under his breath that Kinsley seems to hear, as she coughs to hide a chuckle.

Xavier takes Kinsley's hand and kisses her knuckles. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Rossi claps his hands, breaking the awkward silence. "Is there food at this dinner, because I'm starved?"

22

KINSLEY

Briefly alone with Tiberius,I whisper, “That was the most awkward dinner. I thought Cannon might leap across the table and stab Rossi with his steak knife.”

“Edge is good with knives. All he’d have to do is throw one at the man and it’d kill him.”

I shudder and turn my body toward him. My arms slip inside his dinner jacket as they wrap around his waist. “I love being able to claim you as mine in public. No hiding how I feel about you.”

He cups the back of my head and tips my face up to his. "How do you feel about me?"

My heart pounds. My eyes sparkle as I look up at him, a mischievous smile playing on my lips. "I love you, Tiberius Beckett," I whisper.

He leans in to kiss me and whispers, "I love you too, sweetheart."

A throat clears, interrupting our moment.

"Can I speak to Kinsley?" Cannon asks.

After a brief hesitation, Tiberius says, "The library. I will give you privacy, but I'm not leaving her alone with you."

Cannon holds Tiberius’s gaze as if they are silently communicating.

As one, we head toward the library. I notice Veronica and Cleo huddled together in one corner of the living room, engaged in a hushed conversation as we pass. Rossi sits in an armchair with a glass of bourbon in hand, while Xavier looks bored to death as he stands beside Saul. The tension in the room is thick as we continue toward the library.

Cannon’s proximity has me on edge, but I maintain my composure as Tiberius guides me to an elegant chair in the far corner of the room, away from the windows. He indicates for Cannon to take the opposite chair.

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