Page 31 of A Heart So Savage

Ava had remained quiet while he continued dressing in a dark suit with a smokey grey button-down shirt.

“No harm in letting you have it back now,” he had added nonchalantly as she frowned at him, still ignoring the phone.

Which was a lie. He was a complete idiot for giving her that cell phone. He might as well have handed over a loaded gun and watched while she blazed her way out of The Den.

Lifting the decanter, he was pouring another when the sharp click of high heels on the marble floor outside the double doors signaled Ava’s arrival. He heard her soft murmur as she thanked Paulie for his escort. A second later, she slipped into the room.

Every nerve in Kingston’s body popped off like fireworks at the sight of her.

Framed by the intricately carved doors imported from Turkey, she was an absolute vision in a silvery blue slip dress with a small silver purse clutched in her hands. The garment’s shimmery strands were subtle but eye-catching, turning her eyes a darker shade of green. To balance the dramatic dress, she’d swiped her lips with a sheer pink color that made Kingston desperate to bite them until they turned blood red from the pressure of his teeth.

He set the decanter down on the bar, leaving the glass of bourbon beside it. Sauntering toward her, he came to a halt in the room’s center.

His gaze slid over her body and the dress she wore. The garment ended around mid-thigh, accentuating the length of her legs, as did the delicate silver heels she wore. A wrap constructed of sheer, gauzy material dangled from the crook of one arm. She looked ethereal. Elegant. Confident yet scared.

Scared of him.

And Kingston suddenly, inexplicably, didn’t want that. At least, not at that moment.

“You didn’t say if we were dining at a five-star burger joint or something more refined.” Ava’s jaw tilted as she walked toward him. Then she was gliding past, her shoulder brushing his. The soft scent of honeysuckles drifted in her wake, and Kingston watched in faint amusement as she continued until she reached the bar.

With her back to him, she lifted his abandoned glass of bourbon. “Do you mind?”

Kingston smiled. “Not at all.” He could not tear his gaze away from the expanse of skin exposed by the dress’s design. Her entire back was bare from the draping cowl and the way she’d twisted her hair into an intricate bun at the nape of her neck. As he demanded, she wore no bra.

With one quick swallow, Ava downed the glass’s contents before turning to face him. Her eyes were bright with challenge, her cheeks flushed pink from the bourbon’s heat.

“I’m ready to go, sir,” she ground out.

“In a second. Let me look at you first.” Taking her hand, Kingston pulled her forward. “You are stunning.” It’d only been a day since he’d seen her but it felt like a century.

“Thank you. I assume I’m dressed appropriately?”

“Very.” Kingston’s gaze touched the small silver purse clutched in her hand. “Where’s your cell?”

Ava’s mouth tightened. “It wouldn’t fit. I’ve been without it this long, what’s one more night? Besides, in my current situation, it’s an unnecessary piece of technology.”

“I gave you permission to use it.”

“I don’t require your permission to use my own phone,” she bristled, eyes flashing fire.

“You’re right.” Kingston chuckled. “At the moment, you don’t. But remember, privileges may always be revoked at my discretion.” Releasing her hand, he curled an arm about her waist. As her sweet scent drifted into his nostrils, his eyes closed in delight.

“You always smell so delicious, Ava,” he hummed. “Like a forbidden treat waiting to be devoured.”

Ava’s responsive shiver was a tempting invitation, but Kingston resisted with an apologetic sigh. A second later, his cell phone buzzed with the notification that their car was ready for the short journey to the private airstrip.

“Come along, Ava. Time to show the world that you are mine.”

* * *

Kingston saton one side of the limo, arms stretched along the back of the cushion, legs sprawled in the open floor space before him.

Ava was perched on the opposite seat, hands clasped primly in her lap, the silvery wrap shielding her bare back from the cold leather. She kept her gaze trained on the tinted window although it was too dark to see the landscape flashing by.

“Are you cold?”

His question caused her to noticeably jump. She adjusted her position with a shake of her head.

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