Page 25 of King Of Order

His eyes flashed with defiance.

‘Neither do I like being bullied or compelled into a decision.’

‘I’ll leave then,’ Rio growled, half rising from his chair.

I’d pissed him off.

He didn’t hide his annoyance, either. It was plain on his face. This man was not thwarted most of the time; he liked control, and I refused to hand it over to him.

I still wanted to dally, though.

At what, though?I wasn’t even sure myself.

‘Don’t go,’ I murmured, reaching for his arm. ‘How this night plays may sway my verdict.’

He shifted his sinewed, power-driven torso and canted his brow. ‘I don’t like games, Miss Tirone.’

His growl was like that of a beast, roused, irritable, and about to pounce. I found that I liked him that way. Beastly.

Fuck, I wanted to tame him.

‘Nor do I,’ I murmured, ‘but I appreciate certainty; I need to know I can trust you.’

‘So,’ he said, his voice lowering as he tilted his head, ‘what’s it going to be?’

I paused, fingers tracing the glass stem. The tension between us was as complex as the wine, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to finish it. ‘I guess I’ll find out.’

He angled his head. ‘Join me. Let’s get more comfortable. I find bar stools shit for intimacy.’

His grunt was deep, graveled, warm, fucking enticing as he gestured to the booth he’d vacated in the corner, inviting me.

‘Sit. I’ll order something to help soak up that wine.’

I hesitated but followed, sliding into the plush seat across from him.

The dim light above us cast soft shadows on his face, and he appeared relaxed, unaffected by the storm of emotion swirling in me.

He caught the bartender’s eye and ordered a simple sharing platter: bread, cheese, and olives. I welcomed the idea, keen for food to soak up the two glasses of wine I’d consumed.

‘How was your day?’ Rio asked after a moment, leaning back against the sumptuous leather of the booth.

His question seemed innocent enough, but it hit me with a more profound essence than expected.

I laughed, but there was no humor in it.

‘Wild as fuck,’ I admitted, the words pouring out before I had the chance to stop them. ‘It seems like everything’s slipping through my fingers. Like I’m in free fall, with my world falling apart, and I don’t know how to halt it. I need a lifeline I can hold on to.’

I paused, taking a moment, my voice dipping lower as my loneliness and sadness crept through. ‘I keep having life happen to me like I’m out of control.’

He didn’t respond right away - he listened, attentive, with those quiet, observant eyes.

It made me want to say more, even though I was barely acquainted with him.

Despite the menace, he’d an air to him, a solid grounding, like I could rest all my troubles on him. Somehow, he made the reality around me feel less overwhelming, like he’d kick ass and win no matter the situation.

The kind of energy I needed at this moment now.

Yet, at the same time, he unnerved me.

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