Page 31 of His Dark Hunger

“Apologies.” Kyle turned his head to glance at her. “Looks like we’ll need some time to eat, beautiful. How about you find Chef and see if there’s a plate for you? You deserve something nice to eat for all your effort.”

“Hear, hear,” the same man retorted, picking up his cutlery.

“Yes, sir.”

Giving him the answer, she was emboldened somehow, although the reasoning was all muddled in her head. She shouldn’t be aroused at the prospect of stripping for and serving men she didn’t know, let alone empowered by the acts, yet as she caught Kyle’s eyes, she accepted she no longer cared about logic.

She would do what she had to do, what she craved. For her sons, for Kyle, and damn it, for her own hedonism. She deserved that much.

“Before you go, Amy, kneel.”

Kyle’s command took her by surprise, but she resisted the urge to query him and succumbed, falling slowly to her knees by his side. It was as though he’d read her thoughts and understood her desire to surrender. After so many days of intensity, maybe he did.

“Come here.” He beckoned her forward with his right hand, his digits burying into her tresses as soon as she’d shuffled along the floor to his liking. “I have something for you before you go.”

It was difficult to say what was going through her head as she complied, but she comprehended on some level that it was the power of his blue gaze that held her there every inch as much as his fingers in her hair. Kneeling less than five inches from his body, she waited as he lowered, twisting his body so their faces met. The adoration in his eyes was like the light of the sun—warm, comforting, and damn near impossible to resist.

“Good girl, Amy.” His hand shifted to her nape, the digits tightening at her neck. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Her gaze flickered closed as his lips neared, her body already yielding to the caress he was about to bestow.

Chapter Eleven

What Amy did next

Kyle

She teetered away on the heels he’d bought her as though she was drunk, taking tiny, unsteady steps and clinging to the wood doorframe. Watching her departure, he smiled. She definitely hadn’t been drinking, so he hoped the response was entirely thanks to the kiss he’d given her. He knew he’d loved every second of the sublime caress.

“What the fuck was that?” Nigel whistled from his right side. “Are my eyes deceiving me, or is William Kyle finally in love?”

In love.

The words pinballed around Kyle’s head like the resonance of a deep, bassy song.

“What are you talking about?” Kyle peered at his mozzarella, trying to decide if he had any appetite for the meal. It looked good, of course, and like all of Leonard’s cooking, he was sure it tasted fabulous, but Shaun was right; Amy did have a way of diverting his interest elsewhere.

“You and her,” Roger hissed.

“Shehas a name,” Kyle countered.

It was one thing for him to belittle and dehumanize the gorgeous brunette he’d claimed, but he wouldn’t allow anyoneelse to denigrate her, especially the likes of Roger. He’d called the men ‘friends’ when he’d described them to Amy, but in truth, only Shaun had a compassionate ear. The rest of them were overpaid assholes who he mainly still associated with because of the clubs and assets they owned. The truth was he wouldn’t trust most of them as far as he could throw them.

“Touchy!” Roger smirked. “That kinda just proves Nigel’s point, Kyle. You have it bad.”

“Actually, I have it good.” Kyle grinned as he recalled how divine Amy’s throat had felt earlier that day. “Fucking brilliant, really. I reckon you’re just jealous, Reynolds.”

“No chance,” Roger spat, but his defensiveness only strengthened Kyle’s point. He was dripping with envy for the wonderful arrangement Kyle had made with Amy, and for that, Kyle couldn’t blame him. She was wonderful, the best he could ever remember having.

“How long is she sticking around?” Shaun pushed the sliced tomato around his plate.

“For as long as I say so.” Kyle seized a piece of cheese and chewed on it while the rest of the sentence resounded in his head.

And that will be a fucking long time.

“I thought you said there was some kind of deal?” Stuart barked from the end of the party.

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