Page 61 of Revenge

Throwing the phone on the bed, I pulled my sweater over my head and made for the shower.

They say if you can’t beat them. Join them. After thoroughly washing my body and hair, I picked out nice underwear and a plain black dress. It was a short strappy number and I added black ballet flats. I left my dark hair loose and put on a thin layer of lipstick. Maybe I could seduce Kai into letting me go? Yeah right, just like I did on my sixteenth birthday!

Slipping the phone down the front of my dress and into my bra, I set off for the kitchen. And what I saw when I got there almost floored me.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I could smell the hint of garlic and spices. As usual, two of Kai’s men were by the front doors. I smiled sweetly, and they exchanged puzzled looks, unsure how to take me.

When I entered the kitchen, Kai stood on the other side of the counter; behind the section that would be used as a breakfast bar. I eyed the tall bar stools pushed under there as I warily approached. Kai had his broad back to me, and a tea towel was slung over his shoulder. God those were wide, and I suppose they needed to be considering the burdens they held.

Kai was chopping herbs and sliding them into a pot on the cooker. Pans and cooking equipment were strewn around. It appeared Kai was the chef tonight.

Clearing my throat, Kai turned, his handsome features softening as he saw me. I could see he appreciated my effort to dress up and a twinge of pleasure darted through me, my skin warming.

Kai lookedamazing, he wore black tailored trousers which hugged his gorgeous arse and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled back, showing off his inked, muscled forearms.

As I approached, he placed the point of the knife against the chopping board on the counter, facing me. He smiled as he leaned one strong tanned hand on the handle. Danger leaked from every pore but he was still as attractive as fuck.

“You cook?” I said, surprise evident in my tone.

“I do. I’m quite the Chef, so I’ve been told,” he replied with a cocky twist of his mouth. “Please,” he added, motioning me to take a seat. I walked over, fluffing my hair as I went.

“You look beautiful. I’m glad you decided to obey my rules for once,” Kai stated.

“I see you are wearing your arrogance like a crown as usual. Should I call you, your majesty?”

Kai mocked me, “If it pleases you.” Fuck me, the last time we’d lived together, he hardlyeversmiled. It should have been disconcerting, considering I still didn’t know where I stood, but it wasn’t. I liked it.

I could see the kitchen table had also been laid out ready. It was covered with a white cloth and two places were set. An open bottle of red wine was in the middle, next to a candle that had been lit. The atmosphere oozed romance.

“Is it stupid to say, I hope you like Italian?”

Tucking myself onto one of the stools, I placed my hands flat on the surface. “You mean because my father was Italian?”

Kai wobbled the knife, “Yes.”

My eyes skirted over the tanned column of his throat. Kai had removed his tie again and the buttons were open there. I so watched to touch that space with my mouth.

“You’re in luck. I love it,” I replied, telling my lustful thoughts to get a grip.

“Would you like a glass of wine before we eat?”

My heart started to beat faster and taking a deep breath, I narrowed my eyes, “I don’t know. Do I need my wits about me?”

He chuckled, “You should always have your wits about you around questionable men,” Kai smirked.

He was so fucking sexy and he knew it. My eyes fell to the side where I had shot him, I wondered if it still caused him pain.

“Yes, please. A glass can’t hurt.”

Kai poured two glasses of wine from a bottle on the counter and briefly turned to stir the pot. It looked like a Bolognese sauce and smelt divine. As he walked over and handed me a glass, I thanked him and took a large sip. It was clearly expensive and I welcomed the rich taste as it ran down my throat.

I wasn’t used to such luxury. I had earned such a small amount of money working in the shop and couldn’t afford nice wine. Anton and I would usually drink cheap plonk from the supermarket.

“So, you admit you’re a questionable man?” I said as he turned back to face me.

“Of course, I never said I was the good guy. I’m bad to the bone. Why would I want to be anything else? Being good is dull. It takes class and balls to be the villain.”

“You weren’t always that way. I remember a nice guy once. The type to sit and watch movies with me and play video games. You even picked me up from school before I got sent away to that hell hole.”

---