Page 16 of Reckless Games

Inviting her here was a mistake, but I couldn’t help it. And now that she’s walked through the doors, I’m tempted to chain her up in the basement so I’ll never have to watch her walk away again.

A thought that makes me sound unhinged, if not a little psychotic. But this girl drives me insane. Ever since the first time I saw her six months ago, I haven’t been able to get the image of her sweet eyes and white-blonde hair out of my mind.

I’m not the kind of man who gets attached—especially when it comes to women. I don’t obsess about them. I don’t get hung up on simple nonsense like her distinct vanilla scent.

She breaks every fucking rule and then some.

The reason I invited her to my ridiculous holiday gathering was to fuck her out of my system. I assumed if I could just get a taste I’d be over her as quickly as I am anything else. If only it didn’t do the exact opposite.

The way she moaned for me.

Came for me.

Submitted to me.

The way she looked with her perfect ass in the air and the way she sounded with my name ripping from her lungs. I had no other choice but to pull out and mark her with my cum. And fuck if the sight of claiming her didn’t stir up something foreign.

“You’re fucked, man.” Cillian chuckles, raking his short, brown hair back.

“What would you know?”

Cillian’s worse than me when it comes to women.

At least I’ve had a brief relationship or two. While he’s never spent more than a few nights with the same person. Not that his lifestyle makes commitment easy to come by. Between working as my bodyguard and his own family ties he’s been avoiding, he doesn’t stay in one place long. That and the fact that he’s only twenty-seven and enjoying his last bit of freedom until his father inevitably summons him to his obligations; Cillian has no interest in settling down.

“I know how I saw you look at her.” Cillian rests one ankle on the opposite knee and leans back. “Does she even know?”

“No.”

She doesn’t need to.

Lake introduced herself as Ivy, so clearly, she’s pretending to be her sister for one reason or another. I need to hold off to see how that plays out. Besides, if she thinks I’m only fucking her because she’s pretending to be her socialite twin, she won’t know the real reason.

Cillian drops his feet to the floor and leans forward, elbows on his knees. “I’m going to enjoy this, boss.”

“What?”

“Watching some chick ruin the future head of the Kingsley empire.”

“Not sure what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do.”

I stand up, pushing away from my desk. “I don’t pay you to think.”

Cillian stays seated, shaking his head and watching me walk over to the bar in the corner. I pour myself a drink, knowing it’s too early but not giving a shit. This is the only week of the year I’ve got free reign to not think about all the crap back in LA. And even if these weeklong escapes are designed for specific reasons, it’s the only seven days of the year I’m free from the constant demands of my position.

As the face of the Kingsley Corporation, one of the largest real estate empires on the West Coast, there are always eyes on me. I never let my guard down, no matter the situation. The last thing I need is someone using my own discretions as cannon fodder.

That’s my job.

What began as a legitimate house-flipping business quickly grew to a multi-billion-dollar empire. And somehow, the more money you have the more money you need. The bigger you grow, the dirtier your hands.

While Dad maintains the legitimate side of the business, I’m the one who actually makes us money. I sort out the deals with the Manzanettis and Romanovs, and somehow keep us out of the crosshairs. I keep people in line and weed out our enemies.

After all, that’s why I’m here.

Inviting Lake into this is a distraction when I know better. Still, nothing could have stopped me from ensuring an invite landed on her doorstep. Even if I wasn’t sure she’d accept the offer.

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