Page 95 of Cruelly Fated
He groaned. “You can’t call me that. I’m in a meeting.”
“Well, you called me,Mr. Sexy Boss.”
Kyon had officially left his enforcer role and launched a real estate and development firm with Valor. They were building more high-rises in midtown, but after some convincing,he’d also agreed to open a nonprofit focused on improving housing in the low-fae district.
“I just wanted to know when you’re gonna be here,” he said.
“Must not be a very important meeting,” I teased. “Come outside.” I hung up.
I’d parked at Ms. Robinson’s, across the street from the newest construction site—Grandpa’s old house. Kyon had bought the property back from the bank and insisted on restoring it himself. And Grandpa insisted on helping. Thanks to Marley, who used Grandpa as a witness in Larry's case, the judge lowered his sentence to the time he'd already served, making him a free man again.
I sucked in a breath, heat coiling low as I remembered how good Kyon looked that morning in those snug construction overalls. I’d had to physically restrain myself from jumping him.
I crossed the street.
A towering figure strode down the newly rebuilt steps, confident and lithe, just like the first time I saw him at the prison, but now in broad daylight and all mine. We halted on either side of a fresh brick half-wall.
I tapped a finger to my lips. “Not sure which I like better—the orange jumpsuit or the overalls.”
He planted both hands on the brick and leaned in, his voice low and full of promise. “I can model both for you later.”
My pulse fluttered. “Oh. Color me intrigued.”
His emerald eyes smoldered. “It's a date. What’ve you got there?”
“The surprise. Is he inside?” I pressed two boxes to my chest. I couldn't wait to give them to Grandpa.
“Yes and expecting you,” he said. He took the boxes from my arms and set them aside, then gripped my waist and hoisted me right over the wall and straight into his arms. I wrapped my arms and legs around him instinctively, our lips finding each other like magnets.
“Mmm. I expect averywarm welcome home tonight,” he murmured against my lips before setting me down and giving my ass firm squeeze.
“Hey! Mr. Sexy Boss,” I protested, half-laughing.
We strode into the house, him radiating delicious heat by my side. Grandpa hung from a ladder by one hand, his boots scraping for purchase.
“Grandpa!” I shouted from the doorway.
Kyon darted into the kitchen and caught the old beaver before he completely slipped from the ladder.
“Oh, thanks, son,” Grandpa said, patting Kyon’s face with a gnarled paw.
I smothered a grin behind my hand. Kyon looked like someone had just handed him a crying baby. He still wasn’t used to being touched or called “son,” especially by an eccentric old man.
“What were you doing all the way up there?” I asked as Grandpa patted the ladder, which was awkwardly slanted above the new kitchen cabinets.
“I’m installing LED lights,” he said proudly.
My jaw dropped. The house was becoming more of a man cave by the day.
Kyon just shook his head at me. Whose side was he on?
I struggled with the idea of Grandpa’s gang-member roommate. Apparently, the two had bonded, and since the bear shifter had nowhere else to go, Grandpa had offered him the spare bedroom—mine, technically, since I was now living with Kyon.
“Promise me you’ll ask for help next time. That's not safe,” I said, grabbing the ladder just in time before it slipped and dented the cabinets. Kyon took it from me and set it in the living room.
“Here, these are for you. A housewarming gift,” I said, thrusting both boxes into his hands.
“Really?” His eyes sparkled. “You didn’t have to—” He fell silent.
