Page 6 of Give It a Day
I sigh, rubbing my temples as to ward off the Kaye-induced headache I’m experiencing. From what my parents informed me, Kaye has been the key to a local mafia’s success, yet she seems to be alarmingly unaware of what my family does. “My family’s ininvestments. High risk, high reward. And your family, from what I understand, has a significant influence in the underbelly on the other side of the country. To be clear, putting us together is like setting oil on fire, Kaye.”
“So then why marry into each other’s families?” She pouts, looking more confused than ever. Granted, the way I phrased that wasn’t ideal, but my mask is starting to slip, showing cracks of the authoritarian in me taking rein. The charming act isn’t working anyway. She’s still being defiant.
I consider the best way to explain why, which is honestly that our respective families could inadvertently tear each other’s throats apart if we don’t collaborate instead of compete. And if our families end up tearing each other apart, we’ll only manage to take each other down, becoming vulnerable to our much worse enemies. But I have to phrase this in a much more palatable way, if I’m to win over Kaye. “Our marriage would control a fire instead of letting it burn us all. A way to ensure peace and cooperation between our families and the worlds we control. Our marriage would be a symbol of power and a threat to others, but a safety net for our families.”
“Damon, this is all very interesting and everything, but getting married ina couple of hours?” She pinches her brows at me as if to beg me to see reason. “That’s insane.”
“It’s the way it has to be,” I say firmly, unmoved by however enchanting she’s been. I quite enjoyed her brief act of a lost little lamb. It practically makes my mouth water. But my voice invites no arguments as it should. This insufficient charming act of mine is thrown away and replaced by the cold, hard truth. “The arrangements have already been made, the guests are arriving, and our parents are patiently waiting for us to sealthe deal. We have no choice but to go through with it.”
She bites her goddamn bottom lip, furrowing her brows at me again as if to critically eye me, when really, all she’s doing is being more captivating to me. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Deadly.” I don’t skip a beat, ensuring my piercing gaze and body language are unyielding to her allure. “Listen to me. Today, you become Kayla Song-Smith. You’ll marry me, move into my estate, you’ll attend events by my side, and you’ll bear our heir.”
Her eyes widen at my words, and I heard her breath hitch more and more with every phrase I said, which, again, granted, I’ve made into a simple to-do list, as though I’m not upending her whole life. But seeing as Kaye and I are both adult children from criminal families, she must surely know that sacrifices must be made for the benefit of our businesses. That doesn’t appear to be the case as she takes a slow step forward, most likely thinking of how she could possibly pass and outrun me with her leather pants and heeled shoes on.
I take a step forward too. “Run if you like,” I challenge her, my voice low with that hint of warning. “But Iwillbring you back, and believe me, I’ll make this wedding day much worse.”
“You’re really good at flirting. Has anyone told you that?” she murmurs sarcastically as she takes another step.
I smirk, amused by her stubbornness. “Only by the many women who fall at my feet,” I say while my eyes never leave hers, even as she keeps stepping forward. “But you, little bird, are different. You’re the only one who refuses to fall in line, and that makes you all the more…fun.”
“How charmingly honest of you,” she murmurs sarcastically again. “This was a really lovely conversation, Damon. Hopefully, we never have to speak again…” Then she sprints.
How fun.
I chuckle darkly, finding her sudden sprint amusing. I expected nothing less from a flight risk like her at this point.
Quickly, I close the distance again, my long strides eating up the ground between us. When she turns to find me closer to her than she may have hoped, I lunge forward, catching her around her waist and pulling her into my arms.
Now, she’s caught.Now, she’s mine.
3
Kayla
Fucking leather tights and stupid heels! Why am I not always dressed in clothes that will let me outrun a sexy, six-foot supermodel-looking prince of crime? How ridiculous of me to not be in the proper attire for that…
Damon caught me in a matter of seconds. I didn’t even make it all the way down the church steps.
“Tsk tsk,” he whispers in my ear as he holds me firmly in his flexing arms. “And here I thought you’d put up more of a fight.” His grip is powerful but not painful. “You really shouldn’t have run.”
“I can fight, asshole!” I shout as I squirm against his hold, feeling his warm and firm body pressed against my back.
His hot breath hits my neck, making my spine shiver. For good or bad reasons? I don’t know and I don’t have time to think about why my traumatic childhood and life of crime have messed me the hell up, because I’m busy kicking my legs in the air and screaming at him angrily to “Put me the fuck down!”
He chuckles, the sound rumbling from his chest to my back. His surprisingly strong arms tighten around me—okay, sleeper bod—pinning my arms to my sides as he effortlessly carries me away fromthe church.
“Save your energy, little bird.” His voice sounds like a mix of amusement and authority.
So damn hot, when it really, really shouldn’t be.
Distracted by him again, I shake my head and remember what I’m trying to do here.
“Wait, wait, where are you taking me!” I’m still squirming in his arms, but I’m panicking as he takes me further and further away from the church.
“Somewhere private,” he says, opening a nearby car’s door and unceremoniously dumping me onto its backseat. He follows me in, shutting the door behind him and sealing me off from the world outside.
I suppose this isn’t so bad. A smaller space with just Damon. Maybe I can put some sense into him, and then he can help us drive away from this stupid wedding.
