Page 17 of Wicked Kingpin

Chapter Seven

Leah woke up surrounded in unfamiliar dark-blue silk sheets. Silk? She opened her eyes and noticed she wasn’t alone. Someone was watching her. For a second, panic speared thorough her entire body. Leah took a deep breath, then another. The events of last night returned to her. Larry’s betrayal. Knox Carter unhinging her entire life. Knox putting his talented mouth to her pussy.

She blushed, remembering she had an erotic dream of him. One that didn’t end with Knox eating her pussy but with Knox finally taking his fill of her.

“Good morning, kitten,” Knox stepped away from the windows. He was undoing his tie. Leah noticed the way he was dressed and frowned. Wasn’t he dressed in that same suit last night, before he bade her good night?

“Did you just come in?” she asked. “Were you out all night?”

“So many questions.” Knox took off his jacket. “But, yeah. Had some business I needed to take care of.”

Leah didn’t ask him for any more details because she didn’t like to know. She remembered Knox telling her the same about his mother, how she didn’t want to know what went on in the family business. Except Leah wasn’t Knox’s girlfriend or wife. She didn’t even know what she was to him. Not knowing her place in his world made her a little uneasy.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. He patted the space next to him. Leah scooted down the bed and considered her next words.

She summoned the courage to ask him the most important question. “What are you planning to do with me? Keep me here? Am I your prisoner?”

Leah doubted he would let her go, but it wasn’t like she wanted to return to the apartment she shared with Larry either. She didn’t know or understand her brother anymore. The awful thing was, Leah knew Larry wouldn’t change. She had tried to ween Larry off his gambling addiction, but Larry never wanted her help. Given the chance, her brother would sell her off again.

“I’m not a caged bird you can keep,” she finally said out of desperation.

Last night, Leah allowed herself to get lost in Knox. He was a beautiful distraction. When Knox put his mouth and hands on her body, it was easy to forget about the real world. Reality was ugly. Messy. Leah didn’t want to think about Larry or the fact she had nothing going on in her life. She was just going through the cycles, never thinking of the future. Merely living one day at a time.

Knox began drawing circles on her thigh with his fingers.

Leah didn’t tell him to stop. She welcomed his touch and didn’t understand her attraction to him or why she felt so calm around him. So safe. His apartment felt like an impenetrable fortress and she was the princess trapped in the tower. Larry couldn’t reach her here. Nothing and no one could touch her because Knox ruled these streets, this city.

She could pretend to be Knox’s captive for all she wanted but that wasn’t what Leah really was. Someone who truly wanted to be free would attempt an actual escape, would fight to her very last breath. What exactly was she fighting against? All she did was have dinner at Knox’s apartment and sleep in his big bed.

“Is it so awful being with me?” Knox finally asked. He sounded and looked tired. There were dark circles under his eyes. He smelled like cigarette smoke.

“Yes.” A heartbeat later, she told him the truth because Leah couldn’t bear to lie to him. “No.”

Leah didn’t like seeing him like this. The Knox she met last night had been cocky, so full of himself. His arrogance was part of his charm, his appeal. Must be hard being him. She shouldn’t feel any sympathy for a dangerous man like him but right now, he looked like he could use a friend. Resting her head on his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug. Not the easiest thing in the world to do considering Knox’s size.

She had no clue what she was doing but it felt like the right thing to do.

Knox gathered her close and rested his lips against the bite mark on her neck. He didn’t say a single thing, which was fine with her.

“You’re a gift, kitten,” he finally spoke. “But don’t tell anyone about this.”

“That I hugged you?” she asked, skeptical.

Knox seemed reluctant to pull away from her. He stared at his hands as he spoke. “That I have moments of doubts, of weakness.”

“Everyone does.”

“Not me.” Knox sighed. He finally looked at her and answered her earlier question. “You’re staying here. You have to. I’ll have my men bring your belongings from your old apartment.”

She had to? Knox should know by now she didn’t like being given orders.

“Wait a damn second. You can’t just make those decisions for me,” Leah said.

Knox’s gaze darkened. “I can and I will. Leah, hours ago I just found out there’s a traitor in my organization.”

Leah began to open her mouth, to tell him to shove it, but he placed a finger on her lips. The concern in his eyes gave her pause.

Knox spoke again. “That’s not the only thing I’m worried about. Last night, I wasn’t discreet. Everyone, including my enemies, would find out how important you are to me sooner or later. They’ll use you against me. You’re in danger.”

---