Page 14 of Ruthless Heir

I can't help but feel a shiver run down my spine as his words sink in. Something is unsettling about the way he regards the world and his place in it. It makes me wonder just how far he's willing to go to assert his dominance.

As we finish our breakfast, I can't help but feel grateful for the reprieve from my room for a bit. Despite the early interruption of my sleep and literally being dragged from my bed, there's a sense of freedom in being out in the world, even if it's just for a little while and even if I have to share that moment with Kai.

But as we leave the diner and step back out into the cool morning air, I know that this moment of respite won't last for long. Kai's figurative grip on me is unyielding, and I'm not sure how much longer I can continue to live under his thumb.

For now, though, I'll do what I have to in order to help my family. And perhaps, with time, we could settle into a mutually beneficial compromise.

Kai and I walk back toward his estate in silence, the occasional honking of a car piercing through the quiet morning. I try to distract myself by taking in my surroundings —the colorful graffiti on the walls, the smell of freshly brewed coffee from nearby cafés, and the lively chatter of people walking by.

But my thoughts keep drifting back to Kai and his words. It's unnerving to think he believes he owns every aspect of my life and emotion. And even more unsettling to wonder what he'd do if I were to defy him.

As if sensing my unease, he turns to me. “Get out of your head, milseán. The severity of your punishment will depend on you. I won't do anything drastic unless you give me a reason to.”

“Like what?” I ask warily.

“Like trying to escape,” he replies calmly. “Or disobeying me in any way. You're smart enough to know where your boundaries lie. It's even more important to note that I will not tolerate a liar.”

I nod, still unsure of what to make of his warnings. But I know better than to push him too far.

We continue walking in silence for a while longer before we reach his estate. As we enter through the gates, I feel a pang of anxiety. I'm headed back to my personal prison under his watchful eye.

“You can go back to your room now,” Kai says, interrupting my thoughts. “I have some business to attend to.”

I nod and turn to leave when he adds, “Don't forget what we talked about. Your behavior will determine what your future holds.”

I wet my lips nervously and force myself to reply, “Yes, got it. Noted.”

He smirks at my insistence on still being a smart-ass. He shakes his head. “So be it then.”

I nearly shiver at the veiled threat, wondering if he derives pleasure from asserting his control over me like this. But I don't have much time to dwell on it before he's gone, and I'm left alone once again.

I take my time walking back up to my room, trying to gather my thoughts and emotions before I'm locked away once more. I know Samuel lurks around one of these corners, ensuring I head back to my room as ordered.

Once I'm safely locked inside, I try to distract myself with fantasies of a different life, anything to keep my mind off the suffocating feeling of once again being isolated in this room. But no matter how much I try to distract myself, my thoughts keep circling back to Kai and his warning. I can't shake off the feeling that I'm stuck in a game I'll never win. And even worse is the realization that he seems to be enjoying it all.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Kai

Atable of rowdy guys near me is obnoxiously loud as I’m out at dinner, just trying to get some alone time to collect my thoughts. There is so much shite to strategize to ensure everything falls into place with no hiccups for our clan. In our quest for power and revenge, I have to give myself to Vasilisa. I know I can’t hold onto my anger for her attempts on Persephone’s life, but I’m not ready to let it go. Even still, I can’t deny the push and pull between us. We share a mutual hatred for one another, but our sexual chemistry is explosive. When I fucked her in my office yesterday, I told her it was adisciplinary fuck… that I didn’t take pleasure from it at all. The truth is, now that I’ve had a taste, I want more, and it has nothing to do with punishment. I’m not supposed to want her. She’s just imperative to our plan—a cog in a wheel to strengthen our foothold in the underworld. It’s my duty to do what I must to get revenge for our mother and father. The killer and all who are responsible will pay.

Another uproar blasts from the annoying group near me. Being so deep in thought, it startles me for a moment. Fucking-a, they are starting to get on my nerves. When all you ask for is a good meal and some peace, the universe wants to ruin it in every way. There is one good thing, though. My server is quite enjoyable to look at— a possible distraction from the weight I’m carrying. I can’t say for certain that it’s actually working, but she fills my mind with all of the things I could do with her. Her pretty innocent face, long brunette hair that’s pinned up, and most importantly, her tits that she’s flaunting with no bra and nipple piercings. And when I say those are an asset, they are a fucking asset. Yeah, I didn’t pick this place for the greasy food. I’m 90 percent sure her tits are real, at least a double d, but with such perfect shape. Full and round. The odds of finding a unicorn is higher than running into another pair of tits like this again. It so hard not to stare, but man, I am a sucker for nice boobs and nipple piercings. My dick hardens as it presses against my pants. I tell myself it’s the server tits that have me hard and me not picturing what Vasilisa’s tits would look like in comparison.

I’m not standing up anytime soon, so I sit here and try to regain control over my thoughts, stay focused on the mission, and maybe even recite the national anthem to go soft. But now I’m horny as fuck, and I want to relieve this built-up sexual tension. My dick can be quite insatiable, and I don’t have Persephone to fuck anymore. I have several women at my disposal— a contact away in my iPhone. Yet it’s the stubborn brunette back at my estate I want to bury myself in. This is a problem, but it’stomorrow’sproblem. Tonight, I will throw our differences to the wind. We can go back to hating each other tomorrow, or tonight’s fuck session can be coined ashatred sex. I don’t really care either way. I pay my bill and head home to make my fiancée take care of this erection.

I find Vasilisa locked in my playroom, where I’ve asked Samuel to bring her to wait. I’ll have to review my video footage later to enjoy her reaction at the sight of it. The layout and setup are no match for the one I have back in New York, but it’s good enough for now. After learning that Vasilisa was the one who tried to kill Persephone, I wasn’t sure that I’d ever bring her to that room. The purpose of constructing a playroom here was to eventually break my bride-to-be into my kinks if I had to be tied down to someone, but that plan soured upon meeting her.

“I better be here for you to bring me dinner because the only thing I’m doing in here is eating,” she says with an attitude. “Your ‘yes’man said you were on the way back from dinner when he escorted me to whatever this room is.”

“Have you still not learned anything from your impromptu run this morning? Me fucking you doesn’t give you rights to start demanding things around here. You’ll need to prove your worth if you want me to keep generously feeding you.”

“Prove my worth?” She scoffs. “What the fuck does that mean? What am I supposed to do from in here?”

“A man has needs, and since you’re mine now, that duty will be yours full time. We don’t even have to like each other.”

“Uhhh. No,” she stammers a bit, “nuhhh no, no chance.”

“What did I say about telling me what you’re not going to do or what I can’t do? You aren’t my first choice either, but luckily for you, I actually find you attractive. So I just need to ignore your piss-poor attitude.” That jab was for her sake. The angrier she is, the better the sex will be when I make her submit anyway. I’m coming to find that I don’t like easy submission. I prefer to take it.

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