“You’ll regret this. If you ever want to see your mom or your childhood home again, do what I say,” he grits out.
My eyes fill with tears, but I just shake my head. “No.”
With that, I turn and run away, sucking in haphazard breaths.
20
Calum
When I see Kaia’s face at the top of the escalator, I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. She comes into view, stunning me with her simple clingy black dress and black heels.
I wasn’t sure she would come, to be honest. She seemed pretty upset when I dropped her off at her house a couple of nights ago. But here she is, looking up with wide eyes at the enormous light sculpture above our heads. It looks like a great, white jellyfish, its inner light pulsing gently. Against the dark windows surrounding Kaia, it seems like it could be alive.
She takes a step off of the escalator, her eyes pinning me in place. “Where are we?”
I smirk at her a little, holding out my arm for her to take. “Bergdorf Goodman’s started a private shopping experience. I thought you would enjoy taking advantage of it.”
I start ushering her into the showroom, which is an airy space the size of a normal person’s house. It is made up of a runway in the middle, a lounge to the left, and a changing area to the right.
Her eyebrows arch as I guide her to the lounge area. A chicly dressed young woman walks over from the other side of the space. “Hello. I’m Anna. Welcome to the Gallery,” she says, bowing her head.
My lips twitch. I glance down at Kaia, noticing for the first time that she seems unusually quiet. “Hi, Anna. I’m Calum. This is Kaia.”
“Please, arrange yourselves comfortably,” Anna says. Her tone is the perfect combination of a businesslike brusqueness and an easy comfort.
I put a hand on Kaia’s back and push her toward a couch, sitting down beside her.
“Can I get you anything? Veuve Cliquot? Fine whisky?”
Kaia’s mouth hardens into a straight line. I suck in a breath. “Champagne for both of us.”
“Right away,” Anna says, hurting off.
I look at Kaia. “You’re being oddly quiet.”
She turns those killer hazel eyes on me like a spotlight. “I’m sorry,” she says, shrugging delicately. “I have a lot on my mind.”
I tilt my head, looking her up and down. “Is it something that spending a lot of my money can fix? I brought you here to…” I search for an alternate word for apologize, because I don’t want to get in that habit. “Make up for any negative feelings you might have had when we ran into Honor the other night.”
For a second, her brow wrinkles as if she’s struggling to recall something. “Oh. Wait, we’re here for me?”
Her genuine puzzlement is charming.
“Yes, beauty. We are here for you. I thought that you could use a fresh new wardrobe.” Tightening my arm around her waist, I wiggle my eyebrows. “I’ve asked them to pick a selection of their best pieces and some truly scintillating lingerie.”
Kaia’s eyes widen. “Lingerie?” she gulps.
I have to laugh at that. “Yes, Kaia.”
“Oh,” she says faintly, looking embarrassed.
Anna comes back with two champagne flutes, handing them to us. Kaia immediately takes a huge sip of hers, trying to hide her red cheeks.
“If you’re ready, I’ll have the models come out. We will start with outerwear, then move into evening wear, and then intimate apparel.”
Kaia ducks her head. I’m not sure why she’s so demure all the sudden; last time I saw her, she gave me fuck me eyes all evening.
Well, until Honor showed up.
I clear my throat and look at Anna. “Whenever you are ready.”
As soon as Anna is out of earshot, Kaia looks at me imploringly. “You hired models to walk the runway?”
I repress an eye roll. “That’s part of the whole reason we are here. You don’t have to try anything on unless you want to. We can just order it and then it arrives, perfectly fitted.”
Her eyes scan my face. “How much money does an evening like this cost, Calum?”
I shake my head and sip my drink. “You’re not allowed to ask that. Just sit back and let me pamper you, beauty.”
Her brows pull down but she doesn’t argue. All she does is put one of her small hands onto my chest, lean in close, and give me a soft kiss on the mouth. Chaste, yes.
But it arouses me nonetheless, giving me a soft erection. A model struts out onto the catwalk and Kaia turns her attention toward her.
But she also finds my hand with her own, locking her fingers into mine. When she squeezes my hand, I get this weird tightening sensation in my chest.
I stare down at our hands, clasped together on my lap, and something deep inside my chest thaws.
I’m not an idiot who thinks that a stripper is actually into him. I know that Kaia is here for the money.
But I will admit that it doesn’t feel terrible to have her cling to me just now. To feel like I’m giving her something she couldn’t get anywhere else.
Kaia leans her head close.
“Hey, how do I indicate that I like one of the looks?” she whispers.
I glance up, roused from my thoughts. “Anna!” I bark.
A second later, Anna appears. “How can I help?”
Kaia casts a look back at her. “How do I tell you when I see something I’m interested in?”
Anna smiles lightly. “You can tell me. Or I have placed a card here,” she says, stepping forward and handing Kaia a pen and a piece of card stock. “Whichever makes you happy.”
Kaia flashes Anna a shy smile. “Thanks. This is my first time here, if that’s not obvious.”
Anna bows her head. “I think this is a unique experience. Most people haven’t been in this private gallery.”
Kaia wrinkles her nose. “That actually makes me feel better.”
Anna bows her head, receding back. Kaia turns around, taking her hand from mine, and marks something down on the card. She looks at me, smiling a little mischievously.
My lips curl upward at her expression. “What?”
She scrunches up her nose. “I just can’t believe I’m here.”
I smirk. “This is nothing, Kaia. Just stick with me and I promise, your mind will be blown over and over again.”
She rolls her eyes. “Be gentle with me, Calum. I’m easy to impress. Now pay attention to the models onstage, because the outfits I end up wearing are only meant to impress you.”
I lean my head over and brush away her blonde hair from the pulse point at her neck. Ever so slowly, I kiss her warm skin, flicking my tongue over it. Then I suck hard enough to leave a mark.
“Calum!” she protests.
“What?” I murmur. “I’m marking my territory. I plan to take my time with you, kissing and sucking every inch of your body until you come on my fucking face.”
Her eyes widen; her breath leaves her in an audible huff. She blushes deeply.
“Really, Calum,” she whispers, her hazel eyes flashing. “You have the filthiest mouth.”
I drop a kiss against her pulse point and then suck on her earlobe. “You have no idea, beauty. Just no idea.”