Reaching for the bag with the black dress, I lift it out, then pull off my shirt followed by sliding my skirt down my legs. I turn back to see him watching me eagerly. He bites his lip and I turn back to face him, now only in a bra and panties.
I grab the other dress and hold it up for him.
“Black or green?” I wait for him to decide.
His eyes flick to each before they land on my face. “Black.”
I drop the green dress and slip on the black one, then turn around. Before I can say anything, his hands are on my back and he’s zipping up my dress with his breath near my ear. “I could bend you over and fuck you right here, right now.” His hand snakes around to my breast and he grips it hard, making me gasp. “But I think I’ll make you wait, so you know the pain you’ve put me through waiting for you.” His hand drops, and he’s right, I want him. And if he moved to touch me more, I wouldn’t have said no.
“Piper is waiting for me.” I bend down, slipping on my heels. “You’ll look after Wren?” I ask him once more to be certain.
Keir steps back to me. Kisses my lips ever so softly, leaving them tingly when he pulls away. “With my life.” I manage to nod at his words as the door to the bedroom is pulled open and Piper is standing there in a green mini dress with glittery gold heels on her feet.
Keir makes a move to leave the room and Piper just smiles at him as he passes her.
When he’s gone, she whistles as she takes me in. “Girl, you look hot. Tell me, did you have a quickie in here?” She looks around, then back to me.
“Piper, stop with the questions,” Keir says, appearing behind her. “Wear these.” He passes me a box, and I know what it is straight away.
“Where are mine?” Piper whines.
“For your collection,” he says.
I gasp when I open the box because they are beautiful. Absolutely amazing.
When I was a little girl, they were the first thing I noticed—their shoes. And to this day, my taste in shoes is expensive. It’s why I used to rent them. But Keir, he understands my love language, and that scares me because it means he’s understanding me. And I’m not sure how I feel about that, or the fact that he’s buying them for me. They are beautiful, but do they come with expectations?
I already know his love language—touch.
He likes it when I touch him.
I can see the change in his eyes whenever I do.
When I first met him, I assumed the look was hatred or disgust. But now I know better.
“Put them on.” I do as he says, no questions asked, and they fit like a dream. Yes, by the end of the night my feet will be killing me like they never have before, but one thing for sure is that they will look amazing, even with the pain they will cause.
“Now, step back.”
I do, and I put my hand to my hip and smirk up at him. He manages to snap a photo before he nods and turns away, leaving.
“Let’s go.” I kiss Wren one last time before I get ready to leave. It’s been forever since I’ve done this—I feel kind of old now—but Piper talks and passes me glasses of wine on the ride there. When we arrive at the club, we’re ushered in and seated in a VIP area.
A little while later, just as I’m about to stand, Piper grabs my hand, pulls me back down, and starts laughing.
“What?” I ask, confused and a little tipsy. I’m three glasses in and can feel the wine hitting me, not to mention the shots she just ordered and we downed quickly.
“You will not believe what he did.” I look at her, eyes squinting and somewhat nervous, until she taps on Instagram and goes to his page. Holy shit, he has a lot of followers. She clicks on his stories and the first image is one of me.
And the caption reads…
* * *
If you see this girl tonight, stay away. She’s mine.
* * *
Oh my God, he did not.
Did he?
No. Way.
“He just declared you his,” Piper says, throwing her head back, laughing.
But I don’t find this funny at all.
His?
What does that even mean?
Chapter Nineteen
Keir
“She’s going to kill you when she finds out,” Joey says, smacking his leg while he laughs continuously.
“How will she find out?” I ask.
“Are you joking? She’s with Piper, who loves to talk. And I can assure you, she will not miss a social media post about anyone.”
Shit. I didn’t think of that.
“It won’t be a problem,” I tell him.
Roberto walks in, his eyes red and strung out.
“You look like shit. When was the last time you slept?” Joey asks him.
I check my phone to pull up the camera that hovers over Wren’s crib—she’s still sound asleep.
“My sister.” Joey chuckles at his words.
“She sure can kick your ass. Probably mine too, come to think of it,” Joey says, shaking his head. People who first meet Joey think he’s silent, stand-offish, and doesn’t like anyone. But once you get to know him, you find out quickly that he hardly shuts up. He’s been good since he’s been back. He’s been great with Wren too. I haven’t fully forgiven him yet, but I’m on my way.
He did what he thought was right, even though it wasn’t.
Joey doesn’t get to make those decisions—that’s my job.
“I checked in on Paige.” We both groan at Roberto’s words. “No one has seen her. She’s pregnant, boss. You should be worried.”
“Francis,” I call out, and he steps into the room.
“Can you look into your cousin, see where she’s hiding?” I ask him.
He nods and walks off.
“That’s all you’re going to do?” Roberto asks.
“Why do you care?” I ask. “She doesn’t want you, Roberto, we have established this.”
“Because she is carrying a boy. A boy who will be next in charge.”
“Wren will be next in charge,” I remind him.
“We both know that can’t happen. She’s a girl just like Piper.”
“Wren is my heir. Now, go back out there and get the information I fucking need before I do it myself.”
Roberto huffs and storms out of the room.
Joey scrubs his face as he turns away from where Roberto went and looks back to me. “Something’s up with him.”
“He wants Paige, we all know it. He has since we were kids.”
“Yeah, I don’t think it’s that, though.”
My cell buzzes, and I look down to see Sailor’s name flash across the screen.
* * *
Sailor: How dare you do that. I am not yours for you to declare to others.
* * *
I smirk as I type my reply. I knew it would upset her. But I didn’t care because others needed to know she’s off-limits. Now, no sane man in that club will even attempt to talk to her, let alone touch her.
* * *
Me: What’s the matter, lollipop?