Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
“Why is that?”
“Kane doesn’t look at you the same way Grant looks at me. I was always a pawn for him. The daughter of a supreme court justice that he needed to further his endeavors, and he was the man I wanted to marry for status. Grant never loved me and I never loved him. Ours was a political union through and through. It’s different for you and Kane. He cares.”
I nearly choke on my tea and cover it up with a laugh. “Cares? Pretty sure he doesn’t know the meaning of that word.”
“Maybe not consciously, but he does.” She juts her chin to the side. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed here.”
When I follow her field of vision, my lips part.
Kane is striding toward the glass doors, his silhouette swallowing up the horizon. He looks so dashing in jeans, a white shirt, and a leather jacket.
“You told him?” I ask.
“Samuel probably did. That’s the butler who brought you in earlier. If Kane didn’t care, would he come over, worried about the prospect of you meeting Grant?” she asks in a soft voice. “Though he knows that Grant only comes back home late on the weekdays, Kane is always cautious.”
A few moments later, he stops by the table and says like a robotic soldier, “Mother.”
“Hi, darling.” She smiles and nods at an empty seat. “Join us for tea?”
“We’re leaving.” He grabs my elbow.
I release myself and tug on his sleeve, painting a smile. “Of course we’re not. Kane would love to join, right?”
He glares down at me.
I glare back.
“You don’t have to force yourself, darling,” she says awkwardly. “If you have things to do…”
“He doesn’t.” I half stand and whisper in his ear, “If you don’t sit down and join us, there will be no sex for a whole week.”
“Then I’ll find a substitute,” he murmurs back in a dark tone. “Someone with less drama.”
“In that case, you can forget about fucking me altogether. Oh, I’ll also send you pictures of the latest dick I’ll be riding.”
“Watch it,” he growls into my ear.
“You know I’m stubborn as hell, so either you give in to a harmless afternoon tea or risk an all-out war.”
His brows pull together and I think he’ll drag me out, judging by how his hand flexes, but then he reluctantly sits down.
Helena watches us and a genuine soft smile paints her lips. She falls over herself asking the staff to prepare some dishes and to bring more of this and that.
“There’s no need,” Kane says in the same dispassionate tone. “We’re not staying for long.”
“We are.” I sling my arm through his and stroke it as I smile innocently. “The whole afternoon.”
His icy eyes bore into me, filled with disdain, but he says nothing.
He also doesn’t throw away my arm—probably because we’re in front of his mom—so I take advantage of the situation and continue caressing him.
Maybe I’m kind of obsessed with how muscular his bicep is, or I probably missed him.
Though he’d never hear me say that.
Helena smiles as she pours him some tea that he barely touches. I can tell he’s stiff, judging from his tightened muscles. He also doesn’t talk much.
So I fill the gap, trying to not leave his mom hanging—something he has no problem doing.
Including him in the conversation is an uphill battle, but at least Helena seems less sad and her smiles are more natural.
She asks about school and training, which Kane responds to mechanically, but I add more punch to my replies.
“Oh, I didn’t know you were on a scholarship,” she says with awe. “That’s impressive, Dahlia. It must’ve been a lot of work. And here I am taking from your precious time and asking you to entertain me.”
“If you know that, don’t invite her again,” Kane says point-blank.
I elbow him hard and smile at his mom. “It’s my pleasure. This peaceful garden is a nice change from the town’s hustle and bustle. I’m truly grateful. Don’t listen to Kane. His delivery sucks ninety percent of the time.”
“Does it?” He smiles as he wraps a palm around my nape, tightening his grip.
“Duh. You can be so boring.” I brush his hand away. “Anyway, we can totally meet whenever you wish.”
Helena smiles and shakes her head.
Soon after, Kane has had enough of playing house and insists on leaving. His mom hugs him, but he pats her back in a detached manner. So when it’s my turn, I give her the warmest hug, promising we’ll meet again soon.
And I’m not even a hugger.
As Kane escorts me out of the garden and into the house with a hand on the small of my back, I stare up at him. “Maybe you should be kinder to your mom.”
“Maybe you need to be less nosy.” He halts in the middle of the long hallway and faces me, his shoulders tightening. “Why the fuck can’t you stop making things difficult for one fucking day?”