But I couldn’t help but also wonder if Kai was maybe right. What would’ve happened if he hadn’t interceded?

Damon turned to me, jerking his chin. “Go with him, then. Go.”

What?

“It’s okay,” he told me. “Leave if you want.”

“Damon—”

“You want to, I know you do. I don’t need you. I never did.”

My chest caved. Why was he doing this? Why did he always do this?

“Come on.” Kai took my hand.

But I pulled away. “Just go.” I bowed my head, unable to look at him. “Go back to the party.”

“Banks.”

“I’ll never leave him,” I bit out at Kai.

Not ever. I stepped over to my brother and took his hand, willing Kai to just go.

Twice tonight I’d chosen Damon. He didn’t know we were family, and he might understand more if he did, but that information still wouldn’t change anything. Damon came first. Always.

My brother squeezed my hand, a subtle gesture telling me he forgave me.

“Chicks, man,” he said to Kai, a touch of humor in his voice.

Silence stretched between them, and I could feel Kai’s eyes on me. He was a good guy, but he wouldn’t take being jerked around a third time. I stared at Natalya, each second Kai stood there stretching out like an eternity.

“Yeah,” he replied. “Crazy night, huh?” And then I saw him back away out of the corner of my eye. “See you Monday at school.”

And then he left, my heart aching more every moment he didn’t turn back around and come back through the doors for me. Later, when I’m alone and lost in my head, I’ll wonder what would’ve happened if I’d followed him. If I’d taken his hand and hid away with him the rest of the night.

Damon pulled me in, kissing my forehead. “Good girl. You never let me down.”

Natalya moaned, her eyelids fluttering open. Blood saturated her hand, and although it looked like a nasty cut—or several nasty cuts—the flow wasn’t too bad. We needed to get her to a doctor, though. She’d need stitches or something.

Damon handed me his phone and then squatted down, staring at her. “Call David,” he told me. “Tell him to get his ass here to pick you up, and go wait for him in the lobby.”

“Why can’t you take me home? Let’s just go—”

“I’ll be home later,” he said, his eyes still on her. “I need to clean up here.”

Banks

Present

I speed-walked down the busy street, swerving around pedestrians with one hand in my coat pocket and the other holding a large envelope with yet another contract for Kai to sign. He was supposed to be at the dojo, but when I got back from my errands this morning, he’d texted, telling me to meet him at his club instead. He knew I didn’t have a car, dammit.

And I wasn’t ready to face him.

Last night, in that hotel, buried on a secret floor and in a room with no phones, no television, and no one but us, it was unimaginable. Like a dream that I was pulled away from and kept closing my eyes to chase sleep again just so I could go back there. Was that only a few hours ago?

He’d tried to pry a little more information out of me last night, but he didn’t push too hard. When my guard went up, I knew he didn’t want to ruin what just happened. He was good about reading my signals, I’d give him that.

He’d wanted to take me home, but I was gone before he could fight me again. I dived into the rainy night, everything that had felt so good, suddenly ebbing away, and I didn’t know how to get it back. Guilt and shame, the feeling of Damon’s eyes on me, judging me, why couldn’t I get over it?

So, I fucked a guy. Who cares? I liked it. Sue me.

But it was daytime now, and the consequences might be slow, but they were coming. My skills didn’t extend far enough to juggle my desire for one and the demands of another.

Jogging up the steps of Hunter-Bailey, I swung open one of the double doors and walked inside, the citrus furniture polish immediately surrounding me. Wood shone everywhere, and the grandfather clock in the lobby ticked by to my left.

I stepped up to the small desk. “I need to see Kai Mori, please.”

The young man, black hair and in a simple suit with a thin tie, nodded as if expecting me.

“He’ll still be in the lounge.” He walked around his station toward the next set of double doors. “Just take a right as you enter the dining room.”

Hmm. Women weren’t typically allowed in the club. I was surprised he was letting me in so easily. I guess Kai took care of that.

He cast open the doors, stepping aside so I could enter, and I immediately veered to the left, briefly noticing all of the staff in the dining room setting the tables for lunch.

Entering the lounge, I looked around for a moment, taking in the den-like feel of the large room. Brown leather couches gleamed in the lamp light, while forest green drapes dressed floor-to-ceiling windows around the room. Gold sconces, deer, elk, and even a lion head were hung high above, and plaid throw pillows were tossed on chairs and sofas. A bar lay at the back, shelves of books lined the walls, and a tapestry depicting some kind of war hung over the fireplace.

Christ. This room was decorated with the theme “If the Nazis had won…”

I scanned the room, quickly spotting Kai over by the windows. His coat was off, his sleeves were rolled up, and my mouth suddenly went dry at the sight of him. It almost hurt to look as he sat there, hunched over a table of papers.

Those hands were all about me last night. And that beautiful, stern expression that looked almost angry and kind of made me want to smile was lost in pleasure the last time I saw it.

So controlled and so cold, but he could be so rough, too.

Michael and Will sat on either side of him, one on his phone and the other slouched in his chair with his rocks glass pressed to his forehead and his eyes closed. I made my way over, ignoring glances from the dozen or so other gentlemen in the room.

Kai glanced up as I approached. “You’re late.”

His tone was curt, but his mouth wasn’t, curled at the corners as if he was just thinking about why I barely got any sleep last night.

“I had to go to Thunder Bay this morning,” I told him.

“Why?”

“Gabriel wants to know why you haven’t signed the contract.”

He stopped what he was doing and looked at me again. Michael turned away from his phone.

“What did you tell him?” Kai asked.

I tossed the envelope with a fresh contract inside on the table in front of him. Some of his papers fluttered about in protest. “That you’re delaying,” I said. “The same thing I’ve been telling him.”

“What—”

But he stopped whatever he was going to say, picking up his phone that was buzzing.

Annoyance on his face, he answered. “Yeah.”

He listened while someone on the other end talked, his eyebrows digging in farther.

“A&J Plumbing?” he said, sounding confused. “I didn’t call any—”

I leaned over the table and held out my hand.

He stopped, looking at me. I grabbed the phone.

“I left the keys for him in an envelope under the desk,” I told the kid at the dojo whom I knew was on the other end, “and I turned off the alarm system at the house for him. Tell him to start upstairs in the bathrooms. I need a full estimate as soon as possible.”

“Uh, yes, ma’am,” he stuttered, and I hung up.

I’d made the call to arrange for plumbers, electricians, and contractors on my way back from Thunder Bay. I figured I’d be at the dojo, though, so I thought I was meeting him there.

I handed Kai’s phone back to him.

“Is that for my house?” he questioned. “What did I tell you?”

I straightened, sticking my hands in my pockets. “Vanessa arrives in three days,” I told him.

His scowl slowly fell away, and I saw Will out of the corner of my eye put his drink down and lift his head up.

Kai said nothing.

“Part of the update from Gabriel this morning,” I explained, feeling the same knot build in my stomach that I had when Gabriel told me. “Surreal, isn’t it? What you’ve gotten yourself into?”