Rebecca’s POV
I slammed the bedroom door shut behind me, my chest heaving as tears finally blurred my vision. I pressed my back against the door, sliding down until my knees hit the floor.
I told myself I was only hurting because my plan had failed—because the key to my freedom felt further away than ever. But as I buried my face in my hands, a bitter truth forced its way to the surface. It wasn’t just the failed mission.
It was the rejection.
Gods, I had actually thought he would be eager. I thought the moment I offered myself to him, the moment I gave him a reason to cross that line, he would break. But I had been completely, terribly wrong. He had chosen honor over me. He had chosen his brother.
"Stupid," I whispered to myself, wiping at my cheeks with the back of my hand. "You stupid, desperate fool."
I forced myself up from the floor and dragged my heavy feet over to the edge of the bed, dropping onto the mattress. Frustration and exhaustion washed over me in heavy waves. I stared blankly at the wall, my mind racing in endless, chaotic circles, trying to figure out what my next move could possibly be.
Before I could even wrap my head around a backup plan, the bedroom door was pushed open.
I flinched, my heart leaping into my throat. In my hysterical state, I had forgotten to lock it.
"Stephanie, please, I really don’t want to—"
The words died in my throat.
It wasn’t Stephanie.
Kaden stood in the doorway, his chest rising and falling heavily, his dark hair messy as if he had just run all the way down the corridor. His eyes locked onto mine, wide and filled with an emotion so intense it made the breath catch in my chest.
My eyes widened. I stood up from the bed automatically, my heart pounding in my chest. "Kaden?"
He didn’t say a word. He stepped into the room, pushed the door closed behind him, and swept across the space in three long strides. Before I could process what was happening, his arms wrapped tightly around me, pulling me flush against his chest.
I froze for a second, but then something strange happened. The moment the heat of his body enveloped me, the terrifying tension in my shoulders melted away. A wave of profound, unnatural relief washed through my veins. Maybe it was the buried pull between us—that dangerous mate bond I couldn’t acknowledge—but I found myself relaxing into his hold, my head resting right against the heavy, rapid beat of his heart.
"I’m sorry," he breathed into my hair, his voice rough and laced with pain. "Okay? I’m sorry."
He pulled back gently, his hands cupping my face. His gaze dropped to my tear-stained cheeks, and before I could move, he leaned down, pressing his soft lips against the damp tracks on my skin, kissing the tears away one by one with a tender, agonizing slowness.
"Sit," he whispered softly against my skin.
He guided me back down to the edge of the mattress and squatted on the floor right before me, looking up into my eyes.
I stared at him, completely thrown off. This Kaden... he felt entirely different. The cold, distant Alpha King was gone, replaced by a man looking at me with raw, unguarded desperation.
"It’s not that I don’t want you," he said, his voice quiet and helpless. "I want you, Ruby. God knows I want you... but..."
"This is wrong," I finished the sentence for him.
He let out a long, heavy sigh, resting his arms on my knees.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked down at my hands. "Don’t worry about it. I’ll... I’ll take care of myself."
Kaden’s brow furrowed instantly, his eyes darkening with a sudden, sharp edge. "How?" he asked, his voice tightening. "By looking for another man?"
I raised an eyebrow at him, genuinely caught off guard. Where in the world did he get that from?
Seeing my confusion, Kaden rubbed the bridge of his nose and breathed out hard. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that." He took a breath, taking my hands and holding them gently. He searched my face carefully. "Have you really thought this through, Ruby? Do you... do you really want to have an affair with me?"
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening.
Of course I didn’t want an affair. The thought of adding more lies, more dangerous games, and more emotional chaos to this mess made my stomach turn. It was terrifying and completely reckless. But it was the only way into that hidden BDSM room. It was the only way to get the key.
I forced a slow nod. "Yes," I lied softly. "I do. But... I don’t want to force you into anything, Kaden."
"You’re not forcing me," he said quickly, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. "I like you, Ruby. I really, really like you. We can do this... we can take things slow. But what about Kane? You’re having his child..."
Inwardly, I scoffed. If only you knew whose child this really was.
"Just because we’re having a child doesn’t mean we have to end up together," I said aloud, keeping my tone quiet and bitter enough to sound convincing. "He’s made his choice. I’m making mine."
Kaden nodded slowly, accepting the lie. He leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the back of my knuckles. "Okay," he murmured softly against my skin. "Okay. We’ll take things slowly. Step by step."
A sharp wave of frustration hit me inwardly, making me frown.
Slowly? No. Absolutely not. I didn’t have time for slow. I didn’t have time for sweet, cautious courtships or quiet secret meetings. I needed that room unlocked, and I needed it now before Kane returned or Kaden’s suspicions blew up in our faces.
I didn’t give him a chance to pull away. I leaned forward, cupping his jaw, and pulled him up into a sudden, deep, and passionate kiss.
Kaden gasped against my lips, his restraint instantly crumbling as his hands shot up to grip my waist, pulling me closer until there was no air left between us. The kiss was heavy, hot, and passionate, consuming every drop of logic left in the room.
When I finally pulled back just an inch, my lips brushed against his as I whispered, "I want you, Kaden. Right now."
His chest was heaving, his green eyes pitch-black with desire, but he shook his head slightly, his grip on my waist tightening possessively. "Here isn’t good," he rasped, his voice thick and strained. "Even my bedroom isn’t safe... Kane could walk in at any time."
Inwardly, a dark smirk bloomed in my mind. That’s exactly what I was waiting for.
"Is there anywhere else?" I asked, putting on my best innocent, curious tone. "Is there somewhere private? Somewhere secret where Kane could never see us?"
Kaden went silent. His dark eyes searched my face for a long, heavy moment, a battle clearly raging behind his gaze.
"I have a private room," he finally said, his voice dropping into a low, quiet murmur.
I tilted my head, acting completely ignorant. "A private room?"
"A sex room," he clarified, his tone heavy and dark. He hesitated, looking at me cautiously. "Ruby... I’m not into normal stuff when I’m in there."
"What kind of stuff?" I asked gently.
"The kind that might frighten you," he confessed softly, his eyes filled with worry.
"No," I said instantly, looking him straight in the eye without a single trace of fear. "You won’t frighten me. Show me."
Kaden stared at me for a few agonizing seconds, contemplating if he should show me or not... Then slowly, he nodded. He stood up to his full height and stretched his hand down toward me.
"Come with me."
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