Chapter 20
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my heart racing and my face flushing. How much had he heard?
was passing by : and thought I should see you,” he said, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe.
“Stop bullshitting me for once and tell me what you really want,” I scoffed. “And how long were you standing there?”
“Who were you talking to that made you so defensive?”
you know what? I don’t care why you’re here–just get out before I call someone,” I hissed, stepping closer. Of course, I wouldn’t actually call anyone, but he didn’t need to know that.
“I would love to see you try,” he said, lifting the side of his black blazer. A black leather gun holster was strapped to his waist, the gun in clear view, Now that I really looked at him–black fitted pants, a T–shirt, and a black blazer–he blended effortlessly into the night. No one would guess he was carrying a weapon. At most, they might assume he’d been at a party.
“You’d kill me?” I asked nonchalantly.
“Not you love,” he said, and strangely, there was sincerity in his eyes. “But anyone who walks into this room. So don’t tempt me.”
I stepped back, hutting, speechless. My eyes flickered to the CCTV camera outside, mounted on a tree that partially shaded my balcony.
“Don’t worry. No one will know I was here, he assured me.
I closed my eyes. He had probably arranged for someone to disable the cameras to avoid suspicion. I preferred using blind spots
“Why are you here?” I turned away.
“I figured it out,” he said.
“Figured out what?” I asked, taking a deep breath. I picked up the wine bottle from the floor and set it on the study table before exhaling. My plan had worked in both ways. I suppose.
“She has your mother.”
My feet froze, and silence followed. When I turned back to him, a small, sad smile pulled at my lips. I leaned against the edge of the table.
I suppose that isn’t a surprise.”
“Him” I waited for the words I truly wanted to hear.
“I know where she is. And I know who is helping Adeline.
I nodded. It was too late to pretend to be surprised or play the damsel in distress. His eyekalready held the knowing look of someone who had seen through me.
“And that’s what you were waiting to hear,” he said, more to confirm it to himself. He slipped his hands into his pants pockets and walked toward me. I didn’t move or flinch as he stood in front of me, close enough to touch. I tilted my head up to meet his guze.
“Oli princess, I have to say–you got me. There was a proud glint in his eye.
“So what now?” I asked.
“You tell me,” he countered.
“What are you going to do, Mr Kanga? Blackmail met” I raned a brow
“So that’s what your thank of me?”
“What should I think of you?”
“Princess, you already tricked me into helping you. You might as well trust
Con 17o Lasked, looking straight into his eyes, stansling tall–which only brougla me closer to him
“Do you want to” he asked, his tone carrying an unmistakable weight. He wanted me to trust him. I kept my expression blank, but warmthi biegan buzzing under my skin under his heated gare How was I supposed to answer thuait.
Chapter 20
For several moments, we held each other’s gaze. Then he sighed and stepped back…
“Have I not been clear about my intentions?
Your intentions are murky–not to mention, you’re-”
“I’m not
not married,” he interrupted, his tone
frustrated.
I looked at him, startled. It wasn’t that 1 didn’t know, but I hadn’t expected him to clarify it. I had been using it as an excuse, a barrier between us. But now, in this moment, he had snapped that one last thread of resistance.
“Kate and I have an arrangement,” he said. “I’ll explain it when your life e is no longer in potential danger.”
“You talk as if—”
“Yes. I do. I really care about you, and I do want this to be real. I want you to be part of my life.”
I leaned back against the table. It might have looked intentional, but in reality, my knees were weak. My face heated, and I looked away.
I need to steel my heart. I need to steel my heart.
couldn’t believe he had said it so bluntly. Everything about him was complicated, yet he was so… straightforward.
Your life is in
is in danger
he continued. “That’s why I’m here.
“You mean my mother’s”
“No.” He shook his head. “Your life is in danger.”
“Adeline wouldn’t do something like that until.
“Your 21st birthday. Or until she finds someone having the nerve
rve enough to do it.”
“It’s getting creepy how you always know what I’m about to say next,” I muttered.
He smirked, turning away, but I caught the glimpse of satisfaction in his expression. He walked toward the bed, sitting on the edge, then parted the Espace beside him, gesturing for me to sit. I hesitated.
You trusted me enough at the beach house,” he reminded me
1 flushed at the memory. Thank God we had been in the dark.
“Shut up. Just get on with it, I said, crossing my arms.
“You try so hurd,” he mused. “BUT.” He suddenly raised his voice. “If you don’t want
Damn him! I hurried toward him, clamping a hand over his mouth. “Are you for real?” I glared.
His eyes twinkled, clearly pleased at getting a reaction out of me. He gently grabbed my wrist, removing my hand–but not before pressing a soft lass to my knuckles. I blinked, my heart skipping a beat.
I tried to pull away, but he grabbed my waist and pulled me onto his lap. Startled, my arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, fingers gripping his shoulders
“You are unbelievable” I whispered.
“Give me a chance, love” he said. His eyes asked for more
more than just this moment
I tried to appear unfazed, but Killian’s arms tightened around me
“If you’re thinking of giving up your inheritance to get your mother hock. I’m afraid it won’t be flut simple,” he said.
You think? But I kept my mouth shut, attempting to free myself ii dadn’t work
“What would you have me do, then Who is helping Adeline? I already knew the answer, but I wanted to see how much I could trust him.
When I fimally loosened his hold, he pulled me right back, my body flush against his. My thoughts abandoned me as his intoxicating scoil overwhelmed my senses.
“Killum,” I murmured
10:01 AM
Chapter 20
“This is about my mother. Can we be serious! I looked at him, my lips set in a firm line.
He studied me for a moment before nodding and gently unwrapping his arms. I breathed out as he settled beside me.
“The one helping Adeline is Christen Meng, that is
“The cousin of the Mafia Boss Meng. Meng Shen,” I answered for him
“You know? How?”
“The Andersons are all mixed up in all the matters of the Knights. How can I not know of your biggest rival?”
cuse without a frown. Does he truly think of me as a damsel in distress, or does he just trust me? Then I stop. Do I want him to
He expected this excuse
trust me?
“Mengs can be troublesome.” he said.
I nodded. “You are not planning to surrender your inheritance. And think–if Adeline took such a huge risk to keep your mother hidden, she will keep her word.”
That is Plan B. This is the only way to know exactly where my mother is. As for rescuing her, it depends on whether I can gather all the right resources. But I didn’t say it. I looked at him and said, “It doesn’t seem like I have another choice except to trust her word” I sighed.
“She is involved with the Mengs. You will be walking into a lion’s den.
“Are you here to tell me how dangerous it is? If you haven’t noticed, I am playing with caution and practically going by the books so Adeline won’t lose her patience.”
Going against the Mengs can get tricky because the Knights are in a delicate truce with them anyway. If he plans to interfere, it will affect him too.
“Therefore. I’m here to make a point–there are two weeks left until your 21st birthday. Do not, under any circumstances, do anything Adeline tells you to do or go anywhere with her?
I opened my mouth to tell him that it might
tht be difficult since she has people watching me, but he was still talking.
“I already told someone to keep watch here,” he said. “As for the driver, he will be taken care of. Do not worry
I pressed my lips together and nodded.
“Don’t kill anyone,” I said.
“As long as they don’t lay a finger on
on you, I can be quite reasonable. Seeing the hard look on his face, I knew there wasn’t much I could say. Something about him taking charge was making him more irresistible.
“Where is my mother?” I asked
“Do not worry about it. hty men are already stationed at the location…” He started to reassure me, but then he noticed my gaze–clearly saying I wanted a location not reassurance. He pulled out his phone, gave a few taps, then showed me the screen.
An industrial area 100 miles from here. A rundown, closed factory. But it’s not one of the Andersons‘ properties. I also don’t believe the Mengs have anything to do with it either. I need to verify this with K.
“She’s probably underground. The place has been scouted, and there’s nowhere else to hide her. My men have already spotted a few members of the Mengs‘ inner circle flere
I nodded as he answered my question
“You’re very calm,” he observed:
“You want me to freak out?” I asked.
The light reflected in his dark eyes as lus gaze
gaze sharpened and be tilted lus head
“What are you thinking?”
“Honestly I’m trying to figure it what you want.”
“I understand you have trust issues
“No, you don’t “1 looked away and crossed my legs.
A lunch date”
10.01 AM
Chapter 20
I looked back at him, shocked.
“What?”
-You asked what I want- hunch date.”
—
I opened my mouth, then closed it. My mind went blank. 1 blew out a breath, but then I ended up laughing.
“I can‘” I tried to press my lips together to stop, but it was useless. “This is.” My attempt failed. “This is beyond ridiculous,” It was funny in a twisted way. Sort of surreal. But not once did I feel like he was lying. The possibility of truth in his statement was comical
He nodded, as if accepting my less–than–dignified reaction. Then he reached for the gun at his waist.
All the humor drained away, and I cleared my throat. As he pulled out the gun, I instinctively tried to put some distance between us, but he grabbed my wrist. I froze.
My heart raced.
Now it was hard to say whether it was the gun or the gentle way he was holding my hand, pulling it toward him. Then he placed the gun in my palm.
“This is the gun I chose the day I took over the Shadow Knight Organization. It’s loaded. The day I betray you—use it kill me.”
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