Keeping Katie (Syndicate Kings Book 5)

“You’re being pushy.” Chloe crosses her arms and glares at me as I slide my phone into my pocket.

“Yeah? Does that surprise you?”

She studies me for a beat, then drops her arms. “Not really. It’s how you guys do things. It’s annoying but also kind of hot.”

“Excuse me?” Bash asks, turning his head to look at us from his seat on the couch. “Did you just call Grady hot? Do you want your ass reddened tonight? You’re already in trouble for hugging that Tom guy.”

Chloe looks at me and rolls her eyes. She’s not the least bit worried about her husband’s threats. He hands them out like candy on Halloween, but I have a feeling that when it comes down to it, she rarely gets disciplined.

“Who is this Tom guy? Katie brought him up last night. Do I need to worry about him?” I question Bash.

“Of course not,” Chloe answers before Bash has the chance. “He’s an old homeless man. Katie gives him free coffee and leftover pastries and offers to wash his clothes and blankets. He never lets her, though.”

That sounds exactly like my girl. Always giving. Always offering her help even when her own cup is empty. And from what I’ve seen, it’s past the point of empty. She’s exhausted and has way too much on her shoulders. It’s time for her to offload some of her load to me.

Ignoring Chloe, I look back at Bash and raise my eyebrows.

He shrugs and shakes his head. “I don’t think you have to worry about him. He seems harmless, but if I were you, I’d check him out. Can never be too careful when it comes to our girls.”

“I’ll add him to my list. First is the realtor, who I have a bad feeling about. Does the name Calvin Dunlap ring any bells with you?” I ask. “Something about the guy isn’t sitting right with me.”

Bash thinks about it for a second. “No. But you know who’s got information about anyone worth knowing in this city…”

“Yeah. Cage Black.” I lift my shoulders. “You think he’s still going to talk to us after Kieran punched him?”

“Who did I punch?” Kieran strides into the living room with Paisley by his side.

“Cage Black,” Bash answers.

Kieran holds his hands up. “He asked for it.”

That’s kind of true. I’m pretty sure Cage goaded Kieran just to be an ass and knew he’d either get shot or punched.

I snort and shake my head when Kieran grabs his girl by the hips and moves her to the other side of him, farther away from me. Possessive bastard.

Paisley shoots him an exasperated glare and pinches his side. “You need therapy.”

Kieran wraps his arm around her and presses a kiss to the top of her head. “I know, Little demon. You’re my therapy, though.”

A pang of jealousy swirls in my chest. I want that. I want what my friends have, and I want it with Katie.

“I’d like to stay here and watch you two idiots be all protective over your girls, but I’m gonna go take mine dinner.”

Because she will be my girl. Soon.

The door swings open, and my heart races. Droplets of water stain Katie’s soft lavender sweater from thick tendrils of wet hair hanging over her shoulders. Her unadorned cheeks flush pink. Black leggings hug her lush thighs. My cock goes rigid. Fuck, she’s gorgeous.

“Hey, princess.”

Her cheeks flush, and she dips her head as she steps back to let me in. I go straight to the kitchen and set down the bag of food, then stride back to her. She gasps as I yank her against me, wrapping her in a hug.

A few seconds pass before she slides her hands around my waist and hugs me back, relaxing into my embrace.

“You’re in trouble, you know,” I murmur against her hair.

Just as I expect, she pulls back and looks up at me in shock. “What? Why? I didn’t do anything.”

Using my thumb and index finger, I grab her chin and raise my eyebrows. “Really? What did I tell you to do when you woke up?”

Her entire body does a little shudder, and my cock grows harder. Does she like the idea of being in trouble?

“I was going to…” She trails off.

“But you didn’t. You called Chloe instead. When your Daddy gives instructions, he expects to be obeyed.”

As she stares up at me, her chest stutters, and her pupils dilate. “I don’t have a Daddy,” she replies, barely above a whisper.

The corners of my lips curve into an evil smile. “Don’t you, princess? Because I think you want a Daddy. I think you want me. Am I wrong?”

We’re so close that our mouths are nearly touching, and I can practically taste the cherry-scented lip gloss she has on. I inch closer until my lips brush against hers. I’m trying to hold back. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted any woman in my life. The animal in me wants to ravage her, but the Daddy in me knows she isn’t ready.

“Not completely wrong,” she pants.

At least she gave me that. Knowing that she has similar feelings about me is enough of a nugget for me to hold onto until the next step.

“Let me be clear right now. If I give you a command or rule, I expect you to follow it. If I cross one of your limits, you say red, and I stop immediately. Understand?”

She studies me for a few seconds. “It’s a bit soon for a safeword, isn’t it? We’re only friends.”

I chuckle. “Chloe and the rest of the girls can use their safewords with any of us at any time and we’ll immediately stop what we’re doing and figure out what’s wrong. So, no, it’s never too soon for a safeword, princess.”

Her light blue eyes darken, my words lingering between us. Finally, she nods. “Okay. But I’m not yours to punish. And you can’t come over here whenever you want. I could have had plans.”

I clench my jaw, squeezing her hips even tighter. “Did you have plans, princess? Because if you did, call him right over here, and I’ll make sure he knows you two will never have plans again.”

She gasps, her mouth hanging open. “Grady! That’s not what I meant. I’m not seeing…or dating…or whatever with anyone.”

Thank fuck. I was already pretty sure that was the case, but hearing it from her mouth settles the persistent doubt that’s been hovering.

“That’s good, baby. And you won’t be seeing or dating or doing whatever with any other man ever again. The only man you’ll do those things with is going to be me.”

I’m being pushy, but I can’t help it. I need her commitment. I need to know that she’s not going to talk to, call, text, entertain, smile at, fuck, or fall for any other man. That she’s as committed to me as I’m ready to be with her.

“Grady, I don’t understand.” She blinks several times, her face twisted with confusion. “We’ve only known each other for a week. We come from two different worlds, and you could surely do better than someone like me.”

Rage rips through me, and I tighten my hands until she lets out a whimper from the bruising touch on her hips. “If I ever hear you say something to put yourself down like that again, you’ll be in trouble.”

What I really want to tell her is that I’ll bare her ass and put her over my knee to paddle her until she’s a sobbing mess and understands that putting herself down is against her rules.

“I’m not putting myself down, Grady. It’s fact. I’m basically poor and you’re rich. We’re from two different worlds, and they don’t tend to mix well.”

“Is that so, princess? You think you and I wouldn’t mix well? I think we’d be perfect together. I’d protect and take care of you, and you’d be the softness I need after a long day. You’d be my everything. You wouldn’t be poor because my money would become yours. Fuck society. I dress in a suit, but I’m a criminal. You’re classy and way too good for someone like me, but you think that’s going to stop me? Sure the fuck not.”

We’re so close that the soft swell of her tummy presses against my cock. She can feel it, and from the glassy look in her eye, I’d say she likes it.

“You’re crazy. I don’t know why you want me,” she murmurs, her shoulders hunched slightly.

I push her against the counter, blocking her in. Taking a fistful of her hair, I carefully pull her head back and stare into those mesmerizing eyes.

“I want you because you’re sweet,” I say quietly before I press a kiss to her cheek. “Because you’re beautiful.” Another kiss to her neck. “Because you’re smart and generous.” My lips find her exposed collarbone. “Because you’re mine, princess. That’s why I want you.”

When I press my hips forward, she whimpers and squirms against me, her hands coming to my chest to hold on.

“What if I don’t want to be yours?”

I pause, a small smirk crossing my lips. “Tell me you don’t want to be mine, Katie. Tell me honestly right now that you don’t want me, and I’ll back off. No lying, though. We only have truth between us, baby.”

Then I raise my head so I can look her in the eye. As soon as I do, I know she’s not going to say those words. She might not be sure about us, but she knows she doesn’t want it to stop.

“Daddy,” she breathes out.

“Yeah, princess?”

She shudders, her entire body trembling against me. Her lips are swollen from nibbling on them, and her pupils are blown wide. She’s practically panting. And fuck, I want to feed my cock into her open mouth.

“I need…” she whispers, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “I need something.”