13. Kieran

13

KIERAN

" H ey, sunshine. Nice to see you in a suit," Grady says as soon as I walk into Declan's office.

I'm the last one here this morning, and I have no doubt these fuckers have been doing nothing but talking shit about me.

"Fuck off," I grumble.

Declan smirks. "Cali had the best time replaying the surveillance footage this morning of you sasquatching it over to Bash's place. I think she might even be putting it on YouTube with some of her own personalized edits."

Everyone bursts out laughing except me. I stand near the coffee bar, glaring at them, debating if Cali would actually do that. I have no doubt she'd send it to everyone in the family, but I'm pretty sure she wouldn't actually put it on the internet. Either way, the little brat needs her ass spanked.

"You all need to mind your business. Jesus. Are we here for business or just to irritate me?"

Killian shrugs and looks around the room. "I don't know about the rest of them, but I think irritating you is a good warm-up exercise for the morning."

Ronan snorts. "Calm down, Kieran. No need to have a coronary."

When I finally sit down with a steaming cup of black coffee in hand, I scowl at them. "Why are we meeting this early on a Saturday?"

As if I conjured him up, Cage walks in with one of his brothers. Jasper, I think, is his name. Cage is a total psychopath, but Jasper might be even scarier and more deranged.

"We're meeting because Jasper and I just got back from Argentina a few hours ago," Cage says casually. "I met with some people there, did some hunting for Smoke. It's my understanding you guys found a girl there a few years back who had been kidnapped and sold?"

If Ronan weren't sitting directly across from me, I probably would have missed the way he goes rigid, his knuckles turning white as he clenches his fists.

"We did. She was my sister's best friend, Tessa Murphy. We never found who kidnapped her, but the people she was sold to no longer exist," Declan answers. "We found a dozen girls there and returned them all to their families."

Cage glances at Jasper and then back at us. "Any chance we can talk to your sister's friend? See if she remembers anything about who took her?"

"No," Ronan replies, his voice deadly. "You won't fucking talk to her. She went through enough shit back then. You're not going to dredge up those memories for her."

I study Ronan. It's been a while, but if I remember right, he was the one who found her in Argentina. He's the one who blew up the entire compound where the girls were held. He's also the one who took Tessa back to her parents. She was a minor at the time, so I don't think Ronan kept in touch. His reaction makes me wonder if I'm wrong.

"We believe Smoke is responsible for selling those girls to the people in Argentina. We had a meeting with one of the leaders there who brought up his name specifically," Jasper explains without looking at anyone in particular. "From what we've gathered, it seems that he sells girls to a country, and while he's there delivering them, he kidnaps girls who live in that country to take elsewhere to sell."

What. The. Fuck.

"So, he's rotating them? A dozen in, a dozen out? Are the other syndicates aware of this?" I ask, the muscles in my neck so tight it's painful.

How have we not figured this out by now? And between all the mafias, how have none of us caught him? All we have is a name, but none of us have ever laid eyes on him that we know of.

Cage looks to Declan. "We haven't sent out a widespread message to all of the organizations. I don't know how much you trust them. Whatever you want to do, you have the full backing of the Elite team and our resources. We don't have many morals, but we don't stand for hurting women."

The Elite team is a group of men who were sought out as teenagers for their intelligence, then trained for off-the-record special ops work. They consider themselves a family of sorts. Each one is a trained killing machine. They're the only group of men in the world I would consider to be more dangerous than the mafia. I guess sometimes it's good to have psychotic, deranged friends.

"I only trust the Italians and Russians. However, everyone who is part of our peace pact should be made aware. If we find out one of them is responsible, we will eliminate that organization from the US. Killian, set up a meeting. Cage, I want you part of it."

The corners of Cage's mouth twitch. "I would be even if I'm not physically there."

Everyone falls silent as the hidden message in Cage's words sinks in. Is there a room on the map he hasn't bugged? Jesus.

The awkwardness is interrupted by the door swinging open without a knock. Cali, Scarlet, Chloe, and Paisley stroll in.

All the tension I felt moments ago dissolves the second I meet her gaze. Who knew just looking at her could soothe the demon inside of me?

"Daddy, we're going shopping and to get our nails done," Cali announces.

Declan stands and raises a stern eyebrow at his girl. "I think the correct way to say that is, ‘Daddy, would it be okay if we went shopping and got our nails done?'" he scolds.

As I listen to them, I keep my eyes on Paisley, wanting to see her reactions to another couple in the same type of relationship. She glances at me several times, her cheeks turning pink. It's fucking adorable.

The difference between Declan and me is that Declan has gone soft since he met Cali. I won't go soft. I'll give Paisley moments of gentleness, but she will be under my constant command.

While Cali argues with Declan, I set my cup on the small table beside me, Paisley following my hand as it moves. I wonder if she's thinking about the spanking she received this morning. Widening my knees, I subtly point between them. I might expect her to be obedient, but Paisley isn't the type of woman to openly submit. If I made an obvious command in front of everyone in the room, she'd tell me to fuck off. I hope that by keeping it silent, just between us, she'll be my good girl and do as I ask.

She glances around the room and hesitates for just a beat before she slowly makes her way closer. Warmth spreads through my chest. I'm pleased that she didn't resist. It's amazing how a spanking can change a woman's attitude. For a little while, at least.

"What are you going shopping for?" I ask quietly.

"Dresses for the influencer party next weekend."

I rise from my seat and lean down so I'm close to her ear. "Whatever dress you buy, make sure it doesn't show too much of your delicious cleavage off. I don't think you want this party to end up a blood bath because other men can't keep their eyes off you."

A shiver runs through her, but she quickly masks it and leans back, scowling at me. "You're completely insane."

"Nah. Just possessive of what's mine. Wear whatever you want, baby; just remember what the consequences could be. I don't think you want several men's deaths on your hands."

When I wink at her, she rolls her eyes. I reach into my suit jacket for my wallet, then pull out the shiny black credit card. "Take this. There's no limit. Buy whatever you want."

She lowers her eyes and stares at it for a second before she tilts her head back and shoots me with a death glare. "I don't want your money."

"I have endless amounts of it, Paisley. Take it."

We're keeping our voices low, but the tension between us is so thick that I'm sure other people in the room feel it.

"I don't want it, Kieran," she hisses. "Put it away."

I clench my jaw, trying not to snap. This has never happened before. A woman turning down my money. I'm not sure how to handle it. I shouldn't be happy, but something deep down is glad she doesn't want it.

"Paisley, take the fucking card."

She raises her eyebrows and puts her hands on her hips. If she weren't so visibly pissed, I'd probably laugh at how adorable she looks.

"I'm not taking it. You know what you can do with it? Shove it right up your?—"

"Careful with your next words, baby girl, because whatever you say is going to happen to you later, so I'd think twice if I were you."

Her eyes bulge, and her hands drop. At the same time, my dick twitches. What is it about arguing with her that turns me on? So confusing.

"I'm not taking the card. I can pay for my own dress, Kieran."

This time, when I lean down, I wrap my arm around her and pull her into me. "And as I've told you before, just because you can, doesn't mean you should have to. It's okay to let someone take care of you, baby. Maybe I want to see you at that party and know that the dress you're wearing for such a special night was a gift from me."

To my surprise, she slides her hands inside my jacket and embraces me back, letting out a deep sigh when she rests her cheek on my chest. "Thank you for being thoughtful. This event is special. We're starting a woman-owned business, and it will mean something to me when I walk into that party knowing I bought my own dress. Not you. Not any man. I want to do this for myself."

My stomach twists into a knot. I still don't understand it, but this is obviously important to her, so I need to respect it. Even though I don't like it. I want to provide for her. Take care of her. Spoil her. At the same time, something else settles inside of me. She isn't interested in me for my money.

"Okay," I reply and put the card away.

She gives me a gleaming smile, and I know I've made the right call not to force it.

"Thank you. We'll be back later." She looks around before she reaches up and quickly adjusts my tie, then turns to leave.

I grab her by the wrist and spin her back into me. "You're not leaving without giving me a kiss."

Her mouth falls open, and then she starts to shake her head. "Everyone will see."

"Do you think they didn't see me going over to Bash's house after you in a fucking towel this morning? Everybody knows, baby. Now, give me a kiss before I forbid you from leaving."

I grit my teeth when she reaches into my jacket and pinches my side.

"I'd like to see you try," she challenges.

"Little girl, if you think I won't haul you out of this room and take you to an empty bedroom so I can spank your bratty ass, you're wrong. Then, after your ass is red and hot, I'll bend you over the bed and fuck you until you can't walk straight because every time you pinch me, it makes my cock hard."

This time, when her mouth falls open, I lean down and capture her lips. She freezes for just a beat before she relaxes into me and kisses me back. I keep it brief, not wanting to push too far. When I pull away, she lets out a soft sigh, her eyes glassy.

"Good girl," I murmur as I use my thumb to stroke her cheek. "Go, have fun. Be safe."

"You're taking guards with you, or you're not going. You know the rules," Declan says firmly, holding Cali's chin between his fingers. "And if you want to keep arguing, we can go up to our room to discuss it further with you face-down over my lap."

My chest warms with amusement. Part of me hopes Cali will keep arguing. The brat needs her ass spanked.

"No, no. No need to be so dramatic, Daddy," Cali says as she backs away from Declan. "We'll take our guards."

Declan leans down and presses a kiss to her forehead. "That's my good girl."

Paisley gives me one last glance before she leaves with her friends. As soon as the door closes, all eyes turn to me.

"This is going to be so fucking fun." Bash smirks.

I scowl at him. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Bash grins and picks up his coffee cup like he's making a toast. "To Kieran getting his ass handed to him by a woman half his size."

Everyone but me raises their drinks in agreement. "To Kieran!"