Page 20 of Redemption

He drops his hands and throws his head back laughing, the sound going straight to my core.Why the hell is he so fucking handsome?

We both hear a throat clear and turn our heads to see Sean staring between the two of us. “Umm, here are your drinks. I’m just going to…” He walks away without finishing his sentence.

I drop my head and smile as I feel Kilian’s hand back on my thigh. When I look over at him he is handing my whiskey glass to me. “I’m Kilian, by the way.”

I take the glass and blush. “I know. I saw it on your credit card.” I watch as he picks up his glass. “I’m Bella.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Bella. But I much prefer doll.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes and instead slam back the hundred-euro whiskey since I know it will piss him off.

“Cheers,” he says to himself before taking a sip of his drink.

We spend the next two hours laughing and giving each other shit. Being around him is much too easy. Too playful. I find myself smiling more than I have in the last three years.

After one too many cocktails, I realize the time and tell him I need to leave.

“I’ll walk you home.”

I shake my head. “Not necessary. I only live a handful of blocks away.”

“How many is a handful?”

“Five,” I mutter, knowing if I don’t tell him, he will find a way to get it out of me.

“You aren’t going to walk home alone that far at this time of night,” he says abrasively.

“I do it all the time. At least while the weather is nice.”

“You don’t have a coat.”

I scrunch my brow at the subject change.

“I’ll let you borrow mine for the walk home. Then you can give it back.”

I sigh as I stand from my stool. “Sorry, Kilian, but I am not letting you walk me home.”

“Why is that?” he asks as he flags down Sean.

“Because someone like you would try to take advantage of me.” I turn and rush out before I let him answer.

I hurry around the corner and down the next block, my body freezing. What the hell was I thinking flirting with that man all night? I cannot get involved with him. He screams power. Maybe I am overthinking it but he is not the kind of man I can date knowing my family will find out. Some random student, my uncle wouldn’t care about. But a man like Kilian and I know my uncle would put a hit on him.

It’s stupid for me to feel anything for the man. But the way his blond hair falls across his forehead when he laughs too hard does something to my insides. Just like the way his sapphire eyes turn more cobalt when I see the lust in them. Or the way I want to feel the light scruff on his square jaw rub against the inside of my thighs. Ugh, I need to get him out of my head. Maybe I should quit.

I feel a drop of water hit my face.Dammit, I didn’t bring an umbrella either.

I start to walk faster, hoping I avoid a downpour when I feel a strong grip wrap around my bicep. I go to scream as I think of everything Kilian said about walking home alone at this time when I smell cedarwood and spice with a lingering scent of woodsmoke. And I immediately know it’s him.

His hand wraps around my throat as he pushes me into the brick building I was walking past. His other hand is on my waist, his body flush against mine.

His lips are so close to my mouth when he says, “You left without saying goodbye.”

“I didn’t need an escort,” I hiss as my heart rate speeds up from his touch. From the feeling of his hand at my throat.

“What if it wasn’t me that pushed you into this wall?”

“I am sure you wouldn’t have been far behind since you clearly followed me. Like I said, stalker.”

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