Page 108 of King of Cruelty

“I love you, Kenzie,” he grunted. “I’ve always loved you since the day I nearly blew you up with my bazooka. I went into the woods to escape from love... so you came and found me.”

I might’ve said something sweet and gushy back, if not for my core tightening so hard it snapped in half, igniting my orgasm and exploding it through my body.

Bane jerked, then he came too—spilling inside of me as we both screamed, grunted, and moaned under the shockwaves.

“Wow,” I panted, slumping over his chest. “I think we just topped our personal best.”

“Really?” He pulled me closer, kissing me all over. “What about Paris? We blew the lights out in the City of Lights that night.”

I smothered a laugh. We really did cause a power surge and take out the lights in the whole building that night. But it wasn’t my fault that we fell out of bed onto a power cord.

“And what about Tanzania?” His grin was wolfish. “You screamed so loud, you set off half the animals in the jungle.”

“Okay, let’s agree on top three, then.”

“Definitely top three.”

My phone went off.

“Lollipop Lips, where are you?” Sunny answered. “Did you forget you’re bringing the cake?”

“Wait, what? I was supposed to do that?” I cried. “But look at the time. Everywhere is probably closed.”

“Probably. So you better get your clothes back on and think of something.”

I swore, hanging up the phone. “No more basking in the afterglow. Turns out we were on cake duty.”

“Shit.”

We hurriedly got dressed and got back on the road.

We went all around Leighbridge, begging three different bakeries to stay open later to give us something, anything, that resembled a birthday cake. The final guy finally took pity on us when Bane offered him ten thousand dollars.

And by took pity, I mean he ran back into the kitchen so fast, he left a him-shaped cloud of flour in his place.

Bane and I relaxed in a booth, talking, laughing, and making out while he worked—just enjoying each other’s company.

Soon, he returned with the most expensive cake in the world, and we left for home—my home. I thought that every time I found the Fairfield in the skyline.

I’m home.

We pulled inside the parking garage, climbed out, and headed inside, waving hello to Thatcher on the way in.

The noise from the party hit us before we turned the corner for the terrace, finding our whole family laughing and dancing under the stars.

Adeline, her husbands, and their oldest daughters chatted around the fireplace while they took charge of smore duty—melting, assembling, and putting them on plates as fast as the kids were snatching them up and devouring them.

Sunny, River, and Ryker manned the grill on the other end of the terrace, having a heated argument over grilled meat and vegetables. Three people could not be least alike, or argue more, but I’d never seen a friendship stronger.

As strong as Ryker’s relationship with his girlfriend of two years—

“Kenzie, there you are. It’s about time. You see, folks, this is what I have to deal with?” Lyla said, pausing to kiss Ryker’s cheek before coming over to chew me out. “Running a business with someone who doesn’t own a clock.”

“Haha.” We exchanged warm kisses on the cheeks. “Last I checked, that business is one of the most successful fashion boutiques in Cinco, with another one opening in New York this summer, so it can’t be all bad.”

She grinned, winking. “It’s bad enough.”

“No one believes that,” Sienna spoke up. “The only person Lyla loves more than Kenzie is Laurel. Right, Mom?”

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