Page 27 of Bound By Crimson
His tone wasn’t unkind. It was final.
And Lyric couldn’t deny how much his assertiveness turned her on.
He gestured for the driver—still nameless to her—to escort her back to the shop.
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Back at the Velvet Cauldron, Lyric barely stepped inside before Velora rushed around the counter, eyes wide with excitement.
“Tell me everything. Who is he? Where did he take you? And what’s that?” She pointed to the black bag still in Lyric’s hand.
Lyric set the bag down gently. “It’s…a long story.”
Velora crossed her arms. “I have time.”
Lyric sighed. “I met him at the masquerade ball. He’s the one who sent those roses, remember? But then he disappeared. Until last night. I didn’t know anything about him. I only learned his name last night…Kai.”
She paused. “But today… the driver called him Mr. Thorn. So, I guess he’s Kai Thorn.”
Velora’s eyebrows shot up. “Let’s look him up.”
Lyric hesitated. “Is that…?”
“Lyric,” Velora said firmly. “You’re too trusting. It’s called being smart.”
They opened the laptop behind the counter. Velora typed swiftly.Kai Thorn—New York. It wasn’t long before they found him.
Kai Thorn – CEO, Thorn Capital. Private Equity. Global Finance. Net worth estimated in the billions.
Page after page of headlines.
Photos of Kai on red carpets. At charity galas. Stepping out of private planes.
Velora whistled low. “Damn, Little Star. You don’t do ordinary, do you?”
Lyric’s stomach tightened.
“What would someone like him want with me?” she murmured.
Velora squeezed her hand. “You’re selling yourself short. He sees what the rest of us already know.”
Lyric glanced at the black bag again. Inside was the dress he expected her to wear tonight. She reached in and pulled out a scarlet lace dress—scandalously sheer in places, designed to make mouths fall open.
Her pulse quickened.
She pressed the lace dress to her chest, unable to tear her eyes away from it.
Whatever this was…
She was already in too deep.
Chapter Eight
Red Lace Promises
Evening arrived.
Lyric had tried on the red dress, then taken it off, then tried it on again. The shoes fit perfectly, though she felt a little overdressed for anywhere local. But Kai hadn’t told her where they were going.
