Page 23 of Daddy's Christmas Obsession
"It's no trouble when it's for you." I don't disguise the weight in my words. "Though I hate leaving you alone while you're dealing with so much."
"I'll be fine," she says unconvincingly. "Maybe it's good timing, if Aaron arrives..."
But the enthusiasm in her voice has dimmed. Her inadvertent confession hangs between us, another wedge I can drive between them.
I settle across from her, holding her gaze with quiet intensity. "Yesterday you seemed fragile. Today you're stronger, but I see the questions in your eyes."
"What kind of questions?"
"The ones that keep a brilliant woman awake at night." I lean forward slightly, narrowing the space between us. "Questions about what you really want, what you need, whether settling for less than you deserve is kindness or just fear."
She inhales sharply. I see the moment she realizes I'm not talking about Aaron anymore. "Victor—"
"I know this is complicated," I continue, lowering my voice to the register that makes her pupils widen. "There are lines we shouldn't cross, expectations we should honor. But sometimes life offers choices that don't fit neat categories."
"You're talking about your son."
"I'm talking about your happiness." I cover her hand with mine, the rose tattoo visible against her pale skin. I see her eyes drawn to it. "About a woman who deserves someone who sees her worth."
She stares at our joined hands, at the ink that marks me as someone who takes what he wants. "This is wrong."
"Or is denying what's happening between us wrong?" My thumb traces across her knuckles. "When was the last time someone looked at you the way I do?"
"Please don't."
"Don't what? Don't tell you you're fascinating? Don't admit that every conversation with you leaves me wanting more?" I lift her hand and press my lips to her palm. "Don't say my son was a fool to take you for granted?"
The kiss sends tremors through her, and when she doesn't pull away, I know I've won this round.
"I need to handle this crisis," I say, releasing her with reluctance. "While I'm gone, think about something."
"What?"
"Whether you're fighting for Aaron because you love him, or because you're afraid to want something you think you can't have." I stand, noting how her eyes follow me. "Becausesweetheart, you can have anything. You just need to be brave enough to reach for it."
I leave her with that, grabbing my jacket from the closet. The Range Rover waits outside, engine already warming. Before I go, one final seed to plant.
"Kyra?" I call from the door. "Feel free to explore while I'm gone. The office upstairs has research materials you might find interesting. Consider it a preview of what your academic future could look like with the right support."
I grab my keys and step outside. The mountain air is crisp after the storm, and the roads have been plowed. My Range Rover sits under the covered area, its engine already warm. The vehicle is built for these conditions—reinforced chassis, snow tires, enough power to handle any mountain road.
As I drive down the mountain, an unfamiliar feeling surfaces. Beneath the calculations and strategy, beneath the seduction and the years of waiting, there's something unexpected. Genuine concern for her that goes beyond possession.
I want her surrender, yes. I want her in my bed, in my life, belonging to me. But I also want her to thrive, to reach her potential. I want her brilliant mind to have every resource it deserves, her research to change the world as she believes it can.
For the first time in three years, I consider that this isn't just about claiming what I want. It's about giving her what she needs. That realization unsettles me more than any business rival could.
The warehouse situation will require violence. Blood will be spilled, threats eliminated, my authority reestablished. But none of that matters compared to the battle for Kyra's heart—and my own.
By tonight, I need to know what I truly want from her. Not just submission to my desires, but partnership that honors herbrilliance. Not just ownership, but connection that makes us both more than we could be alone.
I press harder on the accelerator. I've spent three years planning how to take Kyra Sinclair. Now I need to figure out how to keep her—not just in my bed, but in my life. How to make her see that being mine doesn't mean losing herself, but becoming who she's meant to be.
Tonight, the real seduction begins. Not just of her body, but her mind and heart. And for the first time, I'm not certain of success.
Chapter seven
Kyra
