Page 74 of Compelled Obedience

“Of course you can.”

Grant rubbed his eyes. “You heard what I said, Tristen. Just find out as soon as you can. No, I do know what I’m doing.” When he ended the call, I could tell he wanted to toss the phone out of frustration.

“Trouble in carnal paradise?”

A smile broke out across his face and it was as if the sun was shining down on the table. “Just business. Nothing that can’t be dealt with later.” He reached across the table, grabbing one of the half dozen napkins I’d asked for. “He’s talented. Like his sister.”

“I can’t draw a box and a ball with any clarity.”

“Yes, but you’re a brilliant musician.”

Blushing, I glanced across the street at the colorful buildings, surprised the street was quaint, not as if it was barely twenty miles from downtown LA. “I like to think so.”

“I might have a surprise for you later.”

I turned my head, narrowing my eyes. “Meaning what?”

“Oh, now. Good things come to very patient girls. Hey, little man. Are you ready to see my penthouse?”

“What’s a penthouse?” Casey asked.

“It’s a place where you can see for miles around,” Grant answered as he wiped ice cream from my brother’s face.

I stiffened. Maybe a part of me hoped my boss and lover lived in a tiny house somewhere. That was crazy and I knew it of course. He was rich. Why would he live in a cozy little home?

“Yay!” Casey clapped his hands, jumping in his seat. When his pencils almost tumbled to the balcony, I could feel a round of anger slipping into the child.

Grant was quick to react, laughing as if it was the funniest thing in the world, dropping to his knees and collecting the two pencils before they hit the concrete. “Oops!”

“Oops!” Casey mimicked, his good mood returning.

Grant returned to his seat, taking a deep breath. It was obvious he had a lot on his mind. We both did. There was a dome of fragile glass positioned overtop, threatening to shatter at any moment. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out who’d bothered to track us down. I wasn’t a threat to anyone. Drago had been dead for a long time. Why now?

“You’re sure you’re comfortable doing this?” I asked for the tenth time. “Taking us in like waifs?”

He lifted a single eyebrow past the edge of his glasses, his grin turning salacious. “Waifs, huh? Ask me again and I might need to entertain maintenance discipline.” While he whispered the words, I heard him over the lively music, blushing so hard heat jettisoned through me.

“You’re a very mean man, Mr. Wilde.”

Everything about the way he looked was overtly powerful as well as sexual. His sleeves rolled past his elbows, the shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest, and the fact his hair remained tousled continued to provide bad girl images. He also smelled of sex, multiple rounds, although maybe I was the only one able to detect the delicious fragrance.

“You’re just figuring that out, little kitten?”

“Why do you call her a little kitten? She doesn’t have fur or claws,” Casey asked then scooped up the last bite of his treat, getting more of it on his face than in his mouth. I wasn’t certain when I’d seen him so relaxed.

I bit back a laugh, pressing my hand over my lips, shocked that Grant was able to keep a straight face. I was curious how he was going to get himself out of this one.

“Well, because she has very soft hair, little man.” Grant leaned across the table, allowing himself to be completely in tune with Casey.

It was almost impossible not to laugh given the serious expression the man wore and as I turned my head, Casey narrowed his eyes. He raked his small hand across his mouth, covering his fingers with the mess he’d created.

Then he raked them through my hair.

It was Grant’s turn to suppress a laugh. I glared at him, ripping off the man’s sunglasses then narrowing my eyes.

“You’re right,” Casey said defiantly. “Sissy kitten. Sissy kitten. Sissy kitten.”

Grant grinned as he shrugged his shoulders. “Sissy kitten it is.”

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