Before I can push Ivy off me, Willow’s eyes turn to where I’m standing. She takes in her sister in my arms with her limbs wrapped around me, and even with her ire, that wounded look is back deep in her scrutiny. “Be careful with that one. Her bite is deadly.”
I try to tell her to stop. Working my mind to think of anything that would abate this feeling of helplessness, but my words fail me. And the next thing I know, she’s gone.
“Oh, my God, Kane? Are you okay? She’s certifiable. I swear, Daddy should have put her ass out a long time ago.”
I look down at Ivy and push her away. Judging by the fact she had to struggle to stay upright in her pencil thin heels, I didn’t quite hold back the rage in my forcefulness.
Movement behind Ivy catches my attention and I flash my eyes to see Dominic pinching the bridge of his nose. His face is red, and I have no doubt it’s with anger and not embarrassment. Something tells me it takes a lot to embarrass a man like him—if anything. A man with no morals and absolutely no issues stepping on whoever he needs to.
Including a woman who appears to carry a world of pain on her shoulders.
“You disgust me,” I seethe, earning his calculated stare. “How a man—any man—could treat a woman that way is beyond me. How a father—regardless of the step in front of that title—could treat his daughter in a way so despicable only shows your true character, Dominic. Anyone who has no qualms in spewing the malevolence that you just did deserves all the hell karma could bring you. I’m sure that will happen sooner than expected considering you had planned on me being your savior—the financial life raft to your drowning company.”
I take a few measured steps forward, stopping when my body is crowding his personal space. Even though he’s in good shape for an older man, he has nothing on me. My body, shaped and honed by years of strict dietary limitations and physical training, is solid muscle. Add to the fact I’m a solid six or so inches taller, and my intimidation factor isn’t just with my words.
I could crush him. Physically, easy, but the hellfire I could rain upon him within the industry would be more damaging than any verbal cockfight I could ever have with this asshole. And he knows it.
“You,” I emphasize with a sharp check to his shoulder, “could have reaped the just deserts of me walking in your doors today. You could have picked up the pieces of shit you’ve managed to let this company of yours become just by signing a contract with me after our meeting. I had come here to discuss the use of a good number of your clients and employees. Do you understand that, Dominic?”
“What’s he talking about, Daddy?” Ivy whines behind me, but neither of us is willing to break from the heated battle of domination we’re warring.
His eyes narrow and his brow furrows. “Now, wait just a goddamn second here, son,” he fumes.
“One thing you should get straight, old man—do not ever call me son. It would be an embarrassment to me to even imply that we had the kind of relationship that calls upon that sort of familiarity.”
I can tell he wants to say more, but he doesn’t. His chest is puffing up in defiance of my words, betraying the power he’s desperately trying to hold on to. He’s used to being in control of everything and everyone around him. I can only imagine what it’s costing him to shut the fuck up to avoid pissing someone as powerful as I am off.
I hold all the cards here.
And fuck if I understand it, but I’m willing to go to bat for a woman who I know nothing about just based on a feeling.
All because with one look into those wounded doe eyes, I was willing to give her anything at just a chance to explore the connection between us.
I’ve lost my mind, but even if it weren’t for Willow, hearing a man talk to a woman like that would have been enough for me to step in.
“Word on the street is you’re so far in the red you’re fucking bleeding out.” I step a little closer and look down my nose at him; the arrogance he held earlier vanishes with the panic. I know more about him than he bargained. “How’s it feel to know that with your actions today, you kissed any chance of aligning yourself with my name away. Lucky for me, I believe you just threw the best part of Logan Agency out the door like trash. I’m going to enjoy picking her up. My guess, she knows more about your own remaining clients than you do.”
He sucks in a deep breath, and I know I’ve hit the nail on the head. Willow might just have been a secretary in his eyes, but you don’t work that close to someone like Dominic Logan without soaking up everything you can.
“Good luck ending out this quarter with the Logan Agency’s doors still open, Dominic.”
My smile is nothing short of satanic when I turn and assess Ivy. “You were wrong, Ivy. The only certifiable people I see here are the two of you.”
Stomping my way toward the hallway that will lead me out of here, I turn, addressing the two Logans with cold calculations. “I think what Willow forgot earlier was a good fuck you to the both of you pathetic idiots. I’ll see myself out.”
By the time I walk past a nervous-looking Mary at the front reception, my adrenaline is spiking so high I know I need to find a way to burn off my aggression. Unfortunately, how I would like to do that isn’t an available option. Sure, I could pick any one of my old New York ‘friends’ and spend a day fucking this out, but fuck me—until I have a taste of the one who tempts me, no other pussy will do.
With no other options, I have Cam take me back to the penthouse, and I spend the next four hours working my body to the point of exhaustion in my home gym. It’s time for a new plan, but fuck if I know how to get what I want now. Willow is clearly more fragile than I had counted on and challenging doesn’t even come close to scraping the top layer.
A woman like her isn’t going to give a shit about the public Kane. If anything, that might be the biggest hurdle I have to overcome.
Fuck.
The way Willow, a complete stranger, can completely unman me makes me feel like the biggest fucking pussy. I’m protective to the point of madness over someone who has mumbled a handful of words to me. That’s it. I know nothing about her besides what I’ve learned the two times I’ve been stuck watching her fight and struggle through impossible situations.
Pussy or not, I would be a fool to give up on what I feel shooting straight down my spine when my eyes locked with hers. Stupid man, I’m not.
Willow will be mine. I just have to make sure I don’t harm her further just by being me and everything that comes with being by my side. It takes a strong woman to be able to handle being in the public eye. Most of the fiercest women I know couldn’t even hack it when the media started to have a field day picking apart every single fiber of their life. I don’t even have to know Willow to see that she is as far from fierce in nature as it gets.
I sigh deeply with the direction of my thoughts. Fuck. Fuck! For the first time since I decided she would be mine, I’m unsure if capturing my scared little doe would be the best thing for her or the most selfish thing I could ever do.
I’M JUST IN DENIAL … RIGHT? Surely, that’s why I haven’t broken down after everything that happened yesterday. I’m not losing my shit further than I did in the office yesterday. I mean¸ it’s not the end of the world that I’ve lost my job and what was left of my dysfunctional family. I’m better off. I know that. I shouldn’t be embarrassed at all that a mega movie star watched me go insane and toss a computer through a glass wall. Okay, well … maybe I should be slightly embarrassed with that.
Crap.
I squeeze my eyes shut and try to block out the memories of yesterday that have been assaulting my mind. Everything keeps playing over and over in one heck of a humiliating display of my madness.