To say that you were nervous for dinner with Kylo was an understatement, by a fucking long shot.
Not only were you woken up by a nearly suffocating sense of impending doom remembering the dinner plans Kylo insisted upon, you remembered the conversation shared over small, white take-out boxes as you walked into the kitchen for a glass of water, spotting the evidence in the trash can.
The guilt felt all-consuming, rotting your insides the more your thoughts lingered on the crushing feeling of it.
Without a second thought, you stomped into your bathroom, brushing your teeth at a violent pace, as if that was punishment enough for having pulled the 'dead mother' card on your twin brother. As you pulled your hair up into sloppy ponytail and slipped on a pair of sneakers, you raced out of your apartment, making the trek a handful of blocks away to the building where Vicrul resided.
While the icy wind whipped around you, you wrapped your coat tightly around your body, attempting to keep warm as you increased your pace. Frost had covered the few cars lined up next to the sidewalk, even fewer people passing you, the city seeming as if it were still deep in slumber. You could feel the freezing breeze brush past your chapped nose and cheeks as you turned the corner, only a few buildings away from Vic's apartment.
The sound of a vehicle slowing to a crawl beside you brought you out of your thoughts. A sleek, black, nearly unassuming car pulled up, keeping up with your pace as you walked. A nagging feeling pooled in your intestines, the faint blaring of alarms echoing off the walls of brain. As you continued to walk, the car creeped beside you, making it painfully obvious that you were the driver's intended target.
Anger rolled off of you in waves, the final straw that broke the camel's back.
"HEY, JERK OFF!" you screamed, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, the car stopping with you. The window on the driver's side scrolled down just enough to reveal the top half of driver's face.
"YEAH, YOU! WANNA TAKE A FUCKING PICTURE?! IT'LL LAST A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT LONGER!" you continued, squaring your shoulders to the vehicle and the jackass operating it.
You distinguished a set of brown eyes sitting beneath a mop of mousey brown hair, most definitely belonging to that of a male. No one that you immediately recognized.
"EAT SHIT, MOTHERFUCKER!" you yelled, deciding it would be easier to continue on your journey and ignore the stalker.
Much to your dismay, the stalking continued as you finally jogged up the concrete steps leading into Vicrul's apartment, but you felt at ease knowing that you were safe. As you opened the door leading to the building, the warm air from inside pouring around you, you heard the car speed off. Though you knew the driver couldn't see you, making obscene hand gestures in the direction the vehicle went made you feel a whole hell of a lot better.
Purely from muscle memory, you made your way to Vicrul's apartment on the top floor, one of the largest in the building, facing the door after taking a deep breath in through your nose. Just as you were about to knock on the door, it opened; a busty, scantily clothed blonde standing in front of you.
"Who the fuck are you?" she asked, snarling at you. She definitely looked like the type of girl who peaked in high school, trying to chase the success she had received in her past throughout her entire adult life, only to continue failing. You rolled your eyes, pushing past her into your brother's apartment.
"Vic!" you yelled, your shout bouncing off the walls and ringing throughout the living area. The blonde scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest after closing the door, keeping her eyes on you as if you were about to steal something.
Vicrul turned the corner, a towel hanging low off his hips, water dripping from his scruffy blonde tresses onto his shoulders. You couldn't help the eye roll and groan the emanated from you, Vic only chuckling as he grabbed a cigarette from the carton resting on the island in the kitchen, pulling the lighter out along with it, lighting the end quickly and taking a long drag, the smoke lingering in his lungs before blowing it out of his nostrils.
"Viccy, who the fuck is this broad?!" the blonde asked shrilly, stamping her foot as she pointed at you.
"Candi, this is my sister." Vic said, bringing the cigarette to his lips again, inhaling deeply. You turned to look at the woman, her mouth hanging agape. With a smirk, you walked up to the blonde, getting close enough to her that you could almost choke on the scent of her cheap cotton candy perfume.
"Call me a broad again, and I'll beat you within an inch of your life, Candi," you continued, "Now, get the FUCK out of my brother's apartment."
You could hear Vicrul exhale, the scent of burning tobacco permeating in the air as the woman grabbed her coat and exited the apartment with the slam of the door. Turning on your heel, you narrowed your eyes at your beloved brother.
"Well...," you sighed, crossing your arms over your chest, "Candi seems delightful. Way to keep your standards high, brother."
Vic inhaled the last of his cigarette, leaving the butt in an ashtray on the island counter, smirking at you. He shrugged his shoulders, turning back to his room, leaving a trail of smoke in his wake.
"A man has his needs." He exclaimed from his bedroom.
You rolled your eyes. Sitting on the couch and getting comfy, you scrolled mindlessly through your phone while waiting on Vicrul's return. Nothing seemed to keep your attention for very long, growing bored quite quickly with the drabble that consumed the screen.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence this early in the morning?" Vic said, walking out of his bedroom in sweatpants and t-shirt, sitting in the arm chair next to the couch. You chewed on the skin around your thumb, not able to keep eye contact with your brother while you were attempting to piece together your apology.
Quit being a pussy and just say it, you thought to yourself.
"I wanted to apologize for what I said last night. It was out of pocket and I'm sorry. I knew those words would hurt you, but I said them anyway." You mumbled, looking back up at him. Vicrul gave you a sad smile.
"You're forgiven. Thank you," Vicrul said your name, smiling, "Now, get over here and hug me like mom used to make us do when we were pissed off at each other!"
You couldn't hold back your laugh as you stood, hugging him as tightly as you could. Fond memories of your mother threatening you both with an 'ass whooping' because you both were too stubborn to embrace the other after a fight flooded your mind, causing you to squeezing your arms around your brother just a little tighter. Vic pulled away first, holding you away from him at arm's length, a shit eating grin on his face.
"Let me guess, you woke up this morning, the guilt absolutely eating you up inside, so you walked your ass here in the freezing cold, just to apologize?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. You blushed, nodding. As you opened your mouth because you felt the need to defend your actions, Vicrul continued.
"And before you say what I know you're about to say, apologizing through a phone call, especially to me, is just as genuine." He stated, walking into the kitchen, digging through the kitchen cabinets, pulling out a coffee filter and a bag of grounds. You rolled your eyes, perching yourself on the kitchen island.
"It is NOT as genuine as apologizing face-to-face. Hiding behind a phone is just asking for ineffective communication." You said, watching as he began to dump the grounds into the filter.
"SEE! And I KNEW you were going to say that!," Vic exclaimed, grabbing the coffee pot and filling it with water, raising two fingers to his eyes and then pointing at you, "It's that freaky twin ESPN shit..." he mumbled.
You rolled your eyes, watching him.
"I believe you meant to say ESP, dear." You stated with a chuckle. Vicrul grinned again, dumping the water into his coffee brewer, replacing the now empty coffee pot to collect the rich liquid he was preparing.
You climbed off of the kitchen island, walking over to the floor to ceiling windows opposite of the kitchen, looking out over this section of the city. While Vicrul hadn't chosen the greatest part of town to reside, it wasn't the worst, by any stretch. Exhausted citizens walked up and down the same sidewalks that were basically barren on your adventuring here, huddled up in large coats, attempting to stay warm on their way destination. As a few cars drove by, you couldn't help but think about the black sports car, lingering in the street next to you, taking in your every move.
Thinking it was just someone having mistaken you for someone else, you shook it off, facing your brother once more.
Vic looks so much like the pictures of Zachary when he was younger, you thought, frowning to yourself.
"So you and Kylo, huh?" he said, watching you as he took a sip of coffee. Your cheeks lit aflame, the heat from embarrassment warming your chest and the shell of your ears.
"Him and I are just getting to know each other. I can't see him actually wanting to continue on with me once I go back to work..." you said, shrugging as you poured yourself a cup of coffee, raiding the refrigerator for creamer. As you stirred in a small amount of sugar, you watched Vicrul roll his eyes, taking another sip from his steaming mug.
You both finished your coffees in silence, just taking in each other's presence. Watching Vic's shoulders tense as he stood in the kitchen with you, you could innately tell that he was chomping at the bit to say something.
"Listen, you're an adult, capable of making your own, overthought out decisions, and you're gonna do whatever the fuck you feel like doing, but I'm not sure if seeing Kylo is the best idea," he stated, rinsing out his mug, "I've known the dude for years. I just...I have a bad feeling about this."
You began biting the skin around your thumb again, not wanting to meet your brother's gaze. Though he had the best of intentions, it seemed like Vicrul never had a good feeling about any man you had attempted to see. He seemed to take your silence as defiance, sighing and placing both of his hands on the countertop of the island, hanging his head.
"He'll break your heart..." Vic mumbled, frowning.
"I love you, but I believe, as an adult, I can function through heartbreak. Besides, nothing that him and I have is serious." You said, pushing yourself off of the counter you had been leaning against, placing your coffee mug in the sink basin. Quietly, you rested your temple against his shoulder, something you had done as a child when Vic would voice his stresses and concerns to you.
"You don't have to protect me, Vic." You whispered, tilting your head to look at him. He turned his head to look at you, still frowning.
"I'm still going to," he shrugged, standing up to his full height, sighing, "and when someone hurts you, I'm going to remind them that kneecaps are a privilege, not a right." You rolled your eyes, wrapping your arms around him, hugging him again.
...
Later that evening, as you cleaned your apartment, showered and began to get ready for your dinner with Kylo, you thought about Vicrul's warning, hoping he was just being overly cautious. As you applied a light application of makeup and straightened your hair, you imagined how Kylo would attempt to break your heart or hurt you, more so in preparation if it were to happen. You concluded that he would probably ghost you when he had found a different plaything to satisfy his needs, playing cat and mouse games with someone who looked more like the woman you had been confronted by that morning at Vic's apartment.
As Kylo had promised, you received a notification on your cell phone, informing you that a car was waiting for you as you finished getting ready. You smoothed out your cocktail dress as you stood on the heels you had just stepped into, grabbing your clutch and locking up your apartment. He had hinted around earlier in the afternoon that he was taking you to some upscale restaurant, cluing you in to dress up.
While the ride felt like an eternity due to the traffic deep within the city, you arrived sooner than you had expected. As you went to grab your clutch sitting in the seat beside you, you felt the cold chill of the wind wrap around your bare legs as the car door opened, thinking the driver exited to escort you out of his vehicle.
"Hello, Princess." Kylo's voice immediately sent an inferno through your veins, the sheer heat of it pooling between your legs. You turned to him, in all his glory, holding his hand out, waiting for you to take it. As you rested your hand in his, it felt like you had been struck by lightning, the electric current surging through your nerve endings.
Kylo's tresses lay in perfect waves, as dark as the night sky. His plump lips curled up into a heart melting smirk, appearing just as pink and soft as when they had met yours last night. You wanted nothing more than to get a rain check on dinner, wanting him to take you home and press those beautiful lips everywhere. Shaking the lewd thoughts from your mind, you exited the backseat, Kylo shutting the door behind you. Much to your surprise, he wrapped his arm around your waist, pressing his lips to your temple, then leaning down to whisper in your ear.
"You are stunning, Angel." His voice dripping with desire, a blush crawling up your chest to lick at your cheeks.
A heavy gust of wind nearly blew you into Kylo's chest as you stood on the sidewalk, causing him to wrap his arm around you tighter.
"C'mon, before we miss out on dinner." You said, smiling up at him. At first, you thought you heard Kylo mumble something under his breath, but another breeze whipped around you, drowning him out. As you walked into the restaurant, you were at a loss for words.
Massive, glittering chandeliers hung from the ceiling, sending small rainbowed beams across the deep, merlot painted walls. White linen tables packed the room, hundreds of conversations buzzing over glasses of expensive wines and delicious, gourmet foods. As you both walked up to the podium, a hostess greeted you, her smile nearly as white as fresh snow.
"I'm so glad you could join us this evening! Do you have a reservation?" She asked, looking between the two of you.
"Yes. Last name, Ren." Kylo said, politely. The hostess looked through her tablet, holding the information of your reservation. She smiled brightly at you.
"Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Ren! Right this way!" She walked you through the large room, slipping past other patrons and wait staff to a door you hadn't noticed before. When you walked through the threshold, you were greeted by a smaller, more subdued version of the great room, the tables lit by a collection of candles rather than grand chandeliers. There were only a handful of couples in this room, the seating arrangements farther apart than what you had seen earlier, creating a more intimate feel. She walked you back to a table all the way in the back, an iced bucket of expensive wine already waiting to be tasted.
"Enjoy your evening!" With that, the hostess was practically bustling out of the room, the noise from the giant room filtering in through the door as she escaped. Kylo's hand left your waist, your body already craving his touch again, pulling out your chair.
"Thank you, Kylo." You said, sitting down cautiously before he pushed your chair back in. As he took his seat, you swore there wasn't a type of light that he didn't look amazing in. His warm eyes glittered in the candle-light, the gold flecks almost shimmering.
"No, thank you for indulging me with the chance to take you to dinner." He said, smirking at you. Right as you were about to respond, a bald man with round glasses, sporting an ill-fitting suit approached the table.
"Pardon me, Mr. and Mrs. Ren, but the head chef caught word of your reservation this evening and has prepared a wonderful meal for your arrival!" the man said, looking between the two of you with a nervous smile plastered on his face. Your eyes widened, feeling almost embarrassed that your arrival with Kylo had granted such attention. While you enjoyed the finer things in life, you were never one to revel in them.
"We would be honored." Kylo said, turning his attention fully back to you, enjoying the surprised look on your face. Slowly, he reached for the bottle of wine still perched in the bucket of ice cubes, easily removing the cork with the provided corkscrew. You scoffed as he poured the deep crimson liquid into your glass.
"So this is what your...occupation buys you, fancy wines with dinner and fear from those around you?" you asked, grabbing your glass and taking a sip. A bold cherry flavor flooded your tastebuds, a hint of blackberry rounding out the wine.
This man knows how to pick a Merlot, I'll give him that...
Kylo thought for a moment, bringing his own wine glass to his lips, taking a deep pull before answering you.
"I appreciate the finer things because life is short, especially with my line of work, Princess. Those who fear me have been given a reason to do so." He stated, watching you with intent, almost as if you were his prey. You rolled your eyes.
"Did you threaten the head chef, or something? What, did he overcook your lobster once?" your question was laden with sarcasm, coating in on as thick as possible. You had no idea as to why you were being snarky; you were impressed by what he'd done for you thus far and you enjoyed his company.
Sometimes, men just need their balls busted, you thought.
"He fucked with us, we retaliated. He learned his lesson. I'm not going to apologize for doing what needed to be done." Kylo said with a shrug, taking another sip of wine.
Sizzling plates were set in front of you, causing you to jump since you hadn't seen the waitstaff approach your table. The scent of the filet mignon, garlic butter mushrooms and some sort of potatoes filled your nostrils, immediately making your mouth water. You hadn't realized how hungry you were, which shouldn't have surprised you since you hadn't eaten all day.
"Enjoy." The waiter said, bowing slightly at the waist before walking back towards the kitchen.
The rest of dinner seemed to pass by with minimal conversation between the two of you, both of you seeming consumed in the idea of devouring the delicious meal sitting in front of you. As you went to pour yourself a third glass of wine, having finished most of what sat on your plate, Kylo finally spoke up.
"Tell me, Angel, what made you want to become a physician?" He asked, leaning forward, resting his interlaced fingers to his lips, staring intently at you. You sipped on your wine, taking a moment to collect your thoughts. While you had a myriad of reasons for diving headfirst into patient care, only one seemed to permeate in the forefront of your mind.
"From a young age, my mother would tell me all about the really interesting cases she had seen while working as a nurse. For the longest time, I wanted to follow in her footsteps, but she pushed me to aim for something higher. She told me that she had dreams of me being a trauma surgeon because I loved to fix things most people had given up on." you laughed, remembering how many times you had taken things apart, only to put them right back together again.
You paused to take another sip of wine, Kylo waiting patiently for you to continue.
"After she was diagnosed with cancer, I had found her textbooks from when she tried to become a nurse practitioner and studied them from front to back. I was enthralled at the thought of being able to help people at their weakest, helping heal them from their ailments. When she died, I just knew that I was destined to be a doctor." You frowned, finally meeting his gaze.
Where you thought you would find pity and lackluster sadness in Kylo's eyes, you only saw the curiosity swirling in his irises, almost as if he were studying you. Finally, he smirked, relaxing his position as he took a deep breath.
"And you enjoy your work?" he asked, finishing his glass of wine. You nodded.
"I love what I do. My patients and coworkers trust me, while my colleagues respect and consult me because I'm always researching treatment methods best suited for each and every patient. It's exhausting, sometimes even draining, but it's rewarding. I couldn't ever see myself doing anything else..." you trailed off, following suit in finishing your wine.
As the wine floated through your veins, you began to feel flushed, your head feeling light on your shoulders, knowing that three glasses were more than enough for you. You smiled up at Kylo, attempting to swallow the bout of giggles threaten to bubble up out of your throat.
"I had a really lovely evening, Kylo." You said, watching him smirk. He nodded.
"As did I." he paused, signaling for the waitstaff with his fingers. You studied the curve of his fingers, watching the 'come hither' motion he made with them, feeling that familiar clench of muscles deep in between your legs.
He DEFINITELY knows how to summon a genie!, your cheeks emblazoned at the thought.
Kylo swiftly paid for the meal, leaving a gracious tip for the waitstaff, sending both your compliments to the chef on the wonderful meal, before wrapping his arm around your waist and leading you out into the roaring, icy winds. With his hand on you, sinful thoughts raced through your mind, lust coursing through every inch of your body.
As he helped you into the backseat of a car he had on standby, you bit your lip, attempting to control yourself, definitively losing an uphill battle. Kylo rested his large hand on the thigh closest to him, watching you.
You both were silent for the remainder of the ride back to your apartment, his hand still perched on your leg. He began to rub the tip of his index finger against your skin a few blocks away from your destination, a touch so gentle, goosebumps were left in its wake. It was taking all of your willpower not to have him take you in the backseat of his driver's vehicle. The car slowed to a stop in front of your building.
Before he could even think to speak, you launched yourself into his lap, straddling his massive legs and attacking his lips with yours. You rocked your pelvis around on his, feeling him growing beneath you. His tongue slipped into your mouth, dominating the kiss you had initiated. Despite your low moan, Kylo pulled away just enough that your lips barely brushed against each other.
"Well, hello there, Kitten..." he drawled against your lips, taking your bottom lip between his teeth, eliciting a gasp from you.
"Kylo...," you whispered, pulling your lip from between his teeth, brushing them against his earlobe, "I want you..."
A devilish smile curled the corners of Kylo's lips as he grabbed the swell of your ass, lifting both of your bodies out of the vehicle and into your apartment building, darting into the elevator at what felt like an incredible speed.
"Got your key?" he asked, as he held you against him with minimal effort. You nodded, pulling away just enough to fish out the key to your door, plucking it out with your thumb and forefinger with a smile. Kylo smirked, taking it from you. Before you could argue with him, he began pressing his lips against your throat, biting at your pulse point, drawing out small, breathy moans from you.
As soon as the elevator had reached your floor, he strode to your door in a flash, unlocking the door with ease. You grabbed his face as he shut and locked the door, craving to feel his lips against yours again. He obliged, walking through your apartment, depositing your key on your kitchen counter, making a beeline for your bedroom.
Depositing you roughly on the bed, you couldn't help but giggle, looking up at him.
"Are you sure, Princess?" Kylo asked, leaning down enough to make direct eye contact with you. You nodded, only to have him pinch your chin between his fingers, cocking an eyebrow at you.
"Use your words, Sweetheart." His voice was stern, sending a sobering chill through spine. You gulped, your mouth suddenly as dry as the desert.
"Yes, Kylo. I want you...right now...more than anything..." you whispered, looking deep within his gorgeous honeyed eyes. Hungrily, his lips claimed yours, a moan echoing deep within his chest. Your body felt like it was buzzing with electricity, the muscles deep in your stomach clenching almost painfully.
Kylo pulled away once more, smirking at you.
"And you'll have me, Kitten...All of me."