Jae let out a long-suffering sigh as we emerged onto the sunlight street before the church. His men surrounded us, and the instant layer of safety was soothing. Of course, his men would still let his father through.
I frowned. “Did you want to avoid them?”
Jae turned to me, and the gleam in his eyes sent a hot slide of anticipation down my spine. He stepped closer, crowding me against an ornate arch outside the church. His hands went to my waist, holding me captive as he leaned closer.
“What are you doing?” I whispered, my skin heating immediately.
“Improvising. Play along,” he murmured before lowering his lips to mine.
Maybe it was meant to be chaste. A little pretend kiss to put his family off and make it seem like we were too wrapped up in each other to be disturbed. Maybe it was a ploy to ensure everyone knew the head of the Song family was spoken for. Maybe Jae never intended for it to turn into what it did.
His lips pressed against mine, and in my shock, I parted beneath them. He stilled, perhaps surprised at the willing, hot slide of my tongue against his mouth. But then that still moment passed, and he was on me. He pressed his taut body against mine, pining me in place with his hips as his mouth moved over mine with hard intent. His tongue delved inside my mouth with a carnal movement that made me want to rock my hips against him, church car park or not. His teeth nibbled my lips, pulling the bottom one into his mouth and sucking on it. Fuck, I felt like I’d never been kissed before at that moment. It felt too good. It heated me too hot. I couldn’t get enough.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my breasts against him, needing friction on all the places he had set on fire. His hands were at the small of my back, but now they dropped to my ass. He gripped my butt through my thin day dress and rubbed my body against his. I felt as delicate as a doll in his strong hands, like he could position me anywhere and do what he wanted with me. The thought only turned me on more.
A car backfired in the street beyond the parking lot, and the noise was an unwelcome intrusion in the dreamlike bubble we’d fallen into. I could ignore it. I planned to, but Jae pulled away. His security team was a wall of black-suited backs, hiding us from view, except for a couple who stood inside the protective circle, watching us.
Jae collected himself, stepping away from me, and I knew I looked like a disheveled mess as I smoothed my hair. Dami raked judgmental eyes across me.
“Song Jae Han, who is this woman, and what are you doing with her?” His father’s voice was like a whip. I suddenly recalled Jae talking about how strict his father had been growing up.
“I should think that was clear,” Jae said. “We’re seeing each other.”
“Seeing each other? She was at his house, in a bedsheet!” Jae’s mother jumped in, looking fit to faint.
Her husband snapped something at her in Korean and turned back to his son. He nodded. “Keep it private. You know your responsibilities. We don’t tangle with Ivanov’s lightly.”
My father’s words were like a silent detonation, rippling through Jae, making him still in a way I’d never seen before. Fuck.
Jae’s youngest sister, Hana, came over, pushing ungracefully through his guards. “Oh! Hi, again. I love your dress,” she said as her mother lost her patience and hit her with her handbag.
“Ow! Okay, I’m going.” She huffed as she was pushed away.
Jae’s father nodded to him, cut his eyes to me, and disappeared into his entourage. Jae turned to me, his eyes assessing. There was a gleam that told me that my days of secrets and no questions were behind me.
“Wow, so that was your whole family in one day. That’s a lot,” I said weakly as he took me back to the car.
“You handled it brilliantly.”
“I did?” I cheered up at his praise. Maybe he wasn’t about to interrogate me in a drafty old warehouse somewhere.
“Half of them love you. The other half hates you. I’d say you’ve got about the same stats as me. The real question is what your family thinks about you, KatIvanov.”
Crap. Looked like my time had run out, and I was about to see the other side of the brutal heir of the Song family.
CHAPTER10
Jae Han
Ivanov.Katya Ivanov. She’d lied to me. She’d played me.
My anger stewed and roiled in my chest as we drove home and headed to the penthouse. My security were too close for me to lose my shit.
Kat was quiet, and the tension between us built to a fever pitch that broke as soon as the door shut between my security team and us. I grabbed her arm as she made to scurry off toward her room.
“Going somewhere, Kat? Don’t you think we need to talk?” I growled. This wasn’t like me. Anger to me was ice cold, not this burning, flaming thing in my chest.
Kat squirmed against me, avoiding my eyes. “About what?”