One Night Stand (stuck between two brothers).

NothingLikeIImagined

Kaia pov.

My parents were beaming, their smiles brighter than the harsh lights above us. Disgust rose in my throat, bitter and suffocating.

"Your ride is waiting for you outside," George said.

I stood up, my legs unsteady beneath me.

“Kaia,” my mother called as i grabbed the doorknob, her voice soft, almost pleading. I turned to face her, my chest tight.

“What do you want?” I snapped, my voice sharp.

She’d moved closer, her arms outstretched, wanting to hug me. But i stepped back, my glare stopping her in her tracks.

“i'm sorry things turned out this way but you know we are doing this for our family ,” she said, her voice soft, but I saw the look in her eyes. The relief. The joy. Like she’d just won some prize.

My gaze flicked to my father, who was now talking to George in hushed tones about the Knight Enterprises deal. He didn’t even look at me. Not a glance, not a word. Just business as usual.

“Shameless,” I muttered, loud enough for them to hear, and walked out, slamming the door behind me.

The car was waiting, just as George had said. The car—a sleek black sedan—was idling at the curb, the driver standing beside it, holding the door open. He gave me a polite nod, but I didn’t return it. I didn’t want politeness. I wanted to scream.

“Mrs. Knight,” he said, and the words made my stomach churn.

I’m not Mrs. Knight, I wanted to snap. I’m Kaia. Just Kaia.

But I didn’t say anything. What was the point? The papers were signed. The deal was done. I slid into the backseat, the leather cold against my thighs, and the driver closed the door behind me.

The car pulled away from the curb, and I stared out the window, watching the city blur past. My mind raced, but I couldn’t grasp a single coherent thought. It was all just noise—fear, anger, despair—all tangled together in a suffocating knot.

The car finally came to a stop, I looked out the window, my stomach twisting. It was a house—no, a palace—looming in front of me, all marble and glass, cold and impersonal.

The driver opened the door for me, and I stepped out, my legs shaky

“Mrs. Knight,” he said again, and I wanted to scream.

I walked up the steps, my heart pounding in my chest, and the front door swung open before I could even knock.

Standing there, silhouetted against the light, was a man. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a face sculpted by the gods . His eyes—dark, piercing—locked onto mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

“Welcome home, Mrs. Knight,” he said, his voice low, smooth, and I felt something stir inside me—something I didn’t want to feel.

This was him. This was Mr. Knight.

And he was nothing like I’d imagined.

*One Year Later*

I woke to the soft press of lips brushing against my cheek, then trailing down to my shoulder. The warmth of them lingered, tender and deliberate, pulling me from the haze of sleep. My lips curved into a smile before my eyes even fluttered open. I didn’t need to look to know who it was. Caspian. His presence alone was enough to make my heart skip a beat.

When I finally opened my eyes, there he was, sitting on the edge of the bed beside me, looking like he’d stepped straight out of a dream. No, better than a dream. He was dressed in a dark, perfectly tailored suit, the kind that clung to his broad shoulders and tapered waist like it was made just for him. His hair, usually a little unruly, was styled back, the curls tamed into something sleek and sophisticated. But it was his eyes—sharp, gray, and impossibly focused—that held me captive. They always did. Those eyes made me feel seen, like I was the only person in the world that mattered.

“Good morning, princess,” he said, his voice smooth and deep, like velvet wrapping around me.

“Good morning,” I mumbled, stretching slightly before my eyes flicked to the alarm clock. 9 a.m.

“Oh, s**t, your breakfast!” I tried to sit up, but his hand caught mine, stopping me in my tracks.

“Kaia,” he called, his tone firm but gentle.

“I’m sorry,IoversleptIpromisedtomakeyoubreakfast,” I rushed, the words tumbling out in one breathless mess.

“Kaia, it’s fine,” he said, his voice steadying me. “I’m not hungry. Besides, I wasn’t expecting breakfast after what I put you through last night.”

Heat flooded my cheeks as the memories came rushing back—the way he’d taken me apart, piece by piece, until I was trembling and breathless, completely undone by him. A small, indulgent smile played on his lips, and I shivered under his gaze.

“Though,” he continued, his eyes trailing down, “with what I’m seeing now, I think I’m getting hungry.”

My gaze followed his, and I realized the duvet had slipped to my waist, leaving my bare chest exposed. My breath hitched as his eyes lingered.

“Caspian,” I whispered, my voice shaky, though I wasn’t sure if I was warning him or pleading with him.

He didn’t say anything, just leaned in, his lips brushing against my shoulder in a kiss that was far too soft for the storm I could feel building inside me. His hand slid up my arm, his touch sending shivers through me, before his fingers traced the curve of my collarbone.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured against my skin, his breath warm and tickling. “Every morning I wake up next to you, I can’t believe you’re mine.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “Caspian,” I said again, though this time it was definitely a plea.

He grinned, that wicked, knowing grin that always turned my insides to liquid. “What? I’m just appreciating my wife.”

His hand moved again, this time cupping one of my boobs, his thumb brushing over the sensitive peak. I sucked in a sharp breath, my body reacting instantly, heat pooling low in my belly. His fingers tightened slightly, kneading the soft flesh as if he were trying to squeeze something out of it. The sensation was electric.

“God, you’re so beautiful like this,” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin as he leaned in, his lips claiming mine in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was demanding, possessive, and it sent a jolt of desire straight through me. His other hand joined the first, both now working in tandem, squeezing, teasing, and I felt myself melting into the mattress, completely at his mercy.

But as much as I loved what he was doing to me, as much as I wanted to let him continue, I knew I had to stop him.

“Wait,” I whispered, breaking the kiss and placing a hand on his chest. “You should go. You have that huge business deal today, remember?”

He groaned, pulling back slightly, his eyes dark with frustration. “I can postpone it,” he said, leaning in again, his lips brushing against my ear. “Just a little longer.”

“No,” I insisted, my voice breathless but firm. “We can do this when you come back. It’s important, remember?”

He groaned again, louder this time, and for a moment, I thought he might argue.

“Fine,” he grumbled, standing up and grabbing his suitcase from the corner of the room. “See you later, princess,” he said, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead .

I watched as he walked to the door, his stride confident and unhurried, and for a moment, I felt a pang of regret. But then the door clicked shut behind him, and I was alone again, the room suddenly feeling colder without his presence.