K I E R O N

Chapter |11| It’s Business

J A C O B ' S P. O. V

"I'm not nervous, Kiara loves me."

Kieron clicks the indicator to signal right, the veins in his hands flex as he turns the wheel.

Why the hell does that turn me on so much? In truth, there isn't much that Kieron can do to not turn me on.

"She loves you because you're amazing and because you love me, but as a potential business partner...she's ruthless. That's all I'm saying, be careful."

"You're not coming in?"

"This is your thing, your meeting and I'm not getting in the way of it. In a business meeting, you don't bring your boyfriend."

We've been debating this for a few weeks now.

The business is why I moved to New York, it's how Kieron and I first connected and I want to expand Harper Real Estate with the help of Romano Enterprises.

Kieron has his concerns about me making deals with his family. He's warned numerous amount of times that not everything will be above board, will fit in with regulations.

Weirdly, I'm okay with that. I'm aware that to succeed in this world you need to turn a blind eye to certain things. The line of morality is constantly shifting and I need to prioritise my business over morals I don't think I have anymore

I used to. I did everything perfectly and then my business partner screwed everything up by embezzling, stealing from my pockets and our investors.

To build everything again I had to make deals that my old self would have dismissed in a second, but I would make them again knowing it means securing a future for my son.

A legacy.

Kieron grabs my hand before we walk in. I smile at how natural he is to PDA now. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's evolved within our relationship, but I guess that's what love is.

Ever shifting and moulding to fit the people we become.

"I'll be sat right out here." He points to the small coffee shack, a few chairs dotted around.

The place is bustling for a Wednesday afternoon, busier than I ever imagined. I think I have been thinking of Kiara as the gentle soul who reads her kids and mine books during sleepovers and not the powerhouse she is in this world.

"And her office is the top floor. Right?" I have to crane my head to find the very top.

"Correct." I'm shaking a little as he takes my jacket, draping it over one arm.

Normally I get nervous before interviews but this is hitting me now, like a coffee junkie who hasn't had his morning fix.

"Hey, you'll be good. I know you will and don't back down just because she's my sister. If anything, she'll be trying to make you but don't fall for it."

His fingers spark my skin as they gently graze my collar bone to straighten my shirt. Kieron is obsessed with the perfection of a crisp suit, having bought me over twenty new ones already.

"I'm gonna be late." Smiling, he pulls back, admiring his handy work.

"Good look, Charming." I feel a rush of confidence boost flood through my veins as he kisses me, pouring strength into each brush of his softened lips.

Feeling the power of his gaze, I walk towards the elevator, thankfully occupying one all on my own.

It takes a solid five minutes to reach the top floor, and there's an assistant waiting for me.

"Second door on the left." He abruptly snaps, turning on his heel already.

"Okay but what..." And he's gone. Weird.

I typically exude the sort of charm that is hard to resist smiling at but that guy looked like he'd already made his mind up about hating me.

Knocking once on the door, I hear her familiar voice call out for me. The office is nothing less than imagined. Huge, sleek and expensive as hell.

Kiara has one of the best views of Manhattan I've ever seen. "It's impressive right. Aaron occupied this office first but I managed to persuade him."

I laugh quietly, dragging the chair back to sit in. "I'm sure you did." Okay, maybe this won't be so bad. We're already laughing and smiling. That's a good sign.

"I'm sure my brother is somewhere in the building brooding for your return, so we'll start."

"Great, my proposal is all outlined in the plan I gave you. Your investment would fund the international expansion into Dubai as well as representatives around the world that we..."

"Let me stop you right there. Your business is good, it's profitable thus successful but I just feel that the vision lacks a certain...risk."

"Risk?"

"Yeah, the proposal is for half a million and you're talking about global expansion but it's so limited. Dubai is a kingpin for real estate and all businesses really but it's overcrowded. How will you break in? What if it fails?"

"I already have contacts that can help get me started..."

"Everyone has contacts in Dubai, that's the point. Not everyone is successful though in dominating the market." Sighing, she leans forward, folding her arms across the table and smiles.

It's cold and domineering. In know way the same one she uses to greet me at Romano family dinners.

"Jacob, I like you and I like your business but it's just not enough. Now I am trying to be impartial but you're family. Say the word and I'll help you out."

Fuck she was good. She wants me to take the easy way out, and let nepotism win once again. The problem was that is too easy, and I was in the mood to fight for it.

"Mrs Romano, Kiara, I want you to reconsider. To envision it first. A large scale real estate company based in New York with enough cash flow to hide things under the radar. Dubai also have a very good industry for something I know you like to sell, and my imports there and exports could also contain things that I know make a lot of money."

Raising one brow, she leans back, kicking her heels onto the desk. "Are you talking about drugs by perchance? Arms? Could you handle that? Your business would be corrupted."

"I'd like to think of it as an initiation into the family."

She stills for a moment and her entire face lights up. "Are you gonna ask my brother to marry you?"

Shit. "Uh...not yet. Soon, definitely but we have to discuss it first. Just know I don't plan on ever leaving your brother's side."

"Creepy, but it works." Reaching over she offers me her hand, and I shake it before she can think of retracting.

"I like you Harper, we're going to do magical things together and hopefully make a s**t ton of money on the way."

Laughing, I rise to shake her hand. "Let's hope so."

The door clicks open which sets my heart in overdrive, believing my over protective boyfriend to be the cause. Disappointment floods through when it's Aaron instead.

I try not to think about how attached I am to him, the possibility of living in a world without him becoming almost too much to bear.

"Hey, I just struck a deal with your wife." He grins at the word, eyes ravenously latched onto Kiara.

It's strange considering I couldn't imagine either of them as mushy in love as Kieron and I, or even Emery and Kai. Yet, I've heard countless tales of how their love withstood so much and is still a force to be reckoned with.

"It's good to see you man, but I'm planning to close the deal with my wife too. Would you mind..."

Taking the hint, I leave the room, catching Kiara's voice as she murmurs, "Close the deal. Really?" Then a plethora of giggles escape into the outside before I can shut the door.

It's the longest elevator ride of my f*****g life, my feet moving the second it dings.

Over the sea of people, I catch his face, scruffy jaw with those penetrating eyes that can hypnotise you if you stare at them long enough.

He's with someone. A guy, definitely with an auburn tint to his hair. He's tall, that much I know but other than that...shit, he's the assistant.

Kiara's assistant, the one who barely spared me a glance and he's got his hand on Kieron's...

Fuck. I take a deep breath through my nostrils, attempting to sate the rage that takes ahold of me. It's fuelled by jealousy, the ugliest of emotions that Kieron hasn't yet witnessed.

My problem is that it's the one emotion I fall prey too, and one it takes ahold there's no knowing what...and he just moved his hand to my boyfriend's jaw.

I shove past the masses, ignoring their distasteful looks, because right now I'm focused on one person only.

"Hey Charming, how did it go..." I cut him off with a violent kiss, shouldering the assistant aside with little regard.

Gripping his jaw, I bite down on his lip, drawing the metallic taste that makes him moan. I take the opportunity to shove my tongue into his mouth, choking him with intent until he's falling into me.

"You're mine." I murmur, wrenching away so he can writhe behind me. Suffer with a hard erection without my touch to sate him.

The f*****g pillock is still standing there, lips playing into a thin smile. "I'm Oscar, by the way."

"I don't f*****g care. Keep your hands off my boyfriend otherwise the next time this will end with my fist in your face."

He smiles, unmoving. s**t. It's been a while since I've been in a fight and although Romano Enterprises might not be the best place for it, I'm sure Kiara would be willing to overlook it.

Stepping closer, he lowers his voice slightly. "I admit I wanted Kieron, and hearing that you two...it made me a little jealous. I think he could better."

"Meaning you?"

"Yeah, but now...I mean that was hot and well, if you're up for it then how about the three of us take this to the hotel across the street?"

"Excuse me?" Kieron cuts in, pushing my behind him.

Maybe I'm not the only crazy jealous one in our relationship?

"Come on, Kier. A threesome would be fun."

"Not a f*****g chance Oscar. Beat it before I inform my sister on how you spend your breaks."

"But I..." Oscar is cut off with a singular glare that's enough to strike fear into anyone's heart.

I watch him shuffle off, a strange sense of pride flooding through me.

"Well that was weird." He sighs, turning back around.

"A turn off?"

Shaking his head, I let his arms encircle my waist, drawing me in. "On the contrary, the f*****g opposite. I didn't realise you got jealous."

"I do when someone starts touching my man."

"Hmm, I like that."

"Yeah," I smile into our next kiss, softer than before, guarded by the security forged in knowing he belongs to me in every way, just as I'm his.

"So what happened?"

I pause before telling him. He's not gonna like it but I guess this is our obstacle for now because I'm not backing down.

"We agreed on adjusted terms of the deal. She thought that my prior proposal lacked a certain risk which I agree with it. It was safe, it wouldn't have really benefited her."

Pulling back, he frowns causing those cute creases to indent into his skin. "What did you do?"

"I'm working with her."

"You mean...fuck, Jacob."

"Hey," I grip his chin, forcing his wary gaze to focus on me. "I want this. For me, for the business. I want this, please just trust me in that."

"You don't know what you're getting into too. The kind of target that's being placed on your back."

"Kieron, I'm good. I want this, I'm proud that I managed to negotiate a f*****g deal because your sister is hardcore." He laughs, settling his hand into mine.

"Okay then."

"Yeah?"

He nods, "This won't come between and us anything it just gives me another reason to hang around you everyday."

"f**k, I'm gonna have to get two chairs for my office aren't I?"

"Definitely, and maybe invest in a sturdier desk,"

I tsk, as we stroll down the busy streets of Manhattan. "Promises of office s*x can't be broken. I expect it now, non negotiable."

Grazing my chin with his hand, he leans in to murmur, "Don't worry Charming, I'll make sure you get fucked."

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A/N: Thoughts on Kiara?? I love writing tiny scenes that show her romance with Aaron - still my fav couple ❤️