26

After our pleasant conversation, we probably sat together on the couch for hours, talked about everything and everything, and finally really started to get to know each other better.

He told me about his passion for cars and I told him about my passion for drawing, while we cuddled up tightly and kept trying to make physical contact with each other.

"And during the weekdays I usually go to the office in the morning and train with Odran in the afternoon," he explained, looking at me with a smile while one arm was around my shoulder and the other was loosely draped over my legs. I caressed his hand tenderly and listened to him attentively.

"What are you training for?" I asked with interest, since I wanted to know for myself what I would have to prepare for in the future. It was just my first week here and I somehow knew that due to my sudden presence and the onslaught of the unknown, a lot wasn't going according to plan.

"It depends entirely on our mood. Either we go shooting or boxing," he answered me and I immediately looked at him with big eyes pleadingly.

"May I come with you for shooting next time?"

He smiled and seemed almost proud, which made me smile again.

"Of course, but only if you take me golfing on Sundays."

_I must have misheard!_

I stared at him in irritation, enjoying the beautiful laugh that erupted deep in his throat at my stupid face. Unfortunately, he showed up far too seldom and if he did, then mostly only when we were alone.

"You're serious, aren't you?" I laughed too, taking his hand tightly in mine to draw circles on it with my finger.

"Yes, I don't like golf myself. My father forced me to accompany him to the golf course at an early age. For him, this rather boring sport was a balance to the hectic mafia business and he thought I would learn from it to keep calm in certain situations. Nowadays I only go there with him on Sundays, because you meet a lot of big shots there."

He gently stroked a strand of my hair, which had come loose from my bun, behind my ear and then kissed my cheek tenderly, which made me close my eyes in pleasure.

"So?" he breathed in my ear and I looked up to smile in agreement.

"Agreed. You teach me how to shoot and I watch you swing balls across the lawn on Sundays. God, I'm going to need a lot of coffee," I giggled and he gently cupped my chin in his hand to grin at me Inspect.

"Who says you don't have to golf too," he provoked, raising an eyebrow in the process, prompting me to sit on his lap and place my hands on his chest.

"But that wasn't the deal," I protested, gasping in shock when he suddenly pulled my neck towards him and stormily conquered my mouth with his tongue, sending goosebumps down my arms.

The butterflies flew wildly, my heart was racing from the intoxication, and I could already feel his excitement beneath me, making me sigh contentedly into his mouth.

"Fine, I'm playing golf," I breathed between kisses, fully realizing that with those caresses he could demand anything of me, I wanted him so much by now.

"Now my usually boring Sundays are going to be a lot more interesting," he whispered, pulling my butt closer to pull away from my lips and caress my neck, making me close my eyes with a soft moan.

"I'm sure of it," I breathed, enjoying the feeling of his closeness while my entire body heated up, but that fire quickly disappeared when I suddenly heard someone clear their throat next to us.

Embarrassed, I looked Odran in the eye and immediately slid off Rian's lap to stare at the switched-off television, blushing.

"My show will be on soon," said the tall one, walking around the small glass table in front of us to drop onto the couch next to Rian...

"That can't be true," Rian said ironically and ran his hand through his black hair while Odran turned on the TV and I suddenly recognized the series he was watching.

"You watch Games of Thrones too?" I asked excitedly, looking past Rian to Odran, who nodded with a grin.

"Of course. Intrigues, murder and manslaughter. What could be better?" He laughed and seemed visibly happy to have found someone who was also interested in it.

"I can think of a few things," Rian broke our eye contact and was about to kiss my neck again, but I pushed him back into the back of the couch and snuggled up to his side.

"Do you remember the part with the red wedding?" I asked Odran and literally noticed how Rian tensed his upper body.

"Of course, it was really legendary," Odran admitted and then made himself comfortable on the couch with a pillow.

My gaze fell fleetingly to Rian, who looked at me shaking his head, but also smiled resignedly and gave me a gentle kiss on my forehead.

I was fully aware that he certainly didn't want to sit here to watch this series, but he put up with it, pulling me close and putting his feet up on the table in front of us while all three of us watched the TV followed and he gently stroked my back.

After a short time, Senan came into the living room together with Nero and after he had nodded to Rian briefly, he sat cross-legged on the floor in front of us to call Nero to his side.

I enjoyed just sitting here with the three of them without any discussions, without arguments and without secrets and experiencing something together, even if it was just watching a series.

It felt good and gave me a sense of familiarity that was beginning to feel at home...

I could really feel at home here.

***

I probably hadn't even noticed that I had fallen asleep in front of the television.

When I woke up, I was shaking slightly and looked out the window where it was still dark night. I wondered what I might have dreamed since my breathing was also a little faster than usual, but I couldn't remember.

"Keeva?" I heard Rian's soothing voice behind me and before I could turn to face him, I felt his arms around my waist, gently pulling my back against his muscular chest. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, now," I breathed, closing my eyes again while gripping his hand tightly around my waist. That was the last thing I noticed before I fell asleep again in peace and security.

Sunday was faster than expected. The last two days Rian was mainly on the road with Odran and I hardly saw Senan either. At least Rian had bought me an easel and I spent most of my time baking and drawing.

"Do we really have to go there?" I protested, looking down at myself in bewilderment. I was wearing a short white skirt and a green polo shirt like I was dressing up for Mardi Gras.

"Yeah, we have to," Rian said, visibly amused and just buttoned his black trousers while he was wearing a tight white shirt that simply allowed an irresistible view of his muscles.

"This is getting so boring. I already know," I complained, still realizing I was about to be standing on a stupid lawn in the blistering hot sun watching stupid suits swing stupid balls around...

"Keeva," Rian admonished as he caught me rolling my eyes, stopping right in front of me. "Golfing is absolutely secondary. It's about getting to know a few people after the game in the cigar club and it's not that boring at all," he tried to defend this whole plan and adjusted the collar of my polo shirt.

"There's alcohol, good conversation, and strippers too. But if you want to stay here, then-"

“Strippers?”

"Absolutely not! I'll come with you," I immediately said out loud and looked into his eyes, stunned. "I thought there were just boring old rascals. Why are you suddenly telling me about naked women!?"

"Don't you all naked," he grinned stupidly and for once, I cupped his chin in my hand to demand an answer with my own piercing gaze alone.

"You probably think that politicians are all clean men, but you'll have to look around," he explained and broke away from my grasp to run quickly to his door.

"Odran?! Are you ready?!", he called into the hallway and the big one immediately came into the room to us, frustrated.

Like me, he wore a green polo shirt and didn't seem too thrilled that he had to come along at all, but since I had no experience playing he should be my moral support.

“Well! At least I didn't have to face that shit alone”

"You should just behave and look good. Hit a few balls and keep calm," Rian explained seriously again and looked back and forth between me and his brother while we both rolled our eyes almost at the same time.

"Why can't we just go into the forest and shoot at bottles?" I said annoyed and Odran immediately grinned enthusiastically.

"Or on the heads of politicians, I'd prefer that too," he laughed and Rian closed his eyes tensely to take a deep breath.

He was probably about to shoot us in the head!

"We'll stop," I said amused, stepping close to his side to give him a forgiving kiss on his cheek, causing him to immediately pull me closer.

"Like I said, I hate it myself and believe me there's a thousand things I'd rather do. Once I've gained enough reputation, we'll never have to go there again."

I nodded and was glad to hear those words. For me, golf was definitely a frail old man's sport and I was already looking forward to this stupid Sunday being behind me.

The drive there was smooth and I kept glancing over at Rian, who was steering his BMW with one hand and looked absolutely hot even while driving. He was wearing black sunglasses, his hair was styled to the side and with the sun shining into the car I could see the fine lines of his beautiful tattoos through his white shirt.

“Well, if you look at it like that, it could be an exciting day”

When we arrived at the golf club, Cathan was already standing in front of it and I briefly admired how magnificent the building looked behind him. I've never golfed, but I definitely expected it to be different.

There were big windows, a long flight of stairs up and it almost looked like a ballroom entrance.

My eyes then fell on Cathan and I held my breath out of sheer tension, because when we last met I had yelled at him and was therefore a little unsure how he would probably react to me.

But my concern was completely unnecessary.

"Good morning, my love," he greeted me kindly and gave me a quick kiss on my cheek before turning to his sons.

“What happened to him?”

He had on a really nice dark suit and then excitedly started giving Rian all sorts of instructions on who to contact and who to make a good impression on.

Well, I would never let myself be bent like that, especially not to get into politics. But I didn't have what it took, Rian did. He was really intelligent and knew how to deceive people and only let them see what he allowed them to see of himself. No wonder Cathan had singled him out to rise in power through higher ranks, for with Rian now fully immersed in his role and happily greeting the humans that came our way from inside, Odran looked like he might really be the same draw his gun and start shooting.

This would be a fun day for sure.