Chapter 345: That Will Be For The Best**

The heavy wooden door clicked shut behind Cassandra. The faint echo of her measured footsteps faded down the corridor, leaving only the crackling of the fireplace and the lingering scent of her expensive tea.

Kael remained seated, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. His silver-flecked eyes stared at the door, a slow, predatory smirk curling the edges of his lips.

"Keep a low profile for now. Father wants a full report, but it can wait until you’ve stabilized. Don’t do anything reckless." Cassandra’s words replayed in his mind.

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. Low profile? There’s no way I’m going to keep a low profile.

Outside the door, Cassandra paused in the hallway. She rubbed her temples, a rare display of exhaustion. Sigh. She knew her brother. The moment she was out of sight, he would do the exact opposite of everything she just advised.

Kael set the glass down with a soft clink. He extended his soul sense, a formless wave of dark energy that swept through the mansion. He found the familiar, warm signature pacing nervously in the eastern garden.

"Sophie," he called out, his voice carrying with a smooth, commanding baritone. "Come here."

A moment later, the door creaked open. Sophie Mann stepped inside, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Her beautiful eyes were laced with concern, her lips parted as if ready to ask a dozen questions. She was still wearing the elegant dark dress she had on earlier, the fabric hugging her curves in all the right places.

"Kael?" she whispered, closing the door behind her. "What did Cassandra want? Is everything alright? I heard about Isabella—"

"Come here," Kael repeated, patting his thigh.

Sophie hesitated for a fraction of a second before walking over. She settled onto his lap, her body immediately relaxing into his warmth. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his. "What were you two talking about? You look... intense."

Kael smiled, a disarming, dangerously charming expression that made her breath hitch. "It was nothing important." His smile came easy and warm, a lie worn so comfortably it fit like the truth. His hands settled at her waist, then began a slower journey.

"Kael—" His mouth found the curve of her neck, and her reprimand dissolved into a shiver. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. "That’s not fair."

"No," he agreed against her skin. "It isn’t."

He slid his palms up her waist, cupping her heavy breasts over the fabric of her dress. His fingers found her thick nipples through the silk, pinching them simultaneously and twisting with a sharp, practiced force.

"AAHHH!" Sophie cried out, her back arching instinctively. A sharp schlick of shifting fabric accompanied her gasp.

Kael released his grip, watching in satisfaction as her breasts bounced slightly beneath the taut fabric. Sophie panted softly, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. She bit her lower lip, her eyes glazing over with a familiar heat, but she fought through the haze of pleasure.

"Come on, Kael..." she murmured, her voice breathy. "You have to go meet your father first. He’s back. You can’t just keep him waiting."

Kael leaned in, pressing his lips to the sensitive curve of her neck. He inhaled her scent—jasmine and raw desire. He kissed a trail up to her ear, nipping lightly at the lobe.

"Alright," he whispered against her skin.

He abruptly dropped her. Sophie let out a soft eep! as she landed on the plush chair he had just vacated, her skirt bunching up around her thighs. Kael stood over her.

Before she could protest, he bent down, sliding one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back. He hoisted her effortlessly into the air.

"But I’m sure he can wait," Kael said, his voice dropping to a dark, husky octave.

Sophie gasped, her arms flying around his neck. "Kael!..."

He carried her across the spacious room, his long strides eating up the distance to the massive, canopy bed. With a sudden, aggressive motion, he tossed her onto the plush mattress. Thud. Sophie bounced slightly, a startled laugh escaping her lips.

"Your father will—"

"—still be my father in the morning." He set her down on the mattress, and the mischief in his eyes banked into something darker, warmer. She grabbed a fistful of his collar — half protest, half surrender — and pulled him down with her.

He landed on top of her, his weight pressing her deep into the bedding. His hands gripped the collar of her elegant dress.

RIIIP!

The fabric tore cleanly down the middle, exposing her flawless skin, her heavy breasts, and the lace of her undergarments. Sophie gasped, her hands flying to cover herself, but Kael caught her wrists, pinning them above her head with one hand.

"Don’t hide from me," he growled softly.

He lowered his head, his mouth claiming one of her thick nipples. He sucked hard, his tongue lapping at the sensitive peak. Schlick. Mmmph. Sophie moaned, her body writhing beneath him. Her fingers tangled in his dark hair, pulling him closer.

"Ahhn~ Kael..." she whimpered.

His free hand slid down her stomach, hooking into the waistband of her lace panties. He tore them away with a sharp snap of elastic. He could feel the heat radiating from her core, the slick wetness already gathering between her thighs.

He shifted his weight, positioning himself between her legs. He freed his erection from his trousers, the thick, heavy length pressing against her slick entrance.

"You’re already so wet for me, Sophie," Kael murmured, his voice vibrating with dark satisfaction. "Did you miss me that much?"

"Yes... God, yes, Kael. Just fuck me. Please..." she begged, her hips bucking upward, desperate for friction.

Kael smirked. He thrust forward, burying himself to the hilt in one brutal, fluid motion.

Squelch.

Sophie screamed, a raw, guttural sound of pure ecstasy. "AHHH~!" Her inner walls clenched around him, tight and hot.

Kael groaned, his eyes flashing with a predatory light. He pulled back, leaving only the tip inside, before slamming forward again. Plap.

"You feel so good, Sophie," he growled, setting a punishing rhythm.

Plap. Plap. Plap.

The wet, rhythmic sound of their bodies colliding echoed through the bedroom like a primal drumbeat. The heavy wooden bed frame creaked and groaned, threatening to give way under the sheer force of Kael’s thrusts.

Sophie was a mess beneath him. Her torn dress hung loosely around her waist, her heavy breasts bouncing violently with every deep, relentless stroke. Her hands clawed at his back, her nails leaving angry red welts across his shoulders, but Kael didn’t feel the pain—he only felt the intoxicating tightness of her pussy gripping him like a velvet vice.

"Ahhn~! Kael! Right there! Don’t stop!" Sophie cried out, her voice breaking into a high-pitched moan. Ahhh~!

Kael leaned down, capturing her mouth in a bruising kiss. He swallowed her moans, his tongue dominating hers as his hips continued their merciless assault. He broke the kiss, a thin string of saliva connecting their lips.

"You’re mine, Sophie," he growled, his silver-flecked eyes boring into her soul. "Say it."

"I’m yours! I’m yours, Kael! Only yours!" she sobbed, her back arching off the mattress as an intense orgasm ripped through her.

Her inner walls spasmed violently, flooding him with her release. The tight, rhythmic milking of her core pushed Kael over the edge. With a guttural roar, he buried himself deep inside her, spilling his seed in thick, hot ropes. Throb. Throb.

He collapsed on top of her, both of them panting heavily, their sweat-slicked bodies tangled together in the aftermath. The room smelled of sex and jasmine.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Sophie traced lazy circles on his chest, her eyes closed, a content smile playing on her lips. But Kael’s mind was already shifting gears. The post-coital haze was clearing, replaced by cold, calculating thoughts.

He rolled off her, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling.

"Sophie," he said, his voice suddenly serious.

She opened her eyes, propping herself up on an elbow. "What is it?"

"Sebastian," Kael stated flatly.

Sophie’s expression instantly hardened. The warmth in her eyes turned to ice. "What about him?"

"He was in the Void Realm," Kael said, his voice devoid of emotion. "He was with the House of Crimson. He was there when I was captured and was even involved in my capture."

Sophie sat up fully, pulling the torn sheets around her chest. Her face paled slightly, but her jaw set with a fierce protectiveness. "He did what?"

"He betrayed the family. He betrayed Isabella. He tried to have me killed." Kael’s fists clenched at his sides. "He’s a traitor."

Sophie took a deep breath, her mind rapidly processing the political implications. As the Seventh Wife of the Family Head and a member of the Mann family, she understood Vorn law better than most.

"Kael..." she began, her voice trembling slightly. "If the clan finds out about this, they will order a wide search for him. The Shadows will be dispatched. The Shadows will hunt him down. And when they bring him back..." She paused, swallowing hard. "He might even be killed after he’s brought back. Publicly. To make an example of him."

Kael held up her chin as he said, "I know you raised us three together. Me, Isabella and Sebastian. But what he has done can not be forgiven."

Kael turned his head, looking at her. His expression was unreadable, a mask of cold, terrifying calm.

He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He stood, his naked body a canvas hard muscle. He began to dress, pulling on his dark trousers and reaching for a clean black tunic.

Zip.

"When he’s captured, he may be killed.", Sophie said.

He fastened his belt, the clink of the metal buckle echoing in the quiet room.

"That will be for the best," Kael said, his voice flat.

He turned to look at Sophie, his silver eyes glinting with a cold, murderous promise.

"Because if the clan doesn’t kill him," Kael said, pulling his dark overcoat over his shoulders, "I will."

He walked toward the door, leaving Sophie sitting naked and breathless in the ruined bed. The broken.