Chapter 40: You're Forgiven

Kai

Sunlight streamed in through the sheer curtains of the beach house bedroom, painting golden stripes across the tangled sheets and Kai's bare shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open slowly to the sound of waves in the distance and the soft weight of James' arm draped across her waist. For once, there was no rush. No alarm clocks. Just stillness. A quiet, lazy Sunday morning where the world outside didn’t exist.

James stirred behind her, his breath warm against her neck. She didn’t move, didn’t want to disturb the gentle rhythm they had fallen into. This moment—his body pressed to hers, the shared heat beneath the covers, the peace between heartbeats—was something she didn’t realize she had needed until she had it.

Eventually, they rose together, padding into the kitchen with bed hair and sleepy grins. Breakfast was simple: buttered toast, fruit, and strong black coffee. He made it while she perched on the counter, legs swinging, watching him with a softness in her eyes that neither of them had to acknowledged out loud.

They ate in the sunroom, the breeze whispering through the open windows. Her foot found his under the table. His hand found her knee. The silence between them was full, content.

But then, James’ phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen, and she saw the shift instantly. The soft crinkle of his eyes vanished, replaced by a tightness in his jaw. He sighed, thumb hovering over the decline button before he groaned and answered instead.

“I’m sorry,” he mouthed to her, standing and turning slightly away. “Yeah. Yeah, put them on. No, I didn’t approve that.”

Kai watched him pace toward the hallway, his voice dipping low and authoritative. She didn’t feel annoyed or abandoned. Just amused, really. It was par for the course. He ran a multi-billion dollar empire. This was reality.

She grabbed her sunglasses, threw on a wrap over her bikini, and stepped out toward the beach. Let him handle his empire. She needed the sun.

The sand was warm underfoot. She laid her towel down near the edge of the tide and stretched out, arms above her head, face turned toward the sky. The wind played with strands of her hair. For a long moment, she let herself simply be. No thoughts of work, of stress, of fear. Just the waves and the sun and the echo of James' arms still wrapped around her.

Her phone buzzed nearby. A text from the housekeeper: A delivery has arrived for you.

Curious, she sat up and watched as one of the staff approached, carrying a large, flat, carefully wrapped canvas.

Her heart skipped.

The painting. The one she had created the day before—an impulsive outpouring of emotion, layered in color and texture. She tore the wrapping back slowly, revealing the raw swirls of dark blues, fiery oranges, and stormy grays. Fire and water. Movement and surrender. The chaos and control that lived inside her, bled out on canvas.

She ran her fingers along the ridged surface, goosebumps lifting on her arms. It wasn’t just a painting. It was her.

“Allen sent your piece over?”

She looked up.

James stood a few steps behind her, barefoot in the sand, his shirt unbuttoned at the top. He looked guilty, like he’d rather have been anywhere else but on that phone call.

“Yeah,” she said, smiling up at him. “It came out of nowhere yesterday. I just needed to get it out.”

He crouched beside her, eyes on the piece, then on her; pressing a kiss to her temple. “It’s beautiful. Like you.”

She nudged his shoulder gently. “You’re forgiven, by the way.”

He blinked. “For what?”

“For being a corporate overlord who had to take a Sunday morning emergency call.”

He groaned. “I hate that it pulled me away from you. Even just for a minute.”

“James,” she said, tilting her head. “We both run empires. Yours is bigger. Mine is probably cuter. But sometimes, this happens. It doesn’t change anything.”

His gaze softened, and for a second she thought he might kiss her again. But he just leaned his forehead against hers.

“You make everything feel easier,” he whispered.

The drive back was quiet, both of them a little sun-drowsy, the painting carefully packed in the back seat. By late afternoon, James pulled up in front of her apartment building. He didn’t rush the goodbye, fingers brushing along her jaw, lingering a little longer than necessary.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“At the café,” she confirmed.

One last kiss. Then she slipped inside.

She hadn’t even set down her bag before her phone buzzed with a group message from the girls: "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN AND WHY DO YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'VE BEEN HAVING THE BEST SEX OF YOUR LIFE?"

She didn’t even get a chance to reply. The next thing Kai knew, the door was flying open as Sara and the rest of the girls piled inside the apartment.

“Oh my god,” Rose said, stepping in and doing a full-body scan of Kai. “You are glowing. You’re literally radiating hot girl energy right now.”

“So?” Michelle chimed in, plopping onto the couch. “Spill. Lots of details. And I mean lots.”

Kai laughed, cheeks pink, her voice airy as she kicked off her shoes. “It was a weekend. That’s all.”

“No,” Rose said, squinting at her. “That was not a casual 'just chilled at home' glow. That was a 'he rearranged my soul' kind of glow.”

Kai threw a pillow at her. “Shut up.”

“You like him,” Michelle said, smirking.

Kai bit her lip.

“Wait...” Rose gasped dramatically. “Are you in love with him?”

Kai didn’t answer. She just curled up on the couch, hugging a pillow to her chest, smile tugging at her lips.

“Maybe.”

Rose narrowed her eyes and leaned closer. “That’s not a maybe smile. That’s an I’m secretly doodling his last name after mine in my notebook smile.”

Sara finally dropped onto the arm of the couch, crossing her arms. “Okay, but serious question—does he make you feel safe?”

The sudden weight of it softened the laughter. Kai blinked, her lips parting, then slowly nodded. “Yeah,” she admitted quietly. “Safer than I’ve felt in a long time.”

The girls exchanged a look, equal parts smug and satisfied.

“God,” Michelle groaned, flopping backward with her hands over her face. “It’s official. Our girl’s gone.”

Rose grinned wickedly. “Better start planning the bachelorette trip.”

Kai threw another pillow, but her cheeks betrayed her with another telltale flush. “You’re all insane.”

“Insanely happy for you,” Sara corrected, her tone gentler, but her eyes sharp with curiosity. “Just… don’t shut us out if it gets serious, okay?”

Kai’s smile wavered, but only for a second. “I won’t,” she promised.

The girls seemed satisfied—for now.