Chapter 23

Sophia

After I was left alone in the house, with nothing but the loud silence around me, I decided to listen to Kieran’s words and do exactly what he told me to do - rest for the day.

But it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Thoughts of what happened earlier were flooding my mind, causing me to drown in the unfamiliar feelings they woke in me.

Kieran.

The man I hated, the man who hated me back. Bully, prick, jerk... a man that forced me into marrying him, a man that was violent, a man that scared me... That same man acted like I never expected him to, not in my wildest dreams. He protected me. He was there for me.

As if I couldn’t be any more confused about him, he had to add one more burden to the riddle called Kieran King. How was I supposed to solve the puzzle that he represented?

I never knew I was having nightmares. Not once had I woken during the night, or I simply never remembered. But Kieran did. And he figured out a way to help me deal with it. Maybe getting me to see a shrink would be less painful, but somehow, I appreciated what he did more.

And he trusted me. He believed I would never stoop so low to seduce a man who could be my grandfather, for God’s sake. My heart swelled with some unknown emotion and the urge to scratch beneath the surface of the mystery that Kieran King represented. I wanted to get to know him; I wanted to talk with him; I wanted to trust him and... It made no sense to me, but who could ever explain how emotions work? And when did mine for Kieran start to change?

Deciding to cook something because I hadn’t done so in a long time, I headed to the kitchen and pulled together the ingredients for a simple beef stew. My hands were busy cutting and stirring and mashing, but my mind kept returning to Kieran and how he acted today; how his aura made Mr. Saunders bend his head and submit; his protective hand around my body and his lips on mine.

Rationally, I was perfectly aware that the kiss was just a wake-up call meant to pull me out of the abyss I was plunged into, but nothing could erase the sensation that lingered. There was nothing I wanted more than to feel it again. Fuck! I was losing it!

While the stew was simmering, I cleaned up the evidence of Kieran’s fury, which, fortunately, wasn’t directed towards me. Somehow, I knew his retribution was far from over. He wasn’t the type to let go easily, and I pitied my ex-boss for what was coming his way.

I had dinner and then retreated to my room. It was too early to sleep no matter how drained I felt, so I got comfortable in my bed and scrolled through the news and social media. I also researched online courses and classes; I could attend a few of them. Education was always important to me, although I never really had a chance to work on mine before.

Messages I exchanged with Ellie painted a picture of how perfect her honeymoon was, as they were having the time of their lives, enjoying the Alps, and considered prolonging their stay, which I supported right away. The longer she stayed there, the better. Once they were back, I would have no choice but to tell her I was married to Philip’s older brother, and that was something I was reluctant to do.

The night was overtaking the day, and I knew Kieran would be home soon. I wanted to see him and thank him for his robust way of doing the right thing but decided against it. Instead, I took my phone and found the message Kieran sent me before Ellie’s wedding, the one that said he was expecting me at dinner at his father’s home, where he planned to introduce me as his fiancée for sure.

‘I made dinner. There is some left for you if you want.’ I typed and hit send. I stared at the screen for a few more minutes, as if I hoped to get an answer before I put it away and tucked myself to sleep.

~ ~ ~

“I didn’t hear you tonight,” Kieran commented between bites.

For a change, I got up earlier and prepared breakfast for both of us. In the past two weeks, it was Kieran who did it. When I’d come down to the kitchen, food would be on the table each morning. I never asked him why he did it; it would be pointless. He never answered my questions, anyway.

“I didn’t know I was having nightmares. I’m sorry if I disturbed your sleep.”

Instead of commenting, all that Kieran granted me with was a deep rumble I didn’t know how to understand.

Later that day, long after we went to the company, and I returned to the task from yesterday wanting nothing more than to get back on track and return to my new normal, I noticed something strange. At first, I wasn’t sure what exactly was wrong, but then it clicked, and so I rushed to one of the storage units and picked up all the financial reports I had gone through in the past few days.

Upon comparing them all three times, I realized what my subconscious was trying to tell me. The calculations didn’t match!

A cold sweat pushed through my pores. Someone was stealing from Kieran’s company.

What should I do? Should I tell him? How?

“Hey, Clara, is Kieran alone? I need to talk to him.”

“Yes, he just returned from the meeting.”

Hearing that, I stormed into his office without knocking. He was on the phone when I came in, so I waited patiently for him to finish his conversation so I could say what I rehearsed in my head.

Kieran put the phone down and focused solely on me, giving me a sign to speak.

“I don’t know how to say this…” I started. “Those reports you gave me to go through and summarize? Something’s wrong. Final calculations don’t add up. I think someone is trying to steal from you.” I announced and held my breath, waiting nervously for his reaction.

Kieran was quiet for a while, looking at me without blinking, assessing me, scrutinizing me.

“I know.”

What the hell?

My brows furrowed in confusion as Kieran leaned forward and added: “The financial director was apprehended two months ago and is currently serving his time in jail.” My jaw dropped in shock. Then why did he…? “And you passed the test. Successfully. Congratulations.”

Hours and hours, days and weeks, numbers and summaries, papers and folders... It’s all because Kieran was testing me? For what?

As if he had read my mind, Kieran got up and strolled lazily towards me.

“I was testing your wits, your honesty, and your ability to handle stress, which for sure you must’ve felt. I already knew you were capable of using that pretty brain of yours, so I just needed confirmation about other things.” By then, he was standing right in front of me, and for the first time since I’ve known him, my insides started feeling funny in his proximity. It was like a million butterflies awoke suddenly and were trying to escape their cage. My breath hitched, and I choked on my own words:

“You are crazy,” I mumbled, too weak to send him to hell.

His warm hand found its way to my neck, and my heart immediately picked up its pace, not scared of its cruelty, not even for a second. No, my heart trusted him.

I tilted my head back so I could look him in the eye, fogy and unclear.

“About that kiss yesterday…”

“It’s OK. You don’t have to explain. It was the only way to distract me and save me from falling apart in a public place, and I have to thank you again for that.” It was the truth. I was grateful for what he did.

“No,” Kieran whispered back. “The thing is… Sophia…” The way he said my name, how it rolled off his tongue… It made a shiver run down my spine, arousing every cell of my body, setting me on fire, and I unconsciously bit my lower lip. Kieran’s eyes dropped down, and I noticed he parted his lips too.

“I liked it. And I want to do it again.”

With that, his lips slammed onto mine, locking them in the kiss that took my breath away.