Chapter 79 HI, BLAIRE.

Chapter 79 HI, BLAIRE.
KIMBERLY.

I stared at him, thrown back. Laura looked aghast. Shiloh looked drenched. Smith looked confused.
And me? I'm fucking pissed. Like hell.
"Can you please give us a moment?"I asked Laura softly, still holding Rafael behind me, closely.
Laura nodded, her unsettled face looked a little bit relieved. She nudged her husband and they both walked out of the house while Shiloh stalled behind them.
"What do you think you're doing?"I snapped the moment they were out of ear reach.
Rafael rolled his eyes like a damned kid and shrugged."He was staring at you–"
"So?"I cut him off and I wasn't prepared to see how his shoulder squared a little, like he was disappointed at me. "That gave you the right to act like–"
"You don't tell me how to act, Kim."He snarled, angling closer.
I fisted my hands besides me, not that I was itching to punch him or something but how Rafael became outraged at Shiloh all because he was 'staring' and it felt like he was enacting my emotions when I saw him with Blaire, looking cozy.
"Exactly!"I snapped, glaring at him."I didn't go ballistic when you were all loved up with Blaire at the hospital, you don't have any right to act like this."
He frowned, like he wasn't getting my point."Blaire?"He said."Wait, you thought I was sleeping with her."
I shrugged, blinking rapidly."Oh, considering she was your long time fling and–"
"We never had anything together, how could you–"
"Okay."I scoffed, brushing past him.
He dragged me back, sighing."Kim–"
"No!"I deadpanned, shaking my head."You can't continue to be an asshole to everyone because you were buried in the act of playing the husband."
Rafael's eyes turned small the moment I said those words, his grip on me slacked, causing my hand to fall lazily beside me. "Sure, you were right."He said simply, and retreated a little.
I gulped down nothing, wondering where I'd gone wrong with what I said, because if this isn't him playing his role too well, then I don't know what this is all about. It would be damned embarrassing to think there was anything sinister to this.
"Rafael–"
"We can continue the planning tomorrow, I need to go back to the hospital." He cut me off calmly.
I found myself nodding to his words and retreated as well.
As soon as he went back to his room, I returned outside and met Laura and Smith pacing to and fro while Shiloh looked unabated.
She ran up to me the moment she saw me."God, I'm so sorry he made your husband uncomfortable, I didn't–"
"It's fine, Laura." I assured her calmly, taking my eyes briefly to where Shiloh was, he was still sitting.
"If there's anything I could do to make this better, trust me, I will."Smith said beside her.
"We will continue with the planning tomorrow, but I'd like it if you can introduce another chef to us."
Shiloh's head snapped up at me the moment I said those words, he didn't say anything but scoffed while he rose up to his feet.
"This is such a damned joke."He scoffed, walking towards the gate and the guilt I expected to feel after saying that wasn't as overwhelming as I'd thought.
Instead, it felt more relieving.
"Sure."Smith nodded profusely.
"Thank you for that."I smiled.
After checking out with the time we would meet, they left as well.
Rafael was just coming from his room when I entered, he was holding his briefcase as he moved towards me.
He was still scowling, grumbling even."Rafael."I called for no reason.
He raised his head up at me and thinned his lips."Thank you for sending them off."He said briefly and tried brushing past me but I stood in front of him immediately.
"I'm sorry about earlier."I apologized, craning my head sideways to catch his expression.
His jaw slacked a little and he stopped frowning."You have nothing to be sorry for–"
"Bullshit, you wouldn't have discarded my feelings if it was me."
"Thank you, Kim."He muttered, swinging his briefcase gently.
"You're still going?"I asked in the most leveled tone I could come up with so as not to sound too disappointed.
"Yeah."He huffed, staring down at it as well."Baxter would be starting his therapy soon and Ken needed me to sign some documents regarding that."
"Oh."I said simply. And I hated how curt I sounded, imagine becoming a guardian to the brother who wanted you dead and gone.
"Yeah."He said, pulling his lip to a tight smile.
I stepped aside for him to leave, Rafael stood there for a moment but finally walked towards the door.
"Uhm, Kim."He called.
I spun at him."Huh?"
Rafael pointed to the door with his thumb."I know this is selfish of me but can you follow me–"
"Yes."I cut in, bobbing my head almost ecstatically."Of course." I answered easily without a hint of hesitation in my tone.
He heaved out loudly and nodded."Thank you."
"I will go fetch my phone."I said hurriedly and rushed to the bedroom to get it.
In a minute, I was back to the living room where Rafael was still waiting patiently for me.
"I'm ready."I smoothed my hand over my jean skirt bashfully.
"Let's go."He smiled, opening the door for me.
I glanced at him briefly before walking past the door.
"Are you still planning to go after Norman?"I asked as he drove out of the compound.
"I don't know anymore, I just wanted him gone, out of my life and–"
"Same."I mumbled, remembering how he gloated about deceiving Rafael and for me to feel that horrible about it, I wondered how he was able to handle the sheer betrayal from the man he trusted with his life.
"And I found out he was Gretchen's baby daddy."
"What"I gasped, facing him instantly.
Rafael glanced at me and nodded."Trust me, it rattled the shit out of me." He exhaled loudly.
"And I guess they weren't in good terms."
"He didn't know anything about the child they had together, and I want it to remain that way."
"Thank you for that." I said, pleased.
"You're so fucking weird."He laughed, running his hand through his hair.
Soon enough, we got to the hospital and Rafael didn't seem unsettled like I'd thought, and it made me damned proud that he's handling it well.
Getting down, we both walked to the building and he led me straight to his ward which was opposite Rita's.
A gutted feeling climbed through my chest immediately, I haven't checked on her since she got to the hospital because I was trying to stay out of Rafael's hair.
"Rafael!"A familiar voice called behind us, pulling me out of my pool of thought.
We both turned at the same time to see the person.
She walked towards us giddily and panted softly as she got to where we are.
The hair at the back of my neck stood straight as I was trapped in the middle. I maintained my eyes on the floor, daring not to look at Rafael or her.
Suddenly, He snaked his hand around my waist, pulling me closer to himself. I almost gasped at our sudden proximity but stifled it to not give her a wrong impression.
Heat flared my chest rapidly as he pressed me closer, my ass brushed his hard jeans.
"It's nice to see you again, Blaire."Rafael said behind me.
I looked up finally to Blaire, and she stared down at me, her lips thinned in condescension.
I tilted my head sideways, loving the look on her face, a huge defiance ravaged my body, I raised my hand up in the hair and waved."Hi, Blaire."