Chapter 90 I NEED TO KNOW YOU TO LOVE YOU.

Chapter 90 I NEED TO KNOW YOU TO LOVE YOU.
RAFAEL.

"You both are on good terms now?"Rafael asked me the moment Kimberly was out of sight.
I nodded, twisting my lips."If being on good terms means we're comfortable enough to stay around each other? Yes."
And flirt too. I didn't add that detail because she was apprehensive enough to not reciprocate it even though she wanted it badly the way I do.
"Then let's hope that this doesn't ruin your little romance."Rowan huffed, sliding his iPad to me.
I collected it, resting my gaze keenly on him."What's this?"
"Check it out."
Staring down at the screen, it was a photo of a woman dressed to kill standing right in front of Gretchen who looked nervous as hell attending to her.
I couldn't grasp what she looked like properly because the picture was taken from behind.
"A new client?"
"I wish."Rowan snorted, taking his iPad from me."Just a crazy woman addressing herself as Kimberly's Mother."
My brain picked on his last two words faster than I'd wanted.
Snapping my head at him, I snatched the device again and checked the picture."What?"
"I chased her off anyways."
It was at the tip of my mouth to tell him that he shouldn't have done that without consulting me first but I kept shut.
Kimberly had never talked about her mother with me, it seemed like a forbidden topic to her or she just doesn't have anything good to say about her and her coming straight to me already gave me an idea on what she might be looking for.
Damn it. That woman can't catch a fucking break.
"Were you able to get anything else on her?"I demanded, taking a step closer to him.
Rowan's brows furrowed at me."What?"
"I was clear enough,Rowan."I hissed, glaring at him.
He relaxed back, shaking his head."Nothing much. Thought it wasn't worth my time."
"Now it's worth it. I need you to get anything you can on–"
"Wait. Why are you so keen on–"
"We can't leave any stones unturned, Rowan. Not at this stage."I cut in calmly, tucking my hands into my pants.
He nodded understandably."With your wedding coming soon, I guess right."
I let out a deep breath and nodded, letting myself believe that was the reason why I'm so keen on finding out everything about Kimberly but damn, I just wanted this woman to be comfortable enough.
Comfortable enough to think about nothing else but herself and not with anything holding her back, including me.
"Yeah, I can trust you on that right?"
"Right."He nodded.
After about an hour of going through work with Rowan, he left to attend to more tasks waiting for him at the office while I waited back in the lobby, waiting patiently for Kimberly to come back while I should have gone to Baxter who was already expecting me but the ache to see her ravaged through my body more as seconds went by.
Who knows if her mother had already gotten to her but she chose not to tell me because she was worried it'd burdened me.
Soon enough, Kimberly appeared in the hallway and started ambling towards me.
Her steps were quite agitated but she suppressed it as she got closer by putting on the most achingly beautiful, yet fake smile on her face.
"Hey."She muttered, adjusting the straps of her shoulder bag.
"Hi."I muttered back, exhaling as well.
"You good?"Kimberly asked, her face already contouring into a frown.
Screwing my eyes shut, I rubbed on it gently as guilt crashed over me again in the realization that I might have been burdening Kim for months without me knowing.
How did she know so much about me but I barely know anything concerning her?
God. I'm such a pathetic and selfish bastard.
They were so glaring. The hesitation. The way she chose to conceal her feelings even though it was evident in her eyes that we wanted both. The inferiority complex that had managed to spike higher since we walked into Rita's party together down to seeing Blaire with me.
And how she barely fought it because she thought she would never be worth standing right beside me.
"Hey."I slipped out again, not knowing what to say.
I watched her throat bob tightly as she let out a nervous chuckle."You're being weird, Are you sure you're–"
"You're beautiful, Kimberly Sloane."I admitted, taking her hands in mine.
The nerves thrumming through my body crashed as I dug my fingers courageously into her palm, stroking it gently.
Like she'd already gotten used to my touch, Kim's hands started getting sweaty.
"Rafael, I–"
"Damn. I don't think anyone can be lucky enough to have you as their acquaintance and I'm such a bastard to have–"
"Did something happen? You're acting out of–"
"We are all shitty Kim. Life played us both. You didn't deserve what happened to you at Frederick's house, I didn't deserve to be raised in a dysfunctional house and–"
Her eyes turned glossy in an instant, she licked her lips quickly, trying to let go of my hand but I didn't let her.
My chest doubled in size as I witness this woman trying to navigate through the emotions coursing through her body right now.
She could probably be wondering why I was saying all of this, or if it was okay for her to get vulnerable with me or not.
"Rafael, if this is about–"
"I want to know about you."I cut in, pushing down the heaviness weighing down in my throat.
I knew this is a big stretch, judging from how I've treated her in the past, i didn't deserve Kim, talk less about knowing her family but still, I pined on the tiny ray of hope in my chest.
She gasped lightly, raising her head up to me."Did she–"
Brushing the lone tear on her left eye with my thumb, I tugged her closer to me, nodding."Yeah, and I want to know more."
She dropped her gaze to my chest, and all I could hear was her soft sobs in the quiet hallway.
Bringing my hand up to her back, I rubbed on it gently."Please, Kim. I need to know you."
To love you, I need to know you.