Chapter 23 Cold!
|| Author POV ||
Rosa chewed on her lower lip, sitting quietly on the couch. Her palms rested on her knees as her eyes nervously scanned the large hall.
She was waiting.
Earlier, Lilia had told her Killian wanted her downstairs.
Rosa’s heart thumped and she stared blankly around, trying to distract herself from the fear crawling up her spine.
The sound of footsteps reached her ears. Her fists clenched tighter on her knees. She didn’t dare look up.
Killian walked toward her and took a seat on the couch across from her, only the glass table separating them. Rosa sat still.
His piercing blue eyes studied the girl before him. Lilia approached with a tray and gently set two coffee cups in front of them before walking away.
Rosa’s gaze darted around, down at the floor, to the side, everywhere to avoid those eyes.
“Look up!” he commanded.
Rosa flinched. After a moment, she lifted her gaze, stopping at his chest, afraid to meet his eyes.
Her breath hitched. She knew if she looks into those eyes, she will forget everything, forget how to speak, how to breathe.
Rosa nervously blinked, her heart pounding, unsure of why he called her here.
“Answer immediately whatever I ask, okay?” His voice was sharp.
Rosa nodded, her head moving hesitantly. She knew better than to disobey, but the weight of his presence made her insides twist with anxiety.
“Kang Rowan, why did he call you to his office?”
Rosa froze. Why was he asking about that?
Without thinking, her eyes lifted slightly. His gaze was cold, warning, as if daring her to remain silent any longer. The intensity of his stare made her breath catch in her throat.
“I..I failed in social studies.” she whispered in an uneven tone. “I d-don’t know how.”
Silence.
Killian didn’t speak. Is he angry too? Maybe he is.
Rosa forced herself to look at him again. His eyes were empty, cold. It terrified her. She can’t bear any more insults.
“I-I’m... sorry.” she apologised before he could lash out.
Killian stayed still. Now he knows why she cried in the morning. His jaw clenched.
“Who fails in social studies?” His voice was cold and strict.
Rosa froze again. She remembered the exam, how confident she was. She studied hard, felt sure of her answers. But when the teacher handed her paper back, her world tilted. Her perfect answers were marked wrong.
“I... I don’t know. I thought I did well. I..i studied.” she mumbled. “But the teacher gave me low marks for the right answers. I-I don’t know why—”
Killian’s gaze hardened as he listened to her struggle.
“Is that so?” His voice dropped low.
Rosa barely nodded.
Killian chuckled then. “And you didn’t question it? Didn’t ask the teacher why?”
Rosa shook her head.
“Pathetic!” Killian muttered under his breath, barely audible to her before leaning back in his chair, rolling his tongue inside his warm mouth.
“From tomorrow, I will guide your studies.” he said, sitting up straight. “Every day at eleven.”
Rosa blinked. Her mind struggled to process his words. Did she hear him right?
“H-huh?”
Her voice was soft, almost like a kitten’s.
“You aren’t deaf, are you?” Killian seethed darkly.
Rosa’s eyes dropped to his chest, avoiding his gaze. Why was he so mean? It didn’t make sense.
He’s going to guide her? Everyday?
Rosa couldn’t believe it. She blinked again, trying to process it. She isn’t dreaming, is she?
He hadn’t scolded her.
“Finish this.” Killian ordered.
Rosa looked at him not understanding anything. Upon seeing his eyes, she looked at the glass table. The coffee mug.
Black Coffee?
Rosa gulped, feeling his eyes on her. Slowly, she lifted the cup and held it with both her palms before looking at it, the black liquid was swirling inside.
Killian spread his legs casually and sipped on his coffee. His cold eyes fixed on her, seeing how she was judging the coffee.
As if she hates the poor liquid.
Hesitantly, Rosa pressed the mug between her lips and took a sip, the bitter taste hit her tongue like a shock. She forced herself not to flinch.
Killian’s gaze sharpened.
He finished his own cup easily, draining the mug with one smooth sip before placing it back on the table with a quiet clink.
Rosa pulled the mug away from her lips, her expression contorted in disgust, as if the taste was far worse than she had imagined. Killian’s eyes flickered with something unreadable as he observed her.
Rosa chewed, trying to mask the bitterness with her saliva, but it was clear, she hated it. And still, her attempt only made her look even adorable.
Killian leaned back, watching her struggle with the bitterness of the coffee. His lips curled into a slight smirk. “Not a fan of black coffee?”
Rosa looked at him, she couldn’t just mask her expression.
“Go to sleep.” he said.
She nodded, embarrassed, and reached to set the mug down. But before she could, Killian stood and turned toward the stairs.
Rosa quickly set the cup aside and ran after him.
She saw how fast he was walking, his steps were wide and strong. Her breath hitched and she hurried up the stairs, almost tripping on one, and with a small run, she caught up enough to reach out and grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt from behind, halting him in place.
“W-Wait, please. I need to tell you..something.” Rosa stammered, barely catching her breath.
But before she could lift her eyes, he moved.
In a blink, Killian spun around.
Rosa gasped when he stepped into her space. Her back hit the stair railing as he caged her between his veiny arms.
The air froze.
Killian’s eyes bored into hers. Too close. Too intense. Too dangerous.
Her wide eyes staring at his chest, too scared to look up. He didn’t touch her but the space around her felt like it belonged to him now.
And she was trapped in it.
“What is it?” he rasped.
Rosa’s lips parted but no words came. Her mind blanked.
She forgot—
What did she even want to say?
“Hmm?” Killian tilted his head, leaning closer, his breath ghosting her skin. That voice.. low and hoarse. It made her knees feel like jelly.
Her heart raced wildly.
“I..I..”
“You what?” he rasped again in a gravelly voice.
“Tell me what you were about to say.” Killian pressed, towering over her, voice like smoke and fire all at once.
Rosa’s breath had already deserted her. Her eyes wandered helplessly over his face, his sculpted jaw, the sharp lines of his cheekbones, the way his blues burned right into her. He looked like something divine, too beautiful to be real.
And the pull! God, the pull is uncontrollable.
The spiral of forbidden attraction dragged her deeper.
He wasn’t just handsome. No.
He was devastating.
More beautiful than a curse, more dangerous than sin.
And she... she was falling. Even more.
“i—i don’t want to ride in cars.” Rosa whispered.
Killian stared at her.
“And?” he asked.
Her gaze fell to his chest, and she shook her head, unable to find the right words.
“You sure you can walk alone?” his breath ghosted over her ear, his voice was a deep rasp that made every hair on her body stand.
Rosa’s body went rigid. She nervously nod her head, avoiding his eyes.
“Okay then.”
Killian agreed knowing damn well he’ll be assigning men to keep an eye on her.
Rosa got back her breath when he freed her from his cage, standing straight before her.
Killian’s eyes watched her hairs, the height difference was killing his nerves.
“Thanks.” Rosa meowed softly.
Her adorable face!
Killian desperately looked away as if he’s controling himself.. from something.
Something he doesn’t want to show.
Killian gulped at the thought he just had.
He couldn’t stop himself from imagining her legs around his torso and fck her hard against the wall while she cries at him with those pair of magical eyes.
His thoughts started turning wild.
“Go back to your room now!” Rosa flinched at the sudden change of his voice.
Did he just shout?
“O-okay.” a soft, frightened mewl escaped her lips.
Turning around, Rosa slowly climbed the stairs with hesitant steps.
Killian didn’t move. His jaw slackened, veins twitched in his hand and he balled it into a tight fist.
“Damn it!”
He hissed under his breath roughly, then abruptly turned and stormed down the stairs.
Rosa stopped on the second floor and turned back. Her doe eyes followed Killian’s tall figure until he escaped her sight.
She stood there like a doll. Her gaze lingered on the empty space he’d disappeared into, and her delicate fingers tightened around the railing.
“Why do you have to be so cold?” she whispered softly.