Bedmates Soulmates

'I don't know.!

The anger that had been

that had been smouldering in his heart bubbled up to the surface

'If you know I'd be mad, why did you still spend time with Cane? I warned you repeatedly. You just wouldn't listen. Do you even know what the man's capable of?"

Austyn clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

She was injured and feeling vulnerable right now.

He shouldn't get into another fight with her.

Kira salffled. 'I'm sorry."

'You always do this.' Austyn was exasperated. 'You ignore my warning, piss me off, then expect to make everything better with just an apology. Stop looking at me with those eyes! Do you think I'm going to fall for it again?" I'm not trying to-

'You are!!

Kira looked up at him beseechingly. 'Please, will you listen to me?"

Austyn crossed his arms.

He wanted to stomp off, but his feet refused to listen.

'I didn't go with him willingly, Kira said. 'I fell asleep. He took me to his house without my knowledge. When I woke up, I got out there as soon as I could. Nothing happened between us. Will you trust me? Kira knew Austyn was ups

So was she.

If only be'd listened to her back in the house, n none of this would have happened.

Frankly, part of this fight was his fault,

It took two to tangle, as Dad used to say

She should have been more forthcoming

of

He should have had more faith in her.

Austyn should know, even without her having to explain herself, that she would never cheat on him.

Kira lowered her head and sighed quietly.

Maybe men really were from Mars and women from Venus.

It was so hard to communicate with him sometimes.

Austyn said in a serious voice, 'It's not that I don't trust y

you. I don't trust Cane."

Liam Cane was a man wicked in heart and vicious indeed.

He would do anything just to spite Austyn

Kira's relationship with Austyn, coupled with her trusting nature, made her an easy target.

'Do you remember that time you accused me of locking you up at the hospital?'

'Uh-huh

Kira was confused.

Why was he bringing this up now?

'You called it false imprisonment, but I was trying to protect you, as hard as that may be to believe." Austyn sat down on the edge of the bed. 'Liam is cunning as a fox but ruthless as a shark. He has no scruples. Don't be fooled by his pleasant, gentle-looking appearance.' Kira had to agree.

She thought Liam was a Good Samaritan when they first met.

But when she discovered he was just using her to get to Austyn, she changed her opinion.

Austyn continued, 'I almost killed him in the restaurant. He is one to hold a grudge. I know he'll be looking for a way to get back at me. If he can't get to me, he might target you.'

"That's why you put the bodyguards outside my room," Kira said. "They were there in case Liam showed up?

"You and he are on first-name basis now?" Austyn wrinkled his forehead.

'I meant, they were there in case Cane showed up?" Kira corrected herself.

Austyn nodded.

"But he didn't. Does that mean he's not targeting me?"

"Are you speaking up for him?"

"Uh, no. I'm just curious. Kira thought back to what happened at Liam's house. 'I was unconscious when he brought me to his place He could have killed me, but he didn't."

"Murder is not his way.' Austyn sneered. 'He doesn't like to get his hands dirty. He prefers to toy with a person's emotions. Hooking up with you and then laughing in my face is more satisfying to him than killing you."

Austyn thought about all the tricks Liam used to play when they were both kids.

'The man's into playing mind games. That's what makes him so dangerous-he could destroy a person without being held responsible. The law can't touch him.'

'His mind games won't work on me,' Kita said. 'I'm not hooking up with him."

Austyn said nothing

I'm not hooking up with him,' she repeated.

When Austyn didn't reply, she said, 'You still don't trust me. You still think I'll cheat on you, don't you?"

Austyn pursed his lips.

time.

He knew Kira wasn't that kind of person, but he couldn't stop himself from worrying.

Liam Cane luda

la history.

Cane was younger r

than him, good-looking, a snooth talker.

Double Stamed Much?

He could literally charm the pants off most women if he put his mind to it.

I'm not Deborah, you know.' Kira blurted.

The scowl on Austyn's face put her back up. 'What? I can't even mention her name? You still love her, don't you?

She shifted away from him.

'Here you are, suspecting me of having an affair with no proof whatsoever. Yet you still carry a torch for your old flame. That's emotional cheating, you know. Double standard much?" 'Kira Hewitt!'

"What?" She shot back. Just because your voice is louder doesn't mean you're right. You can shout all you want, but it doesn't make what I said any less true." She's Using Her Jealous Voice

'I'm not shouting 'The vein on Austyn's forehead started popping

'Yes you are! You just did it again!"

you want to see what real shouting's like, come to the board meeting tomorrow. I'll show you what's real shouting "

"No, thank you."

Kira wasn't stupid.

If she showed up at the meeting with Austyn, she might as well just shout from the rooftops that she and the president had a thing going on.

Austyn stomped over to the door, flicked off the lights, stomped back to bed and got under the covers without a word.

He was 186cm and weighed Bokg

His well-built body took up most of the space on the double bed.

Kira was squeezed into a corner.

She stared at the man whose back was to her.

Austyn didn't move.

Kira turned so she was lying on her back.

She couldn't sleep, not with the raindrops pounding against the window relentlessly like a hundred chickens pecking on the glass

Austyn's breathing was rhythmic.

She envied his ability to fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment so fast.

She wanted to move away from him, but the bed was too narrow

If she moved any further, she was going to be plastered against the wall like a human-shaped poster.

Random thoughts swirled around in her mind.

What kind of body wash did he use?

He smelled good

No longer the minty freshness she was used to, but still good.

His elbow was digging into her flank

So was his arm.

Was his entire body made of muscle?

Did the man even have any fat?

She hadn't realised the man could be suc

I be such a bed hog

At least he didn't snore, Kira thought.

He'd just removed his suit jacket and was sleeping in his shirt and pants.

That expensive-looking shirt was going to get all kinds of wrinkles when he woke up.

Come to think of it, it wasn't the shirt he wore when he left the villa.

His pants were different, too.

When did he change his clothes?

One thought led to another.

Kira was still wide awake half an hour later.

She pumped when she heard another loud boom.

The thunder sounded so close as if it was right outside the window.

Kira rolled over and hugged Austyn.

She hated thunder

She hated thunderstorms.

Why was the storm still ragin

Austyn's eyes snapped open.

Kira's rails dug into the flesh on his side

Her arms and legs were wrapped around him like the tentacles of an octopus

Austyn resisted the urge to pry her off

"What are you doing?

'There was a thunderclap"

's gone now. Go back to sleep,"

'It's

"Okay," said Kira, still clinging to him.

'Stop fidgeting!" He could feel the warmth of her breasts pressed against his back

I'm not it's the noise. I can't stop shaking. I can't control it.'

Austyn took a deep breath.

Then he turned to tace Kira and wrapped his arms around her.

She was cocooned in his warmth and his strong arms

Stowly, the shaking stopped.

She inhaled his reassuring scent. 'Where are we?

"Damian's house Austyn's voice came from above her head.

She felt his chest vibrate.

It made her feel safe.

'Do you remember what happened?"

Kira cast her mind back. "I chased after you, but you just kept on driving. Then there was a flash of lightning. Then it started to rain. Then thunder. I couldn't move. I was scared out of my mind. Then there were two men...! She remembered it now. "Was it Damian who saved me?

"You owe him big,' Austyn said. "Do you know what could have happened to you it Damian hadn't gotten there in time?

Kira burrowed dreper into his arms. I won't do it again."

After getting the call from Kai, she had acted impulsively.

The fear of losing Austyn drove away all rational thought. Still, she had not forgotten why she freaked out.

you hadn't said you were going to see Kayleigh," she said in a small voice. I would not have chased after y

"If

'Don't try

you like that...!

Ipin this on tor." Austyn shot back. You spent time with Cane Why can't I do the same with Kayleigh?"

'You know nothing happened between me and him.'