Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 197

Don't Ever Mention Divorce Again

Kira looked away, wondering absent-mindedly where he got the tan from.

Her checks were feeling hot.

They'd slept together many times, but she still couldn't help but blush at the sight of the half-naked man less than three metres away.

She could smell the scent of his shampoo.

Lavender oil and rosemary.

The scent moved closer, then drifted away.

She looked up.

Austyn was walking towards the bedroom door.

He was leaving?

Where was he going, shoeless and in a state of undress?

Before Kira knew what she was thinking, she'd already sprung up from the sofa and jumped onto his path. "Stop right there!"

Sloth Or Koala

Austyn paused mid-stride, looking a question at her. "What?"

'I have something to ask you.'

'What is it?!

She was about to ask if he was still mad, but the words that came out were,

'Noon."

e, 'When did you get back?'

"I was sleeping on the sofa downstairs, but I woke up in the bedroom. Did you carry me up here?"

'You sleepwalked.'

"Then why were you next to me in bed when I woke up?"

She remembered getting rudely roused out of sleep by a hard pinch from the man.

Austyn shrugged. 'I was walking past the sofa when you stood up in and hung on to me like a sloth to a tree.

your slee I couldn't prise you off. I came upstairs to take a shower, but you refused to let go."

Kira puffed out her cheeks, offended.

If he had to use an analogy, couldn't he have said she looked like a koala?

They were so much cuter than sloths!

'Did you stop me just to ask these inane questions?'

'Um...'

'If there's nothing else, get out of my way.'

Austyn stepped around her.

Staring at his naked back, Kira blurted, 'Are you still mad?'

If it was about the divorce, she just mentioned it once.

How could a man be so petty?

Austyn whirled around. 'You don't know why I'm mad?'

'I don't."

He took a long stride towards her. 'One, you got close to Liam Cane behind my back. Two, you went out on a date and had dinner with him. Three- Austyn moved into her personal space. -you kissed him right in front of my eyes. If you were a thing, I would have tossed you away on the spot."

He hurled those charges at her one after another.

Kira was knocked back on her heels.

She didn't have time to process the accusations, so incensed that she couldn't think straight.

'You...I'm not...I'm not a thing!'

Austyn smirked.

Realising what she said, Kira backtracked. 'I'm not a thing. I'm a person!!

She pointed a finger at the man's nose, hopping mad. 'These are all trumped-up charges! I'm innocent!'

She stomped her feet.

If she were taller, she would've grabbed the ridiculous man's

s shoulders and shaken some sense into him.

"How many times must we go over this? He kissed me. I didn't kiss him back. Instead, I fought back! And it wasn't a date. I didn't share a meal with him. All I had was a glass of water! Besides, when I met him, I had no idea he's your brother!' Kira was red in the face with the effort of shouting.

The man was being beyond unreasonable!

How was she supposed to know Liam was his brother?

They had different last names, for heaven's sake!

Must she run it by him every time she made a new friend?

Besides, he and Liam looked nothing alike.

If he was so disgusted by the fact that Liam kissed her, why didn't he just agree to the divorce and be rid of her? 'Who told you Liam and I are brothers?' Austyn scowled.

Kira crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes. 'Kai told me. Elsie told me. Are you going to deny it?"

If he had been more forthcoming and told her this himself, none of this would have happened.

Austyn pursed his lips.

So there were traitors within his own ranks.

It never crossed his mind to tell Kira about Liam.

In his view, Liam Cane was not family.

After he ran Liam out of Stamford, he dismissed the man from his mind.

Liam Cane was simply irrelevant.

He had not expected Liam would come back, even less that he would make a move on Kira.

Kira took several deep breaths and tried to get a hold of herself.

She didn't like to lose control of her emotions.

"I did not know you and Liam are brothers,' she repeated in an even voice. 'If I had known he betrayed you and stole Deborah from you, I would not have touched him with a barge pole." Austyn stepped forward and gripped her left shoulder. 'Who told you about Deborah?'

His reaction startled Kira.

So did the intense look in his eyes.

After all these years, he was still carrying a torch for Deborah?

He couldn't even stand it when others mentioned her name?

If he loved Deborah so much, why did he marry her?

"Speak!' Austyn shook her shoulder.

Kira flinched. 'Elsie.'

Seeing the dark look on his face, she added in a hurry, 'It's not her fault. I forced it out of her. I was just curious to know why you hate Liam so much. I made Elsie tell me. Please don't be mad at her. Kira didn't want to get the housekeeper in trouble.

Austyn fixed his gaze on her face.

After a long while, he removed his arm and turned to leave.

Kira stood rooted to the spot.

She came to her senses when her legs started to hurt.

Instead of making peace with the man, she seemed to have made things worse.

Kira shook off her thoughts and headed into the bathroom.

A long, hot bath was what she needed at the moment.

Afterwards, she got dressed and came out of the bedroom.

She walked past the study, paused and stole a glance.

The door was open.

The room was empty.

There was no sign of the man downstairs, either.

Kira plopped herself down on the sofa.

Elsie came into the living room. 'Where is Young Master?'

Kira hugged a throw pillow. 'He went out."

'Did he? I didn't notice.'

'You must be busy with work.'

Elsie stood in front of Kira. 'Young Madam, what's wrong?"

"What? Nothing."

But you look upset.'

Kira's hand went to her face.

She thought she'd hidden her feelings well.

The keen-eyed housekeeper sat down next to her. 'Come on, you can tell me anything." Kira hesitated.

It's A Small World

Elsie patted her hand in a motherly gesture.

Her voice was gentle. 'You can unload on me. I may not be able to help much, but at least I can lend an ear."

Her kindness brought tears to Kira's eyes.

Kira was going to miss the housekeeper when the time came for the divorce and for her to leave the villa.

She held back her tears. 'Austyn is really mad at me now."

""What happened?'

"I mentioned Deborah."

Elsie was confused. 'But I thought you said Young Master told you everything about Miss Connelly.'

'I lied. He didn't tell me anything. I heard about Deborah's death from my colleagues.

"What?' Elsie's eyes widened.

Kira grasped the housekeeper's hand. 'What should I do?"

Elsie gave her a one-arm hug. 'It's okay. Don't worry. Tell me everything."

Kira recounted what happened upstairs.

The housekeeper mulled it over.