Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 342

Kira nodded. 'Our marriage is kind of complicated. We sort of got off on the wrong foot. But, yes, I think he does love me. Well, at least he likes me.'

She cupped her face in her hands and didn't notice the cold glint in Miss Connelly's eyes.

'Are you sure?' Connelly asked, gripping the edge of the bench. 'Are you absolutely sure that your husband loves you?"

Kira frowned. "Miss Connelly?"

She was a little offended by the interrogative tone of her new friend.

Connelly quickly recovered herself.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that he doesn't. What I meant was, you said you two got off on the wrong foot. I'm just wondering what makes you so sure that things have changed. You're still so young. I'm worried you might have been...taken in.' "Nah." Kira shook her b

head. "My husband can be stand-offish at times, but he's not a liar."

'Does that mean he's told you that he loves you?"

'Not in so many words, but in a way, yes.'

Connelly slid her hand under her dress to hide her clenched fist.

'Can you te

tell

me how you two met?'

Kira glanced at the woman.

The conversation was making her feel uneasy.

Her new acquaintance seemed unusually inquisitive.

It was a chance meeting. Then one thing led to another, and we got married. You know how those things go. There's really not much to

tell."

Connelly didn't pursue the question, perhaps sensing Kira's reluctance to say more.

Bob Dylan's voice alerted Kira to an incoming call.

She knitted her brows when she saw it was Liam Cane

What could he want with her?

Kira tapped the 'Decline' button.

She would rather not have any further contact with him.

Just then, a black BMW rolled into the entrance of the underground carpark.

Kira recalled that Kayleigh seemed to have a car like that.

Maybe that was her.

Kira sprang to her feet. 'Miss Connelly, I gotta run. It was nice talking to you."

She waved goodbye to Connelly and chased after the car.

Connelly remained seated.

She watched Kira disappear from view before taking out her phone.

She made a call.

It was answered two full minutes later by a man with a gruff voice.

'Deborah Connelly, you better have something important! I told you not to call me at this number!" Bring Me Austyn's Body

Deborah flinched even though she knew the man wasn't actually here.

It was

s a conditioned response whenever she heard his voice.

She bowed her head and said in a respectful voice, 'Mr. Santoro, I do have something

"What?"

'I want to know why Austyn married Kira Hewitt.'"

She couldn't get what Hewitt sald out of her

of her mind.

What did she mean by 'start off on the wrong foot?"

Were there other factors at play when Austyn married Hewitt?

Was it something Deborah could use?

"That's why you called me?' Santoro bellowed into the phone. 'What kind of stupid question is that? A man marries a woman because he needs someone to warm his bed, why else? Now stop fixating on idiotic stuff like this and just get your job done!! "Yes, Mr Santoro, I will.'

*And stop calling me with these stupid questions! Cops could be tapping my phone'

'I won't do it again, Mr Santoro, I promise!

Santoro swore under his breath

Austyn was sending men to look for him everywhere.

He even got his cop buddy to help, as well as that man who seemed to be from the military.

Santoro had managed to give them the slip so far, but life on the run wasn't easy.

He had to lie low for now.

Which was why he had to play his trump card early.

'You better remember what you said. Don't ever call me again. I'll call you if there's a need.'

"Mr Santoro, 'Deborah said hurriedly before Santoro could end the call. 'Can I talk to-

"No! You'll get what you want when you bring me Austyn's body!"

He hung up.

Deborah gripped her phone.

She bit her lower lip so

hard that it drew blood.

Kira followed the BMW at a distance.

The car had stopped at a parking space.

The headlights were off.

She hid behind a concrete pillar and waited for the people inside to come out, expecting to see Kayleigh and her burly bodyguard.. She heard a car door slam.

Then she saw a woman's head and shoulders.

She was beautiful

But not Kayleigh.

A man exited the car.

He had rolls of fat on his face, a double chin, and a haughty air about him, like someone who was used to giving orders.

He threw an arm around the woman's bare shoulders.

Sara was disappointed.

She had been mistaken.

Esther Kayleigh had a different car, or Austyn had told her the truth-Kayleigh no longer lived here.

But where could Kayleigh go?

What about her acting career?

ds the lift

Kira trudged towards

Her afternoon had been wasted.

""Who's there?"

A stern voice made her look up

A tall, broad-shouldered man was striding this way.

At first, Kira thought he was heading for the lift.

But the man seemed to be aiming straight for her with a menacing look on his face

Instinct told her to run.

'Stop right there!" The man shouted.

'Shoot!' Kira panicked.

What was happening?

Who was chasing her?

Why did the man sound like he wanted to hurt her?

Her phone started ringing again.

Kira answered it without checking Whoever you are, stop calling! I don't have the time right now!'

"Kira. 'Liam heard her panting and hurried footsteps. "What's wrong?"

'I don't know!' Kira recognised his voice. "Someone's chasing me! A lunatic!

'Where are you?'

Kira was huffing and puffing.

The man was gaining on her.

""Kira, tell me!!

'Sunglade Condo!!

Liam caught on immediately. 'Are you trying to get back at Kayleigh?"

'Duh!" Kira gritted her teeth. She almost killed me! Of course I'll get back at her!'

She darted between parked cars.

She'd once watched a documentary on wildlife.

It said one should run in a zigzag line when being chased by a bear.

Her pursuer wasn't a bear, but the same general principle applied.

"Call the police!" she shouted into her phone. 'Hurry!"

She hung up, stuffed the phone back into her pants pocket and sprinted as

s fast as her legs would carry her.

She'd complained bitterly when Giana dragged her on a jog every morning during freshman year.

But now she was grateful for the exercise.

'I just need to get out of the carpark,' she thought.

*Stop!!

The footsteps behind her were getting closer.

Kira picked up her pace.

Stop, or I'll shoot!"

Kira froze.

She heard a click, like the kind she heard when watching 'John Wick.'

And the kind she heard when she was at the shooting range.

Kira turned around slowly.

She stared into the black muzzle aimed at her head.

Her knees shock.

Who was this man?

Why was he carrying a gun?

She raised both hands in the air. "Uh, let's talk al

kabout this."

Blood was pounding so loudly in her ears, she almost couldn't hear her own voice.

"Why are you chasing me? I didn't do anything."

The man waved his gun towards the camera hung on a strap around Kira's neck. 'Show me the photos.' Photos?

"What photos? I didn't take pictures of you."

"Stop lying. Just hand over the camera."

Kira removed the Canon SLR camera from her neck and held it out with both hands. 'Here, take it! You'll see I'm telling the truth." Her action somehow made the man more suspicious.

He didn't take the camera

Kira was sweating.

"You want the pictures, right? Here's the camera. See for yourself. I didn't take any pictures of you."

She thrust the camera forward. "Come on, just take it!"

The man kept his gun trained on Kira and took the camera with his left hand.

to fun

Kira resisted the urge to

She lamented her bad luck.

Within a week, she'd had a gun pointed at her head, twice.

First, Santoro,

Now, this man

At least she knew the reason the first time.

But she didn't even know who the hell this man was!

When the man's attention seemed to be drawn by t

She didn't recognise him.

the camera, she secretly gave him the once-over.

The man didn't appear to know who she was, either.

Who was he then?

What did he think she did?

She Could Have Died

The man scrolled through the photos in the camera and didn't see what he expected.

He scowled. "Where did you hide them?"

"Hide what?"

'The photos.

'What photos? I didn't take any photos, I swear!

He refused to believe her. 'You followed us into the carpark. You're dressed in black from head to toe. You got this professional-looking camera. What else could you have been doing?

He eyed her up and down. 'Do you have another camera? What about your phone? Hand it over!!

Kira threw up both hands.

Why was the man being so stubborn?

She gave him the camera.

He saw for himself.

Why couldn't he just believe her?

What more did he want?

Kira wanted to curse him.

'I didn't take any photos of you. Kira raised her right hand. 'I swear. I don't even know you, Why would I take your pictures?

'Then why are you carrying this camera?"

'I was planning to take pictures-