Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 404

"Why did you go with Cane?"

Why couldn't she understand that Liam Cane was just using her?

By playing with fire, she would only get herself burned in the process.

Kira didn't know where to start.

If she told him she fell asleep and Liam took her home while she was unconscious, would he believe it?

It was the truth, but it sounded outlandish even to her own ears...

He was bound to ask why she was sleeping in the stairwell of the hospital carpark.

Then what was she supposed to say?

Should she tell him about Gideon?

About how Gideon kissed her and tried to take her right there on the sofa in her father's ward?

About how Gideon offered to be her sugar daddy, as long as she would stay with him?

Kira had pushed Gideon away, dashed out of the room and ducked into the stairwell.

She kept walking until she'd reached the lowest level.

Then she sat on the steps and cried.

Cold, hungry, exhausted and emotionally drained, she must have drifted off.

What should she say?

One question would lead to another, and then open a can of worms.

She had planned to bury memories of Gideon

He belonged in her past

When he showed up at the hospital, Kira was shell-shocked

Then one thing happened after another.

She hadn't had time to sort out her feelings in the whirlwind of events.

Should she tell Austyn about Gideon?

Kira's head was lowered.

Her mind was racing.

She didn't notice Austyn's face was getting darker.

She jumped when something hard landed on her thighs.

It was her phone.

'Kai couldn't find you at the hospital,' Austyn said. 'I called you so many times. You didn't pick up. I drove to the hospital. You weren't there."

He had been so worried, thinking something bad had happened,

Leland's ward was covered by CCTV cameras, one in the room and one in the hallway outside.

Austyn was going to the security control room to get a look at the footage when he ran into Dr Morrison.

The doctor told him he saw a man leaving with Kira.

Dr Morrison recognised the man as an outpatient at Stamford General.

Liam Cane was his name, the doctor recalled.

Austyn drove home in a daze, shut himself up in the bedroom and chain-smoked.

His imagination tortured him.

What was Kira doing with Liam?

She hadn't wanted Kai to pick her up.

Was that because she had plans with Cane?

Plans for dinner, or something more?

Had she forgotten what happened at the restaurant last time?

Austyn waited for five hours, every painful minute of it.

He flew into a rage the last time he saw her with Cane.

He yelled at her, hurt her shoulder and almost did something unforgivable.

He's Going To See Kayleigh

He told her, in no uncertain terms, that she was not to have any contact with Cane.

She'd nodded like a good girl.

She

ven swore

wore an oath

Was all that just for show?

What was she thinking?

How could she do this to him?

Austyn felt blood rushing to his head.

He gripped the lighter in his hand, its hard edge cutting into his palm.

'Kira Hewitt, what did you do with Cane?"

'What do you think I did?"

Austyn pressed his lips into a thin, tight line.

The pain in his palm reminded him not to lose control.

A man and a woman, alone in a room for five hours.

Anything could have happened.

Austyn would think nothing of it if Kira had spent five hours with Kai.

He knew his assistant, and he knew Kira.

But Liam Cane was a completely different story.

He was going to seduce Kira, just like how he seduced Deborah back then.

Kira saw the doubt in Austyn's eyes. 'You don't trust me."

"Have you done anything to earn that trust?'

"Trust can only be given, not earned!' Kira shot back. "Have I ever done anything to make you doubt me? You're thinking 1 cheated on you, right? Don't bother denying it. I can see it in your eyes." "Well, did you?"

'Austyn McCarthy!' Kira flung her pillow at him. 'How can you even ask such a thing?

Austyn reached out a hand when he saw her red eyes, but he caught himself

He shouldn't doubt her, but neither should be forgive her so easily.

She disappeared on him for five hours.

She didn't even realise her phone was gone, which only meant one thing-it never occurred to her to call him.

If he let her off the hook easily, she was only going to get worse.

It was five hours this time.

i she going to run away for an entire day the next time?

Austyn stuffed the lighter back into his pants pocket.

He turned around and headed for the door.

"Where are you going? Kira stared at his back

She was gripped by a sudden panic.

She had a feeling that if she let him walk out that door, she was going to lose something important.

Austyn stopped.

He didn't look at her.

He knew nothing about what went on in those five hours, and it was driving him crazy.

'You can spend time with Cane,' he said coldly, 'then I can spend time with Kayleigh." Austyn left the bedroom.

Kira threw aside the quilt and was about to chase after him.

But her knees gave out and she collapsed onto the floor.

She sat on the plush carpet, shaken up.

What did he say?

He was going to see Kayleigh?

It was past midnight.

He was going to another woman's house?

Was this his way of getting back at her?

A small part of her hoped Austyn was just joking.

Maybe he was in the study right now, or bunking down in the guest room.

But her hope was dashed when she heard the sound of engine downstairs.

'Come back she muttered. "I can explain..."

She didn't go with Liam willingly.

Nothing happened between them.

If

only Austyn had given her a minute longer to gather her thoughts...

Why couldn't he just trust her?

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Kira wiped them away, before grabbing the leg of the bedside table to stand up,

She got dressed mechanically.

Her phone screen lit up.

Bob Dylan started singing

The caller ID said Kai Scott,

Kira Jet her phone ring

She was in no mood to answer anyone's call.

But Kai refused to go away.

In the end, Kira gave up and pressed 'Answer.

'Hello.' Her voice was hoarse.

'Young Madam! Are you home yet?"

'Yes.'

"Phew. Thank goodness you're back. Boss has been looking for you this entire evening. He was so worried. We both thought something bad might have happened."

'I'm fine,' Kira said weakly. 'Nothing happened."

'Good to know. Kai sounded relieved.

Then he said with a sigh, 'Too bad the dinner went to waste.

"What dinner?"

Then Kira recalled Austyn said something about dinner when he called her.

She was preoccupied with fending off Gideon's advances and didn't pay much attention to what Austyn said.

'Dinner at Alma. There's a four-month-long waitlist, You wouldn't believe how much Boss paid to get a place there tonight. With much money, he could've bought half of the restaurant."

Kal was given carte blanche to negotiate with the restaurant owner.

It wasn't his money, but Kai felt the pain of a bleeding wallet vicariously.

It was such a pity that the reservation had gone to waste.

Not only that.

"Did you like the bouquet of roses?' he asked.

'What?' Kira asked blankly.

'The roses in Boss' car. I was the one who picked them up from the florist's, all ninety-nine of them, you know. Kai sounded proud. Boss didn't know what to get you. I caught him using the office computer to search online for gift ideas. He forgot to close the webpage, haha.'

Kai chuckled. 'Can you believe it? The boss man himself, slacking off at work, using office computer for personal stuff. When I saw him staring at the screen, brows furrowed, deep in thought, I thought he was pondering an acquisition proposal. Turns out, he was just weighing up the merits of different types of roses. He went with the Victor Hugo in the end.

Kira sat on the bed, dazed.

Was that why Austyn wanted to take her out to dinner?

He prepared a surprise for her?

But she failed to show.

The dinner reservation and the roses were money down the drain.

Austyn must be crushed.

He went through all that trouble, only for her to ruin everything Her disappearance must have worried him to no end.

Luca The Self-styled Love Expert

Even Austyn wasn't Damian's match.

Beating these two drunkards was child's play.

Both men were rolling around on the soggy ground, cradling their wrists and howling in pain.

Damian dismissed them out of his mind.

He bent down to check on Kira, who was still hunched over, shivering.

Her long, wet hair was plastered to her bloodless lace.

'Miss Hewitt.' Damian reached out a hand tentatively.

"Don't touch me!' she screamed.

She almost bit his hand.

She was drenched from head to toe.

Damian removed his coat and gently draped it over her shoulders.

Kira didn't react.

He tried to touch her.

She swatted his hand away.

The rain was coming down hard.

Kira didn't seem to trust him.

Damian jogged back to his car to make a phone call.

Luca dragged Isabel into the kitchen.

'What is he doing here?' he tilted his head towards the living room. 'Did you call him?"

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Why would I call him and invite him here in the middle of the night?"

'Then what's he doing here?"

'How should I know? He's your friend, not mine.'

'Hmph. He didn't call me, either."

"Get off me. I need to make tea. Your friend is soaking wet. Go and get him a towel."

Luca huffed but did as his wife said.

Austyn was leaning back on the sofa, one hand draped over his forehead, eyes closed.

Luca tossed a big towel at his head. 'Here. You're dripping onto the sofa."

Austyn pulled down the towel and ran it roughly over his face.

'Hey man, you okay? Luca sat down next to him,

Austyn ignored him.

Isabel came into the living room and set down a cup of tea on the coffee table.

She looked at Luca, then tipped her chin towards Austyn

""Talk to him,' she said with her eyes.

Luca cleared his throat. 'Austyn, come on, it's me. You know you can tell me anything. Whatever it is." Austyn sat up straight

He glanced around and seemed to have just realised where he was

"What happened, man? Inca said in his gentlest voice possible.

Austyn's phone rang.

He removed it from his pocket and just stared at the screen.

Luca caught a glimpse of the caller ID. 'It's Damian.'

Austyn did not respond.

"Aren't you going to answer that?

'I'm not in the mood.' Austyn rubbed his forehead

'Did something happen? Luca asked,

Austyn pursed his lips.

Luca thought he had an idea about the cause of his friend's sulky mood.

Austyn would never be this agitated over a business deal.

This was personal.

So he said, "You had a fight with Kira?"

Austyn shot him a look

Luca laughed. 'So it's true then'

He patted his friend on the shoulder. 'Come on. There's no shame in admitting you're having trouble on the domestic front. A word of advice, though, from one married man to another, apologise to her.'