Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 464

Kai looked away. 'Sorry, Young Madam.'

If he didn't listen to Kira, he got a death stare.

But if he didn't listen to Austyn, he got death.

Kai squared his shoulders. 'Young Madam, you should stay in the room. It's hot outside. And it's not like there's anyone important for you to see right now.

Before coming here, Kai had listened to Doctor Chase rant for ten minutes against what he called 'the other man, a man who was in the ICU and who seemed to occupy a rather important place in Kira's heart.

'Don't let her leave the room, Jesse had warned Kai. 'Don't let her go downstairs to see that other man, or Austyn's going to really lose it.'

Kira was seething. 'Giana's my best friend! How is she not important?"

"That's who you're going to see? Miss Mills?"

'Who else?' Kira crossed her arms. 'Now move aside!"

Kai looked at Austyn, who nodded.

The assistant stepped aside.

Kira opened the door and stomped off.

'Boss, we both misunderstood,' Kai said. 'She's meeting Miss Mills, not that other man."

He shut up when he saw the dark look on Austyn's face.

Giana pulled Kira aside to a bench. 'I'm dying to ask you what happened. But first, this..." She spread out a newspaper on the bench and pointed to a picture. "Who the hell is this?' The picture was taken against a dark background, but two figures could be made out.

A woman was reclining in a big massage chair, part of her face showing in profile.

A man was leaning down, kissing her on the lips.

'I can't see the man's face clearly,' Giana said. 'But I recognised the woman. It's you, isn't it?'

Kira gawked at the picture, stupefied.

It was her.

"The man's not Austyn, right?' Giana asked anxiously. 'It doesn't look like him."

It was Gideon.

Kira and Gideon made the headline of Stamford Daily's society pages.

The caption was in bold, 48-point font size, and it screamed 'PDA Alert! Young And Rich

Hur Cofer 1

Garner Heir Can't Keep His Hands Off His Date.'

Kira's mind went numb.

The picture was taken on the balcony of the Grand Copthorne.

She was nodding off when Gideon kissed her but she pushed him away as soon as she woke up.

There was no one else there.

Austyn said there were no reporters at the party.

Who could have taken the picture?

Giana was still waiting for an answer.

Kira took several deep breaths.

She picked up the newspaper, tore it in half and dumped the shreds into a dustbin nearby.

'I think I know who's behind this."

'Who?'

'Kayleigh Woods,' Kira spat out the name.

'Her again? Why- Giana paused. 'I think I know the answer-Austyn?'

Kira nodded.

'Has the woman no shame? She has to know you and Austyn are married by now, right? Why won't she just give up?" Kira shrugged.

'Did she set you up? Who's the man in the photo? Where was this? When?'

Kira told Giana what happened last night.

Giana gasped when she heard Kira was kidnapped.

When Kira was done, Giana shook her fists. 'That woman is so, so wicked! I can't believe she would do such a thing!"

"That's why I asked you to come here today.'

'What do you mean?'

'Kayleigh goes out of her way to hurt me, time and again. I put up with it in the past, but I've had enough. She went too far. She colluded with someone to have me kidnapped. If Austyn and the police hadn't shown up in time, I would be dead right now." Kira clenched her jaw. 'If I take it lying down, she's going to think I'm weak and she'll only come after me again. Who knows what else she's capable of?"

Her Other Man

'We should call the police, Giana said. 'She's an accomplice to a crime, right? We can get her

locked up.

Kira shook her head. 'I thought about it, but it won't work. There are no cameras in the hallway where she took me. And the kidnapper escaped. So it's going to be her word against mine. I'm not sure there's enough evidence for the police to arrest her. Besides, she has money. She can get a good lawyer and she'll be out in no time.'

Giana pondered it and had to agree with her friend. 'Okay, I see your point. So what's your plan?'

'What are celebrities most afraid of?'

'Scandals?"

Kira snapped her fingers. 'That's right. Kayleigh Woods has stayed scandal-free ever since her debut. There's almost zero negative publicity against her other than a couple of dating rumours. But no one's that perfect. Her company crafted a wide-eyed ingénue public persona for her, but you and I both know what she's really like.'

Wile's Cheating On You

Your Wife's Cheating On Your

Giana nodded.

She used to like Kayleigh for her looks, but that was before she knew the woman had a black heart.

"What if the public sees her true colours?' Kira continued. 'What if they learn about all the dirty, wicked, immoral and sometimes downright illegal stuff she did? The more her fans liked her, the more they will turn against her once the truth comes out. She's going to be cancelled.'

Giana mulled it over. 'I guess it's workable. It's a bit mild, as far as revenge plans go, but then, 1 guess you're not the type to put a hit out on someone,

Kira smiled. 'Sorry, I don't have any hitman on speed dial.'

'One question.

'Shoot."

Giana gestured towards the lift leading upstairs. Have you told your husband about this?"

"No."

'Do you think he's going to approve of you taking revenge on Kayleigh?'

e never not

Kira stretched her lips into a bitter smile. 'That's why I didn't tell him. to do anything to her, so I have to do it myself.'

Kira remembered the solemn look on Austyn's face when he said he would take care of Kayleigh for the rest of his life.

He said it was because of a promise he made to a friend.

Whether Kayleigh was a mistress or a sister to him, Austyn would protect her, possibly at all

costs.

Kira couldn't help but wonder-if Kayleigh had been the one who was kidnapped, would Austyn trade his life for hers as well?

Kira didn't want to think about the answer.

***

Luca tossed the rolled-up newspaper onto Austyn's bed. 'Your wife's cheating on you.'

Austyn frowned. 'What the hell are you talking about?"

'Take a look for yourself. Page seventeen. There's photographic evidence."

Your Wine & Cheating On You

Austyn picked up the newspaper and flipped to the page.

The headline grabbed his attention immediately.

Then the grainy shot.

He froze.

Luca snatched an apple from the bedside table, wiped it on his shirt and took a big bite.

'A passionate kiss under the moonlight. The photo's a little blurry, but I gotta say, whoever took it really captured the romantic atmosphere

Austyn read the short paragraph under the photo,

It gushed about the young heir of the Garner family, hailing from Ourhlana, getting it on hot and heavy with a mystery date at a party in Stamford last night.

It went on to speculate about the woman's identity.

Kira's name was not mentioned.

Austyn couldn't tear his eyes away from the photo.

He recognised the background.

It was the balcony of the lounge at the banquet hall.

He'd left Kira there before heading off to meet with a bunch of clients.

He had brought the poker game to an early end because he was eager to get back to her.

But she wasn't there when he returned to the lounge.

Then the frantic search for his missing wife, followed by the call from Santoro, and the mad

dash to the warehouse...

Austyn crumpled up the newspaper and flung it away.

He closed his eyes.

Rage was burning in his chest, consuming his faculty of rational thought.

So many questions swirled in his head.

He clenched his fist..

Blood seeped out from the place where the IV needle went in, but he didn't notice.

Luca polished off the apple and dumped the core into a dustbin.

He glanced around the ward. 'Why are you here alone? Where's your assistant?'

The door opened as he was talking.

Your Wife's Cheating On You

Kira walked in.

'Captain O'Neill?"

Luca smirked. 'Hey Kira, did you just come back from a meeting with your ex?"

'W...what?' Kira stammered.

She was thrown off balance.

How did Luca know about Gideon?

Austyn shot Luca a black look, but the captain had his back to him and didn't notice.

Luca saw Kira blush and immediately changed the subject. 'Anyway, I just came here to see how you and Austyn are doing."

He didn't understand why Kira was so embarrassed.

When he turned around to wink at Austyn, he received a death stare.

Luca shrugged sheepishly.

He didn't see what the big deal was.

So what if he asked Kira about her ex?

They were all adults here.

Everyone had a past.

Austyn had his ex Deborah and suspected ex, Kayleigh.

Kira had Gideon..

In terms of numbers, Kira was on the losing side, actually.

But Luca had underestimated Austyn's reaction.

The photo was the fuse.

His innocent question was the fire that lit it.

Now the bomb called Austyn was about to go

off.

'Come here,' Austyn said to Kira.

His voice was quiet, like the kind of seismic quiet right before a volcanic eruption.

Kira stood next to Luca. 'Captain O'Neill, I request police protection.'

She had a good idea where Austyn's anger came from. 'I went to meet Giana, not... You know this.'

She didn't go and see Gideon; Luca was joking.

'I told you to come over here!'

'No.' Emboldened by the police captain's presence, Kira stood firm.

She could see the fire of wrath in his eyes.

She was the one who would get burned if she got near.

"Come here!"

'No!"

Luca was made an unwilling referee in this childish shouting match.

He finally had enough when this went on for longer than three minutes.

'Can't you two solve this like adults?'

Kira glanced at him.

Austyn looked at him.

Then they both ignored him and returned to their squabble.

'Get over here. I have something to ask you!' Austyn said.

'Ask away. My ears are working fine. I can hear you from here. Luca rolled his eyes.

His six-year-old nephew was more mature than these two.

'I'm telling you for the last time, come here!' Austyn's voice was hoarse.

'And I'm answering you for the last time, no!"

Luca heard a knock on the door.

Grateful for the interruption, he opened it.