Bedmates Soulmates novel Chapter 163

“What? The cheque? Kira nodded honestly. “A little. I mean, it’s a hundred thousand dollars. Almost enough money to 

play “The $64,000 Question” twice.” 

‘I’ll write you a cheque for a hundred K tomorrow.” 

‘Er, that’s not necessary. Thank you very much.‘ 

Austyn leaned in. 

Before he kissed her, he remembered one more item on the agenda. ‘Kayleigh’s important to me not because of the reason you think. Her brother asked me to take care of her.‘ 

Kira mumbled, ‘I didn’t know you’re such a philanthropist.” 

“Kira.” 

Austyn put both hands on her shoulders. 

His face had gone serious. 

“Finley Woods was a man in my unit and a brother to me. He gave his life for the country. I gave him my word to take care of Kayleigh, and I intend to keep it.” 

Kira was stunned. 

The man had a solemn look in his eyes. 

And his words… 

She didn’t know Kayleigh and Austyn had a history like this. 

What did he mean–Kayleigh was important to him, but not for the reason Kira thought? 

Did that mean he and Kayleigh were not…. 

Kira didn’t finish that thought, as Austyn had crushed his lips to hers. 

He bit her again. 

“Ow!‘ 

Kira bore the pain. 

When they both came up for air three minutes later, Kira offered an apology. ‘Sorry.” 

“What for?” 

“For getting mad at you when you helped me get the job. You’re right. I couldn’t have gotten it without your help. I was being ungrateful.” 

“And? 

“And what?‘ 

“Don’t you have something else to apologis 

“Like what? 

“What did you think Kayleigh was to me? 

Kira 

for? 

a gave it some serious thought. ‘Mistress, lover, paramour, take your pick.‘ 

He pinched her right cheek. 

“Ouch! What did you do that for?” 

For thinking ill of your own husband without evidence,” 

‘But the news report- 

“You’re an aspiring journalist. Since when do you put so much stock in tabloid news?‘ 

“What about that time you left in the middle of the night when she called? It wasn’t a booty call?‘ 

Austyn rapped a knuckle over her head. ‘Where did you learn words like that?” 

“I read. So it wasn’t a booty call?* 

‘It wasn’t. She called me because someone broke into her apartment.‘ 

‘She could’ve called the police,‘ Kira mumbled. ‘I would’ve called the police…” 

‘Kira, Austyn looked into her eyes, ‘Kayleigh’s the younger sister of Finley. It was his dying wish to see her taken care of. That’s why I help her, and that’s why I’ll continue to help her. On behalf of her brother.” 

Kira absorbed the news. 

He laced his fingers with hers. The next time you have a question or a problem, come to me directly. Don’t keep everything to yourself and indulge in groundless speculation.‘ 

Like labelling him an adulterer. 

Kira nodded. ‘Okay.‘ 

Having ticked off most of the items on his agenda, Austyn moved on to the last and most important one. 

He kissed her lips, then her chin and her neck, while deftly undoing the buttons on her pyjamas without her noticing. Kira soon forgot about the actress and the cheque. 

Austyn’s towel had fallen off. 

He was on top of Kira when he paused. 

He got up and rummaged around in the bedside drawer. ‘Shit.” 

“What’s wrong?” Kira sat up. 

He held up the empty pack of Durex. 

‘It’s okay,‘ Kira said. ‘I can take the pill afterwards.” 

Austyn frowned. ‘Do you always take the pill after each time?‘ 

Sometimes he’d forget to put on a condom in the heat of the moment, and Kira never said anything. 

She nodded. 

‘Don’t do that,‘ he said. ‘Some of those pills have serious side effects. I’ll…Just remind me next time, okay?‘ 

Kira bobbed her head. 

Austyn ran a hand through his hair. 

It was too late for a run to the store. 

The nearest supermarket was ten minutes‘ drive away. 

But neither could he give up what he was doing. 

‘I’ll be careful,‘ he promised. 

Kira threw her arms around his neck. 

She trusted him. 

He Could Control His Feelings, Maybe 

Afterwards, Austyn sat up in bed. 

Kira had fallen into a deep, exhausted sleep next to him. 

Her face was serene. 

He pulled up the quilt over her naked body. 

He picked up the towel from the floor, wrapped it around his waist and padded over to the balcony. 

He lit up a cigarette and conducted an after–action review. 

What happened; he slept with Kira. 

Why it happened: he couldn’t keep his hands off her. 

Next steps: he would do it again. 

All signs pointed to the fact that he was developing feelings for her. 

He’d planned to stay away from the villa and from her. 

But that plan went out the window when he saw her at the shooting range. 

He was mad when she went away with Damian to learn how to shoot–didn’t she know her own husband was a sharpshooter? 

He was irritated when she chatted with Luca and laughed–what was so funny about shopping bags? 

Then he was surprised when she presented him with a gift–she had gone shopping for him. 

And delighted when he saw the watch–she had noticed he liked collecting timepieces. 

If his emotions were the strings on a violin, Kira was the one holding the bow. 

And he was getting possessive. 

He knew Luca wouldn’t hit on Kira, but he still didn’t like it when the two of them stood so close and talked about things he wasn’t privy to. 

He wanted Kira all to himself. 

But Austyn refused to admit it was love. 

Romantic love was what he had for Deborah, and it was a once–in–a–lifetime occurrence. 

What he felt for Kira was, at most, a strong liking. 

The same feeling as when he got his first 1836 Colt Paterson Revolver. 

He kept it in a locked box in a locked safe and didn’t want anybody else to touch it. 

It was a treasure, and it belonged to him and him only. 

He wanted Kira to himself, because he liked her. 

Liking her was okay, Austyn decided, as long as that feeling did not escalate into love. 

He could control how much he liked something, or someone. 

“Your phone’s ringing.” 

Kira’s voice interrupted his contemplation. 

‘I thought you were asleep. He came back into the bedroom, sliding the French windows shut. 

She held out the phone to him. 

The caller ID said Kayleigh Woods. 

Kira paused. 

Then she lobbed the phone to Austyn. ‘Your ward is calling. Better hurry and answer it. Good night.” 

She pulled the quilt over her head. 

Austyn scowled. 

She really d 

didn’t care that another woman was calling him? 

A woman whom she suspected was his mistress, to boot. 

He answered the phone. ‘Hello.‘ 

Kayleigh’s voice was shaky. ‘Austyn, some…someone’s outside my door! I’m scared. Can you come over?‘ “A stranger?” 

“Yes! It’s a man wearing a cap. I went to answer the door when the doorbell rang. Then I happened to look through the peephole. I don’t recognise him.” 

‘Don’t open the door.” Austyn was throwing on his clothes as he talked. ‘Check all other rooms in the apartment and lock every door and window. I’ll be there as soon as I can.‘ 

‘Okay. Please, come quickly! I don’t know who else to call…” 

Austyn got dressed. 

When he looked back, Kira was sitting up in bed, eyes wide open. 

‘Didn’t you say goodnight a minute ago?‘ Austyn teased her. ‘Can’t sleep?” 

‘How can I sleep when my husband’s going out to meet his other woman?‘ 

She said it with a smile, but Austyn wasn’t sure if she was joking. 

‘Are you jealous?” 

She made a face and fake–yawned. ‘Don’t flatter yourself. I just wanted to say drive safe. I don’t want to be hauled out. of bed by a call from the police informing me I’ve been made a widow because someone drove too fast.‘ 

‘Should I thank you for your concern?‘ Austyn gritted his teeth. 

Kira waved a hand. ‘Don’t mention it. Just doing my wifely duties. Good night for real now.‘ 

She fell back onto the bed. 

The door banged shut. 

Kira gripped the pillow. 

Tears stung her eyes. 

At least she managed to hold them back long enough till he left. 

She wanted to scream, to kick, to bite, to do anything that could vent her frustration. 

Yes, he’d told her Kayleigh was the sister of a friend. 

Yes, he’d told her he was taking care of Kayleigh because of a promise to that friend. 

And yes, he’d told her Kayleigh wasn’t his mistress. 

He Could Control His Feelings. Maybe 

But that didn’t stop Kira’s heart from hurting as if someone had fed it through a meat grinder. 

The sound of footsteps died away. 

Downstairs, an engine came to life. 

Kira let her tears fall onto the pillow. 

He had been so considerate and so gentle to her just now, 

He kissed her, caressed her, pleasured her. 

And now he was gone with just a phone call. 

What did he take her for? 

When he left right after they had sex, it made her feel cheap. 

Like a prostitute. 

No, worse than that.. 

At least a prostitute got paid. 

All she got was an empty bed and a bedroom that smelled like his aftershave. 

Kira thought she heard something. 

A sigh. 

A man’s hand removed the pillow from between her teeth. 

‘If you like biting things so much, Austyn said. ‘P’ll get you a box of chew toys tomorrow.‘ 

He put a warm hand on her shoulder and gently rolled her over. 

Then he pulled down the quilt to reveal a tear–stained face. 

‘I thought you left… Kira mumbled, her voice nasal and hoarse from crying. 

‘How can I leave when my wife’s bawling like a baby?‘ he said with a hint of a smile in his voice. 

‘I’m not bawling,‘ Kira protested. ‘And I’m not a baby!‘ 

He touched a fingertip to her cheek and held it up for her to see. “Then what’s this? Is the celling leaking?” 

Kira turned away and stuck out her lower lip like a petulant chilld. 

“Why are you crying? Austyn sat down on the bed next to her. ‘Sad to see me go? 

She nodded. 

Austyn broke into a smile. 

Didn’t she say she wasn’t jealous? Then those were, what, tears of joy? 

Death Wish 

Death Wish 

‘It’s such an insult to have a man leave right after sex,‘ she mumbled. ‘Especially when he’s leaving to be with another woman. Makes me feel…inadequate. I mean, at least wait till I fall asleep or give me a plausible excuse.” 

The smile on Austyn’s face vanished. 

‘I don’t make excuses. And I can leave whenever I want.” 

His voice had gone cold. 

“Then leave.‘ 

She pushed him away. 

Austyn watched her. 

Her face was turned away from him, but he caught her throwing surreptitious sideways glances at him. 

Austyn removed his suit jacket. ‘I’m too tired now. I think I’ll turn in for the night.” 

Kira hid a smile. ‘So you’re worn out. I thought a man with your stamina could go all night.” 

‘Is that an invitation?‘ 

His hand went to the buttons on her pyjama top. 

‘No no! Not an invitation. I misspoke.‘ 

Her entire body was still sore. 

If they did it again, she wasn’t sure she could wake up tomorrow morning. 

After a pause, Kira said, ‘What about Kayleigh?‘ 

‘Kai can handle it. He has to earn his pay somehow.! 

Kira grinned into the pillow. 

She couldn’t help but feel a little pleased and…triumphant. 

She fluffed out his pillow and patted it invitingly. ‘It’s getting late. Let’s go to sleep.” 

Austyn got into bed and spooned her. 

. 

“Austyn!‘ Kayleigh rushed to open the door. 

Her face fell when she saw Kai standing outside. 

“What are you doing here?” 

Kai was not happy about it, either. 

A call from his boss dragged him out of bed in the middle of the night. 

He had to drive all the way here, with only the radio and the chilly night air for company 

Pasting on a smile, he said, ‘Miss Woods, Boss sent me. I may have to sleep on your sofa tonight.” 

He glanced up and down the empty hallway. “Where’s the suspicious–looking man?” 

“No!‘ Kayleigh shook her head, ignoring his question. ‘Austyn told me he was coming. He asked me to wait for him.” 

“Boss is with Miss Hewitt, Kal blurted. ‘He’s not free tonight. Miss Woods, It’s getting late. You should get some rest.” And stop making a fuss. 

Kayleigh gritted her teeth. 

Austyn was with that bitch? 

How could he do this to her? 

Disappointment boiled over and morphed into resentment. 

Kai shuddered at the venomous smile on the actress‘ face. 

It reminded him of Maleficent, the incarnation of pure evil in ‘Sleeping Beauty.‘ 

‘Kai.‘ Her sweet voice belied the mallee in her eyes. ‘You and I have known each other for many years.” 

The assistant nodded, taking an imperceptible step backwards. 

“We’re friends in a way, don’t you think?‘ 

Kal gave another nod. 

‘So, from one friend to another, tell me the truth–why did Austyn marry Kira? 

‘How did you know that?” 

“That’s not important.” 

Kai thought about it and decided that she was right. 

So, why did he?” 

The question had plagued her for days ever since she learned about Austyn’s secret marriage. 

For all these years, no other woman could get as close to him as Kayleigh did. 

How could this Hewitt woman just come out of nowhere and snatch Austyn away? 

She’d met Hewitt several times. 

Sure, the girl was young and pretty, but so was Kayleigh. 

What could Austyn possibly see in her? 

The marriage didn’t make sense no matter how Kayleigh looked at it. 

The assistant was with Austyn for almost twenty–four hours a day. 

Surely, he would have the answer. 

Kai offered a shrug and a smile. ‘I’m just the assistant, Miss Woods, not Boss‘ relationship consultant, I carry out my orders, do not ask too many questions and keep my nose out of my boss‘ private affairs. And I suggest you do the same, Miss Woods.‘ 

‘So you won’t tell me.‘ 

Kal answered that with a ‘no comment‘ shrug. 

Kayleigh clenched her hands into fists. 

After a while, she said, ‘You can go home now, Mr Scott. I don’t need you here.‘ 

“But what about the intru-