Bedmates Soulmates novel Chapter 235

She’s Using Her Jealous Voice 

“I’m not shouting “The vein on Austen’s forehead started popping 

“Yes you are! You just did it again! 

If you want to see what real shouting’s like, come to the board meeting tomorrow I’ll show you what’s real shouting” 

“No, thank you 

Kira wasn’t stupid. 

If she showed up at the meeting with Austyn, she might as well just shout from the rooftops that she and the president had a thing going on 

Austyn stomped over to the door, flicked off the lights, stomped back to bed and gor under the covers without a word 

He was 186em and weighed Sokg 

His well–built body took up most of the space on the double bed. 

Kira was squeezed into a corner 

She stated at the man whose back was to her. 

Austyn didn’t move 

Kira turned so she was lying on her back 

She couldn’t sleep, not with the raindrops pounding against the window relentlessly like hundred chuckets pecking on the glass. 

Ainryn’s breathing was rtythmic 

She envied tas atly to fall asley in a daytromment so fast. 

Star wanted in move away from him, but the bed was too narrow 

Il ste moved my further, stir was going to be potesed against the wall like a human–shaped 

kendom thouglas sancied arend and 

What kind of body wash did ber use? 

essed god 

Pro sad to, spand 

jongot the trdoty śreslitaros atve in 

His eller was docet w te theks 

So was his arm. 

Was his entire body made of muscle? 

Did the man even have any fat? 

She hadn’t realised the man could be such a bed hog. 

At least he didn’t snore, Kira thought. 

He’d just removed his suit jacket and was sleeping in his shirt and pants. 

That expensive–looking shirt was going to get all kinds of wrinkles when he woke up. 

Come to think of it, it wasn’t the shirt he wore when he left the villa. 

His pants were different, too. 

When did he change his clothes? 

One thought led to another. 

Kira was still wide awake half an hour later. 

She jumped when she heard another loud boom. 

The thunder sounded so close as if it was right outside the window. 

Kira rolled over and hugged Austyn. 

She hated thunder. 

She hated thunderstorms. 

Why was the storm still raging? 

Austyn’s eyes snapped open. 

Kira’s nails dug into the flesh on his side. 

Her arms and legs were wrapped around him like the tentacles of an octopus. 

Austyn resisted the urge to pry her off. 

‘What are you doing?” 

“There was a…a thunderclap.‘ 

‘It’s gone now. Go back to sleep.‘ 

‘Okay,‘ said Kira, still clinging to him. 

‘Stop fidgeting!‘ He could feel the warmth of her breasts pressed against his back. 

‘I’m not! It’s the noise. I can’t stop shaking. I can’t control it.‘ 

Austyn took a deep breath. 

Then he turned to face Kira and wrapped his arms around her. 

She was cocooned in his warmth and his strong arms. 

Slowly, the shaking stopped. 

She inhaled his reassuring scent. ‘Where are we?” 

‘Damian’s house.‘ Austyn’s voice came from above her head. 

She felt his chest vibrate. 

It made her feel safe. 

‘Do you remember what happened?” 

Kira cast her mind back. ‘I chased after you, but you just kept on driving. Then there was a flash of lightning. Then it started to rain. Then thunder. I couldn’t move. I was scared out of my mind. Then there were two men… 

She remembered it now. “Was it Damian who saved me?” 

“You owe him big,‘ Austyn said. ‘Do you know what could have happened to you if Damian hadn’t gotten there in time?‘ 

Kira burrowed deeper into his arms. ‘I won’t do it again.” 

After getting the call from Kai, she had acted impulsively. 

The fear of losing Austyn drove away all rational thought. 

Still, she had not forgotten why she freaked out. 

‘If you hadn’t said you were going to see Kayleigh,‘ she said in a small voice. ‘I would not have chased after you like that…‘ 

‘Don’t try and pin this on me,‘ Austyn shot back. ‘You spent time with Cane. Why can’t I do the same with Kayleigh?” 

“You know nothing happened between me and him.‘ 

‘I don’t.‘ 

Kira didn’t want to get into another fight with him, so she changed the subject. ‘So, did your really go to her house?‘ 

She closed her eyes, dreading the answer. 

“Who?” 

‘You know who I’m talking about!‘ 

Austyn sniffed her hair. 

A smile slowly spread across his face. 

So this was what her jealous voice sounded like. 

A little shrill, no longer sweet as honey, with a little hard–to–detect quiver. 

Somehow, it pleased him. 

‘Yes, I went to see her,‘ he said deliberately. ‘You really chose a bad time to run away, you know. I was just about to spend some sweet alone time with Kayleigh, but Damian called me. 

Tsk‘ 

Kira sat up abruptly in bed. 

She wanted to take a bite out of the unfaithful bastard, but she knew his rock–hard muscles would only hurt her teeth. 

So she sprang up and sat on him, using her weight to crush the man who not only cheated, but was now gleefully rubbing her nose in it. 

She so wished she had the strength of She–Hulk so she could beat the adulterous man to a pulp. 

He’d punished her in bed for almost an hour. 

Wasn’t she enough for him? 

Why must he go to Kayleigh’s place? 

He said he promised his friend to take care of Kayleigh, but did that mean taking her to bed? 

Kira gnashed her teeth. 

Why was he trying to hurt her? 

As she seethed, Kira suddenly recalled another night two months ago. 

It was raining, just like tonight. 

They’d just had sex. 

He got a call from Kayleigh and left straight away. 

Kira had felt…relieved. 

She didn’t ask him to stay, nor did she fly into a rage. 

Instead, she saw him off with a smile on her face and reminded him to drive carefully. 

She was glad to have the big bedroom all to herself. 

She even hoped he wouldn’t come back that nigh 

But now… 

The worl Position 

The Cowgirl Position 

Confusion crept into her eyes. 

Why did she have such a strong reaction when he mentioned Kayleigh? 

It was not as if he hadn’t done this before. 

Kira should have gotten used to it. 

What changed? 

Since when did she start thinking of Austyn as ‘her man?‘ 

Wasn’t he her employer? 

Austyn narrowed his eyes at the woman sitting on him, looking pensive. ‘Get down.” 

His voice shook Kira out of her trance. ‘No.‘ 

‘Are you sure?” 

‘I’m not coming d–ah!‘ 

The headboard spun before her eyes. 

Their positions were reversed in less than a second. 

Austyn dragged her off him, rolled and pinned her to the sheets, trapping her between his 

arms. 

He stared into her 

eyes. ‘Do you 

know what they call it when a woman sits on top of a man?” After that quickie in the hospital bathroom, Austyn had furthered his sex education. 

Privately, of course. 

He’d read the Kama Sutra, the illustrated version 

He knew this was called the cowgirl position, something they had yet to try. 

Maybe tonight… 

Kira tried to shove him off. ‘You are so heavy. Get up.‘ 

Austyn didn’t budge. 

He nipped her earlobe. 

‘Hey!‘ 

“This is Damian’s place. I’ll let you off the hook this time.‘ Austyn rolled off her. 

It took Kira a while to figure out what he meant. 

He was lying beside her, breathing heavily. 

And there was something hard poking at her thighs just now. 

Kira’s face turned beet red.. 

Why was the man always thinking about sex? 

She scooted away from him and almost fell out of bed. 

‘I didn’t go to Kayleigh’s place,‘ Austyn said when a certain part of his anatomy no longer saluted the flag. ‘I went to Luca’s house.‘ 

“What?” Kira whirled around. 

“You heard me.” 

‘R…really?‘ 

‘Yes, really. You can call Luca to verify.” 

Kira’s hand went to her chest. 

Her heart was beating wildly. 

He didn’t go to Kayleigh’s house. 

Why did that make her want to turn up the corners of her mouth? 

“Happy now?” 

Kira looked away. ‘Whatever. I don’t care.” 

“You don’t?‘ Austyn turned to lie on his side, his head propped up with an elbow. 

His eyes twinkled with amusement. ‘So why did you chase after my car in bare feet, hmm? And don’t think I didn’t see that smile on your face just now.” 

Kira didn’t know how to answer that. 

Yes, she was happy when he said he didn’t meet up with Kayleigh 

But she wasn’t supposed to feel happy. 

She wasn’t supposed to feel anything, in fact. 

What was wrong with her? 

She knew what she was getting into when she agreed to be his wife. 

It was a transaction. 

The Crigh 

She would play the role of Mrs McCarthy in exchange for having her father’s medical bills 

taken care of. 

Austyn McCarthy was not a man she could afford to love. 

Their stations in life were ill–matched. 

But recently, she seemed to have lost control of her feelings. 

She was mad when he wouldn’t believe her, sad when he left the house, and elated when he said he didn’t meet Kayleigh. 

Why would she care so much if she didn’t love him? 

Maybe it wasn’t love. 

It was just a force of habit, Kira told herself, ignoring the voice in her heart. 

She was used to his presence in her life, used to having his warmth next to her in bed, used to waking up with his arms wrapped around her… 

It was like having a favourite brand of ice cream. 

If she went to the store and found that the brand was no longer there, she would be upset, right? 

It didn’t mean she loved the ice cream. 

She was just used to it. 

But she could survive without ice cream, just like she could survive without Austyn in her life. 

Kira closed her eyes. 

She had overreacted; she shouldn’t be feeling jealous. 

When Austyn didn’t get an answer out of her, he thought she’d gone quiet out of bashfulness. 

It must be hard for her to admit her feelings for him out loud, just like it was hard for him. 

So he decided not to push her this time. 

One of these days, though…. 

“They call it astraphobia,‘ Kira said when Austyn almost drifted off. ‘Fear of thunder and lightning. I know it’s irrational, but I just can’t help it.‘ 

Her voice was quiet. 

Austyn strained to catch her words with the storm raging outside. 

‘My parents used to fight a lot when I was a kid. Every time they got into a shouting match, they would lock me in the bedroom. I know Dad was trying to protect me, but it was a small 

vurt Pauten 

apartment and I could still hear their raised voices through the door. I would huddle and wait for their fight to be over.” 

up 

in bed 

Kira’s voice shook. ‘It was worse in the summer. Storms would cause a blackout. The entire house would be 

continue argu” into 

pitch blackness. Sometimes my parents would light scande ed 

continue arguing. Can you believe it? Other couples have candlelit dinners. My parents had candlelit fights.” 

She stretched her lips into a bitter smile. “There was a tall camphor tree right outside my bedroom window. Lightning flashes would cast all sorts of strange shadows on the wall. Sometimes I thought the tree had come to life and was going to eat me. The roar of thunder sounded like the roar of a monster.‘ 

Kira pulled up the quilt over her chin, shuddering at the memory. 

‘I’m all grown up now. I know there’s no monster outside the window, but every time there’s a thunderstorm, I still couldn’t help shaking. My heart would start racing. I would be sweating. Sometimes I can’t catch my breath. Sometimes I can’t move a muscle.‘ 

Her words made Austyn’s heart ache. 

He wanted to reach out to her and draw her into his arms, but he didn’t want to scare her. 

So he just listened quietly. 

‘I’m not a coward, you know,‘ Kira said with a wan smile. ‘I just wanted to tell you this so you’ll know, thunder is my kryptonite. Other than that, I’m indestructible.‘ 

Austyn’s voice was hoarse when he spoke. ‘You don’t have to be indestructible. You don’t have to be afraid of thunder, either.” 

He cleared his throat. ‘From now on, I’ll be there for you for every thunderstorm.‘ 

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Thunder Is Scarier Than Thugs 

‘I was…It was just an idea.‘ Jesse stammered. ‘Fine, it was stupid. Forget I said anything.‘ 

Austyn spoke up. ‘Cane is not just a layabout. He’s the man behind Revency. It’s an 

entertainment company. You know what a circus showbiz is. He has to rub shoulders with all kinds of people. Some of them are not so nice.‘ 

There was a cold glint in his eyes. ‘If he steps on the wrong toes, what do you think will happen to him? There are certain fates that are worse than death.” 

Jesse shuddered when he saw the look on Austyn’s face. 

Damian set down his beer bottle with a loud thud. 

He straightened up and looked Austyn in the eye. Don’t go down that road.” 

Liam Cane was still a member of the McCarthy family, a brother to Austyn. 

If Austyn did what he just suggested, he would be selling his soul to the devil. 

Austyn smiled. 

He stood up. ‘I was just thinking out loud. Don’t worry. I’m not actually going to do it. I’ll go upstairs and check on Kira.‘ 

He left the living room. 

Jesse was sprawled on the sofa. 

He heaved a long sigh. ‘Cane is trouble. I’m worried Austyn is going to do something drastic.” 

‘Cane is not the biggest trouble,‘ Damian said calmly. 

Gideon Garner was. 

“Huh?‘ Jesse didn’t understand. ‘He’s not? Then who is?‘ 

Damian’s phone rang before he could answer. 

Only his task force members knew this number. 

Damian went to the balcony before he answered the call. ‘Mike. 

‘Cap, the thing you asked me to do, I have the results.” 

‘Go ahead.‘ 

“Seven years ago, there was a power struggle within the Garner family. Members fought for control. Gideon Garner was supposed to be the legitimate and only heir, but he was just sixteen and out of his depth. He got kicked out of the family without a penny to his name. He lived on the streets for a while before someone took him in. He stayed with the family for four 

years.‘ 

Damian connected the dots. “The family that took him in, is their last name Hewitt?‘ 

‘How’d you know?” 

“So that’s a yes.” 

‘Yes, Gideon stayed with the Hewitt family. If you already knew all this, why did you ask me to do the digging?” 

‘I didn’t. It was just a hunch.” 

‘Seems like there’s more to the story.” 

“There is, but that’s not important right now. How’s the stake–out going?” 

“You know, same old, same old. Bad guys doing bad stuff. Nothing exciting.” 

‘All right. Keep an eye on the gang. Anything happens, call me.‘ 

‘Will do, Cap.‘ 

Damian hung up. 

He stared at the curtain of rain, lost in thought. 

So he had not made a mistake. 

Kira Hewitt knew Gideon Garner. 

It was her photo in Gideon’s wallet. 

Damian tapped a finger on the balcony railing. 

He had dealings with Gideon in the past. 

The man was ruthless. 

No underhand tactics or dirty tricks were beneath him. 

Once he set his sights on something, he would get it, one way or another. 

If Kira was the girl Gideon was looking for, Damian was worried about what the man might do. 

Damian looked back to the living room. 

Should he tell Austyn? 

*** 

Austyn paused in the doorway when he saw Kira sitting up in bed. 

Jesse said she should be resting. 

Kira was huddled up, with the quilt pulled all the way over her chin. 

Her eyes were wide open, glowing with reflected light from the window. 

Austyn flicked on the lights. 

Kira’s head jerked up when sudden light flooded the room. 

As soon as she saw Austyn, she flung the quilt aside, jumped out of bed, ran barefoot to him and threw herself into his arms. 

The impact knocked him back. 

Austyn almost hit his head against the wall. 

‘What are you doing?‘ He stared down at the petite figure burying her face in his chest. 

Her voice quivered. ‘Where did you go?‘ 

‘I was downstairs.‘ 

‘Please don’t go.‘ Kira hugged him tightly. 

Austyn hesitated, then he raised a hand to stroke her hair. 

‘I’m not going anywhere,‘ he said in a soft voice. ‘You shouldn’t be up.‘ 

He led her by the hand back to the bed. 

Kira grimaced. 

‘What’s wrong?” 

‘My foot hurts.‘ 

Austyn poked her forehead with a finger. ‘Serves you right. Who told you to hmm?” 

‘I forgot about the cut on my foot.” 

in out of bed, 

‘Just sit. Don’t move.‘ Austyn was about to bend down. ‘Let me take a look at your foot.” 

Kira refused to let go of him. ‘No.‘ 

‘I’m not going anywhere. I just want to check on your wound.‘ 

‘No.‘ Her voice was muffled. ‘I’m scared.” 

Austyn felt her shoulders trembling. 

He recalled what Damian told him. 

When Damian found Kira, she was being harassed by two drunken louts. 

Her clothes were all wet. 

Her flimsy cotton t–shirt had turned translucent. 

She was curled up on the soggy ground, shaking, helpless. 

Austyn felt a tightness in his chest at the image. 

He kissed the top of Kira’s head. “There’s nothing for you to be scared of. Those bastards can’t do anything to you now. They’re gone.” 

Kira shook her head. ‘I’m not scared by that. I’m scared by the thunder.” 

What? 

Austyn thought she was joking. 

‘Are you serious?” 

Before she could reply, a bolt of lightning flashed outside the window, followed by the loud rumble of thunder. 

Kira screamed and burrowed her head into his open suit jacket. 

Austyn didn’t think she was joking anymore. 

Who would have thought thunder was scarier than thugs? 

‘It’s okay.‘ He stroked her hair. “The thunder’s gone now. You’re okay.” 

Then he remembered something and pinched the nape of her neck. ‘If you’re so scared of thunder, why did you run out into a storm?‘ 

‘It wasn’t raining when I left the house,‘ Kira said in a small voice. ‘By the time the storm came, I was already lost…” 

“That’ll teach you. See what happens when you do something without thinking it through first? Don’t do it again.” 

‘No.‘ 

“No what?” 

‘I would do it again even if I knew a storm was coming.‘ Her voice was gentle but firm. ‘If I didn’t, you wouldn’t be here with me right now. 

“You would be with Kayleigh,‘ she added in her heart. 

Chor Water: Twice Sitg 

Once Bitten, Twice Shy 

Warmth spread through Kira’s heart. 

She had brought up her phobia to salvage her pride; she didn’t want Austyn to think she was chicken. 

If not for the thunderstorm, she could have taken care of herself tonight. 

She might not be able to overpower those two thugs, but at least she could outrun them. 

But every peal of thunder was like an Immobilisation Spell. 

It transfixed her. 

She thought Austyn was going to laugh at her–only six–year–olds were scared by thunder. But he didn’t. 

Instead, he said ‘I’ll be there for. 

a phrase only slightly less potent than the most 

powerful three little words–‘I’m here.‘ 

It made her heart swell with happiness. 

He had not looked down on her. 

She couldn’t help but smile. 

She almost leaned in and kissed him, but she stopped herself. 

Austyn meant well and his promise sounded sincere. 

But he didn’t know they would be divorced in a year. 

Once Kira moved out of the villa, she wouldn’t have him by her side when another thunderstorm hit. 

She would have to tough it out by herself. 

It was best not to develop a dependence on him now. 

Dependence would lead to craving, and craving would lead to addiction. 

‘Was that why you tried to call me that night?‘ Austyn asked. ‘When I was away on business in Farindon.‘ 

Kira nodded. ‘It was a big storm. There was a blackout. Elsie was away. I didn’t know who else to call.‘ 

Then she remembered what happened when she called Austyn, hoping he could come home. She was still slightly miffed by it. 

Obudet Takesh, 

‘I called you, but a woman answered the phone. She said Kira mimicked the woman’s saccharine voice–““Mr McCarthy can’t come to the phone right now. He’s taking a shower.“” 

Austyn laughed at her bad imitation. ‘Nothing happened between me and that woman. I didn’t sleep with her. Do you believe me?‘ 

Kira thought about it, then she said, ‘I do.” 

Austyn petted her head. ‘Good girl.” 

Kira swatted his hand away. ‘I’m not a dog. And see? This is the difference between you and me.‘ 

“What difference?” 

‘You didn’t believe me when I told you there was nothing between me and Liam- 

‘Cane.‘ Austyn corrected her. 

‘Fine. You didn’t believe me when I told you there was nothing between me and Cane, but I trust you unconditionally. Who’s the bigger person now, huh?” 

Austyn had no reply to that. 

She was right, but there was nothing he could do about it. 

Being wary of Cane was his go–to response. 

After all, once bitten, twice shy. 

Kira couldn’t help but gloat a little. 

It was rare for her to score a point over Austyn. ‘Any other woman would not have bought your story so easily, you know. You were far away from home, alone in a hotel room with a woman whom I can only assume is gorgeous, and nothing happened? It’s like tossing a bone in front of a dog and not having it take a bite. It’s just so unlikely.‘ 

Austyn pinched her nose with two fingers. ‘Are you calling me a dog?” 

‘It was a metaphor.‘ 

it so u 

‘Since you find that I didn’t sleep with the woman, perhaps I should reconsider and give her a call?‘ 

Kira glared at him. ‘You have her number?‘ 

‘I don’t. But Kai’s a capable assistant. I bet he can find her number within a day.” 

‘Don’t!‘ 

“Why not, hmm?” 

It was Kira’s turn to be speechless. 

She was winning a minute ago. 

How did the tables get turned so quickly?