Defying the Lycan King (Kira and Derek) novel Chapter 319

Chapter 319: Consequences

A few hours later, the atmosphere in Kai’s office was heavy enough to press against the walls.

Alicia sat in the chair in front of his desk with her head hung low, her hands folded in her lap like a child waiting to be scolded.

She had not looked up since the footage began playing. HR had reported the incident to Kai after Gloria placed a formal complaint, and by the time he’d finished watching the recording, his jaw had gone so tight he thought his teeth might crack.

Gloria stood very still in the corner, her face a careful mask of professional neutrality. Beside her, Jessica stood with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed firmly on a spot somewhere past Kai’s shoulder.

She looked tired. More than tired. There was a faint bruise forming on her elbow, and her hair was slightly mussed where Alicia had grabbed it.

Kai closed the laptop and looked up.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked Alicia.

Alicia squeezed her eyes shut. "I’m sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to do it."

"Unfortunately, being sorry doesn’t exonerate you from consequences." Kai’s voice was level. Not cold, exactly, but nowhere near warm. "What you did was childish and dangerous. You assaulted an employee in my building. The fact that you’re the Head of Operations doesn’t put you above company rules."

Alicia’s eyes flew open. "It was a mistake! I —"

Kai held up a hand, silencing her. Then he turned to Jessica.

"Miss Hart. Would you like to press charges?"

The room went very still, and Jessica finally looked at Alicia. She saw the fear in the other woman’s face, the genuine panic flickering behind her eyes.

She understood that Alicia had been acting out of pain. She understood heartbreak made people do terrible things. But understanding was not the same as excusing, and Jessica had spent far too many years letting people treat her like she was less than nothing.

She lifted her chin.

"I don’t want to press charges," she said, her voice steady. "For now. But I want this documented, and I want Miss Westwood to sign an undertaking stating that she will never lay a hand on me again."

Alicia flinched as Jessica’s gaze settled on her.

"Because if she ever touches me again," Jessica continued, "I won’t let it slide."

Kai smiled. It was not a smug smile or the mischievous smirk he so often wore with her. It was something else, something softer. Admiration, perhaps. Maybe even a touch of pride.

Jessica saw the smile and immediately looked away, focusing on a corner of his desk.

"Noted," Kai said. "HR will draw it up this afternoon."

He looked back at Alicia.

"Miss Westwood, you will be suspended for assault for one week, effective immediately. I will have HR process the documentation. You’ll sign the undertaking before you leave."

He reached for his phone and made a quick call to someone in HR, speaking in short, clipped sentences. When he hung up, he looked at Alicia with an expression that was both disappointed and final.

"Go home, Alicia. We’ll talk when you’ve had some time to think."

***

Later that day, Jessica came out of the building at the end of her shift with her bag over her shoulder. She was tired, and her body ached. But more than anything, she simply wanted to go home and lie down and not think about this day at all.

The sight of Kai leaning against his car in the parking lot did not improve her mood.

He was the very picture of casual ease, his ankles crossed and his hands in his pockets, looking like he belonged in a magazine spread for men who had too much money and too much time. When he saw her, a slow smile spread across his face.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify