Hearing Kiara cry in the bathroom takes all my strength to not go back in there to comfort her.
Instead, I pull out my phone and dial Will’s number.
“The mother is safe, and there’s no sign of Finn… yet,” he answers.
“Keep looking for the fucker.” I sit down at the foot of my bed and stare at the shut bathroom door. “Can you stop by the office and bring Kiara’s handbag. It’s at Devon’s desk.”
“Will do. I’ll bring it by your place tomorrow,” he replies.
“Also, go to Finn’s office and gather Kiara’s clothes. I don’t want any of the other staff finding them.” Rubbing a tired hand over my forehead, I add, “Thanks for tonight.”
“That’s what I’m here for. How’s Kiara holding up?”
I shake my head, not sure. “As best as she can.”
“I feel for the woman.” He lets out a sigh. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Let me know if you need me to bring anything else.”
“Thanks, Will.”
Ending the call, I pull the tie loose from around my neck and undo the top two buttons.
I hear the shower running, and my thoughts turn to the scene I walked in on. I close my eyes against the image of Finn on top of Kiara.
I’ve done a lot of bad shit in my life, but hurting a woman? It’s something I’ll never be able to stomach.
It’s only then the realization hits that I don’t know whether the fucker raped her, and I can’t remember if the doctor asked her.
My eyes snap open, and I shoot to my feet, unable to sit still. Pacing up and down in front of the bathroom door, my skin crawls with disgust for what Kiara went through.
The second the door opens, I stop pacing and stare at her. She’s washed her hair and her body’s drowning in my clothes. Her chin trembles as she asks, “Do you have a nail clipper? I can’t get all the blood out from under my nails.”
Jesus.
Darting forward, I can’t stop myself from wrapping my arms around her. I press my hand to the back of her head and try to curve my body around hers. She instantly breaks down, and I hate asking the question, but I need to know.
“Did he rape you?”
“N-no,” she stammers through her tears. “I m-managed to fight h-him off until you c-came.”
Thank. God.
When Kiara calms down, she pulls back, whispering, “Thank you.” I’m just about to tell her to stop thanking me when she adds, “For stopping him.”
Not knowing what to reply, I take hold of her hand and pull her back into the bathroom. Digging a nailbrush out of the cabinet, I turn on the faucet. I pull her hand beneath the water and begin to scrub her nails, getting the blood out from beneath them.
“Finn’s blood?” I ask as I manage to clean one nail after the other.
“Yes. I scratched him a couple of times.”
“Good for you. Should’ve taken his fucking eyes out.” A fresh wave of anger pours through my veins.
“Yeah, I should’ve.”
Glancing at Kiara, it’s to see the corner of her mouth lifting slightly. “Why do people say you’re grumpy?” she asks, catching me by surprise with her question.
“’Cause I am,” I answer honestly. “I’m not a people person.”
I can feel her eyes on me as I focus on her left hand. “You’ve only been nice to me.”
“That’s ’cause you’re different.”
“By different, you mean?”
My eyes flick to hers. “You don’t annoy the fuck out of me by breathing.”
The corner of her mouth lifts again, and it has me asking, “Feeling a little better?”
Kiara takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I’m trying not to think about it.”
When I’m done cleaning her nails, I turn off the water and grab a towel from the warming rack. I dry her hands, then lock eyes with her. “We need to talk about it. Just a couple of questions, then I’ll drop the subject.”
She lifts her chin, steeling herself.
“When did it start?”
She thinks for a moment, a tear escaping her eye and spiraling down her cheek. I reach up and wipe it away with the pad of my thumb.
“About three weeks after I began working at the company.” When I keep looking at her, she adds, “He made me go to an event with him and kissed me. The Monday after that, he threatened to kill my mother if I didn’t do what he wanted. He had a video of her sleeping and him standing over her with a gun.”
Fucking bastard.
“Later that week, he made me kiss him again, but you came into the office, and I hid in the bathroom.”
I have to take a deep breath to remain calm.
Kiara lowers her head, then whispers, “And this morning during the meeting, he touched me beneath the table.”
Christ.
“So it wasn’t cramps?”
She shakes her head, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.
The fucker was molesting her in the same room as me. I glance at the windows and the city lights sparkling outside, my jaw clenching with the rage building in my chest.
I should’ve fucking killed him years ago. Biggest mistake of my life.
Lifting an arm, I place my hand behind Kiara’s head and pull her to my chest. Lowering my mouth to her ear, I say, “Next time anyone fucks with you, you tell me immediately.”
She nods, doing her best not to break down.
“I’ll also have guards protecting you twenty-four-seven.” I almost add only until we find Finn, but then I would be lying.
Kiara wraps her arms around my waist, burrowing closer to me. It has me engulfing her with my body, holding her as tight as possible without hurting her.
After today… after holding her in my arms, there’s no fucking denying it – I’m falling for Kiara. For the first time in my life, I’m allowing a woman into my heart.
Not allowing, idiot. You didn’t have a fucking choice. She walked right in and made herself at home, and there’s no getting her out.
Not thinking, I press a kiss to her damp hair. “Now, we can talk about anything that will take your mind off tonight.”
She pulls back, giving me a wavering smile. “I’m a stress eater. Do you have any food?”
“A fridge full.” I hold my hand out to her, and she doesn’t hesitate placing hers in mine. “And if I don’t have what you want, we can order in.”
She doesn’t hesitate to say, “Donuts. I need donuts.”
Pulling my phone out, I call Paul, one of the guards downstairs.
“Yes, boss?”
“We need donuts.” I look at Kiara. “How many?”
“A dozen.”
My mouth curves into a smile. “Get us a dozen.”
She widens her eyes to get my attention. “A mixture of flavors. Please.”
“Get one of each.”
“Okay, boss.”
Ending the call, I tuck the device back into my pocket as we head down the stairs.
When she sits down on a couch, Kiara glances around the living space. “Do you live alone?”
“Yes.” Wanting to see her face, I take a seat across from her. Unbuttoning my cuffs, I start to roll up my sleeves. Kiara’s eyes lock on my hands, and she seems to slip into a trance as she watches me.
When I’m done, I lean forward, and resting my forearms on my thighs, I link my hands. I take in the darkening bruises on her face, then get up to grab a steak from the freezer. Wrapping a kitchen towel around the frozen meat, I walk back to Kiara and stopping in front of her, I make sure to be gentle as I press it to her jaw and cheek. “Keep it there for a couple of minutes.”
Her fingers brush against mine as she takes hold of the makeshift icepack.
When I sit down again, I ask, “What’s your topic of choice?”
She thinks for a moment, then asks, “Do you always carry a gun?”
I nod, wondering what her reaction would be if she found out I’m the head of the Irish mafia.
She’d probably run for the hills.
There’s a glimmer of fear in my chest at the thought that I might not stand a chance with Kiara. We’re from different worlds.
