Chapter 5 : It begins

Emily

When the sun rays enter my room through the window, my eyes are opened wide. I couldn't sleep the entire night, sensing that Kane had been in the living room. 

I'm so glad that he didn't bang into my room. I literally don't believe him on that. 

Climbing down from the bed, I slid my feet into the slippers and walk towards the door nervously. It's still the dawn and I believe he's fast asleep. Twisting the knob, I come out of the room, discovering him fast asleep on the couch. 

The couch is too small to take him all in. His leg is almost on the ground. For a second, I feel bad for not letting him in. It's too cold at night and the living room doesn't even have a furnace. However, I was scared that he would end up taking my leg over again.

My legs automatically move towards him with my eyes darting toward his face. Despite trying not to drift my attention to him, I can't help staring at him with my hollow eyes. 

In the last forty-eight hours, this is the first time I'm able to watch him properly without any fear of being caught. Wrinkles still occur on his wide forehead when he sleeps and his caramel skin still looks breathtaking with that pointed nose and sharp jawline. Like any other woman, I fell for him harder for his incredible features. A universal truth. But that wasn't the only reason why I fell in love with him. He used to be calm-headed with a wide smile on his face all the time. He used to be nervous even while looking up at me. Moreover, he knew how to treat a woman with his best. It's not entirely his fault that he has changed so much. I know I share the biggest part of it. 

He doesn't look the same he appears to be now. With his eyes closed, he still looks like the old Kane I knew. My heart leaps and beats faster as I kneel near the couch, my face closer to his. 

I'm acting as if something has possessed me. 

My hand trembles when I spread it towards him, striving to touch his cheek. Her chest feels heavy as my breathing gets faster with the gap between my palm and his cheek decreasing.

I feel the immense vibration occurring in my chest as my palm finally lands on his hard cheek. That familiar face was once enough to warm my heart. 

That voice echoes inside my head, occurring goosebumps all over me. 

          "What makes you happy?"

          "A view of yours"

          "Why so? Don't you get bored watching the same face?"

          "I can never get bored with staring at you, Kane"

I purse my brims, my hand still placed on his cheek as I stare at him. Am I still not bored with staring at him?

Damn it!

As I realise what I'm doing, I squirm abruptly and slide my hand down before he wakes up. However, it shudders me on the spot with his hand abruptly holding mine out of nowhere. 

My heartbeats almost stop as I gasp, discovering his calm eyes opening wide at me. 

I'm screwed now. 

My fearful eyes linger on his nervously as I gulp down, watching his lips slightly twitching into a smirk. 

"Wasn't I good at acting to be asleep?" He raises his eyebrows, leaving me in surprise.

He was awake the entire when I was literally—

Darn it!

"No. I was— just—" I struggle to jerk my hand from his grip but he's tough enough and I know I can't fight him. 

"It's just been a day you have seen me properly. It's just been two nights since I have fucked you after years and you're unable to drive yourself away from me. I wonder what will happen after thirty days," he playfully smiles at me.

Lord! I don't even wanna think about it. 

I don't even know what's his reason behind wanting to have me with him for the next thirty days. I just know that I can't lose my heart to him again. 

As I feel his grip getting loosened, I immediately shove my hand away and hesitate, rolling my eyes around.

"What the—" I clamour at the top of my lungs, finding my couch filled with dirt from his shoes. 

Getting on my feet right away, I glare at him.

"Did you forget the manners either? Why the fuck are your shoes on?" I yell, gritting my teeth. "I just got this couch last month"

He peeps down in such a cool manner as if nothing happened and yawns, stretching his arm. It pisses the hell out of me. 

"Did you leave a choice for me? Your shitty apartment is so damn cold. You don't even have a furnace out there. At least, the shoes kept me warm," he shrugs, making a dirty look and jumps off the couch. 

"Yeah, because I'm not rich like you to have two bedrooms in my shitty cheap apartment," I scoff, firing back at him while gathering my hair together and twisting them into a bun.

By the moment, I shift my gaze back at him, I find his calm eyes intensely scurrying onto me.  

I flinch a bit, driving my eyes away. 

"I guess one bed would be enough. You're not fat enough to eat up the whole space," he chuckles.

He hasn't only become a horny beast, but also a mischievous devil to tease the hell out of me.

"Because I don't trust you. You would end up fucking me again," I seeth, embarrassment fills me right away as I gasp. 

"Huh! You don't trust me or trust yourself? You might have been scared that you wouldn't be able to control yourself"

Anger settles on my nerves as I shoot him a glare. 

"Just fuck off and clean my couch," I groan, turning on my heels.

"Are you serious?" He yells. "You're already leaving your shitty apartment with me. Clean it after returning"

What kind of jerk has he become? 

"Well, you're signing the agreement, are you?" His voice becomes rough again as I swivel back to him, looking down at the papers.

I'm not ready yet.

I don't know what's waiting for me immediately after signing the contract. I can't figure out the mystery and motive behind his dark desire. 

"Why do you want this?" My voice shivers. 

With a wide grin on his face, he takes the papers from the table and walks closer to me. 

"I want this because I want you," he husks. "And don't worry. I'm not gonna do anything you don't like"

His index finger slowly moves toward my chin as he seductively lifts my face, our eyes connecting. 

"I promise that you're gonna enjoy each second of this period only if you promise to be a good girl," his fingers steadily slide under my neck as he wraps my throat gently with his palm, bringing his face closer to mine.

Cold shivers run all over my body with his cosy breath teasing my skin. Out of breath, I gasp, halting myself to get aroused. 

"No wonder why I'm unable to stop thinking about you. Is that the separation or your betrayal that makes me want you even more?" He rasps, placing his thumb on my lips.

My throat dries up and my legs weaken. I feel like I'll collapse right away if he keeps torturing me with his teasing touch.

"And I see you're also feeling the same about me, right? Look at this needy face, these trembling lips, these aroused eyes"

How can I even deny that? Only I know how badly my loins ache with his existence around me. His slight touch can make me soak in seduction and his raspy voice can make my knees wobble out of vibration. 

That's how much I need him. But I fear the hidden vengeance behind his desires. Somewhere I can feel the upcoming storm break me from the core. Still, I can't resist the tempting offer. I'm finally giving in to my guilty pleasure even after knowing he's going to be destructive to me. 

"Don't waste more time and be mine. I know you're dying to be mine, little dove. Are you?"

Even though I'm firm with my tongue, my actions prove the intensity. 

"I'm dying to save my agency," I scoff, knowing it's only half of the truth. 

He chuckles, giving me the pen. 

With a heavy heart and trembling hand, I finally give up on myself for the next thirty days.

I sign the papers. 

Kane immediately collects them and shrugs. 

"Let's go"

"I need to pack," I stammer.

"I have definitely gotten everything prepared for you. Don't waste much time out here," he raises his eyebrows. "And it begins"

*

"Where are we going?" I ask nervously, coming out of the gate. "I mean I wanna know it because I have to handle the agency too. There's nothing in the agreement like I can't—"

"When will you stop talking more than you should?" He shrugs, leaning against the car as I gulp.

         "What's the thing you hate in me?"

         "You talk a lot"

         

         "And what's the thing you love in me?"

         "That you talk a lot"

I come out of the flash with the sound of opening the door. 

"I freaking know that. You'll stay in my cottage with me. But we're definitely not drifting away from the projects. Mr Smith is still our business partner and he'll be a little shareholder in this. You can do your regular work in the agency but most of the time you may need to stay in my office until the project settles down," he says.

And that's a relief. My work is my life— the only thing that keeps me alive now. 

"Hey, Emily"

My heart sinks with Frederick's voice. Startling, I glance up and find him getting off his bike. Dammit! What will I say now?

I don't even dare to look at Kane. 

"Mr Gabriel," Frederick passes a casual smile as I peek at Kane. He's keeping a hard look. "What a pleasant surprise! You're here?"

"Yeah. I spent the night here," Kane says bluntly, leaving my jaw dropped. 

So embarrassing!

I can't even see Frederick's eyes now. What will he think? That I'm spending nights with my ex? Well, that'll be happening for the next thirty days. How am I gonna hide it?

"Oh!" Frederick mutters. "Must be a long discussion about work. Well, Emily, are you going somewhere? I was here to pick you"

I'm so stupid for not informing him. 

"Pick her?" Kane raises his eyebrows, hardening his eyes at me. 

"Yes— yes," I mutter. "For the agency. My car was broken so—"

"Oh. That's so kind of you," Kane passes a smile which is definitely not genuine. "But she's not coming to the agency today. She's coming with me. And you don't need to bother to pick her up or drop her home after today"

What the—

Why is he just leaking everything? Can't things be a bit private? I'm gonna die in shame if he announces the agreement. I find Frederick gaping at us with utter shock and his questioning eyes linger on me. 

"What's all this?" He whispers, leaning a bit closer to me. "Is everything fine? Where are you going with him?"

"I'll talk to you later about it"

"Are you serious? I hope he won't harm you or anything"

"No!" I almost yell and gulp down. I'm still so fucking confident that this man can do anything but he can never think of harming me. I know it well. 

"Don't worry," I say, being hesitant.

"If you guys are done talking, should we leave?" Kane gasps, clearing his throat as I nod. 

"Take care, Emily. And call me if you need something"

With every concerning word from Frederick, my anxiety increases. I can see Kane almost fuming inside as he holds it back. He's not angry but— I can see the clear jealousy.

Once I used to love this.

Now I'm afraid of this.

Kane opens the door as I get in, waving to Frederick. 

*

Just a few kilometres away from my apartment, there's a small cottage away from the busy streets. I badly wanna know when he moved to Austin. Maybe recently. 

"What was the need to make me feel embarrassed?" I speak out of nowhere when Kane gets inside the cottage. Following him, I wait for his response. 

"What did I do?" His voice is so casual.

"You know what you did. What did you say to Frederick?" 

"Well, I was even about to tell him you're mine and he should stop thinking about you when I'm around," grunting, he turns back to me. 

There's no point in arguing with him. 

"Anyway, I don't care what people think. And put a pause to all your friendships until you're with me. Especially with guys"

I was somehow expecting this. But it stings. I have never been in control like this. How can I not communicate with my friend who was always there for me always?

"He's my friend. For three years. So, you shouldn't bother"

"Cheaters are always cheaters," his ruddy gaze comes to me. I feel a lump stuck into my throat with his burning gaze. "I don't wanna take a risk"

I lower my head without uttering a single word. 

Kane's phone rings right then. He tosses his coat aside and takes his phone out as I roll my eyes around the cottage. 

"Yes. Mr Smith. We'll be there for the meeting. Miss Benson is coming too," he looks at me. "Yeah, she's happy to work with me. You don't need to apologise"

I grit my teeth, gulping the frustration down. 

Kane cuts the call.

"We have a meeting tomorrow regarding the startup of your project. There will be a presentation"

I nod. "I'll have to get it ready"

"Bedroom upstairs," he shrugs, not even looking at me and all of a sudden his interest seems to be fading away. 

My heart twists lightly with his slight ignorance. Taking lazy steps, I stride towards the stairs and climb up. 

The tiny room is neatly ravishing with a large bed in the middle, a big closet and a centre table occupying the rest. I open the closet full of female wear. Are these all actually for me or did these belong to someone else? He might be seeing somebody, I believe. However, these seem to be brand new. 

I take a pair of tee and trousers and slam the door shut.

"I have been curious since the night," I hear him speaking from the door. "Where's your husband and child?"

That question crashes onto my chest like an arrow piercing my heart straight.