Chapter 22
Killian
The next evening, I watch the maids, Viv and Lindy, saying their goodbye’s to Celani. They came in a few hours ago to do their deep cleaning, then had their post-cleaning coffee time with Celani, and now I finally have her back to myself.
As soon as the front door closes, I take her hand and pull her over to the living room, I sit down with her and she snuggles into my side, laying her head on my shoulder.
Our routine has changed since I first came here to watch over her, and now there is an ease between us that I never could have imagined. Everything has moved fast with us, but it somehow feels like it all has fallen into place exactly how it was meant to.
“I love Mondays,” she sighs happily, rubbing her fingers up and down the front of my black shirt. “My days are so much better getting to see Viv and Lindy, and having you back with me too. Yesterday felt so lonely after you brought me back home, even though I wasn’t alone.”
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” I say, frowning down at her. I hated bringing her back here after she came down to see me in the guest house, but I had no other choice.
It feels as if a part of me is detached every time I leave her, and I don’t like knowing that she’s so close to me, yet feeling so alone. I stroke her hair thinking it over before I share something that’s been on my mind for the past few days.
“How about I get you a pet? A companion that can keep you safe when I’m not right here, and help you feel less lonely,” I suggest.
She pushes off of my chest to look at me, and her beautiful face lights up.
“Like a dog?!” she gasps excitedly.
I smile seeing how enthusiastic she is. “Yes, if you’d like. I’ll help you take care of it of course.”
She bites her lip and I know her mind is working a mile a minute right now.
“I know you said protection, and I love dogs, but I’m not sure I could handle a one right now,” she says, sliding her fingers around mine. “I honestly have really wanted a cat for a while now.”
I nod slowly. “I was more thinking of a German Shephard, but if a cat would make you happier that’s what I’ll get then,” I say, kissing her forehead. “Have you ever had a cat before?”
Her smile fades. “No. I actually started thinking about getting one a few years ago, around the time Pierce moved back to Verona and we started dating again. I mentioned to him that I was thinking about looking for a kitten, and he told me that he was really allergic to them. Obviously, I didn’t want him to have any issues, so I dropped the idea. ”
She tilts her head, and shakes her finger at me. “Then you know what happened? About a year later I mentioned his cat allergy to his mother when we were at their house for Christmas, and she told me he had never been allergic to cats! She said as far as she knew he just hated them.”
“Bastard,” I grunt, irritated though unsurprised. Pierce making up something like that selfishly to garner sympathy from her instead of just being honest is exactly what I would think he would do.
I pull her close to me and kiss her sweet lips. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. That’s so damn selfish,” I grumble.
She rolls her eyes, “It’s fine. It’s actually ridiculous when I look back on some of the things he’s done, and said. I can’t even make sense of how I ended up moving here with him.”
I take her chin in my hand and tilt her head until her eyes meet mine. “Well if you hadn’t, how else would I have met you?”
She smiles, letting out a soft giggle that makes my chest tighten.
“You’re right,” she muses. “As frustrating as this all has been, it led us to each other, didn’t it?”
“It did,” I murmur, lowering my mouth to hers.
I give her a few sweet pecks before moving my hand to hold the back of her neck and deepening the kiss. She swirls her tongue around mine, pressing her chest against mine. Memories of how incredible she looked yesterday in my bed as she came on top of me sends blood rushing to my cock.
Her fingers flex around the fabric of my shirt and she moans just as my earpiece crackles to life in my ear.
“Boss,” Malakai’s voice resounds in my earpiece.
“Shit,” I grunt, giving Celani one more kiss before tapping my watch. “What is it?”
“ETA 10 minutes,” Malakai says quickly before disconnecting.
I glance down at my watch and frown.
“What’s wrong?” Celani asks, fixing her shirt back into place.
“That was Malakai. He was warning me that he and Pierce are almost here. He must have finished up work early,” I say, running my hand through my hair in frustration.
“Great,” she grumbles, resting her head back on the couch.
He expression matches mine, and I can feel her mood shifting and preparing for Pierce’s always unpredictable mood when he gets home.
I adjust myself and stand up and hold out my hand to her. She takes it and I pull her up into a hug. She lays her head on my chest and I rub her back until I feel her relaxing again.
“It will be ok, sweetheart. I’ll stay for a little while until Pierce dismisses me,” I tease.
She looks up at me and gives me a sad smile.
“I don’t believe anyone could ever dismiss you, Kill. But thank you,” she says, squeezing my hand. “Stay here. I need to grab something.”