Chapter 20
Killian
I’ve been taking care of Mia for the last few days, and I think today she’s starting to finally take a turn for the better.
It’s Tuesday, and there’s supposed to be a snowstorm today. I need to go to the store and get some groceries in case we’re snowed in for a bit.
My father’s away on business; at least, that’s what he’s claiming. It wouldn’t shock me if he had a second family he was going to see.
My mother will go to my grandparents’ house.
It’s what she does every snowstorm to make sure they’re good.
They’re both old as fuck and they should both be in a nursing home, but they’re stubborn.
My mother also (surprisingly) dotes on them, and they know they can get away with manipulating her into letting them live on their own.
Maddox will be in the main house, but he can come to the cottage whenever he wants.
My main focus has been on Mia, so I haven’t really found out much about Farrah. Maddox said he heard from Vanessa’s brother, and according to Marcello, Farrah only knew about Mia because of Taylor, Hunter’s wife.
It’s plausible, sure. But for some reason, I don’t buy it. There’s more to the story than they’re letting on, I know it. I can feel it in my gut.
I make my way into the bedroom now and I see Mia sitting cross-legged on the bed, flipping through Netflix.
“There’s a snowstorm coming,” I tell her, and she frowns. “Do you have any requests?”
“You’re leaving?”
“We need supplies in case we’re snowed in for a couple of days.”
“Can I please come to the store with you?”
“You probably shouldn’t’-"
“Please, Killian?” she asks.
Her fucking Bambi eyes are going to be the death of me.
She sees me falter, and she keeps going.
“Please? I can’t stay inside any longer. Especially if a storm is coming and we’re going to be snowed in. I need to walk. I’ve been so cooped up.”
I sigh. “Fine.”
She squeals with excitement, jumping out of the bed. I can’t help but think that she looks fucking adorable. The genuine joy on her face for a trip to the grocery store is amusing to me, and I can’t help but chuckle.
“Come on,” I tell her, and she hurries to throw her sweatshirt on and follows me out of the room.
The ride to the store is quick. I’m surprised that it’s not as packed as I anticipated it being, but once I get in the store and see that nearly everything is gone, I know why.
“Get whatever you want,” I tell Mia.
I’m not really paying attention to anything that she’s throwing in the cart; I have a mental list in my head that I’m checking off. When we get up to the register to pay, I look down at her choices, and I grin, shaking my head.
“What?” she asks innocently.
“You have the palate of a toddler,” I muse, and she scoffs.
“I do not!”
I quirk my eyebrows up at her.
“Easy Mac? Fruit snacks? Chicken nuggets?”
“I got pineapple, too,” she argues, and I laugh loudly.
We pay, and then the two of us head out to my SUV.
We’re driving back to the cottage when Mia asks, “Killian?”
I glance over at her, and she looks nervous.
“Did you find out why your ex-girlfriend did this to me?”
Her voice is small, and very unlike her.
I sigh. “Not yet. Maddox heard that Farrah only knows about you from Taylor, Hunter’s wife. But I don’t believe that.”
“Do you think it’s because she wants you back?” she asks hesitantly.
I sneak another peek at her.
Is she…jealous?
No, I think, trying to brush that thought away. There’s no way.
“I doubt that,” I reply carefully.
“I don’t,” she retorts, and I can’t stop the smirk from forming on my lips.
She’s jealous.
Fuck, Mia being jealous over Farrah makes my dick hard.
“Why are you smirking?” she asks.
“Because you have nothing to be jealous of.”
“I am not jealous!”
“No?”
“No,” she snaps, looking out the window.
I chuckle to myself. I never thought I’d see the day that Mia Cavallo was jealous. It’s sick that I like it, but I do.
Things between us have been…different. I’ve been soft with her because of what happened, and while it’s been nice to not actively want to fuck with her, I did miss our banter. I love when Mia’s feisty and bratty.
It also makes me realize she’s definitely feeling better, because two days ago she wouldn’t have had it in her to argue with me. I’m glad she’s coming around. I was starting to get worried.
She looks over at me now, her lips pursed.
“I’m not jealous,” she informs me. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
I just grin, because I know it pisses her off even more.
She huffs, and a rush of warmth courses through me.
She’s back.
I’m playing with fire, flirting with her. Besides being her caretaker for the last few days, I’ve emotionally been trying to keep my distance.
I don’t really have it in me to keep fighting it any longer, though. I should, because I know that I can’t let her in. That would be foolish on my end.
But we’ve hooked up before. We could potentially just hook up again.
I sigh as I pull into the driveway. I’m worrying too much, which is unlike me. I’m not typically an overthinker, but Mia Cavallo makes me feel fucking crazy.
I need to stop worrying about this.
Instead, I’ll focus my energy on finding out what’s going on with Farrah. Especially because there’s a charity event on Friday that I plan on bringing Mia to. She’ll meet my parents and Reign and Calista, and a lot of other family members of mine that will be there.
There’s a chance that Farrah’s there with her family, too, and I’m not risking her safety.
We make our way out of the car together, and I carry in the groceries. Mia tries to help, which surprises me, but I tell her to go rest, and she reluctantly listens.
By the time I’m finished putting everything away, the snow is already falling hard. I’m glad we left when we did, because we’re definitely getting snowed in.
I head upstairs to take a shower, but I check on Mia first. She’s sound asleep on the bed, on top of the covers, with her sweatshirt wrapped tightly around her like a blanket. I grab a throw blanket off the chair and cover her up before I head to the bathroom.
The longer I’m around Mia, the more I think that I’m falling for her. It’s hard to believe that one week ago at this time, all I cared about was revenge.
That couldn’t be further from the truth now.
I wait for the hot water to heat up, wondering what the hell I’m going to do.