Bedmates Soulmates

Violent Delights Have Violent Ends

Austyn looked away.

It didn't matter.

He reminded himself that he did not like Kira, let alone love her.

He would never fall for her.

He took an interest in her affairs because she was his wife.

Their names were linked.

It was as simple as that.

"You love Deborah,' he said to himself. 'She's the only one you have loved and will ever love."

He agreed with Giana on one point-a man could only love one woman at a time.

That woman was Deborah.

Kira was just his wife.

She drove him crazy sometimes, and when they were in the same room, her presence was impossible to ignore

But it was not love.

Love was what he and Deborah had.

Though he never said those three little words to her, Deborah understood him.

The two of them had a comfortable, calm, respectful relationship.

They got along well.

Though it might have lacked the spark that some other couples had, but like Father Laurence told Romeo, "These violent delights have violent ends." After all, warm affection lasted longer than burning passion,

His mind thus made up, Austyn returned to his imperturbable self.

Kira woke up to the sight of her best friend and her husband in a face-off.

Both clammed up when they noticed she was awake.

Kira narrowed her eyes.

She sat up in bed. 'Are you guys talking about me?"

'Yes.' Giana offered her friend an eye roll. 'Because you're the light of my oh-so-empty-and-shallow life."

'Really?' Kira asked with an impish grin. "I'm the light of your life? Not your handsome bo-

"We talked about how you used to sleep through entire classes,' Giana cut her off. "And how you used to sell Mr McCarthy's personal deets for mone- 'Giana!' Kira couldn't believe her ears.

She tossed aside her quilt, bounded over to Giana's bed, bent close to her friend and hissed, 'You told

Violer Delights Have Violent Ends

him that?"

She'd tried

90 hard to keep this from him.

She had to carry her phone to the bathroom every time someone pinged her in the group chat.

Elsie, who speculated she had a nervous bladder, tactfully advised her to cut down her liquid intake.

It was not easy sneaking around behind the back of her hawk-eyed husband.

Giana had sold her out while she was sleeping!

That old saying was true.

One's best friend was one's greatest enemy.

Seeing Kira foaming at the mouth, Giana placed a hand on her stomach. "Ow..."

"Are you okay?" Kira was instantly concerned. 'Does your stomach hurt? Shall I go get the doctor?"

'No, I'm fine.' Giana got out of bed. I just need to use the bathroom. If you'll excuse me.

Dragging the IV pole along, Giana fled the room before Kira could react.

'That's not the way to the bathroom!' Kira stomped her feet and yelled at her friend's back.

Giana already disappeared from the door.

When she turned around, Kira froze.

Austyn had something in his hand.

It looked like a phone.

A Prism Black Samsung Galaxy S10.

With a bit of paint chipped off at the back, and a 2-cm crack on the bottom part of the screen.

It was a gift from her father three years ago, when she was accepted into Stamford University.

'That's not my phone you're holding, is it?" Kira asked, hoping against hope.

Maybe Austyn liked to use outdated phones as well.

"Who else's phone would have your face on the home screen?' Austyn said.

She couldn't tell from his voice if he was mad.

She scratched her head.

Where did he get her phone?

She thought it was still at the police station.

'Can I have it back?' She held out one hand.

'Not until I've finished reading.' He kept scrolling.

"Reading the news?' she asked, hopefully.

'Reading your group chat messages."

'How did you get into my phone?"

She had a screen lock!

'Next time," he spared her a glance, 'don't set your lock pattern to the letter K. You're too predictable."

Vilerd Belghts Have Violent End

3/3

Kira wanted to kick herself.

Stupid mistake.

But then, she never thought anyone would be interested in getting into her phone.

There was nothing important in it.

Apparently, Austyn didn't think so.

He examined it like it contained the answers to life's greatest questions.

Kira wanted to bolt from the room.

The group chat was NSFW.

Its most active members were girls in her class who openly lusted after Austyn.

They were willing to pay over the odds for any scoop on Stamford's most eligible bachelor.

Kira made a killing by peddling his information.

But sometimes, their questions stumped her.

So she made up answers as she went.

Now he was reading those answers.

I'm gay?' Austyn sneered.

"Of course you're not!' Kira hastened to explain. "I didn't say that. Someone asked me that question. They're just curious about your sexual orientation, since you're rarely seen with a date in public. 'How do I satisfy my sexual needs?"

'Um, they didn't know you're married. They thought you were single, so you must have needs..."

The question was posed before the news about Austyn and Kayleigh came to light.

The M Group's president was an intensely private man, which only made Kira's classmates all the more eager to find out about his sex life.

"When will Kayleigh marry into the McCarthy family?'

Kira shuffled her feet nervously and stared at the floor.

Shoot, she forgot the answer she gave.

"You sounded rather confident, Austyn said. "Even made a bet that Kayleigh won't tie the knot with me within a year. But after one year, it's "anybody's guess. Kira hung her head, shamefaced.

She aspired to be a journalist, but in the group chat, she'd behaved like a member of the gutter press, fabricating stories of a prominent figure for a quick buck. Now that prominent figure was holding the incriminating evidence in his hand.

What was he going to think of her?

Austyn tossed the phone onto Kira's bed.

She snatched it up and stuffed it into her pants pocket.

'What happens after a year?' he asked. "Will Kayleigh marry into the McCarthy family after a year?'