SWNOVELS Chapter 81
Chapter 81
Katrina shared the afternoon with Kylan, talking or sitting in a silence that grew more comfortable with every passing moment. She were drained from the night before, while also being equally frazzled and in a daze while she processed the information that Kylan shared with her about his hustory
it was a lot. All of it. It explained so much of who Kylan was, and why he operated the way he did.
was a lot. She knew it was a
She was on guard, and likely would be for a long time to come. But she was also hopeful and excited, even. Hopeful that Kylan really did want to keep letting her in
much to
She wasn't naïve enough to think it would be that simple, especially when Kylan himself warned her that it wouldn't be. There was so mu figure out. So many variables. So many unknoĦTIS
Not the least of which included her job at Ross Corporation. She gave her resignation. She worked it out with Max. She severed the contract What did all of that mean for her? Did she still want to quit Ross Corp Would Kylan allow her to stay
What was healthiest for her and for Kylan!
What were she and Kylan, anyway?
They were going to take it slow, but what did that mean!
She stayed on the couch with Kylan until the sun had begun its descent behind the skyscrapers surrounding his building.
Her hand rested on kylan's leg, and his arm had long since found purchase around her shoulders.
She was comfortable. Content. Happy to be
with him.
"How often do things like last night happen, Kylan?" Her voice was a timid whisper, her eyes locked on the bandages surrounding Kylan's hands while she spoke
She felt Kylan shift a bit next to her, but she didn't retract her words. She needed to know what she was getting herself into. She needed to understand how deeply Kylan's trauma impacted his everyday life, if she were going to be a part of it more than she already was. He had always been able to mask it, for the most part, while at work. She would have never assumed he was housing the amount of guilt and grief she was only beginning to understand.
"This was the worst its ever been, but it doesn't happen often, especially not the alcohol" Kylan's own tone of voice echoed hers, though has was shaking a bit more. "Look, I won't sit here and act like you didn't pick me up off the literal ground last night, Kate. I won't pretend it wasn't bad, or humiliating, because shit... I'm embarrassed. I'm too old to be allowing my baggage to be impacting my life like this. Or your life, for that matter."
She frowned up at Rylan, noticing how tense his jaw was, how taut his shoulders were pulled, and the heavy set of his gaze on the wall in front of him. "Kylan, there's no age for this kind of thing. You either deal with it, or it'll fester for the rest of your life," she pointed out to him with a knowing shrug
Kylan looked at her, the grey of his eyes tumultuous once more, but not to the extent that they were last night. "Taylor Owen. That's the therapist," he murmured to her.
she
She gave him a reassuring smile, resting her hand along his cheek, allowing her thumb to stroke the skin there gently. "Call him tomorrow?" s suggested hopefully.
Kylan hummed in reply, leaning to kiss the top of her head. "Katrina, we have a lot to talk about. A lot to consider. I know that. Right now, though. I want to just Be... With you. Can we do that?" He didn't look at her while he spoke, and she didn't push for him to. This Kylan, this vulnerable and nervous Kylan, was not unlike a timid animal. And as such, she had to approach him cautiously. Carefully. With the utmost diligence and calculation.
"Would you like to make dinner for us? I can help however you want me to." It seemed like a good idea, getting kylan out of his head after talking about so much today, and she knew cooking relaxed him
The very corner of Kylan's mouth quirked into an echo of a simile, and he nodded. "We can do that he quietly agreed.
So, she did. She mostly watched Kylan make dinner, smiling while he maneuvered about his kitchen with ease that only came from being familiar with one's surroundings. His shoulders were relaxed, his face was calm and serene, and his hands didn't seem to bother him in the least while he expertly crafted their meal
She wondered if he could see himself the way she saw him, even a fraction of the amount. She wondered if he worthwhile he was
e knew h
how special he was. How
She wanted to be the one to tell him every day, if that's what it took. She wanted to be the one to see his confidence bloom and his self-respect a tenfold
ETOW
3:03 PM
Chapter 81
When the timing was right, when the variables had been sorted through, when the foundation under her feet was supported with the proper beams and steel that it needed, she wanted to be the one to tell him how much she loved him, too. -0-0-0-
Going to work the next day was. Different.
She avoided Aaron and Maine's persistent texts for now, not quite ready to talk to them just yet. She knew the conversation needed to happen, but she also wanted to figure more out with Kylan before she talked to them.
Oscar still didn't pick her up that morning, and the worry that had been slowly festering over the last week, grew to an unprecedented amount.
This wasn't normal. It wasn't okay. Oscar never missed work like this. He was dependable, steadfast, a constant in her life, even on the worst of days.
Yet when she walked out of her building that morning and found Kylan waiting for her near his Bentley, her stomach filled with ice.
"Where is Oscar?" She wasn't in the mood for beating around the bush anymore, and she knew Kylan had to be aware of Oscar's circumstances.
It wasn't lost on her that Kylan's face was carefully neutral and expertly blank while he looked her over. "He'll be back on Wednesday," his response was as calculated as his facial expression, and it only fueled her annoyance.
She came to a stop in front of him, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at him. "Kylan, I know you know what's going on. Will you at least tell me if he's alright? Should I be worried?"
She couldn't disguise the anxiety from her voice the way he was able to, but she didn't really want to. She wanted to be open with Kylan. To let him know when she wasn't okay with something. But she needed the line of communication to go both ways.
Kylan only stepped forward from where he was leaning against his car, placing a hand on her shoulder, and looking her in the eye. "Katrina, it isn't my place to say." He didn't sound unkind, necessarily, but it bothered her that he wasn't telling her all that he knew.
"I'm going from you keeping quiet about your past, to you not telling me about Oscar, and it isn't okay." She felt frantic, like the rug was being pulled out from under her yet again. If there wasn't anything serious going on with Oscar, surely Kylan would tell her that much. Instead, she was being given crafted answers that told her nothing
She stepped around Kylan and made to open the passenger door of his car. A sudden hand over hers, caused her to pause. "Katrina, I don't want to argue with you. Please understand that I respect Oscar as both his boss, and as his.. friend, I guess. Just Please. He'll talk to you in two days, okay! Can we please.. Can you please.. just trust me, okay?" Kylan's voice was strained, his brows drawn together nervously, his eyes silently pleading with ber.
She couldn't help it when her shoulders slumped, and a tired sigh left her lips. She couldn't be mad at him. Especially when he was trying to communicate with her now. If Oscar asked him not to talk to her, she needed to respect that. And it was only two more days, like he said. She would be okay until then and she had to believe that Oscar would be, 100,
She frowned at Kylan, but she also nodded. "Okay, Kylan. I'll trust you, she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes and silently willing the headache forming in the center of her forehead, to leave.
"C'mon, Kate. Let's go to work." With that, Kylan opened her door and waited for her to climb inside the car.