KREW
“You made your point the first time, Kai. Just stay away from her, or you will ruin our family for good.” I looked at him for a moment before I walked out of his office. I loved him and this family, but I couldn’t keep him from destroying other’s lives because of his grudge against the Rouges.
I met my sister in the coffee shop after I left Kai.
“Looks like it didn’t end well.”
I sipped my coffee. “You seem not so surprised.”
“I know my brothers.”
I looked at her. “You said you knew me, then you should know by now what I told Kai before I bolted out.”
“He told me to convince you to stop whatever nonsense you’re doing. His words, by the way. He said that you’d done too much for one woman.”
“Did he know that you were the one who sent River to me?”
“Yeah, but he didn’t buy it. Can I come with you?”
“Not now.”
She stared at me as if she was trying to see something beyond what I assumed.
“I didn’t do anything stupid if that’s what the meaning of that look.”
“Why not?” She shot me a loaded glance.
“Because I was stupid once.”
“What’s wrong with doing something stupid once again?”
I chuckled. A sly grin spread across my lips. “You’re not suggesting…”
“Oh, I am.” She beamed at me. “I know you were affected by what happened three years ago. You liked her, and who wouldn’t. River is like a priceless painting, but for painting, you just have to hang it on the wall for display, and in her case, she needs certain care, touch, and connection. Ugh, do I need to explain?”
“She’s too fragile right now.”
“You’re dumb.”
“I just fired her.”
“What?” she yelled, which got customers’ attention. “Why did you do that?”
“I don’t need her.”
“Are you crazy?” She narrowed her eyes at me.
“I don’t need her to work for me. I want her to get the job she’s passionate about.”
“You need to gain her trust, Weirdo. And firing her won’t help.”
“I have something on my sleeves, you know.”
“What are those? Name one at least.”
“I’m not telling you.”
“Because you don’t have any. Didn’t I tell you earlier that I know you well?” She was right. I was just annoyed by River asking me too much that I didn’t have time to explain. That was why I fired her. And for God’s sake, she couldn’t be my employee.
“Just wait and see,” I said confidently.
A few moments had passed, Krystyn was still staring at me.
“Just say it, Krys.”
“I think she used to love music and art.”
I looked at her for a few seconds. “You’re kidding, right? How did you know?”
“You’re the one who’s stalking her for three years, and you didn’t know crap about River?” She looked surprised.
“Four years. Maybe she didn’t like art anymore.”
“The first thing that caught her attention was the grand piano. I noticed how River run her fingers on the keys. It was like, she was walking down memory lane. She also noticed the painting on my wall, and I could see it in her eyes, Krew. River said something like the painter has a hidden and unrequited desire towards the model.”
***
Garcia kept me posted every three hours. River had not gone out of her room. I felt terrible for snapping her out before I left. It wasn’t supposed to happen that way, but my brother pissed me off. Now that I made things clear with Kai, I didn’t give a damn about what he would possibly see between River and me.
I was supposed to fly back tomorrow, but after I bought something, I took the early flight back home. It was four in the morning, and I had an hour to ready the room that I didn’t use anymore. Then I went to check River once I was done.
Since I had the key in case of emergency, I took the liberty to enter her room. I turned the light on her nightstand, settled, and waited on the sofa at the corner.
A strange feeling settled in the pit of my belly as I looked at her in astonishment, still sleeping soundly in her bed, and she looked just like an angel. I kept my gaze pinned at her for a moment, deciding whether to join her in bed. I'd love to touch her, feel the softness of her creamy skin against my thumb, the silkiness of her hair against my fingers without waking her up, but I decided on the less creepy part, just watching her with my scorching gaze with an intensity of a thousand suns.
She stirred and sharply stiffened as if her blood froze in her veins. I knew she was awake and must have noticed that she was not alone anymore. I did not realize that I was scaring her until it was too late. Shit.
She quickly sat on the bed with a stun gun in her hand, pointing forward.
I chuckled. “How do you exactly do that to me when I am here at least two meters away from you?”
“It works for at least ten feet.”
“So you did your assignment. But I hate to break it to you, baby. What you have is a stun gun. It only works in a short range.. I believe taser is a brand name.”
“Whatever. Oh, god,” she said breathlessly. She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Should I ask how did you get in?”
“I’m sorry if I scared you.”
“That’s creepy, you know. How long have you been there, watching me asleep?” She paused. “Wait. You’re back!” A laugh burst from her chest. I thought it was out of excitement.
I couldn’t help but smile at her reaction. “Missed me?”
She rolled her eyes again. “We didn’t end on good terms yesterday. I still feel bad for being ungrateful.”
“Is that why I didn’t receive a single hi from you the entire day?”
“I wasn’t sure how would you feel about texting you.” She shrugged.
“And you chose to sleep the whole day.”
“Well, given that I didn’t have a job for the first time, I really don’t know what to do with my life aside from eating and sleeping.” She rose from her bed, wearing only a white shirt and shorts, and her nipples were poking against the thin fabric, causing a ball of electricity to zing along my nerve endings.
I froze in my seat with my face flaming. My heart was pounding. My sense of satisfaction came to an abrupt end the moment I sensed what was coming next. I felt it in my bones, or rather groin—my stupid cock just like what I saw.