Chapter 39
Amaris' POV
I had been trying to get a taxi for the past few minutes and it's either they were occupied or simply ignoring my waving hand. I was about to give up when a car pulled up right in front of me, it didn't look like a taxi though, its brake lights flashing red like a beacon in the twilight. I peered through the open window and my jaw dropped as I recognized the figure seated inside, It was....Kian? What the heck was he doing here?
He didn't look as surprised as I was though, obviously he was the one who stopped the car.
"Hey, what are you doing out here?" he asked, leaning towards the window.
"Trying to get a ride home obviously," I rolled my eyes. "My luck isn't exactly great at the moment." I pressed my lips together.
"I thought you had a car?" He questioned lifting his brow.
"Yeah....but I left it at the mechanic. They said it had some issues and it was going to take time to fix it and I couldn't wait since I was already late to work." I explained. And now I regret not waiting because I'm stuck out here.
"Okay then...." He said turning back to the road with his hands wrapped around the steering wheel. "....hop in." He lifted his shoulders in a half shrug and when I didn't say anything for a few seconds he shifted his gaze back to me.
"You want to drive me home?" I asked, just in case I was misunderstanding him.
He looked a bit surprised and confused when he heard my question. "Yeah....sure. Why not?" He let out a small laugh.
I could think of many reasons why he shouldn't drop me off but I just went with the most obvious reason. "You're my boss' friend." I enveloped myself in a self-hug, seeking comfort in the warmth of my own arms as I rubbed my elbows with my thumb. It was getting a bit more chilly outside and I kind of forgot to take my coat with me. "I don't think he'll like the idea of his friend dropping his employee off." I tilted my head slightly before lifting my shoulders in a half shrug.
"Yeah....I'll worry about that." He placed his hands on his chest before gesturing to the empty spot beside him. "Now get in, it's getting a bit cold outside. We wouldn't want you freezing to death now would we? After all, we basically live in the same building." He said and I had to admit, he was right. We did leave in the same building and he said he was going to take care of it if Caleb found out. Not that I was scared of him or anything, I just didn't know how he was going to react and I wasn't ready for his drama.
"Okay....if you say so." I said in a singsong manner as I circled around his car, making my way to the passenger's seat in front. "Thanks by the way. It means a lot." I smiled at him as I got into the car.
"Oh no....I'm just lending out a hand in any way I can." His lips curled up as he turned the key in the ignition.
"Yeah....and that's something Mr. Thorne would never do because he's the cold hearted tycoon." I rolled my eyes turning to the window as he pulled out of the road side. "It's like the only reason he was sent to this earth is to make my entire life miserable," my lips twisted into a scowl as I put on my seat belt.
"That's Caleb for you...." He let out a small chuckle as his eyes were still fixed on the road. "I guess he just wants to live up to his name....being the thorn in people's flesh." He said his voice, laced with sarcasm. A smile crept up my lips when I remembered I had used that same phrase once when I was pissed.
"I'm surprised you're even saying things like this Mr. Beck," I chortled. "I mean I thought he's your friend."
"Yes....he is my friend." His grip tightened on the steering as he took a right turn down the road. "That doesn't mean I won't tell the truth....besides I tell him everytime and from what I've seen, I don't think he's changing anytime soon." He laughed and a few seconds later I joined him. "Well....not until he falls in love that is..." His expression turned serious as he kept his eyes fixed on the road.
"Fall in love?" The word sounded foreign as it rolled off my tongue, not because I didn't believe in love or anything but because it was used with the one person who didn't know anything about love. "Caleb Thorne....CEO of Throne Enterprise? In love? You must be joking." I let out a loud laugh. Caleb...In love. Then it's definitely the end of the world. "I don't even think he's going to get married. He only sees women as sex toys... nothing more."
His chest rumbled with laughter, "You've only worked with him for a couple of months and you already know him so well." He said.
I let out a world weary sigh before looking out the window, watching the buildings roll past as the world got darker. I couldn't stop the images from flashing in my mind. Caleb going out of his way just to make a woman happy, buying her flowers, taking her on wonderful dates, I couldn't help but burst out laughing....I didn't know why but it looked so weird and funny. "He's not that bad." I heard Kian say, breaking the little silence that had settled between us.
"Huh?" I snapped my head towards him.
"He's not that bad." He glanced at me with a small smile. I batted my lashes as I replayed his words in my head. He's not that bad?!
My eyebrows shot up. "He literally enjoys watching me suffer...." I said with hand gestures. "...and gates it when I'm having fun or when I'm not working or when I'm not stressed and you say he's not that bad?!"
He let out a pent up sigh. "I've been friends with him for years...Amaris." I stiffened at the sound of my name on his lips. This was the first time I actually heard him call my name ever since the day we met and I had to admit I kind of liked it. "We literally grew up together. I know he can be pretty mean sometimes but..."
"How are you even a friend of Mr. Thorne?" I asked the second the question dropped in my head. He paused for a moment and it took him a few seconds before he glanced at me with a confused smile.
"What?"
"I mean....he's a grumpy demon and you're..." I gestured towards him looking for the right words.
"I'm what?" His smile widened as he waited for me to finish my sentence.
"Nice and sweet.....I mean Caleb would have never offered me a ride home even if we're living in the same freaking house." I winced at the mental image of seeing Caleb everyday and having to put up with him even at home.
"You think I'm nice and sweet." He suddenly pulled over and that was when I glanced around trying to make out my surroundings. It took me a while to realize we weren't home and we just stopped in front of a huge bakery? What were we doing in front of a bakery?