Chapter 61

Amaris' POV

Standing at the door was Kian, his expression a mix of mild shock and bemused amusement and I couldn't help but wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

"I mean I'm just saying." She shrugged before narrowing her eyes into slits. "What's wrong?" Gosh I had always told Mia her mouth was going to get us into trouble someday...now look what she's done. "Why is your face like that?" She wrinkled her forehead. I lifted my gaze to Kian who had leaned on the door with his arms crossed over his chest. God why can't I disappear right now?

"Don't question me. You're the reason all of this is happening in the first place." I whispered but it was pointless since Kian could hear me clearly.

"Reason all of this happened? What the hell are you talking about?" She lifted a brow.

I heaved a sigh. "Nevermind. I'll talk to you later. Bye." I didn't wait for her to say anything before I tapped the red icon on the screen, dropping my phone by the pile of files on my desk before pulling my system towards me. My pulse reached deafening levels and drowned out everything except the heavy ominous thud of my heart. Relax Amaris...it was just a conversation it's not like he heard every single part of it. And how are you so sure about that?

"So I see that I was the main topic of your idle chatter today, huh?" Kian pushed himself off the wall and closed the distance between us in slow strides. His lips curled up. "Just to be clear, how many times in a day do you guys talk about me?"

"None." I answered almost immediately with my eyes buried in my system. Apparently he was enjoying this, I wasn't. I had said earlier that I didn't want to feed his ego unnecessarily, turns out I ended up doing it either way.

Kian's chest rumbled with a deep chuckle. "There's no reason for you to lie. I heard everything." He confirmed, causing me to jerk my head towards him and my eyebrows to shoot up. "But don't be scared, there's no need for you to worry." He then held up his arms. "I'm not going to say anything about it."

"You seriously heard everything?" I still gaped at him. I always looked forward to Kian coming to my office everyday but now this whole thing happened, I just wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

"Not everything though." He sank his hands in his pockets. "Just the good parts." His grin widened. "But like I said I'm not going to say anything." He lifted his shoulders in a half shrug. "Doesn't mean I'm not curious though." He cocked his head.

"Mia's crazy...." The click-clack of my fingers against the keys echoed through the room, each tap increasing my agitation.

"The girl who you went clubbing with?" He asked, causing me to glance at him before shifting my gaze back to my screen. To be honest I wasn't really doing anything on my computer. I just didn't find the guts to look at Kian in the eyes so I needed to distract myself...quickly.

"Yes."

"So why didn't you guys wait until night time before having....this chat?" He hesitated before asking.

"She's in California. Went to see her dad and he doesn't let her use her phone whenever they're spending time together so the one chance she got she used it to call me." I told him. "But unfortunately...." I looked up. "....you heard all of that."

"And you consider that unfortunate?" He smiled.

"Of Course it is." I waved my hand in the air. "You weren't supposed to hear any of that...." My hands hovered on the keyboard. "Mia's going to get an earful when she gets back."

"Is that so?" He lifted a brow causing me to peer at him. I didn't like the fact that he was asking me too many questions and I needed to get his mind off all of this as quickly as possible.

"Who called?" I asked the first thing that dropped on my mind. From the very moment his phone rang I wanted to ask but I just thought it would be weird.

"My mother." He pressed his lips in a thin line and something dark flashed in his eyes. I didn't get when he acted like that after mentioning his mother but I just decided to ignore it.

Look at me when I'm talking to you, Miss Carter.

I don't want to see you anywhere near my mother again.

Right. Caleb wants me to stay away from his mother which sounds completely ridiculous but I promised myself I'd do whatever he asked...so I guess I had no choice but to stay away then.

I was about to say something when he beat me to it. "I heard she came here the other day, didn't she? To give Caleb the cookies?" He asked as his phone chirped causing him to glance at it.

"Yes, she did come here. Your mum's a nice woman." Too bad I can't be around her. I wanted to tell Kian that she even gave me some cookies but I didn't want Caleb to find out. Who knows he might just throw up? My lips curled up an image of Caleb doubling over a sink as he heaved. Pathetic.

"Umm Amaris.....I have a few things to do so I can't hang around anymore..." He walked towards the door still tapping on his phone screen. "...you can update me later on the progress we've made so I can tell Caleb." He said before raising his phone to his ear. "Hello....perfect." he said after a few beats, closing the door behind him. I felt a palpable release of tension as I watched him leave and only then did I realize that I had been holding my breath. As he disappeared from view, I exhaled deeply, my shoulders sagging as I let go of the breath I didn't even know I had been holding. I felt a wave of relief wash over me, as though a heavy burden had been lifted from my shoulders. Never in my life did I ever think I'd be relieved to watch Kian leave but here we were.

I jerked my head towards my phone picking it up from where I dropped it earlier. I was about to call Mia when I remembered the strict no phones policy her father had implemented. My thumb hovered over the screen, but I refrained from pressing the call button. Who knows? Maybe her father would be back by now or maybe he didn't even go out in the first place?

I pressed my lips in a thin line as I ditched the idea of calling her and went for a much safer approach.

Me: Mia! What the hell was that? =⁠_⁠= Kian was standing right here?! >_< Do you know how embarrassed I was?

After tapping the send button, I dropped my phone on my desk and leaned back, letting out a loud sigh as I replayed the last few minutes in my head.

There's no reason for you to lie. I heard everything.

So I see that I was the main topic of your idle chatter today, huh?

I mean Kian's hot and so freaking sexy. I think he'll make a good boyfriend plus judging by his looks he'll probably be good in bed.

I shuddered at that last thought. "Oh Mia." I palmed my forehead as I got up for a glass of water. Just as I was about to step away from my desk the door swung open and the air was suddenly filled with the soft, rhythmic tapping of stiletto heels, and a familiar fragrance. I let out a small groan as a frown formed on my lips. Ugh! What did she want now?