Page 25 of Bonding with the Beta

She jumps at the sight of me, eyes widening as I smile. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Don’t be too disappointed to see me.” I chuckle playfully. “It’s good to see you, too.”

Kayleigh looks at me like I’ve lost my mind—or like I’m stalking her.

“Ava didn’t tell you?” I ask when she says nothing more.

“Ava didn’t tell me what?”

I narrow my eyes, keeping the smile on my lips. “I presume you realised you left your book at our house; you asked if it was there, and she messaged you back saying I’d come and drop it off.”

“Fuck.” She presses a hand to her head and turns away and into her bedroom, searching for her phone. “I haven’t looked at my messages in over an hour.”

I step inside and glance around to find half-dead plants on the windowsill and a bright neon cherry light beside her unmade bed. Clothes litter the floor, along with books, pens, and everything else a university student would own.

“Nice room,” I comment.

“Hey!” She turns and points a finger at me. “I didn’t say you could come in.”

I hold up my hands in defence, which are holding up her book. Her eyes immediately dart to my hand and then back to my eyes. “Sorry. I was looking for somewhere to put this down, but it seems everything is a little full.”

Kayleigh shoots me a glare. “My hands are just fine.”

“I’m sure they are.” I wink at her.

She rolls her eyes and holds out her hand before I place the book in the centre of her palm. “Thanks,” she mumbles. “But you really didn’t have to come. I could have come to collect it at the end of the week.”

“Ava said you needed it now.” I shrug and shove my hands into my pockets. “I thought I’d pop by and do you a favour.”

Kayleigh blinks at me before her brows crease. “That was kind of you, Kayden, but, honestly, you really didn’t need to.”

“Well, I’m here now,” I state. “You’re welcome.”

She huffs out a breath and tugs down her crop top, even though the material pings back up. I still get an eyeful of her stomach and that sparkly bar staring back at me that I hadn’t noticed before today.

Of course. The day of all days you look like a mess, he has to turn up.

The sound of her voice echoes in my head, and I wipe my hand over my mouth to cover my smile. “Busy day, huh?”

“Oh.” She laughs to herself, but it’s harsh and void of any humour. “You wouldn’t believe it.”

“From the bombsite of a room, I can tell,” I joke lightly.

Kayleigh’s demeanour changes within a second. “Because I have important things to do, other than turning up at someone's house unexpectedly with a book they said they’d collect later. That’s weird behaviour. If you wanted to stalk me, maybe you should have just said.”

I shake my head once and move back, resisting the urge to scoff at her venomous words. “Sorry for wanting to do something nice for you. Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered.”

Her eyes flash with panic as I step out of her room and down the hall.

See? You always fuck everything up, Kayleigh.

“Wait,” she calls after me, and I pause. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’ve got a lot going on and–”

I glance over my shoulder as she stands in the middle of the hallway. Her hands are laced together, and I see the sheer embarrassment on her face as she pleads with her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she says again. “Thank you for dropping off the book. I really appreciate it.”

“It’s fine.” I nod once.

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