Page 68 of Luxe

This time it’s his turn to scrunch his face up. “Right. That might take some more work." He rubs his hand over his face, but the worry remains. "Come on," he jumps up and reaches for my hand. "Let's get you out of here."

"Where are we going?" I let him pull me to my feet and into his arms.

“Where we were going to go all along. My place. Unless you want another spanking.”

The look I give him has him laughing before he pulls me into his arms for a kiss.

twenty-one

Kylian

Odette was gone from the apartment by the time we came back. I didn't have my phone with me to text her to get her ass out of my home, but apparently she'd figured out all on her own that she should make herself scarce.

After Kiara let me borrow back my Wharton T-Shirt so I didn't have to be traipsing up to my apartment half nude, we made our way back, her packed bag in the trunk along with a potted plant from her bedroom. The anxiety that I'd tried to fuck out of her seemed to be seeping back in, but whenever I asked how she was doing, all I got was a shrug and an "I'm fine."

She enters the apartment hiding behind me, obviously afraid that the fire breathing Odette was still there. I'd seen her work firsthand and I could only imagine what she'd said to Kiara; we'd have to talk about that later, but right now I was focused on making Kiara as comfortable as possible.

"Where's the guest room?"

"Um, I don't have one," I say, carrying her bags upstairs.

"Kylian. Didn't you say that your brothers stay here when they come to Hong Kong?"

"I meant the building. We have a family apartment on the floor below,"

I’m not lying. Technically, we did have that apartment but that was more for friends or other family members who might want to visit. When my brothers or father were here, they stayed here in the guest room that I was pretending didn't exist. I'm just glad she hasn't had a chance to go exploring around the apartment and that I didn’t have a chance to give her the whole tour before we were distracted.

"Kylian,” she says in a tone I imagine she thinks is a warning.

I find it cute. And I say so as I climb the rest of the stairs to my bedroom. "Are you coming or not? I warn you, if the answer is ‘not’ I'm going to hang up your stuff in a way you don't like.”

She waves a hand and walks over to the windows, unlocking the door that opens onto the balcony. "Just leave them on the bed."

With her permission I throw her bags onto my bed and go down to the kitchen.

Odette at least had the presence of mind to turn the stove off. I see a dress hangs on the back of one of the breakfast bar stools. It's the Stella dress. She wouldn't have left that here unless she'd meant to on purpose. That was her way of extending an apology, an olive branch. I just can't tell if it was to me, for her scaring off the woman she knows I've been obsessed with for five years, or to Kiara for saying whatever she did that had Kiara running out into traffic with nothing but a T-shirt on.

I turn the stove back on as well as turn the kettle on for some tea. The jasmine tea canister sits in the cupboard directly above the kettle. I open it and am immediately reminded of My-Linh. She brought me this tin of Jasmine tea the last time they came here a few weeks ago. I wish that that trip had been delayed now, and My-Linh could've had a chance to meet Kiara. And vice versa. It might be nice for Kiara to know that my family isn't filled with just a set of rowdy and grumpy suits.

I stop.

Had I just thought about Kiara joining my family? Throughout all the years of pining, I never, not once, thought about how far I would want to take the relationship if it actually came into being. Yet somehow, over the course of the last few days, I can no longer imagine a family that she’s not a part of.

I spend a moment watching her on the balcony, leaning as far as her short frame will let her, her hair whipping around her face. She must see me because she waves and then comes back inside.

"Wow, it's windy out there! But so refreshing. Was it okay that I went out there?" she asks, a little note of uncertainty in her voice.

"Kiki, this is your home, right now. You do whatever you like."

That earns me a big smile and she skips over and plants herself on a stool, watching me stir the congee and make a pot of tea.

"Something smells good. What is it?”

“Me, of course."

Her eye roll is the reward I need. I jog up the stairs to get dressed for work.

"Holy fuck!" she shouts when she sees me descend the stairs into the living room; she's moved to a couch, and had been staring out the window.

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