HEART BOUND

DON'T CALL ME SIR!!

(Season 1)

CHAPTER 43

"But you did not even care about her.... You barely acknowledge her presence so why?" Ryan asked in confusion. Kalen did not flinched at question. His eyes just lazily moved to Ryan.

"because I wanted to" he answered with out hesitation. The answer hanged in the air, simple.

Kai barked out laughing, it was short and sharp. No trace of humor... He looked at Kalen in disbelief. Was that really all he could come up with?

"That's bullshit!" he stepped forward again, "you don't do anything because *you wanted to *. You run calculations. You pick that path that's less bloody...That is what you have always done. So try again" Kai was right in front of Kalen. Kalen looked at him, but this time he really looked at him. For a second something passed behind his eyes. Not guilt. Not warmth, but something colder

"It was necessary.... That's all I can tell you" Kalen said a bit quieter than usual.

"I don't believe you!!" Zach said. His nostrils flare.

"You don't have to" he stood up, straightening his jacket one more time. "belief isn't required for the truth" kalen's gaze flicker to the window and then back to the door, as if timing something. He walked out of the the room leaving the three brothers trying to digest everything that had happened. Alex also Left the room because it was quite suffocating.

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The argument still burned in kai's mind as he storm out into the hallway, slamming the door shut. His jaw clenched with each step he took. As turned around the corner, he came to a brutal stop......

Lucas!

He was right there, in a black shirt like always. He ended the call he was making and looked up only to find Kai starring at him.

For a second neither of them spoke. The hallway was quiet, maybe too quiet. Kai's anger clicked seeing the blank look on Lucas's face.

"do you want something sir?" Lucas asked, his voice low, flat. Professional and no emotion attracted. Kai clenched his fist trying so hard to keep his anger checked.

"You have been avoiding me” kai's voice was barely above a whisper, but it cut through the air like glass.

Lucas did not flinched, he slipped his phone back into his pocket. That same blank look, same unreadable look, the one that was driving Kai crazy.

"I've been busy sir" Lucas's voice was flat and professional, like they were stranger

"Busy?.... Seriously that's your excuse!!" Kai said stepping closer... But Lucas didn't react. Lucas's jaw tighten just for second, then it was gone.

"I don't know what you are talking about" this made Kai lost his mind.

"Bullshit" kai's control was slipping. The image of Lucas pulling back from him at the party when he saw him with Vanessa, how he stood there like nothing happened.

"This is about Vanessa...But I..." Lucas cut him off immediately, for a second there was a flash of an emotion in Lucas's eye. Anger? Hurt? But it was gone before Kai could understand what it was.

"that was not any of my concern sir" he said but his voice wasn't quite steady. "your personal life is your business. Is there something you needed from me. I mean work related" Kai let out a laugh, without humor.

"Work related?" Kai took another step close enough for him to see the faint pulse in Lucas's throat. "she kissed me, Lucas. I didn't...."

"Doesn't matter" Lucas cut himself off finally dropping the sir.

"You did not stop her either... You kissed her back" his compouser cracked just enough to let the cold slip through. The hallway stayed quiet. Too quiet.

Kai's breath hitched. The accusation landed harder than expected...

"I walked in and saw you all tangled up with her..... Kissing her, what was I supposed to do. Clap?" the flat mask finally shattered. His voice was quiet but it shook.

"I... didn't expect her..." for a second the hallway was quiet... The only sound was the distance hum of the AC and kai's own heartbeat... Lucas looked away first, it was pointless talking when all it does was worsen everything.

"I have work to do, so I will get going sir" the sir was back but now it sounded like wound. But Kai did not move. His anger was still there but beneath it was fear.

"You are not leaving... Not until you talk to me, I mean really talk to me. Not this robot version of you" Kai said blocking Lucas from leaving. Lucas's laughter came out bitter and broken...

"You want us to talk? Fine." He stepped closer intimidatingly, forcing Kai to step back. "I was hurt Okey.... Seeing you with her. Because for a second I wished I could just walk up to you and kiss you in front of everyone but I can't... You know why? Because no one f*****g accept us!!!... And you said I have been avoiding you, yeah. Because I don't know how to be in the same room and pretend it never happened!!! "kai's fist unclenched. The rage in side him, was all drained by Lucas's own rage, leaving him speechless.

" Lucas.... "Kai called but Lucas was fast to cut him off.

" Don't "Lucas shook his head, running his hand through his air. A crack in the professional armor he always put on." that's enough... I can't do this "he stepped back and took a deep breath. His mask slipped back on quickly... He took a deliberate step back. Putting distance between them again.

"Have a nice day sir" his voice was flat once more. Kai's mouth opened but no word come out. He reached for Lucas but Lucas stepped back, and started walking away.

"Lucas..." Kai called but he didn't wait, he turned on his heels, smooth and practiced, like that was just another hallway conversation that meant nothing. Like Kai had not just see him break.

Each step was measured and controlled. Armor clicking back in place with every click of his shoes on the tiled floor. He did not look back, not even when Kai called him over and over again, quieter, broken. He did not stop...

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The next evening, everyone was present at the dinner but the atmosphere wasn't the best. Liora glanced at Zach then Kai and Ryan but none of them were trying to make conversations, neither were they eating... Did some thing happen?

But she decided to keep quiet till after dinner. Kalen was the first to leave the dining room, then phira followed seconds later.

Liora had only met her that morning. Kalen's betrothed. The word felt wrong in Liora's head. Betrothed sounds like something from old book.

Their introduction was simple and short. Kalen:"phira this is Liora" phira didn't say a word, but she just looked.

Her eyes dragged over Liora, slow and assessing. Not out of curiosity, or friendly, but it was measured. Like Liora was a stain on a white dress that phira hadn't decided whether to caught out or cover.

Again as she was about to leave the dining room, those eyes flicker to Liora again. The cold flat look that made the hair on Liora's arm raise. There was no anger in her eyes. It was empty, like looking at the wall and find it inconvenient.

"is there something wrong?" Liora finally asked. Zach finally looked up, Kai stopped spinning his fork and Ryan's shoulders dropped like he had been holding his breath...

"You guys haven't say a word... Did something happened?" she asked again. Zach sigh and gave her a small smile...

"Everything is fine, we are just still very surprised with everything that happened, but it okay we are fine" Liora know that wasn't the case at all. Something happened and she need to know. So she decided to talk to Kalen even though it was the last thing she wanted to do.

TBC