GIRLFRIEND?
899 Words
(Season 1)
CHAPTER 15
Liora stared at the receptionist and felt her hands twitch.
_Slap her. Right now._
She wanted to. Badly.
For calling her a slut. For looking at her like she was trash.
She didn’t care who these women were. If they wanted to throw themselves at Kalen, let them troop in. She did _not_ give a f**k.
But she had a job.
Get the files to Kalen. Before he ruined a multi-million deal.
Her phone was empty. No Zod. No Kalen.
Where the hell did Cauis go? Why did he leave her alone with this ice queen?
“You really need to let me see Kalen,” Liora said, voice shaking. “It’s important.”
She was holding her anger by a thread. She hated getting angry. Because when she did, she cried. Then she freaked out. Then she did things she regretted.
And this woman was _begging_ for it.
“How dare you call him by his name,” the receptionist snapped, standing up. “Not even people of high class call Mr. Vex by his name!”
The slap came out of nowhere.
_PAK._
Liora’s head jerked to the side. Her cheek burned.
She was too stunned to even make a sound.
“Get out before I call security,” the woman hissed.
Just then — the doors swung open.
“Miss... are you okay?”
Cauis. Panic all over his face.
Because if the Vex brothers found out Liora cried on his watch, he was dead.
“Mr. Caius... you’re here,” the receptionist’s voice flipped instantly. Sweet. Bubbly. She straightened her blazer and smiled like nothing happened.
“What happened here?” Cauis asked, eyes dark.
The receptionist shot Liora a glare.
“I was just putting this lady in her place. She had the nerve to call Mr. Vex by his name.”
Cauis went still. Then:
“How DARE you treat her like that! Do you have any idea what you just did?!”
The receptionist froze.
Who _was_ this girl? Why was Cauis yelling?
“I—”
“I’ll deal with you later,” Cauis cut her off with a glare that could’ve melted steel.
He turned to Liora, and all the anger drained out.
“I’m so sorry, Miss. Are you okay?”
Liora nodded slowly, still touching her cheek. The receptionist now had her head bowed, terrified.
Cauis walked her to Kalen’s office himself. Left her at the door.
“You’re safe here,” he said quietly. “Kalen won’t let anyone touch you. I have to go handle something for Kai.”
The second he left, Liora exhaled.
Kalen wasn’t even there.
Good. She’d drop the files and leave.
She didn’t trust herself around him. Her body did weird things.
She set the folder on his desk and turned to go—
And ran straight into a wall.
A _hard, broad, very much alive_ wall.
Kalen.
How did he get in? She didn’t hear the door.
Did he teleport?
She looked up, slowly.
And nearly forgot how to breathe.
His eyes were on her. Dark. Intense. Like he was looking straight through her skull.
“What are you doing here,” his voice was low. Sharp.
“Emm... I came to—”
She couldn’t finish. Why did he have to look at her like that?
“Do I need to repeat myself?” One eyebrow rose.
Liora laughed nervously and took a step back.
“I didn’t mean to barge in. I just... you forgot this at home.”
She gestured to the folder. “Your meeting.”
His gaze flicked to the desk. Back to her. To her biting her lip.
“Why didn’t you call someone to bring it?”
She almost glared. _No thank you? Really?_
“I wanted to get out too. It’s boring alone in the house.”
She sighed dramatically.
Kalen stared at her.
_Dramatic. Annoying. Maybe more annoying than Ryan._
Before he could say anything, the door opened.
“Hmmm.”
Zod and Sophie. Both frozen. Both taking in the scene:
Liora, flustered. Kalen, too close.
“You didn’t tell me your girlfriend was coming,” Sophie said, smile tight. Her eyes were knives.
_Girlfriend??_
Liora’s brain short-circuited.
When did that happen? Why wasn’t Kalen correcting her?
And why did she hate Sophie instantly?
Kalen ignored it completely.
“What happened?”
“Rescheduled the meeting for next week,” Zod said smoothly, but his eyes were teasing. “Miss Jones is here about the new project.”
“Show her to the meeting room. I’ll meet her there.”
“Yes boss. This way, Miss.”
Sophie gave Liora one last long, assessing look before leaving with Zod.
The door closed.
Silence.
Liora turned back and found Kalen already watching her.
Her heart jumped.
“Stay here,” he said. “Don’t touch anything. If you need anything, call Stacy.”
He pointed to the phone.
“Who’s Stacy?”
“My assistant.”
And then he was gone.
No goodbye. No explanation.
Just gone. Like she was a toddler he had to babysit.
Liora dropped into his chair with a huff.
“I hate him,” she muttered to the empty office.
But her hand was still on the armrest where his had been seconds ago.
And her cheek still stung from that slap.
TBC
- Writer
