Chapter 13
2057 Words
Raina’s POV
The tension after Evan introduced himself didn’t disappear.
It spread.
Slowly.
Like smoke curling through a locked room.
I could feel it from where I stood beside the training dummy, clipboard balanced against my arm, gloves stretched tightly over my fingers.
Evan, meanwhile, remained completely unaware of the corporate death sentence hovering over his shoulder.
Which honestly made him either brave…
Or deeply unfortunate.
“So,” he continued casually, smiling at me with easy confidence, “do you always terrify trainees this elegantly, or am I getting special treatment?”
Lily coughed violently into her sleeve.
Not a real cough.
A girl-you’re-about-to-die cough.
I ignored her.
Mostly because if I looked at her, I would laugh.
And if I laughed, Harrison would somehow interpret that as emotional betrayal.
The man already looked one inconvenience away from declaring war.
“You’re exaggerating,” I replied calmly.
“No, I’m observant.”
“Dangerous quality.”
“I’ve survived flight school. My survival instincts are elite.”
That almost earned him a smile.
Almost.
Then Harrison spoke.
“Carter.”
The single word cracked through the room sharply.
Evan turned immediately.
“Yes, sir?”
“If you’re finished flirting during a medical emergency simulation, return to formation.”
The room froze.
Oh.
Oh, this was becoming entertaining.
Several trainees immediately looked down to hide their reactions.
One woman near the back nearly inhaled her own oxygen from trying not to gasp.
Evan blinked.
Then blinked again.
“Sir,” he said carefully, “I was asking professional questions.”
“You’ve asked enough.”
Frank slowly looked between Harrison and me like he had just discovered a live grenade under his desk.
Lily leaned toward me and whispered under her breath,
“He’s spiraling.”
“I heard that,” Harrison said without looking at her.
“Good.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
This was my life now.
Excellent.
Evan wisely retreated back into line.
Smart man.
I turned back toward the trainees before this situation somehow evolved into public corporate homicide.
“Focus,” I instructed evenly. “In an emergency, distractions cost lives.”
The irony nearly choked me.
For the next twenty minutes, I pushed through demonstrations mechanically.
Airway stabilization.
Shock assessment.
Emergency landing injury protocols.
Everything normal.
Everything professional.
Except Harrison’s gaze kept finding me.
Constantly.
No matter where I moved.
And worse…
I noticed.
Every single time.
At one point, while adjusting medical equipment, I glanced up accidentally.
Big mistake.
His eyes were already on me.
Steady.
Unreadable.
Intense enough to make my pulse stumble once against my ribs.
I looked away immediately.
Annoyed with myself for reacting at all.
Then, because fate clearly enjoyed humiliation as a hobby, Frank suddenly grinned.
“Captain Grant,” he announced loudly, “why don’t you assist with the CPR demonstration?”
Absolutely not.
“No need,” I said instantly.
“Great idea,” Theo added from somewhere behind the trainees, entirely too pleased with himself. “Educational and emotionally charged.”
Harrison ignored him.
Of course he ignored him.
Theo existed purely to create problems recreationally.
“I’ll assist,” Harrison said calmly.
Naturally.
Lily whispered, “This feels illegal somehow.”
I agreed internally.
Unfortunately, no one asked me.
“There we are,” Theo said cheerfully. “Nothing says unresolved marital tension like chest compressions.”
“Do you ever shut up?” Harrison asked flatly.
“No.”
I inhaled slowly before forcing myself back into professional mode.
“Fine,” I said. “Lie down.”
Harrison removed his suit jacket without breaking eye contact with me.
The trainees watched with painful levels of interest.
Honestly, if gossip were currency, Grant Global would surpass national economies.
He lay back onto the training mat calmly.
Composed.
Controlled.
Like he wasn’t making my blood pressure unstable simply by existing.
I crouched beside him.
Businesslike.
Detached.
“Step one,” I explained to the trainees, “check consciousness and responsiveness.”
I leaned slightly closer.
Close enough to feel warmth radiating from him.
Close enough to catch the faint scent of cedarwood and expensive whiskey lingering beneath his cologne.
Terrible.
Absolutely terrible for my emotional stability.
“Sir,” I said professionally, “can you hear me?”
His gaze held mine.
Directly.
“I can.”
Low voice.
Rough edges.
Far too familiar.
Something flickered through my mind instantly.
Late nights.
His hand against my waist.
Sleep-heavy murmurs against my hair.
I crushed the memory immediately.
Dead.
Buried.
Gone.
Professional.
I straightened.
“The patient is conscious but experiencing respiratory distress.”
My fingers moved toward the buttons of his shirt.
One.
Two.
Three.
The second my fingertips brushed his skin…
His breathing changed.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
I froze for half a heartbeat.
Then continued anyway.
Because I refused to be affected.
Absolutely refused.
“The airway must remain unobstructed,” I continued steadily.
My palm flattened briefly against his chest while demonstrating positioning.
Strong heartbeat.
Warm skin.
Steady breathing that absolutely stopped being steady whenever I touched him.
This was ridiculous.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Sophie standing near the back beside the trainee attendants.
Watching.
Too closely.
Her smile had vanished completely now.
Her expression tightened with every passing second.
Good.
Let her feel uncomfortable for once.
“Compression rhythm should remain consistent,” I continued calmly.
Harrison still hadn’t looked away.
Not once.
Not even a blink.
The trainees had definitely noticed too.
A murmur rippled quietly through the room.
Then suddenly…
“Ah…”
A soft sound broke the tension.
Weak.
Fragile.
The kind designed to draw immediate concern.
Sophie swayed slightly.
One hand pressing dramatically against her forehead.
“I feel dizzy…”
And then she collapsed.
Straight toward the floor.
The entire room erupted instantly.
“Sophie!”
“She fainted!”
“Oh my God!”
Harrison moved immediately.
Fast enough to blur.
One second beneath my hands.
Next second kneeling beside her.
Instinct.
Reflex.
Concern carved sharply across his face.
And there it was.
That ugly little ache inside my chest.
Small.
Sharp.
Humiliating.
I killed it immediately.
Buried it deep before it could breathe properly.
Because I was tired of hurting over the same man in different fonts.
“Harrison…”
Sophie’s lashes fluttered weakly.
No response.
Completely limp.
Too limp.
Lily crossed her arms beside me slowly.
“Oh, please,” she muttered.
Theo rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.
“Interesting performance.”
“Harrison,” Frank said cautiously, “should we call emergency services?”
“Theo,” Harrison ordered immediately, “call an ambulance.”
“Already doing it.”
Lily stepped forward before Theo could move.
“No need,” she said coolly. “There are literally medical professionals standing right here.”
I almost sighed.
This was about to become messy.
Again.
Harrison hesitated.
Only briefly.
Then nodded once.
“Check her.”
Lily crouched beside Sophie with entirely too much satisfaction.
I remained standing.
Watching quietly.
Detached externally.
Internally exhausted.
Lily checked Sophie’s pulse.
Then leaned closer with a sweet smile that looked deeply threatening.
“Sophie,” she whispered gently, “if you don’t wake up in five seconds, I’m going to stick a stimulation needle under your nose.”
Pause.
“So deep you’ll see your ancestors.”
Theo choked violently trying not to laugh.
Even Frank looked away.
And Sophie?
Her eyelashes trembled.
There it is.
Lily’s smile widened slowly.
“One…”
Tiny twitch.
“Two…”
Another twitch.
“Thr…”
Sophie’s eyes flew open instantly.
Confused damsel mode activated at record speed.
“H-Harrison…?”
Lily stood up smoothly.
“Well,” she announced pleasantly, “Miss Bennett appears medically stable. Miraculous recovery. Science should study it.”
Several trainees immediately looked down to hide their expressions.
Theo outright turned away laughing.
Sophie looked mortified for exactly two seconds before recovering beautifully.
Honestly, I almost respected the resilience.
“I skipped breakfast,” she murmured weakly. “That’s all.”
“Mhm,” Lily replied. “And I’m the Queen of Jinava.”
“Lily,” Harrison warned.
“What?” she said innocently. “I’m being supportive.”
Sophie clutched Harrison’s sleeve suddenly.
“Harrison… please don’t remove me from active flight rotation. I worked really hard for this promotion.”
Her voice trembled perfectly.
Soft.
Fragile.
Strategic.
Lily rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might detach permanently.
“You should’ve gone into acting.”
Instant tears gathered in Sophie’s eyes.
Impressive.
Weaponized vulnerability at Olympic level.
Then softly…
Very softly…
She looked toward Lily.
“Miss Lily… are you upset because you like Harrison?”
The entire room paused again.
Oh, she was bold today.
Lily blinked once.
Then burst out laughing.
Not amused laughter.
Dangerous laughter.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she said, “trust me. Harrison Grant is absolutely not my type.”
Theo whispered loudly, “Survival instinct. Respect.”
Then Sophie looked toward me.
Carefully.
Testing.
“And Miss West?” she asked softly.
Ah.
There it was.
The real question.
The room practically leaned forward collectively.
I stepped closer slowly.
Calm.
Elegant.
Cold enough to frost glass.
“I don’t date men involved with other women.”
Silence crashed down instantly.
Sharp.
Brutal.
Final.
Sophie’s face lost color immediately.
Harrison’s gaze snapped toward me.
Hard.
Intense.
Unreadable.
Too late.
I was done softening truths to protect people.
Lily smiled with terrifying satisfaction.
“That,” she said lightly, “was gorgeous.”
“Lily,” Harrison said sharply.
But she ignored him completely.
“Raina,” she continued casually, “if you’re done babysitting this circus, go rest before your migraine evolves into homicide.”
I almost smiled.
Almost.
“Thanks.”
Then I turned and walked away.
Because if I stayed another second, I might say something irreversible.
Behind me…
“Miss West.”
Harrison’s voice.
Deep.
Commanding.
Familiar enough to once ruin my entire nervous system.
I didn’t stop.
Didn’t slow down.
Didn’t even glance back.
Then Theo’s voice rang out lazily behind me.
“You know,” he mused loudly, “she’s even prettier up close.”
Oh no.
“Harrison,” Theo continued conversationally, “help me out here. Think she’d go for me?”
Silence.
Deadly silence.
Then Harrison answered.
Cold enough to freeze oceans.
“Stay away from her.”
Theo laughed immediately.
“Why? She’s smart, gorgeous, emotionally unavailable. That’s basically my dream woman.”
Another pause.
Then Harrison said quietly,
“You’re not her type.”
Something warm flickered traitorously in my chest.
I crushed it instantly.
By the time I stepped outside the training wing, fresh air finally hit my lungs properly again.
Cool.
Clean.
Far away from emotional disasters wearing luxury watches.
I headed toward the parking area.
And stopped cold.
Because Harrison’s car was already waiting near the curb.
Black.
Polished.
Familiar.
And inside?
Sophie sat comfortably in the passenger seat.
Like she belonged there.
Like she had every right to be there.
Her fingers rested lightly against the window controls while speaking softly to the driver.
Domestic.
Easy.
Intimate.
The ugly ache returned instantly.
I hated that it did.
I hated that after everything…
Some part of me still noticed things like that.
Pathetic.
Absolutely pathetic.
So I did the only thing left to do.
I turned around.
And walked the opposite direction.
“Raina!”
Footsteps echoed behind me immediately.
Fast.
Urgent.
Closer.
“Raina, wait.”
Warm fingers wrapped suddenly around my wrist.
Firm.
Familiar.
Dangerously familiar.
I pulled instinctively.
But Harrison held on.
Not painfully.
Just enough.
“Let go.”
“Listen to me first.”
I finally turned slightly.
Enough to look at him over my shoulder.
His breathing was uneven from rushing after me.
His tie slightly loosened.
Eyes darker than usual.
“She needed a ride because…”
“I don’t care,” I cut in instantly.
“You’ve got the wrong idea.”
A bitter laugh almost escaped me.
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
I looked down at his hand still around my wrist.
Then slowly back at him.
Cold.
Controlled.
Exhausted.
“Who you drive around,” I said quietly, “has absolutely nothing to do with me anymore, Mr. Grant.”
- Writer
