A VISIT

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CARLOS

Years of keeping a low profile in the depths of his dark, discreet world, Carlos never expected to be in this situation.

A situation where he had to babysit some feisty, daring twenty-two-year-old lady who had absolutely no idea what was going on.

Harper’s death had caught him off guard. Struck him like a thunderbolt and left him raging with so many questions. So many cracks.

Just in that fleeting moment he'd been away, this had happened. Some random shadow had struck.

The accident wasn't ordinary in the terms he had discovered. And Harper's last wish to protect his daughter only proved him right. Something doesn't add up. Something Harper himself had seen coming.

Harper knew what kind of man he was. The dark and dangerous things he usually pulls and always complains about the nature of his lifestyle, yet entrusts his daughter to him?

A sassy lady who was doing a pretty job of getting on his nerves. A contrast to the definition of what her father had described her to be—

Sweet, innocent, and never causes trouble. A kind of angel that loves being buried in her space, speaks with animals, has straight A’s in her boring college in the countryside, loves painting, reading, and works in an animal clinic.

Right now, she was seated across, her dinner untouched, dressed in a green hoodie, and sat with her arms around her folded knees.

She hadn't stopped staring at him for the last deafening twenty minutes. Those doe-green eyes were boring holes into his skin.

Jesus Christ.

“Do you wear glasses all the time?” Her small voice finally broke the silence.

“And what does that have to do with you?”

“I'm trying to start a conversation here, Mr. Redd,” she said. “You are my guardian. I should get to know you.”

Great. Carlos, what have you gotten yourself into?

“I don't like contacts. They make my eyes itch.”

“So… How do you know my father?” She asked. “I didn't see you at his funeral.”

Carlos's jaw thickened as he took a deep breath. “Your father was an old business partner, and I wasn't in the country for his funeral.”

She went silent for a breath too long. The air was heavy with the kind of silence that reminded him of the fact that the asshole who was behind Harper's death was roaming freely.

He looked up. Kyla stared back at him, tilted her head.

“You don't look like some business partner. I know everyone who worked with my father.”

Carlos sat back. “And what do I look like?”

“The kind of man my father will never want me around. Like a mysterious dude that screams danger.”

She was right. Even though Harper talks about his daughter like his world, he never talks about them meeting, and Carlos didn't mind that. But now, Harper had left one thing he treasured the most in his hands.

“Eat before it gets cold, Wildling.”

She crooked her nose at the nickname, or perhaps at the quiet confirmation that he was dangerous.

She obliged without arguing. Her fork clicked against the plate as she began to eat.

“So, do you have a wife?”

That caught him off guard. He was expecting more questions that'd make him gather the right words to say.

“No.”

Her brows perked. “Girlfriend”

“I don't do stuff like that.”

“Oh…Kay… I guess I won't have to worry about some random woman storming in and having weird thoughts about us being a couple or something.”

Carlos tskked. “Don't flatter yourself, Wildling. That will never happen.”

“What do you mean? That I'm not your type? Just a while ago, you threatened to tie me to bed,” she mumbled, mouthful. “Why don't you have one? You look like the type of man women would fall over for.”

His fork paused mid-air. “Wildling, do you ever shut up?”

“Not really,” she shrugged. “Silence is boring. So, answer my question.”

He exhaled. “Why do you really want it?”

“You're a stranger. My dad trusts you, and I want to know if I can as well. You're not in a relationship. Might be a red flag.”

Carlos was good at reading people. Well enough to know what this green-eyed chittering box was thinking. He'd seen the hint when he pinned her against the dresser—the one too many women had cast at him.

And one thing he didn’t want was those stares turning into something far more complicated than babysitting. It was only a matter of time before the questions turned into something else.

And hell no. He wasn’t letting that happen.

So he did the one thing he was good at. He lied. Smooth. Effortless.

“I’m gay.”

Kyla almost choked on her juice, eyes wide as if he’d admitted he was the one who started World War II.

“W-wait, what?”

“You heard me,” he said. “I don’t do relationships with women. End of story.”

She blinked her wide eyes. And for the first time they’ve met, this was the first time she was actually speechless.

Then a smile curled her lips. “Oh, now that makes so much sense.”

Carlos raised a brow. “Does it?”

“Yes! The moody aura, the no girlfriend thing,” she pointed her fork at him. “And here I was thinking you were some bachelor with commitment issues. But you’re secretly into guys. Wow.”

She actually bought it. Great.

“Sooooo… Do you have a boyfriend?”

Carlos dropped his fork, rising from his chair. That’s enough talk for today.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“To bed”

“Wait!”

Carlos almost rolled his eyes before facing her. "What?"

She hesitated for a second, then rose from her chair and quickly held the sleeve of his white shirt. Her lips, pursed in thought, opened and closed a few times before spilling what was in her mind.

“Can I go somewhere?”

Carlos squinted.

“I want to visit someone,” she said. “His place is nearby. I wanted to go myself, but your grumpy security won’t let me, and I know if I had told you on the phone, you wouldn’t let me go alone. So will you please tell your driver to take me there?”

How did this feisty little wildling with a sharp tongue suddenly sound polite?

Carlos crossed his arms. “Who is it?”

“His name is Jayden.” Her eyes lit up. “My boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend? You have a boyfriend?”

The subtle smile on her face vanished. “Why do you sound like I can have one? I’m twenty-two.”

“More like I’m wondering what kind of saint has the patience to survive you.”

“Excuse me?” She looked ready to skin him alive. “God. You’re insufferable. Am I going or not?”

Judging by the way she folded her arms, lips twitching as if there was a storm of thoughts swarming her head, she would turn the house upside down if he said no.

Great job, Harper. You’re probably smiling whenever you are watching your daughter twisting my nerves every damn time.

“Fine.”

Carlos took a deep, calming breath and grabbed the keys from the table behind her. Her eyes followed his movement, brows creased as if wanting to protest.

“I’m taking you. No argument,” he said, already heading for the door without waiting for her response.

He is sure as hell gonna regret this.

~~~~~~~~~~~

KYLA

The car glided down the sleek road, engine humming softly. The only light source was the rhythmic flash of the street light, slicing through the dark street.

Mr. Redd was driving with one veiny arm on the steering wheel and the other casually resting beside the gearshift. Two of his upper buttons are undone.

She hated how he looked effortlessly hot.

She hadn’t expected him to agree. Hadn’t expected him to take her himself. Definitely hadn’t expected it to happen now.

The weight settled on Kyla’s shoulder. She was going to see Jayden unannounced. The thought made her heart race like a bird trapped in a firehouse.

The last time she saw him was a month ago. They’d fought hard, and it was partially her fault. The look he gave her as he walked away had stuck with her longer than she wanted to admit.

Disappointment. Regret.

It haunted her for days.

Such a thing had never happened between them before.

She missed him. Like the way you'd miss air when you're drowning.

Jayden probably missed her, too. Now that her father was gone, perhaps making things right with Jayden again could bring back her fading light.

Kyla took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

“Does your boyfriend know you're coming?”

She cleared her throat. “Does it matter? It's a surprise visit. He doesn't know I'm in the city.”

He looked at her for a breath longer before focusing back on the road.

“You're in a fight.”

“No, we're not,” she lied.

He cocked a brow.

“It was just a misunderstanding. Nothing serious,” she admitted with a shrug. “And that we are going to fix for the little while I’m going to stay here in the city.”

“So, your boyfriend had been in the city for how long?”

“Four years. He studied here in the city and spent his holiday in the countryside. With me.” Kyla sighed. “My father never liked him, though. But he is the sweetest.”

He stayed quiet all through the rest of the ride while she kept herself busy rehearsing the right words to say to him in her head.

Soon, the car pulled up before the gate a one-story building. There were several cars parked in the driveway, and the distant beat of music made Kyla blink.

“You have an hour,” Carlos said.

“What?” She turned her head to him. “That’s too small.”

“If you’re not out a second past an hour, I’ll burst through those doors.”

Kyla rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t have come with me.”

His eyes turned serious. “Are you sure you wanna go in?”

“Mr. Redd. You promised not to interfere with my personal life, remember?”

She stepped out of the car, shutting the door with a soft thud before she could hear any more commands, and approached the apartment.

Kyla hated parties. Hated the loud noise, the sweaty bodies grinding against each other, and the scent of alcohol and smoke. But Jayden loves them. She recalled how he had dragged her to one back home, and she ended up carrying his drunk ass back.

And now she was here.

Even though it wasn’t packed like the one in the club, it still made her stomach turn. Glances from a group of men around Jayden’s age made her skin prickle. She recognized none of them.

Where did Jayden know all these people? Was she in the right house?

“Who the fuck are you?”

Kyla turned to the barely covered lady, smacking gum with an unwelcoming glint. Her face was plastered with glitter and rhinestones that made her look like one of those ridiculous unicorns she’d laugh at on TV.

Except this unicorn had claws in her eyes.

“I’m here to see Jayden,” Kyla replied, mimicking the same tone. “Care to show me the way?”

She eyed her dressing as if contemplating whether to tell her or not. Her lips curved up slightly. “He’s upstairs. Last room on your left.”

Then she walked away, swaying her little ass with more force than needed.

Kyla sighed, wondering if she should still go ahead and find Jayden. Who knows what could be upstairs? She pulled out her phone and called him instead.

Jayden’s phone rang thrice with no response.

Taking a deep breath for the umpteenth time tonight, she began to head upstairs. If something happens to her, there’s a mysterious devil outside who’ll burst in.

It’s crazy, she knows. But if she leaves the house without seeing who she came for, she might not be able to sleep tonight.

Kyla’s heart hammered as she walked through the empty passage. There was a small pull in her chest, a tiny voice that whispered this was a bad idea. But when her mind was fixed on something, it was nearly impossible to stop herself.

Kyla raised a hand to knock, breath seizing with hesitation. Then she heard it, just before she could touch the wooden surface.

Moans. Grunts. Skin slapping skin.

Something cracked below her rib, shattering with something that made her head spin.

That can’t be right, Kyla; shake it off.

She checked the room. It was indeed the last on the left. Could that weird unicorn lady have lied to her?

But still, in the depths of her, she wanted to open this door. The male’s voice sounded so familiar even as she tried to deny it.

The other rooms were locked, and only this door had someone… no people in it.

Kyla reached for the knob. If she were about to intrude on someone else's privacy, then she’d just act drunk and lie that she was finding the bathroom or something.

No. That wouldn’t be right. She should leave. Jayden can’t be there.

He can’t be.

Then came a scream behind the doors.

“Oh yes! I’m gonna cum, Jay!”

Kyla pushed the door open, and right before her was Blondie all on fours with Jayden—the man she’d loved for four years—screwing the shit out of her.

“Urgh, fuck, you are so tight,” he said, holding her ass so tight his fingers almost dug in. His other hand held her hair so tightly as if wanting to rip it out.

Kyla couldn’t think. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t feel. This was a kind of betrayal that would send every nerve into catatonia before gradually burning into flame.

She’d felt it in every organ. Every drop of blood that runs through her veins. Her heart and soul.

They both groaned out in release. Jayden threw his head backward, then kissed her mouth afterward. A long, hard after-sex kiss, their tongues tangled and fought for dominance as if they wanted to do it again and shatter her all over again.

They pulled away breathlessly. Saliva breaking in between.

“Shayla was right. You could really fuck.”

“Hell damn, she was.”

She laughed, and her eyes finally met Kyla’s. “We got an audience?”

Jayden glanced at the door, and gradually the color drained from his face.

“Kyla?”

Finally. Finally, Kyla could walk. She moved away from the door. Her boots thudded against the floorboard hastily. Breathing, ragged. Tears won’t stop streaming down her cheeks.

Her hearing had dulled as if she were underwater, but Jayden calling her name managed to break through due to how loudly he was calling her.

How could he? How could he betray her like this?

She bumped into a few and staggered. Her stomach turned; she was dangerously close to vomiting up the meal she had before coming here.

After everything… How could four years of a relationship suddenly be ruined in a minute?

The air didn’t feel cool against her skin. They were hot, but at least they filled her lungs again.

He held her. “Kyla.”

She yanked them off.

“Kyla, I can explain.”

He grabbed her hand again. She spun and slapped him across the face. His face whipped to the side. Kyla might have heard a few gasps from the entrance, but she didn’t care.

“How could you do this, Jay? How could you?!” She screamed, slamming both hands on his chest.

He staggered barely. Panic etched his face, lips quivering as if his world was breaking.

She wanted to hold him. To hug and tell him how badly she’d missed him. But it was all gone. He destroyed everything.

“Kyla… I thought things were over. I…” He ran a hand through his hair. “We had a fight, Kyla. We hadn’t seen each other or spoken to each other for a month.”

“And then screwing another girl was going to solve that? We never broke up… You left that day without saying anything.”

“I thought we did.”

“Well, now we are, Jay!” she screamed, voice cracking most painfully. “It’s over. What we had is officially over!”

She turned to leave, and then he spoke again.

“All of this was your fault, Kyla!”

Kyla halted her track. Jayden’s words echoed repeatedly in her head.

She turned to see the guilty look on his face vanish, replaced with a kind she wanted to slap off his face. Maybe a little harder this time.

“Four years of relationship, and we never had sex, Kyla. What am I supposed to do when you flinch every time I try to touch you?!” Jayden yelled.

What Kyla felt before doubled.

“This isn’t all about you. Man gotta feed his desire. Stop acting like you hadn’t caused this. I tried to keep up. I fucking tried!”

She scoffed with a shake of her head. Her mouth opened, but she couldn’t form a word.

True, their fight had been her flinching or freezing whenever he tried to touch her in a couple-like way. All they did was kiss, and Jayden always complained.

But Kyla had taken steps. Search, fight whatever was wrong with her. She even had a therapist session, and she had told him to wait. Told him she’ll find a way to fix herself so they could both have what they wanted.

“My father died two weeks ago, and this… this is all you could do and say to me?”

Jayden’s eyes widened as if being struck by lightning. The guilt returned in his eyes as he stammered. “Y-your father? W-what ha-happened?”

He. Doesn’t. Know? Jesus, what is she still doing here?

“Screw you.” She turned, dragging a hand on her eyes, but her tears were unstoppable.

“Kyla I didn’t know!” he yelled. “I fucking swear!”

She didn’t stop.

“Babe! For God's sake, can you just stop and listen to me? I love you!”

Asshole.

Just as she crossed the gate, he caught her again. She wanted to slap him again, but he caught her hand, voice cracking. Desperate, like he was losing his sanity.

“Baby, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, please.”

“Let go.” She bit every word.

“I’ll make it up…” He paused mid-sentence, gaze sweeping past her. His shoulder tensed and his brow creased.

“What is my uncle doing here?”

Kyla squinted; she turned to look at who he was referring to. And there stood the only man at the side of the dim side of the road, casually leaning against the car.

Carlos?

He was cleaning his glasses with a clean handkerchief. Once done, he put them on and looked at her, not Jayden. As if her now ex didn’t just drop the bomb that he was his uncle.

He simply opened the door of his Bentley, his voice as smooth as ever.

“Hop on, Wildling. Let’s go home.”