The other man simply gave a shrug like the matter was completely out of his hands.
“Did she say why?” he asked.
Frank shook his head. “No sir.”
It really wasn’t his problem. She wasn’t his problem. If she refused a cab then what was he supposed to do about it?
Yet the gnawing in his stomach wouldn’t allow him to brush the matter off so easily. It kept building and knotting up inside him until it was all he could do to keep from snarling his frustrations.
“Sir, I can—”
Killian waved Frank’s offer aside, his body already turning away. “Tell Marco to get the car.”
A frown deepened the creases already etched around the bigger man’s round face. “Maybe I should come—”
“Rest, Frank,” Killian said. “We have a long day tomorrow. I won’t be gone long.”
Leaving his head of security scowling in disapproval, Killian stalked back towards the stairs. There was an opening at the other end of the corridor that opened to the gym area and another that led to the indoor pool, but then he’d have to circle around and Juliette had already been out there alone for too long. His hurried strides took the stairs two at a time to the top. Without missing a beat, he jogged down the corridor to the second set of stairs leading downward to the foyer.
Marco was already parked at the bottom of the stairs when Killian stepped out the front doors. Despite the late hour, the other man was dressed without a crease in sight and looked far more alert than anyone at that hour should. Behind him, the black BMW shone beneath the bright illumination circling the property. The engine was running, which meant the keys were in the ignition and saved Killian from asking for them.
Marco started to open the back door, but Killian waved him away.
“I got it. Thank you, Marco.”
Without waiting to be stopped and reminded of the dangers of going anywhere alone, he circled around the back and ducked into the driver’s seat.
“Sir—”
“It’s fine,” he promised his driver as he slammed the door shut behind him and propelled the car into drive.
The estate sat at the very peak of Chacopi Point, overlooking the entire city. It was the only house for nearly twenty minutes and was surrounded by miles of wilderness and a steep plummet to certain death. Overhead, above the smog and pollution, the sky was a flawless carpet of navy blue littered with stars. Below, the city was a glittering gem of lights despite the hour. But it was the silence his mother had loved when she had picked the spot. There was no sound for miles, except the secrets the wind would whisper to the leaves.
Killian kept both hands on the wheel as he shot down the winding spiral, careful to take each new bend at a slow embrace just in case she was on the other side. His apprehension grew with every second he didn’t spot her, knowing she couldn’t have gone very far and there was nowhere to go but down.
His patience paid off when he caught sight of her white blouse. It seemed to glow with its own light in the darkness. She was on the side of the road, arms folded against the early morning chill as she stumbled her way over broken gravel. She jumped when Killian sped up and swerved onto the shoulder several feet ahead of her.
He threw open the car door and leapt out.
“Juliette.”
She stood before him, small and confused with red rimmed eyes and tangled hair. The fact that she’d been crying hit him much harder than he ever thought possible and for a moment, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do.
She broke the silence.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice hoarse.
“What did you expect I would do?” he shot back, his anger overruling his common sense. “Let you wander the streets in the dead of night?” He stalked closer, stopping when there was enough space between them to keep his hands in check. “Why didn’t you let Frank call you a cab?”
“Because I didn’t want a stupid cab,” she retorted. “The bus is fine.”
“It most certainly is not fine,” he said sharply. “What, you think the world is safer when everyone is sleeping? Do you know what could have happened to you?”
She simply stared at him a long moment, her eyes narrowed beneath furrowed eyebrows.
“And why would you care? You certainly didn’t seem to consider my wellbeing when you kicked me out of bed like some whore you were done using. Heaven forbid if you waited until morning.”
His muscles tightened at her accusation. “I have my reasons, all right? You knew what you were getting into when you got into my car.”
She scoffed and gave her head a little shake. “You’re right. I did know. I also know that I don’t want anything else from you.”
With that, she pushed past him. The crunch of gravel beneath her feet drowned out the rustle of leaves. Killian briefly wondered if he should just let her go. He certainly wasn’t responsible for her and if she didn’t want his help, what was he supposed to do? Force her?
But leaving her didn’t seem to be an option either.
“Ah for fuck sakes!” He muttered under his breath before twisting around on his heel. “Wanting it or not, I’m not letting you go off on your own.”
She never slowed her angry strides. “You can’t stop me.”
It was a challenge that made the darkness in him crackle awake. It made his insides tremble with excitement. Every line of his body went taut with anticipation.
“Get in the car, Juliette.”
“No!” she shot over her shoulder.
“Don’t test me, little lamb,” he warned, his voice barely audible and yet unmistakable. “I’m not like the soft men you’re used to. I will put you over my knee.”
For a moment, she seemed unfazed by his words. Her feet took her three more steps before she stopped. Her back was rigid and her movement stiff when she turned too slowly to face him. The sharp beams of the headlights shone off her eyes, illuminating their wetness and the anger and defeat shining off their surface. She stared at him for so long he couldn’t help wondering if she was ever going to speak. Then she opened her mouth.
“I’m so tired,” she whispered at last, sounding it. “I am tired of people like you and Arlo who think you can go through life bullying and threatening people into doing what you want.”
All thoughts of taking her on the hood of his car vanished with the pain radiating off her.
“That was not—”
But she wasn’t finished.
“I know I’m not a good person. I know I probably even deserve all of this, but I just … I can’t…” She broke off with a choked gasp. Her hand flattened against her stomach as though the pain was too much to take. “I can’t do this anymore.” Her chin wobbled once before she mashed her lips together tightly. Her hands went to the buttons on her blouse and began undoing them roughly. “So whatever you want, just take it and leave me alone.”
Killian had no knowledge of moving, but he suddenly found himself right in front of her. His fingers closed around the frail bones of her wrists and he wrenched them away on the forth button.
He was breathing hard. Fury crashed into him with every second he stood there peering into her wet eyes and breathing in her scent; the despair coming off her nearly killed him.
“Don’t you ever do that again!” he heard himself snarl. His hands released her wrists and moved into her hair. He cupped the back of her head and yanked her the rest of the way to him. Her gasp ripped through him. “Don’t you ever give up, do you hear me? Do you?” He gave her a light shake. “Juliette!”
Eyes wide with fear and confusion, she nodded quickly. “Yes.”
He continued to hold her until he was certain she meant it. Then he let go and stepped back, shaken by how much seeing her broken had affected him.
Christ, what was the matter with him?
But he knew. He knew exactly what had gone wrong and he couldn’t look at her.