The next morning, I left Killian taking a shower, and headed down for some coffee as I was already showered and dressed in jeans and a thick sweater.
I had just taken my first sip when the doorbell rang.
Killian wasn't expecting anyone because he'd declared his day free to take me sightseeing. Maybe it was an emergency?
I padded over to the door and opened it to see a gorgeous redhead in a perfectly tailored, and what must be designer, skirt suit.
She furrowed her eyebrows as if she were confused and then scowled as if understanding dawned.
"Nila James, I presume?" Her tone bordered hostile as she entered, uninvited; giving me the impression she'd been here many times before. Jealousy bloomed once again.
"Yes." I shut the door, "can I help you?"
"Lelia Blackwood." She put out a perfectly manicured hand, "Mr. Wolfe's Attorney."
I shook her hand briefly.
"Is he expecting you?" I asked, wondering if maybe he'd forgotten the appointment.
She shook her head gracefully.
"No. But I thought I'd just drop these off for him." She pulled some documents out of a leather briefcase then eyed me speculatively, "but maybe, as you're here, you can sign them for me now."
I frowned as she handed me the papers and I saw my name on them. My eyes widened as anger flared.
"These are share transfer documents." I started, scanning the contents then froze, "I'm not transferring my interest in Wolfe."
She lifted an eyebrow.
"It seems Killian isn't as persuasive as he'd like to think." She replied with a smirk as if she were enjoying my discomfort.
"What the hell are you talking about?" I ground out. Killian had something to do with this?!
She shrugged delicate shoulders.
"He said if you spent enough time with him, you'd eventually see reason and sign everything over to him."
My jaw dropped simultaneously with the knife in my back. Killian had been using me this whole time. This had all been a game to him.
"If all else fails, he'd just have to wait it out until your wedding."
I gasped. Would he have gone that far?
"Lelia!"
Killian's voice cut through the room like a whip. But it couldn't staunch the pain now flowing through me.
I watched him through watery eyes.
"Is it true, Killian?" My voice was scratchy as I faced him, a few feet away.
He made a move to come near me.
"Stay back!" I put a hand up, "don't come near me."
"Lelia, leave now!" He barked, "you've done enough."
She smirked in my direction before heading out the door leaving the papers behind.
"You used me." I swallowed down the tears.
"No! Nila listen it may have started out that way-"
I let out a forced laugh at his confirmation.
"Started out?"
His eyes looked tortured, but this time I couldn't believe them. I couldn't believe anything he had to say.
"This is my fault." I said voice firm, "you did warn me, didn't you? You told me you would do whatever it took to get Wolfe away from me."
"Nila stop it!"
"I should have expected it." I continued as if speaking to myself now, "you hated me and then you were acting all nice to me. I just didn't think.." I broke off and slapped a palm to my forehead. "How could I have been so stupid?"
He made a move towards me again.
"Don't fucking touch me!" I screamed making him pause and shove his hands in his pockets.
I watched him swallow and try to gauge me.
"It's not true." He said softly.
"No?" I continued, "how does she know you stayed with me?" I asked, "how does she know we're together? You said you hadn't told anyone. Why does she have papers drafted up?"
He pushed a hand through his hair and sighed in agitation.
"I did tell her that I would try to.. get you to sign the papers." He admitted, eyes pleading with me to understand. "I asked her to draft them before we slept together."
"How? How were you planning on getting me to sign? By sleeping with me?"
"I'm sorry." He but his lip, "things changed, Nila."
There was a gaping hole in my chest where my heart had once been.
"Yea? So you don't want Wolfe anymore?"
He didn't answer.
I nodded.
"Right. So much has changed."
I watched his temper flare at my sarcastic tone.
"My father started Wolfe with money he got from my mother when they were married." Killian said, his voice going hard, "everything he had was because of her and then she got in that accident and he just gave up on her. He started seeing your mother."
I met his eyes, saw the anger, the resentment and couldn't believe it.
"No." I denied.
"Yes!" His fist clenched, "I saw them kissing one night and confronted my father about it. He told me to forget it. Turns out that my mother already knew."
Everything finally clicked into place. How fast my mom married Randall. Why Killian's mom committed suicide. Why Killian never visited his father.
"I didn't know." I whispered.
He let out a dry laugh.
"Why would you? Everyone tried to make sure the princess stayed safe in her little castle."
The knife turned and I swallowed.
"So this was revenge. Revenge for your mother."
"I didn't want things to turn out this way, Nila." His voice was calm now, but he didn't deny it, "I didn't want to hurt you."
I shrugged.
"Yea well, you did." I turned then and grabbed the pen.
"You want it so bad." I signed my name on all the dotted lines, "it's yours."
His eyes widened.
"I'll resign as soon as I get back and you'll never have to see this princess again."
I walked out then without looking back.
❦ ❦
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