Whispered Desires

Chapter 28: Confidence

KILIAN

I haven't seen my mother in years.

I didn't need to, and it was good that way. But I should've expected her here, given my phone hasn't stopped ringing over the past months. Kim has been a pain in my ass, even from fucking prison. It was only a matter of time before she went to my parents once she knew I wouldn't help her.

Fishing for my keys, I ignore the curious glances Jasmine shoots me. I know she wants to figure out what's going on, but right now all I want is to get up into my apartment.

"Kilian..." My mother speaks up as soon as we reach the front door, her gaze directed at my splinted leg. "Are you okay?"

I can't help but sigh at her question. I don't need her fake concern now; I bet she's having a field day over this. My parents never wanted me to become a footballer — To them, this was only a hobby, not a real profession. My father's a lawyer, so that's what I was supposed to do too. Take over his business. It didn't matter if I wanted that or not; they expected me to take political science during undergrad to prepare for my career.

"Yes. I'm fine," I finally respond.

"Are you sure—"

"What do you want?" Frustration bubbles to the surface already. I'm glad we managed to keep the media off my ass about the accident, but that means I now have to live with my mother's curious glances.

She swallows visibly, her voice quiet now when she asks, "Can we talk?"

I look at her properly. She doesn't look good; not that she ever has, but the rings under her eyes seemed to have darkened over the years. Guess that's what substance abuse does to a body. "I don't really have the time right now." I glance over at Jasmine who now pulls herself closer to me, her arm coming around my back while she regards me with a smile.

"Is that your girlfriend?" My mother asks. "She's pretty."

That particular word makes my heart stop for a second, and it seems to have the same effect on Jasmine, who now looks at me with wide eyes. I know we've staked our claims, but we never labeled it. It didn't occur to me that we needed to, honestly. She was just there, day in, day out, no questions asked.

And even though it's extremely weird that my mother of all people is the one calling us out on our predicament, Jasmine seems to find her composure quicker than me. Not that I'm surprised.

"Jasmine Watson. Good to meet you." She releases me from her grasp to shake my mother's hand but doesn't waste a second too long to interlace our fingers afterward.

"Hi. I'm Bianca Rogers." She studies Jasmine and me with a smile, rubbing her palms over her jeans in that familiar nervous motion. "Killy, can we talk?"

I almost flinch at the nickname. "As I said, I'm busy. Just tell me what you need and you can go your way. If it's money, then don't even—"

"It's about your sister." She gets straight to the point. "I heard she's in jail?"

I almost laugh at her predictability. "Of course. Are you telling me you didn't expect her to end up there with the shit she pulled already?" 

Kim was never an angel. She was used to getting what she wanted from my parents, and when she desired something they couldn't give her, she wouldn't hesitate to blur the lines of legality to get her way.

"She's your sister, Killy. You could've called me."

"Why? She's not my family anymore; I surely wouldn't let Dad help her get away with this bullshit again. I've seen him use his connections to get her out of whatever mess she created enough in the past; I don't need it now that it involves my friends."