The Heart That's Meant to Love You

Chapter 24: Reminder

Thank God that Kieran didn't get uncomfortable under the scrutiny of women, because two hours being stared at as a model might have killed him otherwise. How could art students be so unprofessional? That girl who had been sent to fetch him was the worst of the bunch.

Then again, he had basically signed himself up for the stares when he agreed to model for Ms. VanCamp.

It might have been more worth it if Kieran managed to get anywhere with his own personal plan. Instead, the little rich girl had stood him up.

Did an emergency truly come up at her mother's company? Or had Naomi come up with a way to avoid him after they met by mistake?

Kieran stepped out of the classroom and loosened the cravat that had begun to strangle him. Finally, air.

"Mr. Colburn?"

Dang it, he had spoken too soon. How did the little blondie get out of there so fast? Didn't she need to finish her sketch or something?

Kieran took a breath to quell the irritation. So he hadn't been in the best mindset lately. That didn't mean he could ruin his own reputation.

With a straight face and calmed nerves, he turned to face her. "Did you need something, uh...?" What had her name been again?

"Maddie. You can call me Maddie." Her shoulders swayed dangerously, like the wind had gotten a hold of her and hadn't let go.

Kieran took a tactful step back. "Was there anything I could help you with?"

"I was wondering..." Maddie sucked her lip between her teeth, then let it go. "If you could stay and model for me for a while longer."

Yeah, that wasn't about to happen. Kieran offered an apologetic smile. "Unfortunately, I have grades to administer. I'm sure you have enough sketched to finish your portrait."

If she didn't, Maddie was in art school for nothing. That should be the easiest task she'd do all day, if she had any talent.

Maddie pouted as if that might change Kieran's mind. "Are you sure you can't stay with me?"

"I'm sure." Kieran left no room for misinterpretation.

There were reasons that Kieran never went for girls like Maddie. She may have money or influence, but Maddie would never let him out of her clutches if she managed to snag him. So Kieran made sure to distance himself. Always.

He didn't wait for Maddie to continue. Kieran turned and walked away. The sooner her got out of this costume, the better. Back to reality for him. A place where he could take control if only for a brief second.

Maddie had, blessedly, disappeared by the time Kieran passed back by the studio doors. Good riddance. Kieran didn't think he could manage to balance everything going on and an obsessive fangirl. Better that she return to her rightful place and leave him alone.

Kieran returned to Professor McNally's office with little incident. He should have known it seemed too good to be true.

There, taped to the outside of the door, a plain white envelope mocked him.

Kieran had no way of knowing for sure what lay inside, not without opening it. But he had a pretty good guess what it might be.

A sneer ticked in the side of his nose. Kieran felt it, he simply had no way of stopping it. If they had found this side gig and left that for him, it meant one thing only: Tawny had snitched again. Kieran should have known better than to tell her anything. She couldn't keep her mouth or her wallet closed.

Kieran ripped the envelope from the door. No way he would open it out in the hall. Someone might see, and Kieran couldn't have that.

Slamming the office door behind himself, Kieran gave in to the glare he wanted to give the little white envelope. No one could see him in here, anyway. He might as well let his true colors fly while he had a moment to himself.

The envelope crinkled when he ripped open the flap.

Sure enough, the papers that came spilling out were exactly as he had thought. Red numbers at the bottom of the pages flashed at him like bombs. Zeros, their mouths open wide, laughed at every effort Kieran had made to eliminate them.

Red hot rage boiled in Kieran's veins. A reminder like this? Here? His fingers itched. Twitched. A laugh settled on his lips, then another. But Kieran meant none ofthem.

His itchy fingers clenched the papers into crumples and wrinkles. They really wanted to play like this? As if he didn't know what he owed them? As if reminding him of this debt could do anything for them?

Kieran stretched his neck one way, then the other, in an attempt to relieve the tightness in his head and shoulders. It didn't work.

So he settled for second best.

A frustrated growl tore from his throat. The fingers crumpling those papers moved, muscles in his arms rippling as Kieran tore the reminders in half. Then in half again. And again. And again.

Torn to shreds, the papers went flying. They settled too gently to the ground.

Kieran ran his trembling fingers into his hair. Pressed them to his aching head. Would the torment never end?

Fine. Fine. He could get them their interest. All he had to do was speed up his chances with the little rich girl. Make an opportunity for her to offer her help. It had worked a thousand times before. It would undoubtedly work again.

Kieran had no real reason to be gentle with Naomi. He should have pressed her as hard as every other woman from the very beginning. Kieran made a silent resolution to do so now.

Because he couldn't waste another second on his own weak emotions.