Knowing Kiara

11

"Do I get an explanation to what's going on here?"

I feel his stupid attractive voice in my gut before I hear it.

Skylar messes with his hearing aids awaiting a response from either Luca or myself.

We'd all plunged into a heavy silence after ending the phone call with Dad and Jace. The drive was longer than anticipated and now we found ourselves in a more rural area of Venice, a place lined with trees and wildlife I had no idea existed so close to the town centre.

I stay quiet allowing Luca the chance to tell his friend whatever lies or truths he finds appropriate.

"Jace asked me to keep her safe." He confesses after a while. We both wait for him to expand on that but one minute passes and then two and we realise that's it.

Enthralling conversation as always Luca...not.

I seen a human side to him not long ago when we first met with Skylar and then that phone call happened and he's immersed himself right back into bodyguard mode.

Maybe some day I'll meet him again under normal circumstances and get a better glimpse at Luca-the-friend rather then Luca-the-agent.

"That's all I get?" Blondie raises his brows at Luca.

"That's all I got. It's just a favour for Jace. Nothing official." Luca explains with an annoyingly nonchalant shrug.

Skylar meets my eyes again in the mirror and turns the spotlight on me for answers.

I quickly turn to look out of my window to pretend I never saw the questions in his eyes. I'm not prepared for any of this. Between him and Luca all of my most sacred secrets have already been exposed and if either of them were the chatty type then my life would be officially over.

I wish I could press reset on this entire week and run away to some place far away. I'd bring my Dad and uncle Rowan. Maybe Gray if he wanted to. We'd be blissfully unaware and safe from Georgio Bellanca and nobody would have any secrets to hold over my head.

"Kiara." Skylar tastes my name for the first time. It's never sounded so beautiful on anybody's lips. My heart races and my cheeks heat.

"Who's after you?" His pretty eyes are wide with genuine concern. Perhaps he is the gentle soul I met first at heart. Maybe his friends don't define him.

"Some criminal." I lift a shoulder, feeling awful that I can't confide in him when he's only trying to help me. He switches on his phone and I copy, watching the three grey dots dance across our open chat.

Blondie
20:45- The guy from your party? The one that raped you?

I feel queasy even reading that horrific word. I don't dare meet his eyes or look up from my phone, scared that my tears will make their escape down my face. I'd have to make up an excuse for them for Luca and I don't have the energy to do that.

Me
20:45- I don't like that word. You should understand...

Blondie
20:45- I'm sorry. But I'm going to need an answer to my question baby.

I feel all of the blood in my body rushing straight to my cheeks. Did Luca turn up the heat in here? Why does it feel like a sauna?

I sink back into the leather seat trying my best to hide my flustered expression from Skylar. I can't let him know how much he effects me. For all I know he could have meant that teasingly in a best-friends-little-sister sort of way, and here I am blushing over it.

Skylar casually yet intentionally clears his throat when I take too long to respond.

His eyes look a little darker and his blank expression is hard to read. I make a show of switching off my phone and throwing it down beside me, trying to bite down a smug grin from the thrill of ignoring him knowing how much having no answers will tear him up.