The heartbeats

Chapter 24

>Ian

We have just arrived at the villa, we are only staying a few days, we have contracts to sign. And I can't come without seeing them, especially after two years of disappearance. Especially her. But damn, I missed her so much, it's torture to see her without being able to touch her. But at the same time, I'm afraid to see her, I don't know what she will do when she sees me or when she will find out about Kira.
"Ian, are you okay?" Kira asks me, placing her hand on my thigh.
I move my leg,
"I'm fine."
I open the car door and get out. I put my hands in the front pockets of my jeans while waiting for her to come out. We enter, Ethan and James are in the living room. Hey guys, I say as we enter. They let go of their controllers and run towards me.
"Oh my god," Ian, Ethan said, giving me a hug.
"Hi" I pat his back while smiling.
"Why didn't you tell us you were coming back? Why did you disappear? Why didn't you talk to her anymore?" he asks as I give James a hug.
"Hi" James pats my shoulder.
"Hi" I do the same.
"I'll answer your questions later," I inform him. "Okay" he finished.
"So you're not going to introduce us to this girl?" James asks, scanning her up and down, reminding me that she's there too.
"Kira, I introduce you to Ethan and James. Guys, I present to you Kira, my fiancée" I admit with one of the fakest smiles on my lips.
Out of nowhere, she appears with a smile on her lips. "Hi" she stares at me, her gaze doesn't let go of mine. I can't believe she's in front of me after 2 years, and instead of kissing and hugging her or even fucking her, I inform her of my engagement.
"Hi" I lower my gaze to look at her, to look at her body, but also to escape her gaze.
She is wearing sweatpants with a V-shaped crop-top across her chest, exposing her tits a bit. I look at her quickly. She congratulates us but her voice trembles. Her eyes move from Kira to me and back again.

We are sitting on the terrace, talking about my engagement surprise.
"After a few months of arriving in Boston, I noticed that my place is there and I needed to disconnect from you to be able to take charge of my life" I lie.
I certainly wasn't going to tell them the truth. I was definitely not going to tell them that my parents, my father forced me to work with him, that my parents forced me to get engaged to Kira, that my father threatened to ruin her life. I look at everyone in turn, avoiding Abbie's gaze.
"And my engagement to Kira helped me", Abbie exhales with a laugh and walks inside.
I want to follow her, catch her, explain to her, tell her the whole truth, tell her that she was and will remain the one and only women in my life then fuck her till she can't walks anymore, but I refrain.
"How long have you been engaged ?" James asks. "About a year" Kira replies, placing her hand on mine.
She tilts her head and smiles at me, a small smile like she's apologizing for Abbie.
"Ian, can we talk, alone ?" Ethan asks me.
I get up and he joins me inside when I see Abbie open the door and Jasper enters.
"Son of a bitch" I whisper to myself as I stop walking but Ethan manages to hear me and turns his head to look at them.
"I'll tell you later," he informs me, tapping my shoulder.
I take a deep breath and we go up to his room. I think I know what he wants to talk to me about. He knows me more than I know myself and he probably knew I lied.
"Spit out the truth" he orders me as he sits down on the bed.
I sit on the end of his desk. I cross my arms over my chest and exhale.
"Ian, the truth" he orders again.
"Okay".
I tell him everything, from the first day until now. I tell him about my arranged engagement, my obligation to work for my dad, everything. I was never ashamed in front of Ethan, I was never ashamed to tell him about my father and my family. "Fuck, Ian. Why didn't you tell me all that when we were talking?"
He places his head in his hands which are on his knees.
"And your father can't ruin her life. She only has her studies", he added.
He crosses his fingers then looks at me.
"What will you do ?" He asks.
" I have no idea," I reply, "and you said it yourself, she only has her studies" I finished exhaling.
"She wants explanations. You know that. What are you going to tell her ? You are well aware that she didn't believe you, right ?" He's worried about her, you can see it in his eyes.
"I don't know yet, and yes I know. I'm thinking of avoiding he–" he interrupts me,
"you can't leave her without explanations or answers. You have no idea what she's been through in these two last years" he remains silent, he says nothing more.
"Give her answers, Ian" he orders me before getting up and approaching me.
"You're my friend, my brother but she was hurt by what happened. She is a beautiful, a awesome girl and she deserves explanations" he said, placing his hands on each of my shoulders.
"I know, Ethan" I tap above his chest.

I haven't seen Abbie since last night, when we came out of Ethan's room, she was no longer there.
"Kira, hurry up. We're late" we're getting ready to go sign a contract.
She comes out of the bathroom with w towel wrapped around her body and it's the same one Abbie used. I never touched Kira, not once. Even in front of our parents. She tried to touche me several times, but I forbade her. I already told her that I won't be able to touch her and it's not her fault and she understood me. As always. Maybe because she is also a victim in this whole story and she wants to live her own life without her parents, our parents, controlling her.
"All I have to do is get dressed, Ian" she informs me. I totally skipped her makeup and hairstyle.
"Okay" I tell her before leaving my room so she can get dressed.
"Ethan" Abbie shouts, running around the house, "what's happening ?" I ask, trying to understand why she opens all the doors in the house, but she doesn't give me any answers.
"Abbie ?" I call out to her.
"Mind your own business," she replies.
"Finally, thank God" she gasps.
"Come in" he orders and she follows him without looking behind her, towards me.
Why does he want her to follow him? What do they want to talk about ? Are they that close ? They always talk alone ? Does he fuck her ?
"Fuck" I whisper to myself before going back to my room.
"Come on Kira, let's go" I order.
She nods and gets up from her chair. I pass by Ethan's room.
"Are you serious ?" Abbie shouts with enthusiasm and happiness in her voice.
And I bet she does her little dance with a smile on her beautiful lips.
"Ian?" Kira calls out, moving her head in front of me. "Let's go"

"Fuck Kira, were you serious ? You couldn't have been paying attention ?" I yell at her as she walks across the living room.
"Ian, during the entire meeting you weren't concentrating, your mind was elsewhere" she shouts back and returns to me.
"So it's my fault ?" I ask.
"Leave me alone, Ian" she said before turning her back and going up to her room.
"What's going on ?" Laura ask.
They're all sitting here. Even Abbie. But she doesn't give us importance She is immersed in her book. "Nothing forgotten" I respond by placing both hands on my hips and lowering my head.
I take a deep breath before going out to the terrace. I put my hands in my pockets. James joins me. Ethan isn't here, I don't know where he is.
"I don't know what's going on between you two bu–" I interrupt him,
"where's Ethan ?" I ask him while ignoring what he wanted to tell me.
"He has a date tonight" he replies while exhaling.
I nod.
"Ian–" I ignore him and start walking towards the pool.
"Okay, whatever you want. If you need someone, you know where to find me" he informs me friendly. "Thank you James" I watch him go back inside and my gaze finds Abbie's.
We look at each other for a few seconds before she dives back into her book.

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