Her Suited Savior

Chapter 11

Calla Stewart's POV

I absolutely could not live at the apartment Mr. King brought me to. 

It was so... so nice. It felt wrong of me to ever accept staying here. Everything screamed money and I already knew I would be told I'm not allowed to pay for it. 

He told me to look at it as a way for him to gain my forgiveness, but truth be told I had already forgiven him. I understood why he was worried about who I was, although his actions were pretty extreme, there was nothing that could change them.

He seemed to be sorry about it and was trying to help me now. I hadn't ever been someone to hold grudges, I just wanted to pretend I hadn't told him anything about my past from this point on.

"Will this do?" he asked, walking into the apartment behind me.

I took a moment to take it in. It wasn't huge, but it was definitely bigger than my own. The front door opened right beside the kitchen which faced the living room. A set of stairs led up to a loft that I assumed held the bedroom.

It was largely white, with some light wood accents. It felt very open and natural.

"It's wonderful," I said, "But, Mr. King, I really can't stay here without repaying you somehow."

"Calla," he growled, "Let me do this for you."

I snapped my eyes to his then quickly looked away, "Please, I don't feel right staying here without paying somehow. I... I know I don't have the money, but I can try to pay you some other way," I tried to convince him.

"No, I told you I was doing this for you as a way of apologizing," my boss stated, assuming I would let it go.

He walked a few paces around the house, ensuring that everything was in order. I stood in the same spot, willing myself to tell him my thoughts, "I have already forgiven you," I stated not much louder than a whisper.

His head snapped toward me, "What?" he looked extremely confused, "It's only been an hour. And don't forgive me just because I'm trying to help you," he sounded almost like he was scolding me. 

My eyes widened, "I-I'm not, I just want to forget about it. I understand why you were upset and I forgive you."

"Fine," he snapped, apparently unhappy with his lack of punishment, "But I'm not asking for anything in return and if you try to give me money then I will only apply double to your account so don't bother."

"O-okay," I answered.

I didn't think he would be so upset with me for my forgiveness. Did I give up too quickly? Probably. I bet he just thought I was more pathetic now; I was only proving to him that it was easy to walk all over me, but I couldn't find it in myself to be angry at him. Getting angry never got me anywhere, it was easier to just let it be. 

Mr. King was quickly back to his cold self, any remnant of the sincerity he held earlier this morning was now absent. I was relieved that things were somewhat back to the professional nature I was used to. I was better at predicting his actions when he acted this way since I'd known him like this for the majority of the time I'd been working for him. Things were so much simpler when I knew what to expect. It made me more comfortable.

In fact, before last night, the shaking in my hands was beginning to simmer down a bit around him. I was starting to feel a little more at ease, although fractionally. I could become professional Calla rather than just Calla.

*-*-*-*

Hunter King's POV

Calla stood in the center of the apartment looking lost in thought. It astounded me that she had forgiven my stupid ass so easily, without a second thought. I wanted her to be angry with me, to tell me off, to say that I was an awful person, but she didn't. Instead, she wanted to repay me. She wanted to somehow pay me back for me paying her back. It made no sense.