Itilt my head to the early morning sun as I head out to my car the following morning, the street quiet and empty as the city around me still sleeps. I didn’t get much sleep myself last night and was awake way before the sun had even risen, so I’m already working off three cups of coffee and a shit ton of concealer to hide the dark shadows under my eyes.
I’m hoping for an easy day, we got a lot of filming done yesterday and I assume the rest of the time will be filling the gaps and perfecting what we have already achieved. I’m not looking forward to the headache to come.
As I unlock my car, and yank the door open to climb inside, a sleek black car rolls to a stop at the end of the driveway.
My mouth drops open as Killian rolls down his window, glasses on, and turns to me, and even though I cannot see them behind his dark shades, I feel the way they flick down my body, like a physical touch. It only reminds me of his fingers in my hair last night, the way he massaged my scalp and had me so damn relaxed it was as if I was no longer inside my own body, no longer had control.
For severallongseconds we stare at each other, the world utterly silent around us.
He moves first, turning away from me to reach for something beside him and then he’s holding a white take-out cup out the window.
When I don’t immediately move, he shakes it a little, urging me to close the gap between us to take the cup.
“Thank you,” I swallow thickly, the heat of the coffee warming my palm.
He nods mutely and then turns away to face through the windscreen, my cue to get in my car and head to the house to do my morning checks before I go to the studio. Killian moves so I can back out onto the road and waits at the edge until I pull around him. He stays a safe distance behind me as I take a few corners and then pull up outside the townhouse.
The workers are already here, and the sound of power tools greets my ears as I climb from the car. A couple of them wave at me though I don’t have any of their names and when I head inside, I find Luke speaking with someone in the kitchen.
His eyes catch mine and he smiles but then they lift tosomething behind me right before I feel a presence at my back. The air turns electric, and his scent hits me right after. Smoky, and rich, it wraps around me making it hard to breathe. I don’t need to turn around to know Killian has just stepped up behind me.
A wary look comes over Luke as he finishes up his conversation and then hesitantly wanders over to us, his eyes bouncing between me and Killian.
“Miss Levine,” He greets me, “Everything okay?”
“Fine,” I smile, trying to put him at ease. Killian is menacing, he always has been, and I don’t need to look at him to know he is glaring. He glares at everyone who isn’t in his immediate circle. “Just seeing how things are progressing.”
At this, I get a genuine smile from Luke, “All good, Miss Levine, it’s going better than I expected actually.”
“Yeah?” I grin, “How so?”
But he doesn’t get to answer, Killian steps up to my side, towering over Luke, “When will it be livable?” His voice is deep and demanding, promising retribution if he doesn’t get an answer he likes.
Luke glances around the place. It looks miles better already, the holes in the walls have been patched and new windows fitted, and behind him in the kitchen, a plumber is buried under the sink, fixing the leak there. The floors still need doing and a few other things but it’s coming together quickly.
“A week,” Luke answers, “Maybe less.”
I look at Killian, trying to gauge his reaction but of course his face is expressionless.
“It’s not as bad as we thought.” Luke rushes to fill the void, “Some minor electrical issues need to be addressed but I have an electrician booked to come tomorrow.”
Still, Killian doesn’t answer.
I nudge him with my elbow which seems to draw his attention away from Luke and for a minute, it seems like he softens when he looks at me, the icy expression on his face thawing but it doesn’t last long.
“Don’t cut corners,” Killian warns as he turns back to Luke, “I want this place to be perfect. Any issues when it is completed, and I will be coming to you.”
Luke pales, “Noted.”
“Don’t listen to him,” I hiss, “He has nothing to do with this, or me for that matter.”
“I’ve uh, got to get back to work,” Luke rubs the back of his neck, “See you tomorrow.”
He doesn’t stick around for me to reply, and I turn to Killian, my blood boiling, “The fuck is your problem, Kill?”
Killian simply tilts his chin toward me, eyes roaming around my face, “Sebastian would do the same.”
“Don’t bring my brother into this!” I grit out, “This ismyhouse.”
