Siblings Unrelated By Blood
The central business district was bustling.
Gideon kept one hand on the steering wheel, navigating the traffic with ease.
He threw an occasional glance at Kira in the front passenger seat.
She kept her head turned away from him and had not said a word since she got in the car.
She'd rejected his offer for a lift at first.
But Gideon said, 'I'll just follow you in my car then."
Kira started walking.
The Bentley rolled forward at a snail's place.
Irate drivers behind leaned on their horns.
Someone shouted, 'Get a move on, asshole!'
A car changed lanes and overtook the Bentley.
Its driver flashed a middle finger at Gideon. Hed
He didn't pay it any notice.
More car horns honked.
Kira pulled up short.
She stomped over to the other side of the car, yanked the door open and go
got in.
talking on the phone just now.' Gideon broke the silence. 'Who were you calling?"
'I saw you
'What does
have to do with you?' Kira kept her eyes on the window.
Car tyres screeched,
The car stopped suddenly.
Inertia threw Kira's body forward but the seatbelt wrenched her back.
Her heart rate shot up from 60 beats per minute to 120 in a couple of seconds.
Kira winced in pain.
She almost got whiplash.
She turned to face Gideon, ready to give him a tongue-lashing for braking so suddenly.
The car in front of them was moving along nicely and following all the traffic rules.
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There was no reason for Gideon to slam on the brakes..
She opened her mouth but stopped short at the look on his face.
His eyes reminded Kira of a black hole visualisation she'd once.
The video had come with a warning from NASA'Don't stare at it for too long."
It was said that the black hole had a gravitational pull so strong, nothing could escape it, not even light.
Gideon's eyes were producing the same effect right now.Exclusive content from .
Kira wanted to look away but couldn't.
Gideon remained motionless, ignoring the cacophony of car honks.
Kira swallowed.
She still couldn't turn her face away, but her hands were free.
She groped for the door handle behind her.
Gideon pressed a button on the electronic dashboard.
All four door locks thunked into place.
"Gideon!' Kira raised her voice, a muscle in her jaw tremoring uncontrollably.
The scene reminded her of what happened at The Grillroom.
If Austyn hadn't kicked the door down, Gideon would have kissed her.
Gideon leaned in.
Kira retreated, her back pressing against the window. 'Don't make me hate you!'
He paused.
00
got in the car because I still trust you,' she said. 'I don't believe you're capable of hurting
me, despite everything that has happened. Don't do anything to betray that trust!!
She prayed he wouldn't.
Gideon was different from Liam.
She had no history with Liam.
It was easy for her to put her guard back up once she saw through his false appearance.
But she lived with Gideon for four years.
She couldn't just erase those memories and start treating him like a stranger.
THE
Kira's hands trembled.
She prayed Gideon wouldn't step over the line.
He didn't.
Gideon pulled back.
The dark, disturbing look was gone from his face
He smiled bitterly. 'You know I'll never hurt you.
All he wanted to do was love her.
Kira's shoulders relaxed.
She had wanted to run away when she saw the scary look on his face earlier.
But now that he was looking downhearted and miserable, she felt the familiar urge to comfort
him.
Dad was a self-employed electrician.
He often got called away at all sorts of odd hours, leaving Kira to fend for herself.
The situation got better when Gideon came to live with them.
Kira had a housemate.
She was no longer lonely.
They had each other for company.
When one was down, the other was there to lend a listening ear and a sympathetic shoulder.
Kira's voice softened. 'I know. I trust you. We grew up together. We can no longer be a couple, but can't we stay friends, please? I'd hate to lose you out of my life.*
Helen divorced Leland when Kira was three.
She was motherless for all intents and purposes.
Her father was now in year two of his coma.
It would be a miracle for him to wake
1. up.
Kira had no other family left in the world.
Only Gideon.
She knew it was an unreasonable demand-he wanted them to be a couple again, but she just wanted them to be kin.
Yet, she couldn't help but hold out hope.
She hoped Gideon could come around.
Gideon's eyes were downcast.
Cars zoomed past them.
Kira waited, expectant.
Gideon looked up at her.
Gone were the stern warning tone and the defensive body language.
She was looking at him with hope in her eyes.
He knew what she was hoping for.
A glimmer came into his eyes.
"You want to be friends?"
She nodded. 'More than friends. We can be family to each other.'
She came from a single-parent family.