Death By Defenestration

Noah spotted Giana in the hallway as soon as he stepped out of the lift on the fourth floor.

She was talking to the door. 'Kira, come on, open up. You can talk to me.'

'What's going on?' Noah came up to her.

Giana saw Austyn behind Noah and rolled her eyes. 'Kira locked herself in the room and refused to come out.' 'Should we break the door down?'

Giana boxed Noah's ear. 'What kind of stupid idea is that? Do you want me to get demerit points?"

'Just a thought.' Noah shrugged sheepishly and rubbed his ear.

'Kira's fine,' Giana said. 'I think she's just in shock. It's a lot to take in, you know.'

Noah nodded.

Giana patted his shoulder.

Noah's suggestion was hare-brained, but at least it showed he cared.

Unlike the other man present.

She crossed her arms and raised her chin, glaring at Austyn. 'Speaking of which, she wouldn't have been in shock if someone has not pulled a vanishing act and the mysteriously reappeared without a word. Who does he think he is-Houdini?' Frankly, Giana thought Kira had gone easy on Austyn.

If Giana were in her shoes, a good beating would have been the first order of business, followed by a break-up.

Austyn might be the richest man in Stamford, but he was also the most uncommunicative, stand-offish and callous man she'd ever met.

A relationship with him must be draining.

Just a year with him had sapped almost all of Kira's positivity.

The more Giana thought about it, the more worked up she became.

He had no right to treat Kira this way.

'Mr McCarthy, or should I call you Mr President?' Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. 'You know, since you are such a big shot and all that. I guess you're too busy running a billion-dollar company to spare much thought for your wife. In that case, why don't you stay away and leave her alone? Why don't you cut-'

Noah covered her mouth with one hand.

He pulled her aside and whispered in her ear, 'Stop it.'

Giana was about to whack him on the arm.

Noah anticipated and dodged the attack. 'I'm serious. Let them solve their own problems. We shouldn't get in the middle of this.'

Giana huffed, but she knew Noah had a point.

She nodded then shoved him away.

Ignoring Austyn, she went up to the door and knocked again. 'Kira, can you hear me? Can you open the door, please? I'm getting worried.' Kira lay in the top bunk, letting her tears fall. Her pillow was wet.

Her right palm was still numb, which was a reassuring feeling.

It meant she had not dreamed of the slap.

She had touched him.

He was real, and he was back.

She could stop trying to keep herself together.

She could finally let go of all the emotions pent up inside.

A good cry was cathartic.

Kira felt her strength leave her body together with the tears.

She didn't want to move.

She didn't want to see his face again.Text content © .

Not now.

Right now,

all she felt was bitterness.

Maybe she deserved it.

This was what she got for marrying a stranger.

The deal had been too good to be true.

She was now paying the price for that rash decision a year ago.

Kia closed her eyes.

What was she supposed to do now?

After this incident, she didn't think she could ever trust him again.

Less than twelve hours before he disappeared, he told her he loved her.

If that was true, how could he let her live through ten days of hell?

Didn't he know she would worry?

Almost every night, she scared herself awake with nightmares.

If he cared about her at all, he wouldn't put her through this.

She had let him off too easily.

One slap was so not enough.

Kira was drained, but she couldn't ignore Giana's concerned voice through the door.

She forced herself to get up and climb down from the top bunk.

Then she went to open the door.

The room wasn't hers.

It belonged to Giana as well, and two other girls who might be back soon.

Kira stopped at the desk to grab a tissue.

She almost jumped out of her skin when the door banged open.

She whipped around and saw a man's long legs.

Austyn's.

He'd kicked down the door.

Giana screamed. 'That's our room!'

The door swung on its hinge precariously.

Another kick would have completely dislodged it.

Austyn turned around.

He looked at Noah. 'I need to speak to her alone. Please take your girlfriend someplace else.'

Giana was seething.

This was her room!

How dare he kick her out of her room!

But Noah took hold of her elbow and gently drew her aside. 'Come on.'

'Noah Hodges! Why are you taking orders from him?'

Noah whispered something in her ear.

Giana relented, but not before giving her boyfriend a hard pinch on his arm.

Noah bore the pain; it was better than a box on the ear.

Austyn closed the door.

Kira watched him walk towards her.

His dark eyes were locked onto her face.

Kira squared her shoulders. 'I didn't invite you to come in. Get out!'

Austyn continued walking like he didn't hear her.

Behind Kira was the desk.

Behind the desk was the open window.

Kira contemplated the possibility of jumping out, but the room was on the fourth floor.

Instead of freedom, she was more likely to receive death by defenestration.

Kira had nowhere to run.

She couldn't flee the room, and she didn't have Giana's training in taekwondo.

Kira decided to take a page from the non-cooperation movement and refuse to engage the enemy.

She kept her eyes on the floor.

But the enemy did not stand still. Austyn advanced on her.

You'RE Ther Be My Wife, Or My Widow