Bedmates Soulmates

His Hidden Agenda

Georgina was wailing.

Helen stood rooted to the spot, her head bowed.

"Let them go,' Kira said quietly.

Austyn leaned back to look at her.

She was standing by the bed, one hand on her father's wrist.

"Dad needs to rest. He can't do it with such a ruckus in the room. Please leave. All of you."

Kai looked a question at Austyn, who frowned before giving a nod.

"Let them go." Kai said.

Stefan released Georgina.

Bryson, who'd been standing guard at the door, stepped aside.

Helen put an arm around her daughter's shoulder.

Before leaving, Helen shot Kira, her other daughter, a look filled with venom.

Kira's eyes were downcast.

"Is there any other part that hurts?"

Jesse knelt in front of Kira, who was sitting on a chair.

She shook her head.

Right after Helen and Georgina left, Austyn called Jesse and brought Kira straight to his office.

The chief physician of Stamford General donned a pair of gloves and went to work.

"Then I think I'm done here. Jesse stood up. "You have bruises all over your body. Nothing major, except that wound on your calf. Punctured skin and a big bruise. Expect some swelling and pain in that area. You may have to limp for a while. But as long as you don't plan on running a marathon, you should be fine."

"Okay, thank you."

Jesse wrote out a prescription for ointment. You can get it at the pharmacy downstairs. Apply it topically three times a day."

She nodded.

Jesse tore off the page and handed it to her.

They were at his office.

It was just the two of them.

'So, who did this to you? he asked. 'Is it Austyn?

'What? Kira was thrown. 'No, no, no, it's not him."

You can tell me, you know. I swear I won't tell him."

Kira shook her head emphatically. 'No, it's really not him. It's someone else. He saved me from them,

actually."

'Oh?' Jesse leaned forward. 'Austyn doesn't take too kindly to people who bully one of his own. He won't rest until he's exacted his pound of flesh. What did he do to the ones who hurt you?" Kira cast her mind back to the scene in the ward.

She couldn't see the look on Austyn's face when he gave the order for Helen to slap Georgina, but she heard his voice,

Unflappable.

Deep, mellifluous.

Which was somehow worse than if he were shouting.

She had always thought of Austyn as aloof, hard to approach.

A ruthless businessman.

But she'd never associate him with the word 'savage."

Yet, that was the word stuck in her mind.

She was glad Austyn was not in the room right now.

Frankly, she was a little scared of him.

'Hello? Jesse waved a hand in front of her.

'Sorry." Kira offered a sheepish smile. 1 zoned out for a bit.

Jesse stuck both hands into the pockets of his white lab coat and studied the girl.

He knew Kira, of course, and had seen her in passing.

But this was the first time they had a face-to-face conversation.

After a brief chat, he found the girl easy to talk to.

She had a comely face, a disarming smile and a gentle demeanour,

She was the kind of girl men found easy to fall in love with.

No wonder Austyn was acting all weird and out of character over her. However...

Jesse straightened up.

He was one of the few in the know about Austyn's reason for marrying the girl.

Austyn wasn't meant to fall for her.

Besides, what if it was a feeling that went unrequited?

Jesse cleared his throat. 'Can I ask you something?

'Um, sure. Kira looked up..

'Do you love Austyn?'

'Of course not!' Kira blurted without thinking.

She regretted it the moment the word escaped her mouth.

The man was a stranger.

DEN

Why did she just share her innermost thought with him?

The worst thing was, he was Austyn's buddy.

What if he told Austyn?

"Dr Chase,' she quickly back-pedalled. 'What I meant was, I, uh, I don't really know much about him. It's not

'It's okay," Jesse interrupted her with a smile. 'You don't have to explain. I understand. I do, really.'

The physician shrugged. It's actually great that you don't love him. Let me tell you, that man doesn't deserve the love of someone as pure and fresh as you. A word to the wise, if I may, don't fall for him if you don't want to end up with a broken heart."

Kira fidgeted in the chair. I, uh, I won't. Thank you, Doctor."

'Good.' Jesse nodded approvingly. Just curious, though-why not?'

'What do you mean? Kira glanced towards the door.

The physician was getting too inquisitive for her comfort.

"By all

appearances, Austyn is an excellent prospect for a husband, Jesse didn't seem to notice his patient was ill at ease and carried on. "Filthy rich, young-well, relatively young, a killer bod, not to mention. the McCarthy name. He is quite a catch, apparently. At least that's what the gossip mags say about him. You've been with him for, what, more than a year now? You don't feel anything for the man? Nothing?"

Kira shook her head resolutely. "No."

Jesse flashed her a lopsided grin. 'I don't believe you."

'Dr Chase, if you were me, would you fall in love with a man who married you with a hidden agenda? The smile on Jess's face disappeared.

He took a second, closer look at the girl.

How did she know that?

Kira squirmed under his penetrating gaze. 'D...did I say something wrong?"

'What hidden agenda? he asked.

"We really shouldn't be talking about him behind his back... Kira looked for a way out.

'Come on, it's just the two of us here. I won't tell a soul I promise."

Kira averted his gaze.

A year ago, she'd jumped at the chance to marry Austyn.

She was at the end of her rope and would have done anything to save her father.

She didn't think much of it at the time.

But eventually, she started to ponder-she knew what she got out of the deal, but what did Austyn get by marrying her?

She wouldn't be so stupid as to ask him straight out.

But recent incidents gave her an inkling.

"Well?' Jesse pressed.

They Are Not My Family

"He married me because he's trying to protect... Kayleigh, I think."

"What? Jesse stared at her in disbelief. 'What does it have to do with Kayleigh?'

You

'Sure."

know she's an actress?

Then you know she can't afford to let her relationship with Austyn come to light. She's at the peak of her career now. She's a celebrity. Millions of her fans-male fans, I guess-would be heartbroken if they know she's in a serious relationship. It would shatter their dreams. She might end up losing a huge chunk of her fanbase. So I guess that's why Austyn married me, to protect her."

Jesse didn't know whether to laugh or to snort.

The girl had a serious look on her face.

She truly believed in what she was saying.

But how could she think up such a...weird, illogical, just plain absurd reason?

Was there a brain behind that pretty face?

On second thought, however, Jesse decided that this might be a good thing.

Whether she was being deliberately obtuse or was truly as ingenuous as she looked, it was clear that she didn't have any designs on Austyn.

If she honestly did not love Austyn, so much the better

For both of them.

Though his warning earlier was delivered in jest, he'd meant it.

Austyn was not an easy man to love.

"I should get going. Kira shot out of her chair when she noticed Jesse lost in thought. 'Thank you for your time. And the ointment. Please send me the bill."

She made for the door.

Think, Kira.' Jesse called her name for the first time. If Austyn's in love with Kayleigh, why would he marry you?

The physician didn't know what had gotten into him.

He was prepared to keep quiet on the subject.

It was none of his business.

But there was just something about the girl's open, guileless face that pricked at his conscience.

It wasn't right to keep her in the dark.

Kira's hand paused on the doorknob.

'When a man loves a woman, he'll do everything in his power to protect her. If Austyn loves Kayleigh, he would have hurt her more than anyone else by getting married to you."novelbin

Kira looked at him blankly.

What was he saying?

That Austyn didn't love Kayleigh?

But how could that be?

She saw them on TV with her own eyes.

The entertainment news anchor called Austyn and Kayleigh 'the perfect match."

If that could be dismissed as tabloid gossip, what about the night at The Analogue?

She was crouched gracelessly on a toilet seat in a cubicle, while Kayleigh seduced the man in her sultry," come and ravish me' voice.

Kayleigh called her for a showdown and told Kira, in no uncertain terms, that she and Austyn had something special.

They were together for years, she told Kira.

Way before Kira arrived on the scene.

"Well, that's all I have to say on the matter, Jesse said. Miss Hewitt, I have matters to tend to, if you'll excuse me."

"S sure."

Kira turned the doorknob and went out in a daze,

She walked on autopilot and didn't snap out of her trance till she saw the man leaning against the wall outside her father's ward.

Kira shook her head to chase away the wild thoughts.

Dr Chase was a stranger.

She shouldn't put too much stock in what he said.

Austyn's dark eyes fell on her.

Kira wanted to duck for cover.

The man's unblinking gaze was unnerving.

Her heart fluttered.

Kira picked up her pace and was about to enter the ward when he blocked her path with those long legs. of his. 'What did Jesse say?'

Kira averted her eyes. 'It's just superficial wounds. I'm fine."

"Okay." He ran his eyes over her,

The swelling on her face had gone down a bit.

The scratches on her arms were covered in a thin film of green, minty-smelling ointment.

'Now can you tell me who the two women are?"

Kira wanted to say no, but the man had just got her out of a jam.

She eyed her father's peaceful face a few steps away. That's my mother and my half-sister.

Austyn stepped back and creased his brows.

They were his mother-in-law and sister-in-law?

Did he just have a face-off with his in-laws?

The vein in his forehead started popping again.

Austyn took a deep breath. 'Do you blame me?"

What? Kira looked up in surprise. 'Why would I blame you?"

"For hurting your family."

Austyn had not been gentle with those two.

If Kira hadn't spoken up for them, he would have gone much further.

She gave an indifferent shrug "They are not my family. Families don't turn on each other. Biologically, that woman's my mother, but for all practical purposes, she's dead to me."

Austyn listened with an expressionless face and a pounding heart.

A girl after my own heart!' he shouted to himself. 'Not one of those weak, infuriatingly forgiving who turn the other cheek. This girl's ruthless, just like me!"

Austyn stared at her.

Even with a swollen cheek, she was beautiful.

"Last name?

"Huh?"

"Your mother's last name."

"Her maiden name's Raynor. Helen Raynor. Though I suspect she's taken her husband's name now- Vaughn. My half-sister's name is Georgina Vaugh."

Kira gave him a quizzical look. 'Why do you want to know?"

Just curious. Not important." He tipped his chin at the paper in her hand. 'Is that your prescription?"

'Yes.'

Austyn took the paper from her hand. 'Let's

go in."

Kira wondered what he was going to do with her prescription, but soon tossed that thought aside. Austyn remained one step behind her.

When Kira was out of earshot, he turned around and thrust the paper into Kai's waiting hand.

'You heard the names,' he said quietly. 'Check them out."

"Yes, Boss."