K A I

Chapter |8| Reformed

E M E R Y ' S P. O. V

I can still feel his fingers inside of me.

Thrusting, curling, stroking.

Fuck. I need s*x. Badly.

Jason passes my office and flashes me a grim smirk.

Uh maybe not that badly.

I used my vibrator last night until the batteries died. Even though my chest was heavy from the sudden loss of Kai, I needed to c*m.

Desperately.

I cursed myself for calling out his name, after I came down from my high.

I'm supposed to be forgetting about the beautiful brown eyed man and his ridiculous jokes and his charming smile and...no, Emery.

Work. Focus on work.

I pull up some documents and fill in the paperwork of my previous patient. John Greene. It was a simple keloid scar but I was a little concerned about the inflammation so I prescribed a cream and sent a referral to the dermatologist.

Inputting prescriptions is weirdly relaxing. It allows my mind to focus on all the letters within the strange naming of the medication rather than he who shall not be named.

For lunch, a sad sandwich awaits me in the staff room. Cucumber. That's it. Two slabs of almost stale bread with four circled cucumber slices.

I really need to go food shopping but I'm scared about what my bank account will look like after. It's dwindling fast and the amount of money coming in it's just not enough to combat with rent and bills.

As I'm bending over to grab my sandwich out of the refrigerator, I feel a sharp swat on my a*s. "Ow," I jump, immediately spinning around.

Jason greets me with a smirk. "I was thinking we should go on a date. Tonight, honey."

The term of endearment from his mouth makes me cringe. I'm sick of this. Men thinking they have some right to dictate what I do. He may be my manager but I don't give a f**k anymore.

The man is dangerous, volatile and seriously deluded.

"f**k off." His smirk drops, replaced with shock and growing anger.

I tense about to step back but then realise he can't hurt me. Not here.

"I said f**k off. I am not going on a date with you, I do not like you. You abused me, you scared me and I don't deserve to feel that way. I let you get away with it Jason, but I swear to god if you don't leave me alone..."

"Then what?" He spits, taking a dangerous step closer to me. "What will you do?" His hands grip my wrists with such strength I can already feel the bruise forming.

I attempt to wrench them out of his grip, but fail miserably, and then he clutches my waist, shoving me against the hard counter.

"I could kiss you, touch you, f**k you and who would stop me? You saw what I can do Emery, I had you pinned beneath, but I walked away because I wanted you to want me. I wanted to be nice, but if you're going to behave like a little b***h than that's how I'll treat you."

I swallow down my fear, never backing away. "I'll report you." I'm desperate now. I don't have any evidence, and he knows it.

He shifts his hand to grip my chin, nails digging into my skin. My eyes clench shut as his face lingers so close to mine, I can practically taste the tuna on his breath. "Who would believe such a pathetic little w***e?"

"I do." Our manager, Joshua, stands at the door with his arms folding neatly.

Jason lets go of me and moves back. I cough, violent tears ripping out of my eyes and rush to Joshua's side. He gently guides me behind him, shielding me from Jason.

Thank god. Thank god.

If he didn't show up, then...fuck, what would he have to me. Jason is unpredictable, I know that now. I've been stupidly feeding into his motions of friendship, being courteous instead of blunt. Now I'm reaping the repercussions.

"Jason, my office now."

"But she was..."

"Now." Joshua moves to the side, me right behind him as Jason passes and heads straight to the office.

He lets out a long sigh, and finally turns to me. I see the pity in his eyes, the sympathy like I'm a wounded animal. "Can you explain exactly what happened?"

So I do. Of how he pursued my relentless, invited himself into my apartment, followed me to my car, forced himself on me, touched my a*s, threatened me, hurt me.

"Why didn't you report any of this before?" This time I meet his gaze, unwavering.

"Because I thought it was harmless, meaningless. I didn't want to be classed as hysterical or dramatic for reporting him and I didn't have any proof. Just my word against his."

"Now it's both of our words. Take an hour for lunch." He squeezes my shoulders, before walking after Jason.

An hour is solitude. To sit down and play candy crush on my phone like I used to. Normally I would text Kai, and we would ask each other stupid questions that would always end with me choking on my food.

My phone buzzes and...talk of the devil.

Can we talk? x

I rapidly fire back.

No. What we did Kai. It ruined everything

What if I was already here? In the parking lot, waiting for you with some tacos x

He sends a pic of the tacos. Beautiful meaty tacos with avocado. My favourite.

I shouldn't. I'm vulnerable right now, and me and Kai, we're unpredictable together. It's like voluntarily setting myself on the course for destruction. Again.

Oh f**k it. My heels rapidly click along the floor which changes to stone as I reach the parking lot.

Kai's car is glorious. An old vintage McLaren, sleek black. He's perched on the top of it, the bag of tacos besides him, as well as a bouquet of yellow flowers.

He hops off the hood and beelines straight for me. Presumably before I turn around and run away again.

I'm tempted. Mostly to escape the anxiety this conversation is going to enact, but I'm also curious to see if he would chase me again.

"Emery," He exhales, smiling like I'm a breath of sunshine. I'm anything but. My nerves still fried from what just happened with Jason.

"Kai." I move back as he tries to touch me. Hurt flinches across his face. It's not all him...I'm still afraid of someone touching me, and not being able to control it.

"I'm sorry." He blurts out. "I'm so f*****g sorry." His hands are suddenly cupping my face and he presses his forehead against mine.

"For what?"

"For being an i***t. For saying we could only ever be just friends. For kissing you first, instead of asking you out."

I gulp down the flood of emotion that threatens to break me. "I thought you don't date. I thought you were the notorious playboy that would never change."

"Then I met you. A strong woman with beautiful green eyes and equally beautiful hair who could finally see me. The person I hid behind the facade. A woman that made me laugh and talk and listen. I don't want to lose you."

His thumb brushes away one of my stray tears. This is everything I've dreamt of hearing from him, and yet it's all so terrifying.

I'm scared of being hurt by him again, but I'm even more afraid of falling in love with him.

"I won't be another distraction for you to ignore all your problems, and we can never be just friends."

He nods, shifting his hands to clutch mine.

"If this doesn't work out, that's it. If you can't handle being with me, only me, then we can't talk anymore, I can't see you, I have to try and forget and move on because Kai, I know if we do this and you hurt me, I won't ever recover. Not with you still in my life."

It's painful, but so cathartic. Like a huge weight has just been lifted off my chest and finally, I can breathe again.

He stared deep into my eyes, so all I see if honest truth. "I want this Emery. I can't say I'll never make a mistake, that there won't be times I'll f**k up because I will. It's in my nature too, but I will never cheat on you, or leave you. You're enough for me, I promise you that."

I break out into a teary laugh, and he mimics. I wrap my arms around his neck, and gently kiss him. In heels, we're the same height and it's easier to be in control.

He lets me take over. To direct our first soft kiss.

I let his tongue into my mouth, it slides across mine, pulling a deep moan out of my chest. His hands caress my body like we're alone in his bedroom, touching me in ways that incite my body to shudder.

"Kai," I mumble, pulling away and flush in embarrassment.

Some of my co-workers openly gawk at us from the door and windows, others stare as they walk towards their car.

"How long have you got left?" I glance at his watch.

"Around forty minutes." He frowns, knowing it's typically thirty. "My manager was feeling generous."

I hate starting off our relationship like this, but I can't Kai about Jason until I know there's no way the two will conflict with each other. I've seen the shaded parts of Kai, but I know there's a worse darkest he's not yet shared with me.

"Lucky me." He gently guides me to his car. People still stare but I try to ignore them and focus on the flowers he hands me.

"They're beautiful." Yellow tulips. Somehow they're better than traditional roses. I find them a little cringe, these are original.

"My brother actually picked them out. He's quite the florist."

"Kieron." We haven't delved into family life or anything very personal but I hope that changes now.

"Yeah, I know he's eager to meet you."

"I can't wait to meet him either, but let's hold off on meeting the families for a while. I just want to enjoy us."

And also I can't fathom what my mother will do to Kai. She tends to look down on anyone not pursuing a medical career since she and my father are both die hard surgeon.

I slip into the passenger seat with the tulips and rest them on the back seat whilst Kai grabs the taco bag. Although his car is very nice, it's not exactly practical.

My body is squished in the small cramped vicinity, causing my aching feet and back to hurt even more. "Let me," Kai leans over my body to recline my seat.

Fuck. Don't sniff him.

Kai is insanely delicious in every way, and he wears this intense cologne that emanates him.

My back stretches beautifully as my seat shifts back and then he grabs my legs, yanking off both heels and gently rubbing the soles before resting them on the dashboard.

"Better?" I nod, fighting a blush. I think I'm in love.

"I have a reservation booked at this fancy Italian restaurant for our first date on Friday. Is that okay?"

I choke down a mouthful of the delicious meaty taco. "One, we're you really that convinced I would forgive you?"

He smiles, unwrapping his. "I'm a hopeful man. Like to think the best of every situation."

Good answer. "And two, isn't this our first date?"

Kai pulls the most absurd look like I'm crazy. "This is not our first date. The tacos cost barely ten dollars."

"So?" I turn to face him, careful not to drip the taco grease everywhere. "I don't need you to flash money for an amazing date. All I need is you and somewhere private enough that we can talk. Like this, this to me is perfect."

"I'm so f*****g lucky." He chomps happily on his taco, grinning like he's just won the best prize in an arcade.

"How so?" A million girls would kill to date Kai Romano. If anything, I'm the lucky one.

"You're beautiful, clever, a doctor for Christ's sake. You're favourite thing is helping others, your favourite food is tacos and you're so stubborn and forthright it's incredibly attractive."

"I am pretty great."

My grin fades as I notice Jason storming out of the clinic. There's a box in his hands with all his stuff and his face is bright red from both anger and embarrassment.

People congregate to watch him. I glance down subconsciously at my wrists still raw and red from his assault.

"What happened?" Kai grabs my wrists, delicate not to touch the wound. "Emery who did this?"

"I..." My eyes shift to Jason. Following my gaze, Kai's entire body stiffens and then he reaches to open the door handle.

"Don't!" The taco slips off my lap, as I fiercely grab Kai, trying to restrain him from leaving. His hand hovers over the handle.

"Is that him?" Pure venom is laced in his tone.

I nod, resting my chin on his shoulder. "He's the one from my apartment and he...he tried to attack me earlier, right before I saw you. I was going to tell you later when it was just us together, I swear, but you can't hurt him. That won't make things better for me."

He hesitates so I gently guide his face to look at me, and his feature soften.

"I'm happy Kai. We're happy, let's not ruin it. Please,"

He succumbs to my desperation and slowly leans forward, wiping taco sauce off my cheek and then cups my face to kiss me. It's so enrapturing I forget all about Jason and the pain he's inflicted.

Kai consumes my mind instead and it's wonderful in every way.

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A/N: Thoughts on Jason?? ?

On Emery and Kai?? ? so cute

What would their ship name be? I'm thinking Emerai ?