Kiara
I stepped out of the office, closing the door behind me. Honestly, I was so grateful the doctor refused my money. My bank account and I? We were barely on speaking terms. At that moment, I felt like the absolute brokest person alive.
Which was, you know, dramatic. There are people sleeping on concrete, but emotionally? Financially? Spiritually? Struggling.
I shifted my bag, looked down the hallway—and froze.
Alfred was walking toward me. He'd ditched the coat, rolled his blue shirt sleeves up. His forearms looked way too athletic for someone who claims he works nonstop. His hair was a little messy now. Less uptight. More… real. Way more distracting.
He stopped right in front of me.
"How'd it go?" he said.
"This isn't a coincidence. Don't lie."
Silence.
My mouth caught up with my brain about two seconds too late. I blinked.
"I—" I coughed a bit, trying to fix it. "I meant—"
He smirked, slow and annoying as hell.
"You think I set up a basketball attack?" He was just calm.
"That's not what I—"
"You were bleeding," he cut in. "I wanted to check if you're okay."
I folded my arms. "You could've just texted."
"You never gave me your number."
Damn. Good point.
I narrowed my eyes. "You could've asked for it."
He tilted his head. "Would you have given it?"
"…No."
"Exactly."
I huffed. "Why are you still here?"
He glanced down the hallway. "My meeting was in this wing."
"Right. Of course."
"It was," he said.
He didn't look defensive. Or guilty. Just steady.
"So?" he asked. "Is it broken?"
"No. Just bruised."
"Good."
We stood there. The air felt so balanced, neither of us winning this weird conversation.
Then he said, way too casually, "I'll drive you home."
I blinked. "Sorry, what?"
"It's late."
"I'm fine," I shot back. "I can get home myself."
He kept my gaze. "You got hit in the face less than an hour ago."
"I can walk."
"I know."
"Then why are we even talking about this?"
"Because," he said, "it's really not safe to walk alone right now."
I rolled my eyes. "Is this your public service announcement?"
He didn't even blink. "Assault and abduction rates are way up here—especially for women walking after dark."
I paused. He wasn't exaggerating, but I wasn't surrendering yet.
"So what," I said, "you're quoting crime stats to bully me into your car?"
His jaw tightened.
"If I was planning something," he said, "I wouldn't warn you first."
That took the fight right out of me.
"I'm not trying to take advantage," he said, his voice low, steady. "If you'd rather, I'll walk behind you at a distance, or get you a cab. But you're not walking alone."
Zero arrogance.
No teasing. Just absolute certainty.
I stared at him.
"I still think this is suspicious," I muttered.
"That's fine."
"But if you try anything—"
He raised an eyebrow. "You'll throw another basketball at me?"
I nearly laughed.
"Fine," I said. "One ride. And don't get cocky—this doesn't mean I trust you."
"I never assumed you did."
We made our way to the parking lot in silence. Not awkward, just… aware.
He unlocked his black car, opened the passenger door for me, then went round to the driver's side.
I hesitated only a moment, then slid in. It smelled like cedar, faint and clean, just like before.
He started the engine.
We drove in quiet. Not tense—just full.
Streetlights blurred outside. The city hummed, and after a bit I glanced at him.
"Why didn't you give me a time?"
"For what?"
"Our sessions. You said they'd be daily, but never gave me a time."
He didn't flinch or change his grip on the wheel.
Quiet. Long enough that I wondered if he'd just ignore me.
Then, calm:
"Don't worry about that."
I frowned. "That's not exactly reassuring."
"It's handled," he said. "It's all part of the plan."
Plan?
I turned toward him.
"What plan?"
He kept his eyes on the road. "Just show up."
"That's vague."
"Yeah."
I narrowed my eyes. "You really like being cryptic, don't you?"
A tiny smirk appeared.
"Only when I have to."
"And this is one of those times?"
"For now."
I leaned back, eyes on the road.
This guy. This complicated, controlled, quietly clever guy. He kept showing up when I needed him—always just mysterious enough to make me wonder if it was luck…
Or maybe something else entirely.