When I Adored You (Bad Desires #1)

39

"Stay here." James bent his head down and kissed her forehead, his hand holding the back of her head in his palm, "I might be back after an hour or so."

"It is fine. I am finally getting some time to chill." Kara grinned enthusiastically.

After so much arguments and discussions James had finally agreed to go to work, but only if Kara accompanied him there and stayed with him inside the office. He was completely in control of every minute that she breathed.

James nodded his head and stood up to walk away. He straightened, but stayed in his place for a few more minutes, not really wanting to leave her alone. His heart would not stop wanting to stay near her. With everything going on and even before that, he had almost lost her. Now that she was in front of his eyes, he stayed assured she was okay. 

When Kara looked up at him again and smiled, he smiled back and then turned around and left the room to go to the meeting room.

An hour passed by like an eternity. And by the time that he was back, he found her sitting on the couch with both of her feet spread out on the seat and her head resting on the pillow. Her hand held the screen of phone in front of her eyes face timing with someone.

"No, you look worse than me." she giggled, "just look at that black eye! At least my face is still pretty."

"Nurses over here are swooning over me. You should be jealous." Damon's voice rang from the other side, a bit hoarse.

"Never. Have fun. In fact, send me some pictures as well. I want to see too who is the old lady you are trying to make me feel jealous of."

"Show me your hand." Damon asked.

"Why?" 

"You broke it?"

"No. Was hurt a bit, but now fully healed."

"Show me," Damon insisted.

Kara rolled her eyes and wriggled both of her hands in front of him one by one, showing him her palm and back of the hand.

James stepped inside the room silently without disturbing their chat. He came to sit in front of Kara on the table. Kara's eyes cut to him for a second before returning.

"See. All good."

Damon nodded his head with a smile, but Kara immediately realized that the smile that was on his face a minute ago had gotten replaced with this fake one.

"Kara, answer me something."

Kara scrunched her brows in confusion, "what?"

"Where is the engagement ring?"

Kara's smile faltered at his words. She was shocked at his words. Her eyes slipped to her own hands, looking at them and then back at the screen. She had not even realized the ring was not on her hands or when it had disappeared.

"I... I don't know." she whispered, kind of getting scared, "I did not realized it was not on my hand."

Damon stayed silent while staring at her. His mind was full of thoughts that were too bad to even come out of his mouth. He felt bad, the feeling of frustration, and anger and sadness hitting him hard. It was not directed at her but at the situation and at the feelings that ambushed him. He wanted to see her care better for things that connected her to him, to have more feelings for him than she had at present. 

"Alright, it is fine, don't panic." Damon smiled, hiding his real feelings, "might have gotten lost in the accident. We will buy a new one."

James' hand slid to Kara's thigh, squeezing. He wanted her to hang up the call. 

"I am so sorry." Kara murmured, the feelings of guilt were drowning her. She knew she had made a mistake, and it was a big one.

"I will buy you a new one," Damon grinned, "and we will have a big function this time, instead of the silent one we had to-"

The phone was snatched out of Kara's hand before he could finish his words and the call was cut off. James stared at the black screen intently before moving his eyes to Kara, "When is this drama going to end?"

Kara straightened in her seat and sat upright, "James..."

"No, you listen to me right now," James gritted, "I want you to end this engagement as soon as Damon and mom and dad are back in the country. Tell them you want to be with me, or I will tell them you will be marrying me, not Damon. You choose which you prefer."

Kara's eyes dropped to her hands that were clutched tight in each other, her fingers shivering a bit that was barely noticeable. As much as she longed to be with James, how could she forget the promise she had made to her dying mom? The last wish her mother had expressed was to marry Damon. Wouldn't she be a bad daughter if she refuted those words?

"Answer me." 

"We will see." she responded softly.

"Give me an answer right now." 

Suddenly a knock on the door inturrepted them. James took sharp, deep breaths in but did not fight with her any longer. She was already not feeling well and he did not want her to be stressed anymore. He had forgotten he had ordered lunch.

"Bring it in." he ordered loudly.

Once the footsteps retreated, he sighed aloud and ruffled his hair frustration. 

"Let's go. We will have lunch. You have not eaten anything till now."

Kara did not respond and did not even look up at him. The courage she needed to muster for that was greater than she could manage.

James put his hand on her head, caressing softly. Once he had calmed down, he lifted her up and settled on the couch. Two of the waiters brought the lunch in and settled them on the table. He picked up his phone, looking through the screen. Suddenly a waiter stumbled on his feet, his hands landing on Kara's shoulders and pulling at the dress she was wearing. Thankfully there was nothing in his hands at that moment. The other waiter instantly tried helping him while at the same time, James blasted out,

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU FUCKING BLIND?!"

"James!" Kara straightened in worry, "calm down, I am fine."

"He fucking almost fell over you!" he shouted, his voice rang inside the whole room and even out of it through the glass door as he pushed the shoulder of the waiter that had fallen over her, "GET OUT! GET THE FUCK OUT RIGHT NOW!"