Chapter Fourteen

JC paced back and forth on his bedroom dialing up Kiora’s number over and over, trying to get a hold of her.  Each time he got her voicemail.

“Argh!”  He screamed and threw his phone on the bed.  It was 5:30 in the morning and she still wasn’t home yet.  Kiora wasn’t picking up her cell phone and he didn’t know where she was staying.  He was completely lost and was worried to death about her.  Why hadn’t she called him back?  Where was she?  Why was she doing this to him?

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The next day, JC could not concentrate on anything.  He still had not been able to reach Kiora and he was worried sick.  He was pacing his house aimlessly trying to kill the time.

He heard the door open and he ran straight for it.  Kiora was standing in the doorway and he immediately took her up into his arms.  Kiora sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

“Thank God you’re all right.”  He whispered into her hair.

“I’m alright now that I’m with you.”  She replied softly, burying her face into his neck. 

JC pulled her into the house and sat her down on the couch.  He looked her over and noticed the bump and cut on her forehead. “Kee, what the hell happened to you?”  He said moving her head to inspect the cut more closely,

“Work got a little rough with me.”  She said pushing his hand away, “I’m fine.”

He held onto her hand as if she would disappear any moment, “Where were you?  I waited for you all night.  I was worried sick.  You never answered your phone and I didn’t know where you were.”

“I’m sorry, I was working and I had appointments.  That’s why I came here as soon as I could.  I wanted to see you.”  She said pulling JC close again, burying her face in his chest.  JC slid his hand up the back of her neck, holding her tightly.  Kiora pushed away in pain.

“Ow.”  She said softly and JC lifted her chin,

“What’s wrong?”  He asked and Kiora shook her head lightly,

“I’m fine, just a little sore.”

JC tilted her face up gently, “What happened?”

Kiora turned her eyes down to look at his chest, “Nothing.”

“Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?  Something happened to you and I want to know what.”  He said strongly.

Kiora sighed knowing that she had to tell him, “I got whiff that one of the managers was embezzling money and abusing employees.  Last night I went and confronted him.  The manager got a little rough with me, hence the bruise.  However, I’ve been in meetings since then, trying to keep the disturbance from hitting the six o’clock news.  I saw a doctor and I’m okay.  This was the first I could come to see you.”  She blurted out.

JC stood up and started pacing, “Jesus, Kiora, you could have been seriously hurt by this guy.”  Something clicked in JC’s head, “Wait a minute, was that why you didn’t want me going to the club with you?”

Kiora looked down at her hands, “Partly, I really didn't want to cause problems with your friends, but on the other hand I just couldn’t chance you getting involved.”  She looked up at him, “I didn’t want you to get in the middle.”

“Middle of what?”  He asked suspiciously, obviously upset at the entire situation.

“Me and the manager.”  She shrugged, “You wouldn’t have let me do my job.”

“Well, do you blame me?  Look what happened to you!”

“I’m fine.  The doctor said so.”  She protested but JC wasn’t buying it.

“I can’t believe your father approves of this.  It’s so dangerous.”  He said putting his hands on his hips.

“It’s my job, it’s for the good of the company.”  She tried to explain.

JC stopped and looked at her with the most serious face, “I don’t like it Kiora.  This is ridiculous, you can’t stay at this job.”

“That’s my choice to make.”  She said standing up.

JC took a few steps closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, “I don’t like the thought of you getting hurt.”

She looked up at him, “You can’t protect me all the time JC.  You don’t have to be so cautious with me.”

JC groaned and ran his hands through his hair, “There’s a difference between being cautious and putting yourself in the path of danger Kiora!”

“I’m fine!”  She protested,

“Quit and I’ll find you another job.  I’m sure I can find you something.”

Kiora was almost too shocked to respond…ALMOST, “Excuse me? Who are you to tell me what to do?!  Last time I checked this was my life, not yours!”  She yelled at him, even though she knew it was going to give her a headache.

“So I don’t get a say at all?”

Kiora couldn’t believe she was even having this discussion.  The only person who told her what to do was her father and even then she didn’t always listen.  “No!  I don’t get a say at all in your life, why should you get a say in mine?!”

JC rolled his eyes, when had this switched to his life?  He wasn’t the one getting beat up by managers, “What about my life?  I’m not the one who’s purposely putting myself in danger!”

“I don’t— whoa.”  Kiora said and sat down on the couch quickly. 

JC was at her side in a second, “What’s wrong?”  He asked worriedly,

“Nothing.”  She waved off, “I haven’t been to sleep yet and I’m getting a headache.”

JC took her hands in his, “Maybe you should see another doctor.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“At least take some aspirin.”  He pleaded with her and she shook her head,

“No, I just need rest.”  She protested and JC knew that she was going to be stubborn about the whole situation. 

He knew that yelling wouldn’t make things any better, so he relented and picked her up into his arms, “Come on baby.” 

“Jace…” She protested softly,

He kissed her forehead softly, “I’m just bringing you upstairs so that you can rest.”

“But…”  She tried to protest.

JC interrupted her, “No buts, you’re going to get some rest.”  He said laying her down on the bed and tucked her in,

“Jace?”  She asked timidly and his heart skipped a beat.  She needed him and that made his heart grow, she was giving into him.

“What baby?”

“Come here.”  She beckoned softly,

“Yeah?”  He said sitting down next to her,

She rested her hand on top of his, “I just want to say that, I love my job, risks and all.”

“But—”

Kiora stopped him with a finger to his lips, “Hold on, my job comes with me.  It’s a whole package deal, just like Nsync and Justin Timberlake come with you.”  She teased playfully and he smiled a little, “If we’re going to be together, you’re going to have to understand that.”

“I just want you to be safe.”  He said brushing hair out of her face gently.

“I am, I can take care of myself, plus, events like this don’t happen all that time.  They’re really rare.”

JC frowned, “I still don’t like—”

Kiora ran a soft hand down the side of his face, “Jace, I know you don’t like it, but you’re going to have to trust me when I say that I can hold my own.”

JC leaned into her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm, “You just scared me so much last night.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean too.”  She replied and buried her face in his chest.

“I know, I know.”  He shook his head and kissed her forehead, “God, Kee.”  He took a deep breath, “I care for you so much and we’ve only known each other for a short time.”  He looked down at her for a reply only to see that she had fallen asleep.  JC sighed again knowing that she needed her sleep.  He kissed her forehead again, “Goodnight Kee.”

 

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