Chapter 48
Chapter 48:
Excuses tangled on Kailey’s tongue, but before she could get a word out, Kyson had already closed his hand around hers and steered her toward the waiting car. “Nearest pharmacy,” he told the driver in a clipped tone.
The warmth of his grip lingered around her fingers, leaving her oddly unsettled. A subtle attempt to shift her wrist earned her nothing—his hold only tightened, firm and unhurried.
“I’m honestly fine,” she said. “It’ll clear up in a couple of days p>
From the corner of his eye, Kyson caught the way she had lowered her head, shoulders hunched like a child bracing for a scolding. A quiet breath slipped from him as his thumb pressed lightly against her knuckles. “Just listen to me. Even if it seems minor, you should still have it looked at. What if you catch rabies p>
Rabies. So he was comparing Olivia to a stray dog.
Kailey hesitated and glanced up at him, only to find his expression perfectly calm—not the slightest flicker of mockery in his eyes. The car had already stopped beside a brightly lit pharmacy. Kyson let go of her hand and stepped out. “Stay here a moment. I’ll be right back p>
She managed a small nod and watched him disappear through the door.
The warmth he had left behind still clung to her palm. She pressed her hands together and drew a slow breath.
In the past, talking with him had never unsettled her like this. So why did even a simple exchange now leave her chest tight with anxious fluttering? After a brief internal debate, she convinced herself it was only the strangeness of distance—once they had spent a little more time together, everything would return to normal.
𝘛𝗵𝘦 𝘣е𝘀𝘵 𝗿е𝘃і𝘦𝘄𝘀 𝗈𝗇
Barely ten minutes passed before Kyson reappeared at the car door, a small paper bag in hand.
With practiced ease, he peeled open the packets, placed a clean cotton swab in Kailey’s palm, then carefully dabbed cool iodine across the wound before smoothing a thin layer of ointment over the scratch.
From where she sat, Kailey’s view narrowed to the clean line of his nose and the quiet concentration in his expression. His touch was so careful and deliberate, as though he were handling something fragile he was afraid of breaking.
“All done p>
When Kyson lifted his head, their eyes met without warning.
Kailey caught the tiny reflection of herself in his gaze and went completely still, her thoughts scattering, her breath stalling in her throat.
A faint, restrained sigh eventually broke the silence between them.
Slowly, Kyson raised his hand and covered her eyes with his palm, his voice low and rough at the edges. “Kailey, don’t look at me like that p>
“Alright,” she whispered.
Heat crept into her cheeks. She realized staring so openly had probably come across as rude. Sensing she might have made things awkward, she quickly turned her face away and murmured with stiff politeness, “Thank you, Kyson p>
Watching her deliberate attempt to avoid his gaze, Kyson felt a tug of warmth mingled with a faint, melancholy ache. Nora’s words drifted back to him—winning her wholehearted trust would be a slow, winding road.