Chapter 6 The Pendant
Killian twirled a pendant around his fingers–it was Anne’s gemstone pendant. She had left it behind when she left in a hurry back then.
Noticing the flicker of surprise in her eyes, Killian gave a faint smile. “This pendant seems like a valuable keepsake of yours, doesn’t it, Ms. Chastain?” His tone was calm, but she found herself at a loss for
words.
He glanced at Anne, lightly toying with the pendant in his hand, his lips curling into a sly, knowing smile. “Why did you give me something so precious? Are you trying to tell me you plan to stick around for the long haul?”
She snapped, “What are you even saying?” Her heart skipped a beat as she realized how close Killian was. Panic surged at the thought that he might lean in and kiss her at any moment. Instinctively, she reached out to push him away, but it was as if he’d anticipated her move. The moment her hand lifted, he caught her wrist effortlessly.
Anne could feel the warmth of his touch, and it sent a jolt through her like an electric shock. She desperately wanted to shake him off, but before she could, he tugged her closer, pulling her straight into his arms and trapping her there.
“What’s the meaning of this? You slept with me, seemed so satisfied at the time, and even left behind a keepsake. Now
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you’re acting like you don’t know me? That’s cold, Anne. Really cold.” Killian let out an exaggerated sigh. Then, he added with mock sadness, “I’m so hurt.”
Anne couldn’t help but think he must be out of his mind as her brow furrowed. “You’re making things up-” But before she could finish her retort, she froze, her eyes locking onto another item he had pulled out.
Killian was holding a small stack of cash, and she instantly recognized it. If her memory served her right, it was the same money she had left behind. Her suspicion was confirmed when she noticed the folded edge on one of the twenty–dollar bills.
“I thought the money you left was your way of saying I belonged. to you from now on,” he said with a wicked grin, waving the bills lightly.
Back then, Anne had been in such a daze that she hadn’t
bothered to count how much cash she threw on the table. She had simply dumped all the bills from her bag without a second. thought. Now, seeing the amount clearly, her head throbbed. It was perfectly stacked, totaling 143 dollars. The number hit her like a brick–143, “I love you.”
She pondered, “So Killian thinks this was some kind of love confession? That I meant to claim him and now he wants me to take responsibility? Why the hell did I end up with 143 dollars of all numbers?”
Anne furrowed her brow slightly, forcing herself to remain calm as she looked at Killian’s handsome, smug face. “Mr. Kendrick, I
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think there’s been a misunderstanding here,” she said carefully.
“Misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding?” Killian looked at her intently, his expression deadly serious. “Are you telling me the things you whispered in my ear that night don’t count? You told me you wanted to sleep with me, to see if the man you chose could meet your standards. And guess what? You picked me.”
Anne’s jaw dropped, utterly speechless. Her thoughts spiraled, and she wished she could pry his head open to figure out what the hell was going on in there.
“You left this for me, Ms. Chastain. Don’t tell me it has some deeper meaning?” Killian arched a brow, his tone growing heavier. “Or perhaps… my service wasn’t up to par, and you’re dissatisfied?”
Anne almost couldn’t hold herself back from cursing him out right then and there. She huffed inwardly, “Seriously? Is this guy really as much of a playboy as the rumors say, never turning down a woman? Satisfied? Dissatisfied? Can I just opt out of answering?”
“Mr. Kendrick, someone as charming and well–loved as you, with so many women out there, I’m afraid seeking comfort from me might be a bit of a challenge,” Anne said, mimicking Killian’s tone as she fired back. At her words, his gaze grew noticeably
colder.
“Well, you’ve got quite the reputation yourself, haven’t you? Been surrounded by refined gentlemen, and now you’re looking
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to try out someone more experienced in the art of pleasure? What we had was nothing more than a little fun between two consenting adults. You got what you wanted, and I did too. Simple, clean. I don’t see what else there is to talk about.” Anne raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with a nonchalant. boldness that painted her as the very definition of a femme fatale.
It was as if she’d mastered the art of playing men. But only she knew that her one night with Killian had been her first–she’d been so inexperienced that she’d almost ended up in tears, begging for mercy.
“So, that’s how you see it?” Killian sighed softly. “Looks like I misunderstood.” Anne could clearly sense the shift in his demeanor. The air around him seemed to chill as a wave of anger emanated from him.
“Well, now that we’ve cleared up the misunderstanding, would you kindly step aside, Mr. Kendrick?” Anne said seriously. She wasn’t even in the mood to dwell on how he’d dragged her here.
Locking onto her eyes, which seemed to avoid his, Killian didn’t budge. Instead, he leaned in, his presence so close that the warmth of his breath grazed her ear. “Since this isn’t a keepsake, it’s only right that I give it back,” he murmured. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed her hand and placed the pendant back. into her palm.
“This is worth quite a lot, Ms. Chastain. You’d better take good care of it,” he said softly. “Don’t just hand it over to someone so easily, alright?”
