Chapter 319: Consequences

A few hours later, the atmosphere in Kai’s office was heavy enough to press against the walls.

Alicia sat in the chair in front of his desk with her head hung low, her hands folded in her lap like a child waiting to be scolded.

She had not looked up since the footage began playing. HR had reported the incident to Kai after Gloria placed a formal complaint, and by the time he’d finished watching the recording, his jaw had gone so tight he thought his teeth might crack.

Gloria stood very still in the corner, her face a careful mask of professional neutrality. Beside her, Jessica stood with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed firmly on a spot somewhere past Kai’s shoulder.

She looked tired. More than tired. There was a faint bruise forming on her elbow, and her hair was slightly mussed where Alicia had grabbed it.

Kai closed the laptop and looked up.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked Alicia.

Alicia squeezed her eyes shut. "I’m sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to do it."

"Unfortunately, being sorry doesn’t exonerate you from consequences." Kai’s voice was level. Not cold, exactly, but nowhere near warm. "What you did was childish and dangerous. You assaulted an employee in my building. The fact that you’re the Head of Operations doesn’t put you above company rules."

Alicia’s eyes flew open. "It was a mistake! I —"

Kai held up a hand, silencing her. Then he turned to Jessica.

"Miss Hart. Would you like to press charges?"

The room went very still, and Jessica finally looked at Alicia. She saw the fear in the other woman’s face, the genuine panic flickering behind her eyes.

She understood that Alicia had been acting out of pain. She understood heartbreak made people do terrible things. But understanding was not the same as excusing, and Jessica had spent far too many years letting people treat her like she was less than nothing.

She lifted her chin.

"I don’t want to press charges," she said, her voice steady. "For now. But I want this documented, and I want Miss Westwood to sign an undertaking stating that she will never lay a hand on me again."

Alicia flinched as Jessica’s gaze settled on her.

"Because if she ever touches me again," Jessica continued, "I won’t let it slide."

Kai smiled. It was not a smug smile or the mischievous smirk he so often wore with her. It was something else, something softer. Admiration, perhaps. Maybe even a touch of pride.

Jessica saw the smile and immediately looked away, focusing on a corner of his desk.

"Noted," Kai said. "HR will draw it up this afternoon."

He looked back at Alicia.

"Miss Westwood, you will be suspended for assault for one week, effective immediately. I will have HR process the documentation. You’ll sign the undertaking before you leave."

He reached for his phone and made a quick call to someone in HR, speaking in short, clipped sentences. When he hung up, he looked at Alicia with an expression that was both disappointed and final.

"Go home, Alicia. We’ll talk when you’ve had some time to think."

***

Later that day, Jessica came out of the building at the end of her shift with her bag over her shoulder. She was tired, and her body ached. But more than anything, she simply wanted to go home and lie down and not think about this day at all.

The sight of Kai leaning against his car in the parking lot did not improve her mood.

He was the very picture of casual ease, his ankles crossed and his hands in his pockets, looking like he belonged in a magazine spread for men who had too much money and too much time. When he saw her, a slow smile spread across his face.

Jessica looked away immediately and started walking faster. She would simply walk past him, and pretend he did not exist.

But Kai was faster than she expected. He stepped into her path, blocking her.

She tried to sidestep, but he sidestepped with her. She tried again and he blocked her again.

Jessica finally stopped and shot him a glare.

"What do you want, Mr Mondragon?" she asked, unable to keep the frustration from her voice.

Kai’s smirk returned, which only made her more irritated. "There it is."

"There what is?" she asked.

"Mr Mondragon," Kai said. "You can call me that as many times as you like. It won’t make the thing between us go away."

"There is nothing between us." She met his eyes now, determined to hold her ground. "Look. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know why you’ve got photographs of me on your phone. But I don’t want trouble. I just want to do my job and live my life quietly. So please, leave me alone."

Kai tilted his head. "Is that what you really want?"

Jessica’s jaw tightened, but she did not answer the question directly. "I don’t want trouble. And I don’t want to be the centre of attention at Jescore Tech. The past few days have been crazy enough."

He stepped closer, and suddenly the space between them felt very small.

"Then I’m afraid you’ll have to get used to it," he mumbled, but loud enough for her to hear. "Because I plan to give you all of my attention."

Jessica’s heart did a ridiculous little flip inside her chest. How did he do that? How could he string words together like that? Why was he so good with words?

Having nothing else to say, she forced her chin higher. "What do you want, Mr Mondragon?"

Kai’s smile widened. "I want to take you home."

Jessica considered him for a long moment. Then she shrugged and said, "Fine."

Kai’s brows drew together. "Fine?"

"But only if you open the door for me."

Kai squinted. "Well, that was pretty easy." He was already moving toward the passenger side. "Of course. It would be my honour."

He opened the car door, and turned back to her, smiling. But Jessica had already taken off, her bag bouncing against her hip, and ran toward the kerb with every bit of speed she could summon.

It was petty and childish and probably not very dignified, but it was the most satisfying thing she had done all day. She turned back once, and made a face at him, sticking her tongue out.

Kai stood by the open car door, watching her go. His lips twitched, then curved into a fond smile.

"You’ve always been hard to get, my love," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he shut the car door and walked around to the driver’s side. "But that doesn’t mean you aren’t mine."

He was just reaching for the handle when his phone rang. Dennis’s name flashed on the screen.

Kai swiped the green icon. "What is it?"

Dennis’s voice came through tight and urgent. "Alpha, the rogues attacked the borders again. They hit the northern patrol line about fifteen minutes ago. Two of our men are injured."

The smile on Kai’s face vanished. His grip on the phone tightened. "I’m on my way," he said.

He got into the car and pulled out of the parking lot with a screech of tyres, leaving Jescore and whatever teasing game he had been playing far behind.