Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina)
Chapter 73

Chapter 73

"Kylan, are you at home? Is anyone with you?" She walked to her closet, propping her phone up on her shoulder with her cheek and yanking on a thick, winter jacket.

"I don't need you, Katrina. Everyone leaves. You left. You left me."

She ignored his words, hurrying to her front room. "I'm on my way, Kylan. Please don't.. Please don't do anything stupid. Put away the alcohol. I'll

be there soo

"Don't f*cking come here. Kate."

She sighed and shook her head. "You're not okay. I'm coming" She hung up the phone, pushing it into her pocket and turning to Aaron and Maine, who were already watching her from the kitchen.

"I need to. Kylan isn't okay. I think he's drunk. I've never heard him talk like he just was. Something is he's in bad shape. I have to. Can I borrow your car. Aaron?" She was breathless, adrenaline hiking its way into her bloodstream... "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a second, Kate. Are you sure that's the best idea!" Aaron sounded worried for her, and she wanted to laugh.

She wasn't the one in distress. While she couldn't fix Kylan, this was clearly a cry for help, if she had ever heard one. She couldn't ignore it. She didn't want to. She cared for him. She probably did love him, if she were entirely honest with herself. And he needed her. "Ill be fine. I promise. I'll have my phone with me," she insisted, pulling on her boots near her front door.

"It's Christmas Eve," Maine pointed out quietly.

"I know it is. I know this timing sucks, but I can't ignore him. L. 1 think L.. I think I love him, okay? I know he's I'd up. I know he needs more help than I can offer him. He needs a professional. And 1 swear to you I tell him to seek that out. But I can't ignore that he called me for help, okay? I would do it for you, either of you. I need to do it for him." To her dismay, tears were beginning to swell in her eyes, and she fought them away.

just want you to be safe. Maybe one of us should go with you?" Aaron suggested looking at Maine for suppor

wwe get i Kate. We get

We

"Yeah, we can leave this silly meal behind and go with you" Maine agreed with a tentative smile.

She sighed, walking over to her best friends, and hugging them each in turn. "I love both of you, I need to do this on my own, okay? I'll let you know if I need you." She pulled away from Aaron last and looked up at him. "Can I borrow your car Aaron shook his head, but he pulled his keys from his pocket too. "Please be careful, Katrina." He handed her the keys and she gave him another quick hug.

"I will be. I promise you. With that, she left her apartment without another look back.

Her gut was yelling at her. Screaming at her. Telling her that Kylan was in trouble, and she needed to get to him

-0-0-0-

The drive to Kylan's penthouse had never been longer. The New York City holiday traffic felt stifling. Suffocating. It boxed her in and caused her to tidger anxiously behind the steering wheel

ng or not. She pondered calling him, but ultimately, it was better for

Kylan hadn't tried to call her again, and she wasn't certain that was a good thing or her to just get there.

She was finally parking across the street from his building forty minutes later, ensuring she had Aaron's keys with her before locking the car. She checked that the road was clear, and then she was running into the lobby of the building. She was speed walking to the elevator. She was pressing the button repeatedly until the doors finally pulled open. And then she pressed the button for the topmost floor far too many times again, but not a single bit of her cared for how impatient she was being

As soon as the elevator doors opened on the top floor, she was already hallway out. She forced herself not to run to Kylan's door. It was the only one on the whole floor, but she still needed to reign herself in.

y to drink, perhaps

Maybe it wasn't as bad as she thought? Maybe he was just sired Tired and talking a bit erratically after having a glass too many to dri

The smell of bleach and other cleaning chemicals was overwhelming, even from outside Kylan's door. She took a deep breath and knocked a few times.

He didn't come to the door.

She knocked again, much louder this time.

She still couldn't hear walking within.

"Kylan? Kylan, it's Katrina. Please open the door," she called out, willing her voice to be calm. To be calculated and deliberate. It would do nothing if she also started freaking out. 301 PM

Chapter 73

No answer. No walking from inside the penthouse.

She bit her inner cheek, wondering if it was entirely inappropriate of her to just walk in.

Damn it

She swallowed and licked her lips, taking hold of the door handle and turning it...

She expected it to be locked, she really did. Kylan didn't seem like the sort of person that would leave his front door unlocked. And yet, it wasn't locked. The handle turned the entire way, and she was able to push the door open.

Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Kylan was a clean person to an unrealistic fault. He was known to all but refused to sit on a chair if he deemed it too filthy. He brought his own wipes, and his own sanitizer with him to certain restaurants. Hell, she watched him clean and polish his shoes on more than one occasion after only just stepping outside.

So, this... This was perhaps more concerning than anything else.

There were so many cleaning supplies speckled throughout his front room. Mops of all kinds, handheld and cordless vacuums, multiple step stools. But beyond all of that, beyond the piles of supplies and the harsh smell of cleaning products, there was a mess. Real, genuine mess.

Teacups littered the coffee table, a bundle of pillows and blankets strewn about the floor haphazardly. She even took notice of a few cigars and multiple bottles of whiskey.

Kylan hated cigars. He also never drank to excess, from what she knew and witnessed herself. And yet, the bottles were empty. Empty and tossed carelessly to areas of the living room.

"Kylan!" Her voice was shaking when she called out this time. She was nervous. She was scared. She had no idea what state Kylan would be in, but judging by his living room alone, it wasn't going to be pretty

She slipped off her shoes and jacket as a courtesy, leaving them by his front door before tentatively walking further into the apartment

"Kylan, it's Katrina," she called out again, walking toward the kitchen, her hands wringing together nervously.

She could hear the sound of running water from the kitchen and she took a deep breath, bracing herself for whatever was around the corner.

She saw him standing at the sink, his hands under a stream of water. She took note of his appearance, surprised to see him wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants and a black, long-sleeved t-shirt. His hair was disheveled, she could tell from the back alone. His shoulders were slumped forward, and he didn't turn around as she began to approach him.

The energy surrounding him was wrong. Pulled taut and tense, like the sound of her own voice might cause it to snap. Might cause him to snap-

"Kylan.." she said his name quietly, not wanting to startle him if she could actually prevent it.

He still didn't turn around. He didn't make any indication he had even heard h

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