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Bedmates Soulmates novel Chapter 527

The pain was real

Which meant she was awake now

Kira breathed out

You scared me just now,Giana said. Bad dream 

Kira touched her chest

Her heart was beating wildly like it wanted to break out of the rib cage

Kira wiped the sweat from her forehead

Her fringe was wet

I had a nightmare” 

The scene was so vivid in her mind

The sound of the gunshot was still ringing in her ears

She even thought she smelled gunpowder

Ghana hugged her shoulders. It’s okay now, You’re okay Nothing bad happened. It was just

dream” 

Kira felt the reassuring warmth of Giana’s embrace 

She exhaled. You’re right. It’s just a dream.” 

Her hands and feet were still cold, though 

The ultrarealistic nightmare had triggered her fight or flight system 

I’ll get you a glass of warm milk. Giana got out of bed 

Kira sat up, clutching the blanket

She dug out her phone and called Austyn again

Still no response

By now, anger had morphed into anxiety which had escalated into dread

She was gripped by an unshakable premonition

Something bad must have happened

Get up. Drink this Giana set down a glass of warm milk on the bedside table

Thank you.Kira sipped at it

Are you going home later?Giana checked the time

It was almost five o’clock. 

Her parents would be back in a couple of hours

She needed to get started on dinner

Kira shook her head. Can I stay with you tonight?” 

Sure, I’ll just cook for five then. What do you want to eat?” 

Anything you make is fine. Kira set down the glass. Can I help? Do you know how to cook

A little bit.‘ 

Giana thought about it, You can help me peel the onions if you don’t mind.” 

Sure

Kira followed Giana into the kitchen

It was small but fully stocked

She grabbed an onion, chopped it in half with a sharp knife and then cut off the stem ends

She pulled on the papery layers and started peeling

Her eyes watered

Her phone trilled in her pocket

Shoot.Kira saw the message

What’s wrong?” 

Elsie has prepared dinner. She’s asking when I’ll be back.” 

Who’s Elsie?‘ 

Um, the housekeeper.‘ 

Wow, so that’s how the other half lives. You’ve got a housekeeper now.Giana teased her friend

She’s not my housekeeper. She works for Austyn

Kira dithered

Austyn was probably still not home

Elsie was going to be crushed if no one showed up for dinner

Giana took the halfpeeled onion from her hand. You should go home.” 

Hoping Against Hope 

But I promised to help you in the kitchen,Kira said

I can handle it,Giana said. Your housekeeper probably went to a lot of trouble to make dinner. You shouldn’t let all that food go to waste.‘ 

Kira nodded

Elsie took pride in her cooking

Sorry about running out on you again.” 

It’s fine. We can always cook together some other time.” 

Kira hugged her friend. Thank you, Giana. You’re the best.” 

Is that why you’re smearing onion juice all over my shirt?‘ 

Sorry.’ Kira quickly pulled back. I forgot to wash my hands.‘ 

Go home. Call me if you want to talk 

Kira shot a quick text to Elsie to say she would be back in an hour

She had something to do first

Kira flagged down a cab on the street

It took her 53.50 dollars and twentytwo minutes to arrive at Sunglade Condo

There were two security guards on duty

One was dozing off in a chair inside the guard shack 

The other had stepped away for a smoke

Kira slipped past the entrance without anyone noticing

She was getting better at sneaking around

She loitered in the small garden in front of Block A, waited for a resident to come out of the lobby and dashed inside before the door could shut completely

The lift took her to the eighteenth floor

She found Unit 18-20 and banged on the door

Miss Connelly!‘ 

No response

She slammed a fist against the door. Austyn McCarthy, come out! I know you’re in there! Stop 

hiding

She shouted and kept thumping away

No one came out

She put her ear against the door and heard nothing 

Kira kicked the door, frustrated

If Austyn wanted to shack up with Deborah in this love nest, he should at least have the courtesy to break up with her first

What are you doing?” 

Kira almost jumped out of her skin

She whirled around and saw a uniformed security guard standing behind her, eyeing her suspiciously

I, uh, I’m a friend of the woman who lives here Kira improvised. I haven’t been able to get 

in touch with her for two days. I’m worried something bad may have happened,” 

Did you try calling her?‘ 

I did. She didn’t pick up. Her phone must be switched off.” 

Then I think you should call the police.” 

But what if she isn’t missing? What if she’s just…taking some alone time? I don’t want to make a false report.‘ 

The security guard stroked his chin

He checked the unit number. ’18-20. I remember the tenant. A woman, right, midtwenties? Moved in here about two weeks ago?” 

Right. Have you seen her?” 

Can’t say that I do.The guard gave Kira another onceover. You should keep trying her number. Or else, call the police. But you can’t keep banging on the door like that. A tenant downstairs has called us to complain.” 

Oh, sorry.Kira was mortified

She had gotten carried away

Could you help me?She pleaded with the guard, Could you find out if there’s someone in the house? I’m really worried about hiI meant, her 

What do you expect me to do?” 

Do you have a key to the apartment?” 

Of course not!‘ 

The guard sounded indignant. We would never intrude on our tenantsprivacy like that.‘ 

Then, um, could you go knock on the door?” 

You’ve been doing that for the past ten minutes. If you can’t get her to open up, what makes you think I can?” 

Kira was running out of ideas

The guard took in the anxious look on her face and his attitude softened

The girl was young and didn’t look like the stalker type they often got at the condo

Still, he had a job to do

I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave,he said, pointing towards the lift. You’re disturbing 

the other tenants.” 

Kira hung her head, dejected

She tossed one last look at the door, which remained tightly shut

Could she be wrong

Was Deborah really not home

She followed the guard towards the lift

If Deborah wasn’t here, where else could she be

More importantly, where was Austyn

She left Sunglade in a daze, putting one foot in front of the other mechanically

She wasn’t sure how she got home

Her heart sank when she didn’t spot the Hummer’s familiar hulking shape in the driveway

Young Madam!Elsie ran out to greet her. Thank god you’re home! I was getting worried!! 

She pointed to her watch. It’s almost eight o’clock!‘ 

Sorry, I got held up.” 

Kira didn’t need to ask Elsie

The look on the housekeeper’s face told her what she needed to knowAustyn wasn’t home

Dinner’s gone cold. I’ll go warm it up.‘ 

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