A blast from the past (4)

When her shift was over, Kara couldn't wait to get home and curl into bed. She was done getting changed when Cleo knocked on the door.

"Dr. Williams, it's a call from your mother."

She opened the door and took her phone from Cleo, swiping her thumb across the screen to answer it.

"Hi mom." She pressed it between her shoulder and her ear to continue parking.

"Honey, are you coming home for dinner?" Sianna spoke on the other side, and at the sound of her voice, Kara's brows furrowed.

"Are you okay?" She asked, having detected unease.

"I'm tired, that's all. I wanted to let you know that if you are coming home for dinner, I will leave some food in the fridge for you. I'm going out with friends." She rattled on.

"I think I'll have takeout."

"Okay. Have fun, honey. Bye." Sianna hung up before she had the chance to say a word.

Something was definitely going on. She didn't go home for dinner often enough for her mother to assume she wanted to go, and her reaction was odd. It was almost as though she didn't want Kara to go over.

"Are you thinking about me?"

She jumped when Carlos suddenly spoke behind her. Recognising his voice, she patted her chest.

"You scared the crap out of me." She glared at him, then showed him the door. "This is the women's changing room."

He poked his head out and returned with a grin. "I don't see a female sign on the doorframe."

She rolled her eyes at his antics.

"This is my changing room and I'm a woman."

"And yet I am here to change." He shrugged like it was supposed to be funny. He must get off on annoying her.

She shoved her work shirt into her bag. "Look. If you want to fight, there's a boxing ring a mile to your right."

He leaned against the wall, his body vibrating in laughter. "You know so many convenient locations. Makes one wonder if you have been researching them just to make my life easier."

It would be a waste of breath to continue bickering with him, so she kept away the rest of her things, grabbed the book she was returning to the research institute and brushed past him to head for the door.

He grabbed her arm and yanked her back with ease. She knocked into him, dropping her book in the process.

"Dr. Aubert!" She growled.

He had the nerve to wrap his arm around her waist. He had more strength than she remembered. With her years of intense training, she suddenly couldn't wiggle out of his arms with as much ease as she could before. And his chest must have been carved out of stone. In fact, every part of his body must have been carved out of stone. The only soft part of his body was his lips. And while she hated to admit it, being pressed against his hard chest felt good.

He tipped her chin up with his thumb. "I like the sound of my name on your beautiful lips, but I would prefer it if you said my first name instead. Carlos. Especially when you are breathless."

She swung her fist and landed a resounding slap on his left cheek. He reflexively let go of her, but when he touched the corner of his lip, that shit eating grin was still plastered on his face, only with a hint of disbelief. "Still as spicy."

She groaned and brushed past him. This time, he didn't try to stop her.

___

She had planned to go back to her apartment, cook something light and bury herself in the comforter but before she could process her movements, she was in Sianna's driveway. She wouldn't be able to have any rest until she was certain that nothing was wrong with her mother.

So, she used Sianna's spare key to let herself in and made her way to the living room, making sure to not make a sound. When a man came into her line of sight, she slowed down but it was too late. They had already seen her.

"Kara's home." Sianna cheerfully went over to hug her, but she looked nervous.

"Mom, are you okay?" She was worried.

"Never been better." She bit out, dragging Kara with her to the living room. "I had a last minute change of plans. Mark came over so I cancelled on my friends." She explained before she could be asked about it.

Kara eyed the man on the couch skeptically. He looked familiar to say the least, and gave off a dangerous feeling.

"Who is he?" She demanded.

"Uhm… my boyfriend."

It didn't take a genius to know that Sianna was lying. There was no way she was close to this man. But if he was not her boyfriend, what was he doing at her house?

When their eyes met, he offered a kind smile that she knew was deceptive. Something was wrong with this man. She just couldn't figure out what it was.

"Honey, why don't you take a shower? I'll make dinner." Sianna instructed and waved her off before she could say a word.

With no choice, she headed for her room, turning after every few steps to make sure Sianna was not being held hostage. But all she saw was him saying something and Sianna bursting into laughter.

Maybe she was overthinking it.

But when the door to her room burst open a few minutes later, she knew that she was right.

The man stood at the doorway, his arms tucked in his pockets and the fake friendliness gone from his face and replaced with bloodlust.

She inhaled sharply. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Why are you in such a hurry?" He guffawed, closing the door behind him. "You know, if someone told me coincidences existed, I would brush them of. But there's no other way to explain how I met up with an old friend, just to end up bumping into Santino's pet."

Her eyes narrowed in anger. "I'm not Santino's pet—whoever that is. Get out of my room."

"Oh?" He wiggled his brows. "Are you denying your own identity after all you did, Kara? Or should I call you… Reina?"

"Mark, are you done?" Sianna called out.

The man slid out of her room but not before shooting her a warning stare.

She gasped for breath. Reina…wasn't that what the psycho called Shera?

Someone was after Shera's life!