Page 89 of Carnal Games

Still clutching his salad box like a lifeline, I run out of his office.

The humiliation turns into anger as I catch Arjun looking elated from the corner of my eye. I think he might be worse than Rhea.

Not wanting to piss off Kian further, I hurry with packing my purse with the company issued MacBook, charger, ID, notebook, and a pen. I grab my phone when it starts vibrating with an incoming call.

Harshita’s name glares at me.

Why is she calling now despite knowing how risky it is?

I informed her yesterday that I took a job at Kinetic Securities without revealing the position that I’ll investigate from the inside about the missing girls. She was highly impressed and didn’t make a fuss about me spending my time here.

Kian is yet to come out. Thinking I have a few minutes before he does, I accept the call and find a quiet spot away from the prying ears of Arjun.

“Hello.”

“Iris,” greets Harshita. “How’s it going?”

“It’s only been a day.”

“I had something urgent to share.”

On high alert, I ask, “What is it?”

“I received a tip that another news channel will be broadcasting the case very soon. You need to work fast, talk around, and bring me something interesting. Anything about the girls, if they were friends with someone, anything useful.”

I tense, feeling the pressure. I thought I’d settle in for a week before I started prodding around. It’ll look suspicious if I’m asking these questions on the second day of my job. Besides, will anyone even know about the case?

If it reaches Kian’s ear, he’s going to fire me and probably kick me out of the building of our residence.

“I need more time, Harshita,” I reason with her. “If the investigation is still under wraps, I have more of a risk of blowing my cover.”

“Don’t ask about the investigation or mention cops. I’m sending you the names of the missing girls. See if anyone knew them, the managers under who they worked, et cetera.”

The whooshing sound of a door opening has me peering over my shoulder. Kian steps out, frowning when he sees my empty desk.

“I have to go,” I mumble to Harshita and hang up right as Kian’s laser-sharp eyes slide my way and narrow slightly. Rushing to my desk, I hide my face from his, afraid he’ll notice I’m up to something bad. My elbow brushes against his abs as I bend over the desk to grab my purse and straighten. “I’m all set,sir.”

Both of us freeze.

The term just slipped past my tongue of its own free will.

My pulse begins to race as his pupils darken, and he says nothing. He looks pissed, which seems to be par for the course today.

“I-I mean Mr. Singhania,” I whisper, fearing I crossed another boundary.

In a blink, his stoic mask covers his angular features, causing my gaze to cut to the ground.

“Let’s go,” he growls.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Iris

“Is the leather seat not comfortable enough, Miss Mannan?”

I cease my squirming and turn my head toward Kian, who’s regarding me under his dark lashes while we sit in the back seat of his SUV. The sly mirth in his gaze only makes me want to fidget harder.

Am I amusing him?