Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss

Chapter 75

Chapter 75 "Kylan""

Katrina looked down the hallway in the direction of his bedroom and paused when she saw a light on. She wasted no more time, forcing her feet to carry her in the direction of his room. The knowledge that Ryan was on his way was furling her, knowing she wouldn't be alone in her quest to help Kylan

not startle him

him, the

She stepped into Kylan's room and quickly found him on the floor of his closet, a black shoebox situated on his lap. Slowly as to not knelt in front of him, placing a worried hand on his knee.

"Kylan, what are you doing in here?" she whispered to him.

"She was my best friend." Rylan mumbled, staring at a picture he seemed to have pulled from the box on his lap.

"Who was, Kylan?" She moved to sit next to him, trying her best not to notice how awful his hands were.

"Y-Yasmin." He showed her the picture and she saw that it was of Kylan and two other prople, a girl, and a boy. The boy looked to be his same age and the girl appeared to be a little bit younger, perhaps,

She took the picture from him, realizing it was an old one from a disposable camera, maybe. The colors were a bit faded, but she could easily tell that it was taken in Rhode Island at the beach. Kylan wasn't smiling, his arms were folded over his chest, and both of his friends each had an arm of their own around his shoulders in turn.

Though Kylan looked as stoic as he ever did, his eyes were son. So soft. It was clear he cared for the individuals in the photograph.

"Who is the boy?" she softly asked him.

James. He isn't dead, but he hates me. Kylan sighed, taking the picture from her and returning it to the box

She looked at him, wondering if he might listen to her now and let her tend to his hands. "Kylan, will you let me help you!"

Kylan stared at her, his eyes unfocused. She was thus incredibly surprised when he smiled at her. It was a sad smile. The saddest smile she had ever seen. It broke her heart all over again.

"Katrina, beautiful Katrina. You're too good. Too pure. Too perfect. You chose right, leaving me." Even though his words were slurred, they still cut right through her.

"I don't want to leave you, Kylan. I never wanted to" She knew it made no sense trying to explain anything to him while he was so out of it, but she couldn't help it. Somehow Kylan thinking she wanted to leave him. It wasn't right. Even with as much as he had hurt her, she cared for him.

It was never about wanting to leave him behind. None of it was ever about that.

"You should want to. I've hurt you. I've hurt so many people. I'm f*cked up. A f*ck up Kylan sighed and leaned his forehead against hers, gripping her face with his hand, despite how red it was. "But you cared for me, didn't you, Kate? You saw me. And I can't let that happen. I can't. It's too much I can't let you die."

Nothing he was saying was making sense. "Kylan, I'm not dying. I'm okay. I'm right here," she insisted.

fault. I'm sorry, Kate. I'm sorry I hurt you. I was scared of you." Kylan kissed her forehead softly and her

was swimming with confusion, brartache, and

even with a

minuscule amount of

help you. Please, let me." She cupped the sides of his face, shifting so she was situated on her knees. "Let me clean your hands. We can talk in the morning, okay? When you've had a night of rest. When was the last time you rested? When did

again as her thumbs ghosted over his gaunt

get away from me. Kylan whispered back to her, his cheeks flushing ever more beneath her hands. "Co, before I get you killed

to understand. Trying to make sense of what he was saying "Who have you

his head, turning his face and kissing the inside

"Kylan? Katrina?"

outside the bedroom door

you. I'm. He won't let me help him." She couldn't stop

gently into his chest. "Something like this happens every year, but never this bad. Even I have never

13

Chapter 73

away from Ryan with an apologetic smile. "Um, the floor of his closet. He's talking about

deeper than she knew he was capable of "Katrina, listen to me. It isn't my place to share with you anything about Kylan's past. I'll let him do that if he wants to But you should know that his friend Yasmin died nine years ago today, and he blames himself. That's part of his guilt and inner turmoil. He glanced into the bedroom. "You don't need to stay if you don't want to. I can imagine how

anywhere. I. I care about Kylan. He's. Important to me. Very important," she admitted, her face

that care is what he needs right now." With

knelt and helped Kylan to a standing position, "Katrina,

his shoulder shower. Will you start

grateful to be given an assignment to

off mir, old

to pry Ryan's hands off him. "You're not going to see me naked" he

doorway of the bedroom. "L. I mean.. I

but with the look Ryan gave her, he was not at all surprised. She wondered what he knew about her relationship with Kylan, but that was a question for another day. Kylan, can I help you shower?" she ventured to

Kylin mumbled, glaring

She came to Kylan's other side and together with Ryan, she walked him into the bathroom attached to

fine, she promised Ryan, who only nodded at her before disappearing to the

pulled off Kylan's glasses, setting them down on

up at her, but her own expression remained impassive. "Come

the hem of his shirt and pulling it

but a limp noodle as she bent down to take off his socks next, though she could feel his eyes on her. "Why are you

standing position with her hands on his hips. He swayed a few times, and it was

shower," she warned him, her fingers resting on the waistband

from me. I'm a monster, Katrina Kylan said yet