The Third Degree

In the high-ceiling dining room, Austyn and Kira were sitting at a table long enough to host a football team. Only the sound of cutlery clinking against porcelain dishes could be heard. Intermixed with a relentless ‘tap-tap-tap.’ Kira was typing away on her phone at a frenetic pace. Lost in the digital world, she didn’t notice Austyn’s face was growing darker with each minute. She was busy keeping up with the torrent of messages in her class group chat. A little birdie had somehow found out that Kira had the inside scoop on Austyn McCarthy, Stamford’s blue blood. A bidding war had started and was escalating. The latest offer was a jaw-dropping five hundred for a single question. Kira’s eyes lit up. She must be on a roll. First Janessa, and now the entire class were falling over themselves to give her money! She tut-tutted at the frenzy. Did these people’s money grow on trees? Then she shrugged. The more reckless they were, the better for her. She shook out the fatigue in her hand and cracked her knuckles. Let the money rain! Starry-eyed Fangirl Number One asked, ‘Does Mr McCarthy have a type? Girl next door or sexy bombshell?’ Kira cast her mind back to the paparazzi shot from last night. What type was Kayleigh? She quickly typed, ‘Both. He’s an equal-opportunity lover. Whatever your type, you stand a chance of winning his heart. You go, girl!’ Hopeless Romantic Fangirl Number Two asked, ‘What’s the deal between Kayleigh and Mr McCarthy? Are they going steady? Or is it just a fling?’ Kira mulled it over. Austyn’s relationship with Kayleigh looked more serious than a fling. The man kept a low profile and preferred working from behind the scenes. There was never a shortage of speculation about him dating some of Stamford’s most eligible bachelorettes, but none of them merited a news report. Kayleigh was the only exception. Their act of physical intimacy was caught on camera as the actress wrapped her arms around Austyn. The locale was also suggestive—a hotel. Kira knew Austyn could have the report taken off the air if it displeased him, thanks to Janessa’s unsolicited tutorial on the McCarthy family. He must be crazy about the actress to tolerate having his name in the gossip pages. Reaching a conclusion, Kira typed, ‘No, it’s not a fling. They’re in a serious relationship. But don’t give up just yet. There’s no talk of tying the knot anytime soon. You still stand a chance. I say go for it.’ Austyn couldn’t marry Kayleigh, not as long as Kira’s name was next to his on the certificate of marriage. Kira’s contract with Austyn was not in perpetuity. She would broach the subject of termination as soon as she earned enough money to pay back her father’s hospital bills. Then she would be free as a bird! Unshackled, she could chase her dream of becoming a journalist… ‘Are you going to spend the rest of your life on that phone?’ Austyn’s voice broke her reverie. He had a baritone voice, deep, rich and mellow. Pleasing to the ear. But not at the moment. His brows were knitted. The frown line between his eyebrows was deep enough to sink a boat. Kira looked up, flummoxed. Having shared a bed with the man for a year, she could more or less decode his facial expressions. A frown of that intensity indicated more than a mild annoyance but less than full-blown rage. What was he getting mad at? Recalling his question, Kira hurriedly put down her phone. ‘Sorry, my bad.’ He leaned back in his chair and tilted his chin up at Kira, seated opposite him. ‘What are you saying sorry for?’ Was he fishing for more apology? Kira ventured an answer. ‘I was playing with my phone during dinner. It’s bad table manners.’ Austyn hid a tiny smile. The girl was good at reading the room. She always knew just the right thing to do and say, armed with the survival instinct of a small animal. Like a fox pup dropped into unfamiliar territory, she would tentatively explore her environment, test the boundaries and retract at the first sign of danger. Austyn nodded almost imperceptibly. This minuscule gesture of approval did not escape Kira’s observant eyes. She relaxed, knowing she’d given the right answer. As a further sign of contrition, she banished her phone to the table’s edge. Keeping her head down, she concentrated on the plate in front of her. The man’s dark eyes fell on her. She was twenty-one. Girls her age were eager to enjoy their newfound freedom after moving out of their parents’ homes. They were not exactly wet behind the ears, but neither were they as worldly-wise as they imagined themselves to be. They blundered about, putting their foot in it every time they opened their mouth. ‘Callow’ was the label Austyn often associated with the postpubescent, not-yet-adult age group. But Kira was wise beyond her years. Unlike her peers, she was deferential without being obsequious and always on the ball. She had a good head on her shoulders. Take the instance with Kayleigh for example. Kira had reacted with superb composure. What was it that she said to him that night? ‘The roads are slippery. Drive safe.’ She said it with an even tone. No resentment. No histrionics. She even sounded solicitous about his welfare. There was no hysterical ‘Who is that woman?’ No coffee cup throwing, no scratching his eyes out. Kira gave her husband ample personal space. Maybe a bit too much. ‘What was so riveting on that phone?’ Austyn asked. ‘Your eyes were glued to the screen.’ Kira tensed. ‘Uh-oh, the third degree’s not over yet,’ she thought. ‘I can’t let him see my phone. He’ll blow a casket if he catches me selling his private info for cash!’ ‘Ahem,’ she cleared her throat. ‘May I ask you something?’ Austyn raised an eyebrow at his wife’s clumsy attempt to change the subject. ‘What is it?’ ‘When did you lose your virginity?’