“I am. Thank you for letting us stay.” I skim my eyes around the room. “You have a beautiful home. And now that I know who owns the property, I can see Alex’s touch everywhere. I don’t know why I didn’t pick up on that before.”
“She did an incredible job,” Faye says in a soft lyrical tone. “And she has a wonderful eye. This is one of our favorite places on the planet.”
“I’ll bet. You’re both at Harvard too, right? That’s how you know Rick?” They nod. “It must be nice having a place to escape to on weekends and during school breaks.”
“It is, and that’s exactly why we purchased this place,” Kyler agrees. “It’s been a Godsend.”
Now I understand the high-tech security and choice of location for their vacation home. I thought living under a spotlight in Rydeville was bad, but it’s nothing compared to the attention the Kennedys garner. It must grate on their nerves.
Kai appears with Sawyer and Jackson, and I make my goodbyes to the Kennedys, walking toward Joaquin, Rick, and Harley. “Stay safe, guys.” I hug Joaquin and Harley, holding in a smile as Harley’s cheeks stain red.
“You too.” Rick lifts his duffel bag. “Go easy on him.” He jerks his head in Kai’s direction. “He feels things deeply, Abby, even if he doesn’t show it.” I don’t acknowledge his statement because I’m making no promises.
I walk to the kitchen to grab some breakfast, and I’m sitting at the stool in front of the island unit, munching on some toast, when Faye walks in. “Hey. Do you have a couple minutes to talk?” she asks, moving to the Keurig and pouring herself a mug.
I finish chewing and set my toast down. “Sure.”
She slides onto the stool beside me. “I just want to check you’re okay.” She peeks over her shoulder, but we’re alone. “It’s my first time meeting Kaiden, and while he seems like a good guy, I couldn’t leave here today without checking you’re here because you want to be here.” She peers into my eyes. “Things seem intense, and I have some experience of dealing with hot-headed arseholes.” Her wide grin is warm and meant to relax me.
“Kyler was like that?” I can’t keep the incredulity from my voice because that isn’t the image I have of him. If the media reports are true, he’s always surprising Faye with romantic gestures, and he got shot trying to protect her a few years ago. He’s swoon-worthy in the extreme.
She grins. “He was a total pig when I first met him, and he did some stuff that really hurt me.” Her face contorts unpleasantly. “All because he thought he was protecting me.” She rolls her eyes, and I snort.
“Yep. I have one of those too.”
She nods sagely. “I recognized that.” Propping her elbows up on the counter, she rests her chin in her hands. “But the thing I’ve learned is guys like Kyler and Kaiden might appear abrasive, and they might drive you to distraction, but there is no guy more loyal or more protective, and when they open their hearts?” A dreamy expression appears on her face. “There is nothing more intense than being loved by a guy like that.”
“He doesn’t love me.” I shake my head. “And I don’t need or want the complication of loving a guy like that.” It’s cold, and not entirely true, but I say what I need to.
“You sure about that?” Her face showcases her surprise.
“Kaiden’s not capable of romantic love. He’s too closed off. Whatever love he has in his heart he reserves for his family and his friends. Not for me.”
She eyes me for a long time, opening and closing her mouth in quick succession as her gaze flits from my face to my ring and back again. I doubt she knows much of my background, so I guess she’s assuming I’m engaged to Kaiden. Perhaps she was going to ask me but thinks better of it. “I’m not sure that’s true, but you know him better than I do.” She casts a glance at her phone. “Shoot. I need to go before James sends out a search party.” She drains the last of her coffee. “And you’re sure you want to stay?”
“I’m good, but thank you for asking.”
“Okay then.” She stands, pulling me into a quick hug. “I wish we had more time to chat. I have a feeling you and I’d get on like a house on fire.”
“Me too.” My warm smile is genuine.
She slips a card into my hand. “That’s my contact info. Call or email me anytime. I mean it. If you need anything or you’re in trouble, get in touch.”
“Thank you so much. You’ve no idea what that means to me.” That this stranger would make such an offer reminds me there are good, generous, kind people in this world.
I haven’t encountered many of them.
It also reminds me of Jane, and I wonder where she is and if she’s doing okay. I can’t imagine she’s coping well without Drew, and I wish I was there to help her deal with her broken heart.
“Take care of yourself.” She gives me one final hug before leaving, and I turn to the sink, rinsing out my mug in slow motion, waiting for him to announce his presence.
I dry and put my mug away when he steps forward.
He wears a mask I haven’t seen in a while, but it’s one I’m well accustomed to. Disgust clings to his eyes, and his emotions are on lockdown as he stalks toward me. I knew he was listening, and I knew my comments would hurt him—but not this much. A pang of remorse hits me in my chest, and it’s getting harder to hold on to my anger.
Kai is getting to me, and my head is a mess as I now question everything I’m doing to get back at him.
But I stand my ground, refusing to be intimidated or take it back.
He deserves to hurt.
To grovel.
To fight to prove his feelings for me are genuine.
I demand no less.
I deserve no less.
He steps up close, his chest brushing against mine as he glares at me. “You don’t know what I’m capable of.” His tone screams death and destruction, and a shiver works its way up my spine, but I hold firm, maintaining a cool composure. “But keep pushing me, and you might just find out.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The house is much quieter without the Anderson brothers, and I’m rapidly going out of my mind as boredom sets in. Sawyer is locked in his office for most of the day while Jackson has returned to his stoner ways, and it’s not as much fun now I can’t partake. Kaiden is avoiding me, and he spends a lot of his time in the impressive gym housed in one of the outbuildings. The rest of the time he’s holed up with Sawyer, but every time I suggest I can help, the door is literally closed in my face.
“Here.” Kai strides into the bedroom, thrusting a small package at me. Now the others have gone, there are two spare bedrooms, and he moved into one without me even asking. My comments to Faye about his ability to love seems to have struck a nerve. He’s maintaining distance between us, and I’m woman enough to admit I can’t stand it even if I’m the one who orchestrated it.
However, I know he still sneaks in here at night, because I’m attuned to his presence, and I always feel him in the room. He doesn’t know I’m aware, and I’d rather keep it that way. My feelings are an epic clusterfuck of disastrous proportions, and the more my anger fades, the more I crave him.