Kai comes charging by grabbing her arm forcefully. “You aren’t doing this here—today.”
“What in the hell is going on?” I look at Kai and Raven, and they are continuing to argue, ignoring Penny, Kirk, Khloe, and me.
“You really don’t see it, do you? Katie, everything you need to know has been staring you in the face for months. Kai and Raven share a connection. One you’ll never be able to touch,” Kirk whispers in my ear as Kai watches us with a horrified expression masked over his face.
I don’t know why I never thought of this before…I look at Khloe and my face pales as I remember the stories Penny told me about Raven, she gave her baby up for adoption. I count back in my head. Oh my God. Is Khloe…Kai and Raven’s kid? I feel sick. Is that what he meant by complicated?
I can’t breathe.
I need air.
He senses my fight or flight expression. “Kat,” he says my name with the realization that I am onto his secret hitting him. I put Khloe down, and wait for Kai to stop looking at me. He looks about to crumble into a million pieces.
I can’t do this. I don’t want to do this with him right now.
I feel frozen and unable to speak. I shake my head no at him.
His face falls. A lone tear trickles down his cheek.
Kirk grins and takes Khloe from the room.
“Is Khloe your kid?” I ask the question that I never thought I would be asking. Anger is flowing through my blood. I am drowning in a deep sea of red. The thread that connects me to Kai is unraveling.
Raven smiles at me and winks. “Let your mom know I have changed my mind. If you break up with, Katie—I might change it again, Kai.” She struts out the back door, holding her head high, proud that she just sliced my soul in half.
Kai’s face is pale, and he looks like he can’t breathe. He looks the way I feel. My world is crashing down.
“God, Kai. You must think I am so dumb – I would have kept your secret.”
Penny grabs my hand, and I jerk back from her. I don’t want anyone to touch me right now. My skin is crawling.
“Katie, it wasn’t like that. Please. You have to understand…,” he pleads. I don’t have to do anything.
“You lied to me, Kai—your whole family lied to me for months. I bet you and Raven sit around and laugh behind my back, while I take care of your kid. I’m done. I hope you find what you are looking for in LA.” I start to move away from the counter.
Kai steps in front of me. “Kat, don’t leave me. Please, baby. I don’t need to look for anything. I just need you by my side.” He is down on his knees, begging me, and I cannot bear to look at him right now. Tears are trickling down his beautiful face and it kills me to see him in so much pain, but I am hurting too.
My fingers brush through his hair, aching to soothe him. He is hugging my waist, clinging to me. I keep hearing his lies playing on a loop in my head. I can’t just let this slide. Kai is breaking my heart. I don’t think I can get over this.
His mom comes in wanting to know why Khloe is crying and saying everyone is fighting.
“Raven wants Khloe back—if I don’t break up with Katie,” Kai admits, his voice cracking.
“Over my dead body,” Kelli screeches. She storms off, going after Raven I can only assume.
“Kat, baby, I can explain. I just I have to take care of this with Raven first. If she goes to the press, it could ruin everything. I don’t want lose you, but I have to protect Khloe.” His arms fall to his sides when he sees I am like a statue and no longer receptive to his touch.
“Go, Kai,” I tell him, knowing that I will be gone when he comes back.
He kisses my cheek, and I die a little on the inside knowing it is the last time I will ever feel his lips on me.
Gasping for the air I so desperately need, I run to the bathroom and throw up violently as Penny holds my hair.
“I knew she was a conniving bitch,” Penny rambles, going on and on about how she was right.
“You aren’t going to let her stand between you and Kai, are you, Katie?” She reaches me a damp cloth as I lie in the floor wanting to die.
I have been watching Khloe for months. Kai has had every opportunity to tell me the truth and yet he continued to say nothing. ‘Khloe is my little sister.’ God. It all makes sense…why he would randomly take Khloe to The Grind, so Raven could give her a cookie. ‘It’s complicated.’