“I’ll call you tomorrow okay?” Penny gives me a small hug and I nod.
She squeezes Kai’s shoulder as she passes by him. He still hasn’t come all the way in my door.
“Are you leaving?” He stares at my half packed bags lying on the floor. His hands are balled up into tightly clenched fists.
“You LIED to me Kai. Would you have EVER told me?”
“I wanted to so many times. You have to know that it wasn’t about hurting you…I was protecting Khloe.” He takes a deep breath, and I can tell he is trying to hold back his tears.
“From what Kai? You know what I think? You didn’t want your dirty little secret getting out to the press!” That was mean but I can’t help it. I am so hurt right now.
He doesn’t say anything and he doesn’t stop me as I continue shoving my clothes in my bags.
“I have a flight in five hours Kat; I won’t get on that plane if you tell me to stay.” He sounds as desperate as I feel.
“Get on the plane Kai. I hope you top the charts with your single.” I wish I didn’t feel this way right now, but I do.
He tries to grab my hand, and I pull away. I have to end this NOW, before he hurts me any deeper. A strangled sob escapes my throat when I hear those three words that break me, shattering my heart completely.
“Killing me Kat,” he says hoarsely.
“I. Can’t. Kai. I’m sorry,” I say each word through my sobs. The words are gutting me, but I have to stay strong. Kai Cooper isn’t going to get the best of me.
“Can’t or won’t?” He says his voice cracking, trying to choke back his own tears.
“Maybe both,” I say, trying to stay strong, the words cutting my tongue like glass the second I say them. I have to look away from his tear-streaked gaze.
He steps aside as I walk passed him and out the door. I can’t look back or I will lose what little courage I have.
I hear his fist smashing against the door, as a guttural, “FUCK!” rips from his throat. Then I hear him tossing things inside of my room, losing it. Glass shatters and I have to keep walking away. I have to stay strong. I can fall apart once I get out of here, away from him and his lies.
When I reach my car, Khloe is in the front yard running through the sprinklers with her friends from school, without a care in the world. I hope she never loses that feeling. I hope Raven and Kai do what is best for her, whatever that might be.
Driving away from Kai Cooper is the hardest thing I have ever done. But If I don’t leave, I know that I will only stand in his way. If I had told him not to get on that plane, I know that he would have stayed and gave it up for me. I won’t be the reason he loses his dream. I won’t be the reason that little girl learns her brother is really her dad.
I don’t need to hear his reasons. He could have been honest with me. But he wasn’t. I tried so many times to get him to open up to me. I gave him ALL of me. I shared MY secrets with him but he couldn’t be open with me in return.
Tears blind my sight as I drive towards the town limits. I don’t know where I’m going but I can’t stay where he isn’t and I can’t be near here and be reminded of him either. Nothing will ever compare to Kai Cooper and the love I feel for him. He owns me but I need to own myself.
So I just drive and when my phone rings, I turn it off shutting out everything and everyone. I know it is him and I can’t talk to him. If I do, I will turn this car around and drive straight back to him. I crank up my stereo, I drive, and I cry. Eventually, I pull off for gas and call Penny so she at least knows I am okay.
Chapter 27
One year later
“Percy!” Where is that damn cat? I walk around to the back of the yard and call out for him again. I thought for sure the little shit would be out here digging up the flowerbed.
“Any luck?” Becks asks from behind me.
“No, he is a lost cause. I am sure he will return when his butt gets hungry,” I tell him with a shrug. “What time is Desi getting here?” I turn around and give him a small hug. I am going to miss him. We are finally close again.
“Should be anytime now.” He smiles. Desi is Beckett’s girlfriend. We are having them a thing tonight, well we—being Penny and I. Beckett and Desi are going to South America for four months with their church. Desi is so good for him. I knew when I met her she was going to steal him away from me.
“Katie!” Penny screams my name from the kitchen window.
Becks and I go to see what she is freaking out about.
“What?” I ask and then I see Percy sitting on the table eating her chicken. “Percy!” I shout and he looks at me, licks his mouth and I swear the little devil just smiled at me.