The Inevitable

“I can’t wait any longer,” he says. “I’ve tried to give you your space. I get it. The entire situation sucks, but I can’t just let you walk away. Not like this… hell, not ever.”

Kolton’s jaw tightens, and his eyes shine with unshed tears, and it’s then I see how badly he looks. Dark circles under his eyes, his normally tan complexion pasty. He’s been suffering right along with me.

“Paula, please make sure you keep all takeout receipts tonight. I’m heading out. If you need anything, Sonora will be in soon.”

Like everyone else does when I mention Sonora, she rolls her eyes. “See you tomorrow.”

I grab my purse from behind the hostess stand and walk outside with Kolton following. Not wanting to have this conversation on the streets, I walk over to his bike. “Want to go to your place and talk?”

“Yeah,” he says, his voice cracking.

The ride to his apartment is quick, but as I sit behind him with my arms wrapped around his torso and my face nestled against his back, I wish we could ride for longer.

We walk inside his place, and it looks different… I can’t quite place it.

“Keegan moved out, so his messy ass shit isn’t all over the place,” Kolton says, answering my unspoken thoughts. “He’s planning to ask Blakely to move in with him.” He sits on the couch and scrubs his palms over his face.

“I doubt she’ll be on board with that.” I sit across from him on the loveseat.

“With Brenton out on bail, he’s hoping she’ll put aside her hurt and do what’s best for her and Zane’s safety. Brenton’s already approached her once, and I had to intervene.”

“What?” I shriek. “When? She didn’t tell me.”

He sighs, exhaustion evident in his features. “This morning… But I don’t want to talk about them. I want to talk about us.”

“I don’t know what there’s to talk about. You lied and hid shit, and I can’t be with someone like that. You knew about what my father did, yet—”

His eyes lock with mine. “That’s such bullshit!” he barks, making me jump. He cuts across the area to where I am, kneels in front of me, and frames my face with his palms. “It’s not fair for you to compare what happened to what your dad did. You said it yourself when the fire caught, he threw you guys into it. Keegan, on the other hand, was in that fucking fire doing everything he could to fight it so Blakely and Zane wouldn’t be touched. He’s been fighting that fire for fucking years.”

“Years?” I knew Brenton sold drugs in high school, but why would it have taken Keegan that long to put him away?

Kolton sighed. “There’s something you need to know, but I need you to keep it between us until Keegan speaks with Blakely. He wants to be the one to explain it to her.”

“Great. More secrets. If you’re not supposed to tell me, then don’t.” I stand, and Kolton stands with me. “I don’t know why I even came here.” Liar! You came here because you love him and miss him and need him to make it right because even though what he did was wrong, you can’t imagine your life without him.

“Sierra.” He grabs my hips and tugs me toward him. “You came here because you love me, and despite how hurt you are, you know that whatever happened was done to protect you and your sister and Zane. You can try to push me away to protect your heart, but you know I would never do anything to hurt you.”

Jesus, it’s like he has insight into my head and heart…

One of his hands glides up my side and cups my cheek. “I love you so goddamn much, and even though I hate how you and Blakely found out, I wouldn’t change a single thing because what Keegan did was to protect the three of you.” He swallows thickly. “And…” Tears well up in his eyes and then tip over, racing down his face. “He did it for me too.”

My heart tightens in my chest. I don’t understand what he means, but I can feel it in his words and in the way he’s touching me. In the way he’s looking at me. How upset he is over all of this. He means what he’s saying, and he’s right. He’s not my father. He’s nothing like him, and it’s not fair to compare Kolton to him.

“I’ll tell you everything…”

“No,” I breathe. “I… I trust you,” I choke out. “I was shocked and scared, and I felt so damn stupid. But you’re right, you aren’t my father. Neither you nor Keegan are. And yes, I do love you. So, even though I’m upset, I’m not going anywhere. I want to be with you. Whatever the reason Keegan did what he did, and your family supported him, I believe you. That it was done, not to throw us into the fire, but to save us from it.”