Kian

“I don’t,” I clipped out. But I had to ask him a question. “You said that Kian’s dad wanted him back for the company. You were going to go and see his parents to talk about keeping Kian away from me. Did you?”

“Oh.” He got quiet.

My eyebrows lifted. “Oh?”

“I don’t know what it means, but I never told you about that meeting because it didn’t happen.”

“You don’t think I should’ve known that information?”

“Want and should are completely different. I think you should’ve known, but I didn’t think you wanted to know. It doesn’t tell us anything, except that his dad is a jackass. That’s it, but we all knew that already.”

“And you’re telling me that you don’t think Kian’s using me after that?”

“What did he use you for?”

“To give him a recommendation or something. His sister said the investors of his dad’s company didn’t want Kian in, but now that I’ve spoken out, they’re letting him back in.”

“His sister?”

“Yeah, Felicia Maston.”

“Ah, cripes. She’s a piece of work herself. Are you sure you believe her?”

I leaned back, resting my head against the wall. “No. She’s shady. I can tell that much, but she was telling the truth about this. She didn’t strike me as the loving kind of sister, but…” I couldn’t shake my gut. She told the truth. “I’m over being hurt.”

Not from Kian, not after I gave him everything.

“Well, okay.” Snark was resigned. “I mean, if this is what you want to do, I’ll get back as soon as possible to help you.”

“No.”

Jake’s car turned around the corner.

I straightened from the wall. “I’m okay. My ride’s here.”

“Listen, I got called back to headquarters. I don’t know. Maybe that was the kid himself, or maybe his pops called in a favor and got me hauled back here, but my supervisor is stalling. The case they want me on isn’t panning out, and I’m on leave. Technically, I don’t have to stay here. Do you want me to come out there? I’ll fight them here, if you want me to.”

“No.” That was his job. “Stay. Do what you’re supposed to. I’ll be fine.”

Jake’s car slid to a stop, and he opened the passenger door, waiting for me.

“Thank you, Snark,” I said before hanging up and stuffing my phone into my pocket. Hurrying into the car, I asked Jake one question before I closed the door, “Did you intentionally answer Susan’s phone call before?”

“No.” He held my gaze. He didn’t seem surprised what I asked him, and he wasn’t being defensive. There was no eagerness in his eyes.

“Okay.” That answer would do for now. “Can you take me as far away as possible?”

He nodded. “Close the door.”

I did.

And he took me to a park.

Once the car stopped, turned toward a river that surrounded the park, I threw my hands up. “The park? You took me to a park? Jake.”

His mouth twitched. He was trying to hide a grin, and then he stopped trying. A big grin broke out along with a slight laugh. “Come on. It’s kinda funny.”

“No.” Not at all. “I’m not amused. I need to stay hidden.”

“Oh, yeah.” He undid his seat belt and leaned his seat back. His hand dismissed that notion. “Your interview made everyone love you. You don’t have to worry about getting tomatoes or flour thrown at you. You’re golden. You’d get lifted onto shoulders and hoisted in the air, if anything. You’re just fine. Plus,” he looked me up and down before smirking, “you’ve got your whole disguise look going on.”

I hadn’t thought about what I grabbed when I left, but I was dressed in one of Kian’s black sweatshirts and my jeans. I hated to admit it, but the smell of Kian was driving me crazy. I tried blocking it out. It was starting to hurt too much.

“Why here, though? Why not your place?”

“Because Tara’s there.”

I could only look at him. Those words…

I smacked him on the arm. “After all that time with me, you’re back with her?”

He chuckled softly. His smirk turned into an actual grin, and he shrugged. “I know. I realized I was a dumbass, and by the way, Tara ended her friendship with Susan.”

“She did?”

He nodded. “Tara found out what had happened, that Susan called me to get info on you for a story. Tara wasn’t happy about it. She saw it on the news. The whole thing’s there, Susan trying to ambush you guys. Someone caught it on camera.”

“Really?”

“And Wanker cornered her and had a standoff against her. Susan was seething. She was so pissed, said she’s going to sue.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please. Who’s she going to sue?”

He shrugged. “Anyone. You? She’s saying you ruined her career, but she’s the jerk-off, not you.” He quieted, growing serious. “I mean, yeah, a lot of people were pissed at first, but I get it. I know why you hid. Everyone knows why you hid, especially after hearing your interview. Tara was bawling like a baby. She said I had no right being mad at you, and she followed that with a threat, saying I could never try to hook-up with you again, even if she and I break up.”