Kyle opens his mouth; I’m sure to spew more nastiness, but stops when his parents return. His mother gives Kane another long hug before his father does the same. I let out a sigh of relief when Kyle moves to follow them out. I know there were three other cars in the drive when we arrived, but I’m assuming that with how drunk Kyle has become, he’s going to be leaving with their parents or Kole.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Kane tells Kole as they say good-bye.
I get hugs from both his parents as well before we follow them out, smiling despite my unease as they make their exit and drive off. Just when Kole is about to tell me good-bye, Kyle finally speaks, obviously having waited for his parents to leave before he makes his move.
“How does is your new plaything feel about Mia and the baby, Kane,” he slurs and steps closer to me. The blood drains from my face with his words, and my heart falls to my feet when Kane lets out a curse. “Oh, let me guess. You haven’t told her about the baby yet,” Kyle continues with an evil laugh, the sound so sinister to my ears that I shiver. “Guess you missed all the tabloid reports about how his affair is the reason Mia’s pregnancy has been so touch and go with the stress. Tell me, how will you feel if she loses the much anticipated Post/Masters baby?”
“You son of a bitch,” Kane bellows, and I jump at the furious sound I had never heard from him.
“Shit,” Kole spits out and grabs me just as Kane lunges for his brother.
“You shut your fucking mouth, Kyle,” Kane yells at his brother, slamming him against the side of his house with his hand clenched tight against his throat. “You, of all people, know just how fucked-up your behavior is!”
Kyle’s eyes narrow and he shoves back at his brother, dislodging his hold. “Do I, Kane? Who was the fucked-up one who hasn’t seen Mia in almost two months, huh? Have you been there for her once since the first doctor’s appointment?”
“You have no right, Kyle. No fucking right to question where I’ve been.”
Kyle turns his head, letting his heated ire focus on me as I tremble in Kole’s arms. “Yeah, guess you’re right since I can see just where you’ve been while Mia’s been all alone.”
“Motherfucker,” Kane grunts, and his fist flies out to connect with his brother’s face. The impact snaps Kyle’s head back and added to how drunk he is, he falls in an unconscious heap in the middle of Kane’s driveway.
I can’t bring myself to look at Kane. Even though I can feel the heat of his stare on me, my eyes stay on Kyle’s prone form. Kole doesn’t loosen his hold on me. His arms stay looped around my upper body, holding me captive with my back to his front.
We stand there, silence thickening, until Kyle’s words finally register completely, the force like a tidal wave. A sob pushes from my shocked body so violently that I almost fall from Kole’s arms. My eyes finally move to where Kane is standing, his face the mask of pure agony as his rapid breathing heaves his chest.
He moves to walk toward me, but I hold my hand up to halt him. “No.”
“Willow, please.” He attempts to reach me again, but I push against Kole and force him to move with me as I step away.
“Do not come any closer.”
Kane’s whole body slumps as his desperation becomes paramount to the madness that had just been brewing.
“Do you deny his words?” I ask, pointing at where Kyle is still out cold.
“It’s not that simple, baby,” he responds, despondently.
“Then explain it to me,” I demand, proud that my voice sounds a lot stronger than I feel right now. “Explain your relationship with Mia Post and your role in her child’s life. Do it now, Kane. No more hiding.”
“I can’t,” he weakly answers.
I nod and turn to Kole. “Can you please take me to a hotel,” I ask, resolved in the knowledge that I can’t stay if Kane isn’t willing to tell me what I need to know. Not now. Not after his brother's admission. This isn’t like him asking me to blindly trust in him with media lies. This came straight from his own family.
Kole looks past me and toward Kane. He doesn’t speak, but when he looks back at me, he gives me a nod. Instantly, I feel relief that I’ll be able to leave when I know I have nowhere to go.
“Willow. Fuck, don’t leave.” Kane reaches out and grabs my hand, but his arm falls to his side when I rip myself from his hold.
“Then tell me what I need to know.”
His silence is all I need. I allow the tears that had been threatening to fall and look into the cerulean orbs that have never given me anything but love until today.
“Kole, can you grab my stuff?” I wait for him to walk back into the house. The connection I’m holding with Kane’s gaze never wavers. When Kole is out of earshot, I continue speaking. “I deserve more than that, Kane. I’m not running. This isn’t me running. This is me being strong enough to walk away even though I know it will hurt. This is me knowing that I’m worth everything and not just whatever you feel I’m allowed to know. And until you can give that to me, we have nothing left to say to each other.”
“Willow,” he begs, desperation making my name come out like a deep sob.
“No. You asked me to trust you, but you can’t put that same trust in me. I get that your word means everything to you, but guess what, Kane? If you loved me, truly loved me, you would have found a way to be completely open and honest with me before the painful truth was allowed to scar me.”
Kole walks back out of the house with two of my suitcases and my purse over his shoulder. He doesn’t look at Kane, nor does he look at Kyle. He heads right over to me, and after asking me if I was sure, he takes me to his car and helps me fold into the passenger seat. He stuffs the suitcases in the trunk and makes his way to his side. The whole time, my eyes never leave Kane. I can see the pain in his whole demeanor. The connection that had always felt so strong between us pulls tightly against my own chest as the gravity of the situation hits me. My tears pick up speed as I let out a heaving cry.
It isn’t until Kole has pulled his sleek sports car through Kane’s gate that I allow my sobs to join the tears as I leave the only man who will ever hold my heart behind.
SO THIS IS WHAT IT feels like to have your heart ripped out of your chest and stomped on. A pain greater than I have ever experienced tears through my body with enough force that my chest feels like my heart has been pulled straight from it. Looking down at Kyle, I make myself pull him from the ground and drag his heavy as shit body inside the house.