“No.” She grabs her purse and moves toward the exit. “I know that he’s a liar. That you’re both liars.”
“Em. Please.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t talk to me.”
“Em—”
The door swings shut behind her.
Chapter Forty-Two
Brendon
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Emma grabs my arm and pulls me from the theater entrance.
“Where’s Kay?”
Her eyes narrow. “Is that the only thing you care about?”
“What are you—”
“What am I? You’re fucking my best friend.”
“Em—”
“Don’t. I don’t want to hear it. You’re supposed to be the guy who keeps shit like this from happening.”
She’s right. It’s completely fucked, me and Kaylee.
“I’m so stupid. You two have been hanging out all this time. And I just… I actually believed that you care about her. That you want the best for her.”
“I do.”
“She’s eight years younger than you. What the fuck would you do if it was me and Dean?” She folds her arms. “She trusts you, Brendon. She trusts you like family. And you used that to fuck her.”
“I care about her.”
“If you cared about her, you’d keep your fly zipped.” She moves to the street. “Don’t wait up.”
“Where the hell are you going?”
“None of your business. I’m eighteen. I’m an adult. Those are clearly your standards. I don’t need to tell you shit.” She turns and runs toward the Hollywood and Highland center.
She’s pissed.
She needs to cool off.
But I’m not going to let my sister do something stupid.
I run after her.
She’s gone.
I check every club on Highland.
I check every store at the strip mall.
I call every one of Emma’s friends.
And, still, I keep looking. Find another store. Another bar. Another shady fucking alley.
I don’t stop until my phone is buzzing.
It’s a text from Walker.
Walker: Emma’s at my place. She’s gonna stay here.
Brendon: She okay?
Walker: No. But she will be. Is Kay okay?
Brendon: I don’t know.
Walker: Fuck. You better figure that out.
Brendon: Take care of Em, okay.
Walker: Good luck.
I slide my phone into my pocket and make my way back to the venue.
But it’s already closed. Lights off. Everybody—even the crew—is gone.
I call Kaylee.
Voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Again.
Nothing.
I shoot her a text.
Brendon: Where are you?
Nothing.
Chapter Forty-Three
Brendon
The house is dark.
The only sound is coming from upstairs. From Kaylee’s bedroom.
She’s crying.
Fuck, I’ve never been this happy to hear someone crying.
I nearly run up the stairs.
Nearly break her door pushing it open.
She’s curled up in her bed in the dark.
Hugging her knees.
Blinking back another set of tears.
“Kay.” I sit next to her. Rub her shoulder with my palm. I need to fix this. Somehow.
“I’m sorry.” She pulls her knees into her chest. “She asked. And I wanted to lie, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t say anything. I just stared.”
This is my fault. This whole fucking thing is my fault.
Em is right.
I’m the adult here.
I’m the person who is supposed to protect Kaylee.
If there was some other twenty-six-year-old guy trying to get in her pants, I’d kick his ass.
“It’s not your fault.” I run my fingers through her hair. “This has been inevitable.”
She nods. “Still.”
“No, Kay. This is on me.”
She shakes her head. “I didn’t have to make up that stuff about Dean. I… I’m sorry. I made everything complicated. And you… you don’t want complicated.”
“Come here.”
She pushes herself up and buries her head in my chest. “She’s never going to talk to me again.”
“She’ll get over it.”
Kaylee shakes her head. “No. She looked so betrayed. I’ve never seen that before.”
“She will. I promise.”
“No. I’m going to leave tomorrow, and everything is going to be fucked, and I’m going to come back here and everything will still be fucked.” Kay clutches at my arms. She holds me tighter. Pulls me closer. “I’m sorry. I…”
“It’s not your fault.”
Again, she shakes her head.
She’s not going to get it.
Not like this.
She needs someone to walk her through this.
To occupy all her thoughts.
Or maybe that’s my cock talking.
I run my fingers through her hair.
I hold her body against mine until she stops shaking.
Is this for me or her?
I’m not sure.
She has me so fucked up.
I don’t know up or down anymore.
I certainly don’t know right or wrong.
“You want to feel better, Kay?”
She looks up at me with all that trust in her eyes. “Yeah, but I don’t see—”
“You want out of your head or not?”
“I do.”
“You trust me?”
“Of course.”
“Then go to my room.”
Understanding fills her eyes. “You mean—”
“Yeah.”
“Oh. Well. Um. Yeah. Okay.” She pushes herself to her feet. “Okay. Is Em okay?”
“She’s staying with Walker.”
“Okay. Good. I, uh… Okay. Do we need a safeword or something?”
It never hurts. “You have something in mind?”
“Tattoo.”
Fuck, it’s like she’s trying to be adorable.
How the hell am I supposed to give her up?
I nod. “Tattoo.”
“Okay.” Her voice is halfway back to normal. Her posture too.
She’s slow about moving into the hallway.
Then into my room.
The door shuts.
She’s waiting in there.
For me to hurt her.
But not the way she thinks I’m going to.
Chapter Forty-Four