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She sucked in a shuddery breath. “You can’t, but thanks for being here with me.”
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, Kin.”
She didn’t respond and lowered her eyes so I couldn’t see what she was thinking. After a few seconds she wrapped her arms around herself and glanced at my car. “Can you take me back to Scott’s house now?”
I didn’t want her to go back there any more than Carter or the twins did, but I nodded my agreement and took her hand. Entwining our fingers, I led her to my car and opened the passeng
er door for her. Once she was settled and had her seatbelt on, I closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.
She was quiet on the drive back to Malibu, and with each mile that took us closer to her father’s house I wanted to demand she come back to my apartment and stay there. If she didn’t want to sleep in my bed with me, there was a spare bedroom that I would give her. She could live with me and Gray until she graduated and then…
Then who knew. Maybe she would want to stay. Maybe she could go to college close by and I wouldn’t have to tell her goodbye again. Maybe…
Fuck. My fist hit the steering wheel as I neared her house, forcing her to finally lift her head and look at me. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice sounding hoarse from all the crying she’d done earlier.
“It’s nothing,” I lied. “Just hate that you’re hurting, babe.” That wasn’t a lie. It was torture to see the pain in her eyes. To see how pale she was and how much paler she got with every turn of the car’s tires. This wasn’t right. I shouldn’t be taking her back to a house where she didn’t feel welcome, to a family who didn’t love her.
“I’m going to change my clothes and then walk over to Lucy’s house,” she told me. “You don’t have to worry about me, Jace. They can’t break me.”
“Maybe not, babe, but that bitch will bend and bruise you trying her damnedest.”
She clasped her hands together in her lap and looked at me through her lashes, hiding whatever was in her eyes from me. “Thanks for caring, Jace. It…” She swallowed hard and gave me the smallest of smiles. “It really means a lot to me.”
“I’ve always cared, Kin.” I pulled to a stop outside her father’s house and then turned to face her. Before she could move to get out I leaned across the space that separated us and caught her face in my hands. “What I feel for you hasn’t changed except to grow stronger. Don’t you fucking forget that, babe.” I kissed the tip of her nose and slowly pulled back. She didn’t speak as her wide blue eyes watched me intently. “If you need me, I’m only a call away. No matter what time, baby. Day or night.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “Thanks.” She reached for the door handle, seeming just as reluctant to go as I was to let her. Slowly she got out and started to turn away, but quickly stuck her head back in. “Will you call me later?”
“Call. Text. FaceTime.” I gave her a wink and a smile, trying to relieve some of that haunted look in her eyes. “Whatever you want, baby.”
“Call me,” she murmured. “I would really appreciate it if you did.”
“Then I will,” I promised.
“Okay then. Thanks…” She stepped back and shut the door but stood on the sidewalk for a few moments before finally waving and walking to the house.
I watched her go, dreading the distance she put between us with each step she took. Only once she was inside did I put my car in gear and head back to my apartment. After a few miles I activated the car’s voice command to call Lucy. She picked up after a few rings.
“Jace?”
I glared out the windshield. “Hey, Lu. Can you do me a favor?”
There was a small pause on her end before she answered. “If I can, sure.”
I gritted my teeth, mentally cursing myself. “I just left Kin at her father’s house. Can you call her? She’s had a rough few days.”
“I heard something happened at the gala the other night with the Montez family and the Jacobsons, but I didn’t really pay attention to what was being said.” She blew out a long breath. “Yeah, Jace. I’ll call her now.”
I stopped at a traffic light and leaned my head back against the headrest, closing my eyes. I wanted to turn around and go back for her. Take her home with me and never let her go back to that fucking house again. Instead, I cleared my throat, knowing there wasn’t a damn thing I could do. “Thanks, Lucy.”
Kin
The house was oddly quiet as I let myself in and headed up the stairs. I’d honestly expected Jillian to be waiting on me as soon as I walked through the door. Yet there was no sign of her, and I didn’t hear her voice as I passed her bedroom on the way to my own.
I didn’t know if I was relieved to not have to deal with her shit right then or if I was even more pissed. I wanted to have it out with her. Wanted to yell and scream and call her names and then I wanted to put my fist through her face and yell some more. She was why my real family was gone a week sooner than expected. She was the one at fault for ruining my time with my loved ones. She had ruined my first Christmas without my mother, which had been a fucking disaster, and all I wanted to do was cry.
Cry, damn it.
I hated crying.
