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That day, he became Gray to me. Gray may have never been my father, but neither had the man in front of me.
I stopped stuffingmy belongings into the duffel I had arrived with so many months ago and met Kiwi's eyes. "I can't stay here. Wes and I are over. We should've never started. I made a mistake. He knows who I am and what I've done. He thinks I betrayed him!" My words got louder toward the end, and I swallowed over the rock clogging my throat.
I would never betray Weston Sheats, but he doesn't know that.
"But you didn't!" Kiwi threw his arms up.
I let myself drop onto the mattress and covered my face with my hands. "You know that, and I know that. But no one will ever believe me." It came out mostly mumbled, but Kiwi understood, nonetheless.
Fingers wrapped around my wrists and pulled until I was forced to look at him. "Eventually, he has to listen." He tried to sound convincing, but we both knew Wes didn't have to listen to anything I had to say. I lost him the second he stepped out into that parking lot.
I sighed, and Kiwi held my gaze as I said, "No, he doesn't. What if he calls Lilly and Rhys? They could try to use me to get to Gray. I can't do that to our—" My eyes widened, and I cut myself off. This was the one secret my best friend was not aware of. I didn't get to tell Wes. There was no way I would reveal it—the baby—to Kiwi before its father found out.
"Then let me come with—"
"NO!" I jumped up and made him fall on his ass in the process. My outburst was louder than I intended, and I cringed. "I'm sorry, but…no."
"We said we'd always…" He peered up at me, and his plea was not just in his tone and words but carved onto his face. The only time Kiwi and I were not together was when I was on the move. I refused to tell him my location in case I got arrested.
"I'm not letting you give up your life. You have a job, one that makes actual money and you're good at. You have a boyfriend. I'm not allowing you to g-give th-that u-up." My speech ended in hiccuped sobs.
Fuck, I didn't want to break down again.
Kiwi stood up and drew me close. Clinging to his shirt, I buried my nose in his chest.
We were still in the same position when a new voice broke through the silence. "It's time to go, baby girl."
I jerked away from Kiwi and stared at the man hovering in my doorway. "How did you get in here?"
He slanted his head—stupid question.
Kiwi's eyes bulged in shock. "You're going withhim?"
I ignored him and focused back on my bag. How could my life fit into one duffel bag?
Echo chose that moment to stride into my room and clumsily jumped on the bed. She had gotten a lot better over the last week, but she was still recovering. Her tongue hung out, and she tilted her head, looking at me expectantly. Crap. Echo. Fresh tears pooled in my eyes. I didn't want to leave my dog behind, but I had no idea where I'd be ending up. She still required regular checkups. Her stitches were being removed in a few days, and—
Kiwi must've read my mind because he propped one knee on the mattress, scratching Echo behind the ear. "Mags and I will take care of her until you can get her. Or I'll bring her to you."
It was obvious what he was doing. He wanted me to confirm that I would tell him where I was. I nodded and zipped up my life. Bending down to be on the same level with Echo, I placed a kiss on her head.
I was losing everyone I cared about tonight.
"Be good for Kiwi, baby. I'll see you again soon."I hoped.Straightening, I threaded my fingers through Kiwi's. "I'll call you as soon as I'm settled."
"Kingsley!" Gray barked, and my shoulders stiffened.
"I'm coming,Gray," I emphasized his name, and I heard a low growl behind me. It still pissed him off, but I didn't give a shit.
I took one last look at them and followed my father out of the house and to my Jeep. He automatically went to the driver's side, leaving me standing several feet from my car. He didn't turn, and simply said, "You are in no condition to drive."
Jolting awake,I'm frantically glancing around. Where the fuck am I? Then, I see who is in the driver's seat of my Jeep—the Jeep he gave me years ago after he somehow found out that Mom's ancient car had broken down. I never questioned him how he knew, but I'm starting to gather that he's always been around.
Yesterday comes flooding back. The pregnancy test, my performance at The Grizz, the lightness I felt looking into Wes's eyes. How the visible affection eased the knot in my stomach, knowing that telling him about the baby would be the right thing. I trusted Wes with my heart. Then,hecame back.
I peer at Gray—my father. "Where are we?" My throat is dry, and I start coughing.
Gray hands me a bottle of water from the console without averting his eyes from the road. "Almost at the Arizona border. You fell asleep before we hit Utah, and I had to get some shut-eye as well. Otherwise, we'd be farther by now." After a pause, he amends, "It's been a long day."
