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And that wasn’t knocking the staff, one of whom was Ruby. They were fucking awesome. But there was no getting away from the fact that the NHS was massively underfunded and majorly overworked.
Neither of us touched our desserts after that, too preoccupied with Dylan and what he was going through.
There was a bite to the air as we stepped outside, a reminder that autumn was just around the corner.
We were within six feet of Kai’s car when a shadow broke away from the wall. The man stepped in front of me, cutting off my path.
Ice raced through my veins, my stomach lurching as the voice from my nightmares manifested itself. “Hello, son.”
I was frozen in place. Kai had no such issue. He moved in a flash, pushing me behind him as he stepped between us. “What are you doing here, Frank?”
Over Kai’s shoulder, I watched numbly as my father sneered at Kai. “Oh, it’s you. Still sniffing around after my kid, I see. Disgusting.”
My stomach rolled. He could say whatever he wanted to me. But not to Kai. Never Kai.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped to the side, pulling level with Kai. I kept my face blank as I surveyed the man before me. The man who I wished only fucking existed in my nightmares.
The years had not been kind to him, no thanks to the drugs and alcohol he’d pumped through his system. His hair hung in greasy strands around his face. The sneer revealed yellow teeth with a couple missing.
“Don’t talk to Kai like that.”
“Oh, you’re going to speak to me now? Thought you liked to pretend you don’t have a dad.”
“I do have a dad. But he’s sure as shit not you.”
Frank moved to grab my collar, but Kai’s arm shot out to stop him. “Back the fuck up, Frank.”
“Don’t touch me,” he spat in Kai’s direction. “He’s my son. I’ll treat him however the fuck I want to.”
Kai stepped forwards, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “Oh, I’ve seen how you treat him. I saw it back then when he’d turn up at my house with bruises and broken bones. And I’ve seen it since, every time you’ve sold your story trying to cash in on his success.”
Numbness started tingling my fingers as that yawning darkness crept in.
“So what if I did?” Frank jeered. “He owes me fuckingeverything.”
“He owes you nothing,” Kai countered hotly. “So whatever you think you’re here to achieve, it’s not going to happen.”
Frank bristled. “We’ll see about that—”
I interrupted him, my voice hollow. “What do you want?”
Kai shot me an incredulous look, but I just wanted this over with.
His beady eyes darted between us, no doubt noticing how Kai was hovering protectively. “Well, I have one story left to sell. How two members of the biggest band in the world are fucking. Have been since they were teenagers.”
Kai’s voice was level. “How much are you asking for?”
“I think ten grand should hold me.” His voice was as greasy as an oil slick. “For now, anyway. And you’ll give it over unless you want everyone to think you actuallyarea couple.”
I chuckled, the noise making both men snap their attention to me.
“That’s the best you can do?” I slipped my hand inside Kai’s, stepping closer. “Threatening to out me and Kai? Unluckily for you, Frank, we couldn’t give a shit about that.”
Frank reeled back in disgust as Kai smiled at me proudly. “You fuckingwhat? You’re…fuckinga man?”
Suddenly, I was looking at him and wondering what I’d ever been afraid of. Sure, he had a few inches on me, but I was no longer the scrawny kid I’d once been. I’d packed on muscle over the years, and I was certain I was faster on my feet than this cunt.
Still, I didn’t let go of Kai’s hand as I went toe to toe with Frank. Not because I needed him to protect me, but to ground me. “Actually, if you wanna be specific, that man is fuckingme.”
