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“I will marry you. I have wanted to be your husband since we were ten years old.” I gasp and push up so I can look into his hazel eyes. He pauses and I can tell from his voice he’s serious, and he truly loves me to the point he would disrespect his father. I shake my head and watch as he thinks I’m turning him down.
“It doesn’t work like that. I have to marry Cal. I wish it was you though,” I tell him and he groans, pulling me back down on top of him.
“This fucking sucks. Why do two minutes matter? Cal is older by two goddamn minutes,” he growls and I laugh. I know this is a serious moment, but he’s kinda cute when he growls.
* * *
Nate’s asleep,his soft breaths are tickling the back of my neck. I should be sleeping, but something is keeping me awake, and it’s not only the fight with Kian. Something is wrong. I can just feel it in my bones. I open my phone to Instagram and mindlessly scroll for a few minutes. I’d watch TikTok, but I don’t want to wake Nate. A photo of the Stonewall football team has me pausing, and one guy with blond hair and a fake smile has me doing something out of the norm.
I search until I find him, Rooke Sanderson, then send him a message. I hope he doesn’t think I’m some crazy person, and I don’t know what went down between him and Cal tonight, but he looked like his heart was breaking. I yelled at Cal, but he just told me to mind my fucking business and go fuck one of my boy toys.
Lucky:Hey:) I know you don’t know me well, and this is totally random, but I saw you take off tonight.
My thumb hits send before I can finish my message, and I hesitate to send another one back to back. He’s probably sleeping and going to wake up to a mass of messages from me. Ugh, fuck it.
Lucky:Wow that makes me sound like a stalker. I’m Cal’s neighbor and I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.
Okay, that’s good for now. I click my phone off and wait a minute, but something is still urging me to keep talking to him. Something about the way his shoulders fell as he ran across my yard. Okay, just one more message, and I’ll leave the poor guy alone.
He doesn’t even know me, besides that one class we had together last year. I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass later.
Lucky:Cal is a dick. I don’t know what he did, but you deserve to be treated better. He’s changed. He used to be my best friend and a great guy.
Wow, Patience. Way to go off on a rant. The message shows read and I wait for him to reply, but he never does. Okay, well, I tried.
Lucky:Okay, I’ll leave you alone. But I’m here if you ever want to talk. Day or night.
Fuck, he probably thinks I’m looking for a booty call or something. I shut off my phone and toss it on my nightstand. Nate mumbles something in his sleep and I smile, remembering how he used to do that when we were kids. One night, when we were camping in the backyard, Cal and I even recorded him. I sigh and snuggle deeper into my blankets. His arms pull me tight and I feel content. My eyes drift closed and I find myself wishing that Cal was here too. Some nights I miss him and what we used to have.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Iget to work early and chug my fourth cup of coffee. I realized how fucking stupid I was after a night of no sleep and called Patience. I apologized profusely, but she wouldn’t listen to me. I know it’s for the best, putting some space between us, but it doesn’t hurt any less. I move over to the podium and place my lesson plan on it, then walk over to the whiteboard and start writing. I’m so in my own head, I don’t hear the person entering until they are close behind me. I close the marker and set it down on the tray with a sigh.
“Are you going to cause trouble, Kian?” the voice asks. I turn and face Richard James, wearing a three-piece suit and shiny shoes. I raise my eyebrow and cross my arms. “I know you love my granddaughter, Ki. I have known for years. You don’t think I have someone keeping tabs on her?”
I try to hide my fear from him and shrug. I pray he didn’t come here just to put me in a grave. Patience still doesn’t know the secrets he keeps. What kind of man he really is. She thinks all these lies have just been for the benefit of the company.
“Wow, a personal visit. To what do I owe this precious moment of your time?” I snark, and his nostrils flare. I know I’m poking the bear, but he has caused me misery, time and time again. I’m over it. I’m already losing my girl.
“You know why I’m here. I know you spent last night at her house. You and Nathaniel Reynolds. You need to back off, Kian. This is your one and only warning. Patience will marry Cal Reynolds and take leadership of the company. I have other plans in store for you.”
I shudder at that and he smiles. I don’t want to know what his plans for me are. I have a feeling I’m supposed to be his successor, since he doesn’t have any other males in the family.
“I have no desire to run the family, sir. I just want to continue being a teacher here at Stonewall. I have never been interested in joining. I told you this years ago. Maybe Cal can lead, now that he will be married to Patience.”
Richard starts to laugh, but it’s not jovial. My spine prickles at his tone. “Cal will be running the company. Patience will be home raising their children. I have let you teach here, but your time will come, Kian. Your father is already aware of these terms. I assume he will be calling you soon.” I bite my tongue from saying anything further, and he spins on his heel and stalks out of my classroom.
The moment the door slams shut, I turn and punch the whiteboard until my knuckles are busted and bloody. That man does not own me. I think it’s time someone takes him out.
Patience
I enter the building and immediately want to turn around and leave again, but someone spots me. He gives me a smile and I smile back. He never did text me back, but I know he read it. I didn't want to interfere, minus screaming at Cal, but I just wanted him to know I was thinking of him. I still don’t know what went down, but I have a small clue.
“Hi, Rooke,” I say as I reach him. He pulls me into a quick hug, shocking me, and I gently rub his back. He’s shaking and I’m starting to worry. A throat clears behind me and I glance over my shoulder to Cal. He looks horrible. Dark circles show under his eyes and his skin is pale. Rooke lets me go with a sheepish smile.
“Cal,” he grunts, then turns and walks off down the hall. I try to follow, but Cal reaches for my wrist and stops me.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he sneers, and I sigh.
