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“Oh, good, Chase. I wanted a moment to talk to you alone.” She looks over my shoulder. “You are alone, right?”
I nod, bracing myself for whatever she’s about to say. “Yeah. I just came in to get Jeff and I another drink.”
Her smile is forced. “I’ll be quick.” She grabs some carrots and begins chopping them, avoiding my eyes. “Mackenzie thinks she has romantic feelings for you, Chase, but I disagree. I think she’s suffering from a trauma bond due to your shared experience.”
A faint buzzing fills my ears. My jaw clenches, anger filling me. I blow out a breath, trying to calm myself before answering. “With all due respect, Pearl, I disagree. I know it may appear that way because of what we endured?—”
She cuts me off, her spine rigid. “Quite honestly, I’m not interested in the opinions of an eighteen-year-old boy who has misplaced feelings toward his sister.”
My anger turns to rage as I glare at her. I’ve tried to be patient, but this is too much. “I’mnotMackenzie’s brother. I’m Chase,notGavin. Though you don’t want to hear my opinion, I don’t give a damn. You’re gonna listen anyway. I love your daughter. I’ve loved her for quite some time. Though you don’t want to believe it, Mackenzie had romantic feelings for mebeforewe were captured. Our feelings deepened during our hellish time there. What would have drove most people apart, brought us closer together.”
Her head pops up, surprise widening her eyes at my defiant tone. Anger swirls in her eyes but I’m not done. She pushed me too far.
“If you think your disapproval of my love for your daughter is enough to make me give her up, you’re dead wrong.” Tossing the empty bottles in the recycle bin, I march to the refrigerator, grab two Cokes, and nearly plow into Mike when I turn around.
“I couldn’t help but overhear part of this conversation.” Mike holds up his hand when I try to move past him, not wanting to hear any more shit about giving up the girl I love.
Surprisingly, his gaze moves to his wife and the next words out of his mouth stun me. “Chase is right, Pearl. You may not agree with the way these two feel about one another, but it doesn’t change it. I noticed it a long time ago, including the fact that our daughter was interested in Chase long before she wanted to admit it. I’ve seen the way she’s blossomed under his care, as has he under hers.” His gaze drops to mine. “Thank you for loving my daughter enough to stand your ground and not give her up.” He smiles at me, then gestures toward the doorway. “Enjoy your time with your friends.”
My feet are rooted to the floor.
After standing there for longer than necessary, Mike says, “My wife and I need to have another conversation.”
I exit the room, feeling elated by Mike’s words and support.
Yet there’s an underlying feeling of dread hardening my stomach into a rock.What happens if Pearl refuses to budge?
71
MACKENZIE
Aweek and half passes, and I’ve finally started settling into a routine. For the first time in a long time, I’m happy. Sure, there are moments that the trauma rears its ugly head, temporarily dragging me down. But I refuse to let it keep me there. And the high school drama with my former friends causes a knot to form in my stomach as I fight the hurt from their insults and nasty comments. But I hold my head high, refusing to let them know how much they’re affecting me. I won’t give them that satisfaction.
It’s Saturday night and I’m getting ready to go to dinner and the movies with Chase, Jeff, and Melody. I’m humming along with the music that plays through my phone. Standing in front of the full-length mirror on my closet door, I check over my outfit one final time.
Knuckles rapping against my open bedroom door pulls me from my perusal. Meeting Chase’s eyes in the mirror, a wide smile spreads over my face as I spin around to face him. He eats the distance between us, his smile matching mine. “You’re gorgeous, Kenz.”
“Thank you.” A blush heats my cheeks as my gaze drops to my shoes. Despite all the compliments Chase gives me daily, I still get embarrassed. A thread of insecurity that winds through me, the scars left from Orpheus, physically and mentally, making me have doubts.
“Hey.” Warm hands cup my cheeks. “Get those doubts out of your head. You’re beautiful, angel. Insideandout.”
My gaze locks with his, raging sincerity pouring from his eyes, blanketing me in his love. My smile is wide as I blink rapidly. “Don’t make me cry. You’ll make my mascara run.”
He chuckles, his hands sliding over my shoulders and down my arms until his fingers interlock with mine. “You’d still be beautiful.”
My gaze slides down his body, marveling at the way hitting the weights in our basement is causing him to fill out. He’s matured so much since he moved in a year and a half ago. “You look amazing.” I inhale the scent of the cologne he’s wearing, closing my eyes as I do. “And that cologne…” My eyes pop open, meeting his adoring gaze. “It smells heavenly on you.”
He chuckles, glancing over his shoulder at my doorway. “I may get lucky tonight.”
I giggle and wink at him. “I can guarantee that.”
“I better get out of here before I give into temptation. Meet you downstairs?”
“Yup. Just let me make sure I have everything, and I’ll be right there.”
I watch him leave, biting my lip as he tosses me a flirty smile and wink over his shoulder. Shaking my head, I grab my purse, making sure I have my wallet, lipstick, and phone, then head to my doorway. As I step into the hallway, I bump into my mom.
We stare at each other, both of us tensing. Chase told me about the incident in the kitchen and the things she said to him. I was outraged.
