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She opened with a huge smile on her face. I envied her and decided I wanted to know how she was always so happy. She was living a separate life from the man she supposedly loved, and yet she seemed completely content.
“We were wondering where you went.” She shut the door behind me.
“Killian’s been keeping secrets.” I heaved a sigh and plopped down onto her couch then began to explain everything that had happened.
I didn’t hold anything back, not about my dad or his workings or anything else that was supposed to be secret. I just poured my heart out, and then I waited.
Callie exchanged a look with Natty before both women crowded me. Callie hugged my side, and Natty came over, kneeling in front of me to hug my middle. I froze for a second, unsure how to respond, but the longer they held me, the more I broke.
Tears streamed down my face, and a hiccup got caught in my throat.
“Neither of us are strangers to the pain of the club and how its members can be hyper-focused on the wrong things,” Callie said, sitting on the arm of the couch.
I sniffed and looked up, watching her.
She played with my hair, almost like a mother would. Regardless that my own mother never had. Thinking of my mom had the images I’d seen in the folder rushing back. While my relationship with her was frosty, she was still my mom. She deserved to know what was going on.
“They’re assholes most of the time. Loyal, hard, and usually overly protective. But they’d lose themselves without us. They’ll act like it’s not a big deal, like the club is enough.”
“But it’s not,” Natty cut in, locking her soft gaze with Callie’s.
“It’s why Silas follows me like a wraith. He finally has what he wanted, which makes him similar to Killian in that way. They’re both new presidents, and yet, Silas is here, watching me more often than not. I see him on my way to work every morning. He follows me home at night. It makes me wonder when he has time to lead his club.”
My heart pinched tight, knowing Killian would likely be the same.
“Killian loves you, Laur. But it’s tethered to this place he came from. You have to understand that he is likely terrified of anything happening to you,” Callie started, but I shook my head to interrupt her.
“That’s so cliché though, and I don’t think I can stick around for him to be a distant asshole simply because he’s worried about me.”
Callie’s expression softened. “I wasn’t telling you the truth before about his dad and the murder.”
My blood felt frozen in my veins as I waited for her to continue. She battled with her words for a few seconds before she finally relented.
“He was there. His dad had him in the car…he was so young, Laura. Ten years old, finally getting to tag along with a dad that was absent and forgetful. Right after his mom left. His dad pulled up to Strings, and Jenny was out back smoking. Killian was right there in the front seat as he watched his father take a life then dump her body. My dad told me it wasn’t the first time. He said there were times Jefferson would hurt Killian’s mom. Considering his background…I think he’s genuinely traumatized by the idea of anything happening to you.”
That sobered me.
Not enough to forgive him, but it did have me reconsidering his motives and reasons. I knew in my bones that Killian didn’t just think we were having fun. He wasn’t risking everything he had, merely for someone he thought he’d pass the time with.
Especially not after he’d shared the bit about his tattoo and his mother.
Before I could ask any more questions or further our conversation, Natty’s phone lit up with a call.
It was close enough that I saw Killian’s name flash across the screen.
That old insecurity flashed quick in my chest, and I knew Natty realized it when she gave me an apologetic look before answering. She stayed where she was, so we could both hear what was going on.
“Hey, Killian.”
She was quiet, her brows furrowed as she nodded. “Yeah, I can have it ready by then. Callie and Laura are here too. We can prep it together.”
Natty’s eyes landed on me as she smiled. “She is here. She’s fine.”
“I can’t keep her here, Killian, but I don’t think she’s exactly eager to leave.”
I rolled my eyes.
With another sigh, she hung up and then explained what we’d be doing.
