48. Kai
Liam turns into the driveway as the gates slowly open to let us in. “Mom won’t be home for another hour. Clarence said they’re on their way.”
“Good, we can get our new guest into his room,” I say while focusing solely on Cordi. She’s been quiet, partly because she crashed after the adrenaline high. On the other hand, I think she has no idea what to say to me. She’s dealing with the fact she just killed another human to save her husband.
Emerson drives up behind us and turns off the truck.
“Let me get Cordi settled, and I’ll come back out,” I tell Liam, then follow Cordelia to the garage door. It’s quiet, dark, and it’s putting Cordi back on edge. I gently rest my hand on her lower back, and she stiffens. Frowning, I open the door for her and flip on the light. We have a large mudroom with locker systems like you’d see for kids and two large closets. There’s a small sitting space for coffee or breakfast as we step out of the mudroom, and then the butler’s pantry is to the right. The massive kitchen opens to a partially open concept, with the living room on the other end of the space. From the living room, it opens to Mom’s piano room. We weren’t allowed in there as kids unless we were specifically playing piano, and that never worked for any of us. My brothers and I were simply too restless.
In front of the kitchen is an archway to the large dining room that could easily seat forty people. Then there’s the hallway that opens to Mom’s office, and a little further back is a bedroom and a bathroom hardly ever used. Because basements aren’t common in California, it’s more of a lower level that doubles as our containment area. The house is built into the rock, absorbing a lot of sounds.
Cordelia hasn’t been here before, so I step to the side, letting her take in the space and get comfortable with it. I need to get back out to my brothers because we have a job to do, but I want to make sure she is settled and okay. She starts walking towards the front of the house, where we have a large spiral staircase that takes you upstairs, and stares at it a moment before taking a step. I almost carry her up, but her refusing me would be more painful right now. As kids, we would slide down the large banister and try not to get thrown off. More often than not, we gained too much speed and were launched into the wall or couldn’t stop our fall. Liam broke his wrist once, trying to do it.
Once we get to the top of the stairs, I point her to the right and down the unusually wide hallway towards my room. Mom always has it ready for us. Liam stays here more often than not because he comes and goes so much, even though he does have a crappy apartment by the beach. Emerson is here a lot, too, but won’t stay unless it’s utterly necessary. I’ve always thought it was his way of distancing himself from the family, but as I got older, I realized he thinks he’s protecting us from him. We’re not that far apart in age, but Emerson has always acted older than he is. We all have had to.
Cordi steps to the side, letting me lead the way. I stop at the third door on the left and open it for her. It’s a large room with an en suite bathroom and a small sitting area where I used to pile clothes.
“This is a really nice room,” she says, looking around. The large king-size bed is covered in a woven green comforter with a bunch of pillows.
“The bathroom and towels are in here. You can take a bath if you want,” I say. She stands in the bathroom with me, looking at the vanity with one sink and a large mirror above it. “It’s a big bathroom, especially for one person. The shower, though, is my favorite part. It’s big enough for at least three people, including a bench and body sprays.” When I was younger, and we were training in hand-to-hand combat, those body sprays felt good on my sore muscles.
Cordi’s shut down. She’s here, but she’s not fully present. Exhaustion is heavy on her face, and sleep is the only thing that will help. That’s if she can sleep. I’m worried she won’t be able to, which isn’t good for her or the baby. I grab some towels from the closet and set them to the side.
“I’m going to go get our bags,” I tell her. She stares at me for a moment, and I leave the room and find Liam and Emerson bringing them to me.
“Thanks, guys,” I mutter, taking them.
“We’re going to get our other guest settled. I already called the funeral home and told them we had a late delivery. I’m going to run and do that, so take your time with Cordi,” Emerson says.
“I’ll come with you,” Liam offers.
Emerson shakes his head, a serious look on his face. “No, stay here. Better for one of us to get caught than two.”
“My face is far too pretty for jail,” Liam quips. It doesn’t reach his eyes, but that’s how he is. He cracks jokes and tries to make light of difficult things. We all have to cope somehow. Without another word, Emerson spins around and goes back down the stairs. “I’m going to go help him. And Two?”
“Yeah?”
“We’ve got this. Cordi is more important right now. Take care of my sister,” he says gently.
“I know, but…” A fresh flood of white-hot anger floods through my body. “They came after me and mine. I won’t be sitting this one out, Three,” I grit out. He dips his head once and goes back down the stairs.
I bring our bags into the bedroom and sit them by the chair in front of the window. I have no idea how long we will be here. Cordi and Mom might have to go shopping for a few things. Walking back into the bathroom, my wife is still standing there, dazed.
“Cordi, let’s get you a bath.” I reach for her, waiting for permission.
She grabs my hand and puts it on the fabric of her shirt. I take that as approval and pull her shirt over her head, then kneel down to push her sweatpants and underwear over her hips. She holds onto my shoulders as she steps out of them. I stay on my knee for a second and press my lips to her belly. Thankful and grateful are far too simple of words to explain the way I feel right now. She’s safe, they are safe. That’s all that matters.
Her hands come to my hair and drag through it while my lips linger on her body. I have no idea what time it is, but it’s late. Or maybe it’s early. I get to my feet, and Cordi’s eyes droop. “Would you rather take a shower?” I ask her. She shrugs, and I lean in to kiss her cheek.
“Just be with me,” she rasps. I nod and undress myself before flipping on the water to the shower. I’d be happy to get her into a bath, but a shower would be quicker right now, and she needs rest. Once it’s warm, I step in first and then offer both of my hands for her to step in. I need to keep touching her. I need her to ground me right now because all I want to do is run down those stairs and make that man wish he never laid eyes on my woman. I want to make him scream so loudly his vocal chords refuse to work anymore. I want my face to be the last thing he sees before he meets his maker. I want to exact vengeance on him so clearly that he will die in agony. I’ve never felt that about anyone that has come into contact with my family. Usually, I am the more level-headed one. But not tonight. Tonight, Emerson may have to hold me back.
Cordi’s hand slides up my arm, bringing me back to what’s going on around me. She stops at the side of my neck and pulls my attention to her. I don’t know if it’s the time, but I hardly care as our heads tilt together, meeting in a soul-shaking kiss. She pulls back. Her eyes are full of sadness and something else I can’t name as her tears mix with water falling down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry. I love you,” I whisper. She blinks as I grip her head between my hands. Her chin is tilted back as she looks up at me while the water rinses through her hair. She turns her head to rinse her face, and I spot blood behind her ear. I swipe my thumb over it and quickly wash it away before she sees it. When she’s done, I wash up quickly, then get us both out and dressed. I swear she sways on her feet as I find her grandma pajamas to pull over her head.
She slowly lays down on her side of the bed, and I pull the covers up over her. Crawling into bed next to her, I’m not sure if she wants space or not.
Then she reaches for my hand and loops her fingers through mine. “You’re going to go downstairs when I fall asleep, aren’t you?” My tongue darts out over my lips, and she watches the motion. “Will you let me come with?” she asks. I freeze and look her in the eyes, even if it hurts.
“Absolutely not,” I tell her, resolute.
“Why?” she asks unevenly.
I sigh and lean forward to kiss her forehead. She smells like my soap, but her honey scent still warms my blood. “You have already seen a side of me that I never wanted you to come into contact with. There is no going back now, but I can keep you from this. I don’t want you to see this side of me again, Cordi. It’s already hard enough knowing that you are aware of…what I am capable of.”
She sighs and scoots closer to me, tucking her head under my jaw. “I never want you to be afraid to show me all of you, Kai. I love all of you, even the parts you think are too dark. I’m right here. My hands are just as stained.”
I sigh and rub her back. “No, gem, they aren’t.”
She doesn’t respond and goes quiet. I lay there for so long I start to drift off, then hot-blooded adrenaline pumps through my veins, reminding me of my task. My duty. Cordi’s breaths are even as I slide out from under her and silently leave our bedroom.