Chapter 29
Chapter twenty-nine
Tristan
“Ihave so many questions.”
Izzy stood in front of me on the curb of Millie’s school. Hands on her hips, she pinned me with one of those stares that lived up to my name for her. Fucking scary, indeed.
“I’m sure you do,” I told her. “But let’s get Millie before you fire them off.”
I made a move to sidestep her.
She saw it coming and blocked my path. “Oh no. We’ll get it all settled now, and if I’m not happy with your answers, you’re not going near that sweet little girl.”
Her glare intensified. If I hadn’t perfected my poker face over the years, she undoubtedly would have noticed her intimidation tactics had worked.
“Question one?” I asked, voice flat, tone even.
“What the hell happened today, and is my sister okay?”
A sliver of guilt ran down my spine. I should’ve explained the situation or at the very least reassured her Kate was all right—well, as all right as one can be after passing out and throwing up half their body weight.
When Kate had called Izzy earlier, she didn’t go into detail, simply said she was sick, and she needed me to pick up Millie.
“We’re not entirely sure what caused it, but...” I explained everything and ended with, “She’s at my place now and will stay there for the time being.” Indefinitely if it were up to me. “All good? Can we go now?”
“No,” she huffed. “It’s not all good and we definitely cannot go now. I said questions, not question.”
Gritting my teeth, I jerked my chin in her direction. “What else?”
She didn’t hesitate. “What exactly are your intentions with my sister and Millie?”
“Your father asked me the same question.” I sighed. “Why don’t you ask him what my answer was?”
Again, I moved to the side. Izzy was right there to stop me.
“Funny.” Her eyes narrowed dangerously.
I realized then, pissing this woman off might not be in my best interest. Not only to get Millie from her school, but if I wanted to convince Kate my feelings for her were real, it’d be wise to have at least one member of her family on my side.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, holding up my hands. “I just want to take care of Kate.” My gaze traveled to the school behind her. “Millie too.”
“Hmm.” Didn’t think it was possible, but her gaze narrowed even more. “Up until a few weeks ago, my sister despised you.”
Despised? What a strong feeling. One I probably deserved. Since Kate had mentioned it earlier, my mind had run rampant trying to count the times she’d referred to. I was ashamed to admit I’d stopped recalling after I ran out of fingers.
No wonder she had a hard time believing my feelings were real.
“I know,” I admitted.
Izzy pursed her lips. “Does this have something to do with that bitch trying to take Millie away from her?”
It wasn’t my place to spill Kate’s secrets. She could tell her family if, or when, she was ready.
“All I can tell you is, your sister means a lot to me. Is it sudden? I don’t think so. Somewhere deep down, I’ve always known I had feelings for her. I was too lost to recognize it for what it was.”
Izzy made a noise again as she closed the distance between us.
Tilting her head, she pinned me with another mighty glare.
“Don’t hurt them. If my sister not only allowed you to touch her, but she trusts you with Millie too, her feelings are involved.
So if you don’t feel the same, please walk away before she’s in too deep. ”
I held her stare. “I’m not going anywhere.”
After studying me for a few moments, she nodded once then marched into the school. I silently followed and stood to the side when she talked to the teacher and signed Millie out.
The instant Millie spotted me, her little face lit up with a smile. So big, so beautiful, the warmth of it slipped between my ribs and curled tightly around my heart.
I wiggled my fingers in a wave. “Hey, princess.”
She didn’t wave back. When she reached me, she wrapped her arms around my legs. An unfamiliar sting worked its way up my throat. I tried to push it down but the more I swallowed, the hotter it burned. Finally, when I couldn’t take it anymore, I dropped to one knee and held her against my chest.
“Where’s Kate?” she asked. Her voice wobbled, and I couldn’t even imagine what terrors ran through her mind.
“She’s a bit sick, so she asked me to come get you.” I pulled out of the hug to look at her. “How do you feel about having a sleepover at my place?”
Millie’s brow wrinkled as she thought about my question. “Kate’s okay?”
“Yeah, princess.”
“Promise?”
“Promise,” I reassured her once more.
Eyes trained on me, she stared with a scary intensity for a six-year-old. I was certain she was going to ask me if Kate was all right again.
“Do you have a TV?”
“I do.” I leaned in to whisper, “It’s bigger than the one at Kate’s apartment.”
Her eyes widened. “It is?” When I nodded, she eagerly added, “Can I watch anything I like on it?”
“You sure can.”
If it were any other kid, I probably wouldn’t have agreed so easily. But I knew the only thing Millie was interested in watching was seven Korean guys jumping and dancing to upbeat music I had no hope of understanding.
“Okay.” She clapped excitedly. “I like sleepovers.”
I hadn’t noticed Izzy watching us until I straightened and took Millie’s hand. The look she gave me reminded me a lot of her father’s expression when I’d taken Millie for a swing.
The same discomfort I’d felt then crawled over my skin.
“Izzy, we’re having a sleepover,” Millie squealed from beside me.
“How fun,” Izzy said, ruffling Millie’s hair as she fell into step beside us. “I hope you have the best time.” To me, she said, “Kate likes Korean chicken soup. Especially when she’s not feeling well.”
Did the scary one just turn into an ally? I sure as shit hoped so.
“Thank you,” I told her when we were on the sidewalk. “You’re welcome to join us for dinner, even if it’s just to see for yourself how Kate’s doing.”
Izzy watched a car pass by before shifting her attention to me. “It’s okay. I trust you’ll take good care of them.” Bending down, she kissed Millie’s cheek. “Love you.”
With that she straightened and headed to her car.
I was still watching her drive off when I heard Millie greet someone.
“Hello.”
I didn’t see anyone else close by. “Who are you waving at, princess?”
“Mr. Red,” she explained, still waving.
My gaze darted around. “Who’s Mr. Red?”
“I dunno. He’s always here when it’s breaktime. He stands by the fence and watches us play.”
The hairs on my nape stood on end. “Why do you call him Mr. Red? Has he talked to you?”
“Nope.” Millie shook her head. “It’s the color of his shirt. I think it’s his favorite.”
I looked over my shoulder, but all I saw was a woman with a stroller, a young man with a leather jacket and headphones on his head, and an older guy walking his dog. No red shirt.
“Can we go now?”
My gaze was back on Millie. Hands clapping, she bounced from one foot to the other.
“Excited?” I chuckled.
She nodded furiously.
“All right, all right, let’s go.”
I helped her into the car then scanned the area one last time before climbing in behind the wheel. Before starting the engine, I pulled up Millie’s favorite band on my phone so when the Bluetooth connected, her song would blast through the speakers.
When the beat reached her ears, the happiest smile touched her lips. I liked seeing it. Liked it even more that it was there because of something I’d done.
Thirty minutes and I didn’t even know how many songs later, we finally stepped out of the elevator on Kate’s floor. I cared about this little girl a lot, but there was only so much my ears could take.
Between the upbeat—and sometimes high-pitched—singing and Millie’s mile-a-minute talking, my brain was ready to explode.
Even more so when I spotted Kate’s elderly neighbor shuffle down the hallway. With an inward curse, I sent a quick prayer that she wouldn’t notice us.
“Hello, Mrs. Ross,” Millie chirped.
Great.
Upon hearing her name, Mrs. Ross spun around and headed toward us.
“Ah, shit,” I muttered under my breath.
“You said a bad word again.” Millie giggled. “Tommy says he gets a dollar every time his mommy or daddy says a bad word. Can I get one too?”
I couldn’t answer; the old lady had reached us. Before Millie had mentioned it, I’d forgotten her name, but I hadn’t forgotten her stare. The exact one she gave me now.
“Mrs. Ross. Mrs. Ross.” Millie bounced on the spot. “We’re having a sleepover at Tristan’s house.”
“Why hello there, Miss Millie.” Mrs. Ross patted Millie’s head in the same loving way I’d seen Kate’s mother do. “That sounds fun. You must be very excited.”
Millie nodded eagerly then tugged my hand. “Can I go get my stuff?”
“Sure, Princess.”
I fished out Kate’s key, and after acknowledging Mrs. Ross with a quick jerk of my chin, I sidestepped her to continue down the corridor. Should’ve known the little old lady would walk with us. She was quiet until I unlocked Kate’s door, and Millie darted inside.
“I’m disappointed, young man.”
Slightly taken aback by the sternness in her tone, I blinked a few times. “I’m sorry?”
“It’s been as quiet over here as ever.” She leaned closer and cupped her hand over her mouth.
“I would know; I’ve not gone a single night without my hearing aids.
Would you like me to give you some pointers?
I have a wonderful book explaining all about the woman’s body and where to find that elusive spot that just makes us melt. ”
“No tha—”
“You see,” she went on as if I hadn’t said a thing, diving headfirst into a very detailed description of that spot. She even used her hands to demonstrate.
I tried to stop her, but the woman went on and on, completely ignoring my waving hands and the mortification on my face.
“...and that is what we call squirting.”
Fuck my life.
An eighty-something-year-old woman did not just explain fucking squirting to me.
“I’ll…uh…” My cheeks burned. Pretty sure the tips of my ears were red too. “Thanks for that, Mrs. Ross.” I stepped backward and hoped she’d get the message.
She didn’t.
Instead, she pushed onto her toes and patted my cheek. “I’m sure Kate will be thanking me too. Have fuuun.” After a quick wiggle of her bony fingers, she was finally gone.
I’d never locked a door so fast in my life.
Releasing a long breath, I headed farther into the apartment. Weird how this morning felt like a million hours ago. Like two lifetimes had passed between then and now. I never thought clarity or certainty could come as fast as it had.
With a smile tugging on my lips, I ventured toward the coffee table in the middle of the living room. Papers I hadn’t noticed before littered the glass surface. Mostly because the last time I’d been in this room, I’d been so worked up over Kate shutting down.
Shaking my head, I spread the printouts more evenly to inspect them individually. Every piece of paper featured a house. Some big, some smaller, but all of them had a yard.
“Kate says she’s going to buy us a place with a big yard and a pool one day.”
I jerked at the suddenness of Millie’s voice. Joining me at the table, she clutched her pancake plushie under her arm and inspected the images.
“That sounds nice.”
“I just want a swing.” Her eyes met mine. Big and green, they shone with so much hope. “Do you have a swing at your place?”
Flattening my lips, I shook my head. “Sorry, princess, I don’t. But there is a pool.” There were two, actually. One on the roof and another in the gym. I’d happily take her to either.
“That’s okay,” she breathed out. She couldn’t hide her disappointment, even if she wanted to. “I can swing on Sunday when we go to Grammy and Gramps’s.”
“You like swinging more than swimming?”
Head bobbing, she said, “Yes. When I go high on the swing, it feels like I’m flying.” Then she added in a softer tone, “Water is scary.”
I tried to think of the things I liked when I was her age, but I came up short. I was in the pool a lot. Not because it was fun, my parents had insisted I learn to swim as early as possible.
When I’d mastered that, they’d moved on to instruments and whatever else I might’ve needed to make them look good.
Not once had they asked if I’d enjoyed any of the extracurricular activities they’d enrolled me in. They didn’t even care to know what interested me.
I’d never let my girl experience that kind of rejection.
My girl.
Yeah, Kate might not have accepted it yet, but they were mine. Both of them.
And I’d be damned if I didn’t do everything in my power to make their dreams come true. Starting right now.
With a plan forming, I told Millie to finish packing while I took my phone out to make a quick call. When I was done, I headed into Kate’s room to pack a few items for her. Everything went well until it was time to rifle through her underwear drawer.
When I slid it open, my mouth went bone fucking dry.
This woman had a penchant for expensive, sexy-as-sin lingerie. With no signs of anything black, white, or nude, my Kitty Kat liked bold colors. And fuck if that didn’t flood my mind with too many illicit images to count.
What a pretty picture she’d make wearing one of these as she crawled across the bedroom floor toward me. Or even better, spread out on my desk where I could devour her with my eyes and mouth.
Shit. Considering how damn fast I’d gone rock fucking hard, packing up her underwear might not have been my best idea. But the alternative—the one where I didn’t take a thing—was worse.
I couldn’t imagine keeping my hands to myself knowing Kate was strutting around without any underwear.
That was why I yanked out the drawer and dumped everything in it into the overnight bag I’d found in her closet.
“All done?” I asked when Millie skipped into the living room a short while after me.
“Yup.”
I grinned at her. “Then let’s go home, princess.”