Chapter Thirty-Four – Kayla
The police take Bradford away, and he goes without a fight.
Someone higher-up talks to Pax, while another officer takes my statement about what happened.
All through it, Hayden remains at my side like glue, and I’m grateful for him.
He even gave me his black shirt to put on and hide my torn clothing.
He is totally at ease wearing the tank top that was, until then, nothing more than an undershirt.
The muscles, him hiding being an alpha; it all makes sense now. All along, Hayden was working for the company who was the whole reason Bradford’s kidnapping attempt blew up in his face.
At the end of the statement, I’m asked to give my address and phone number, in case the police need to contact me again, but instead of giving mine, Hayden gives his, and they don’t question it.
Eventually we wind up outside, near Bradford’s car. The über alpha who came with Hayden joins us after the coroners come to take the body away. It all happened so fast, I didn’t even realize Bradford had killed his father.
In a normal situation, I might’ve felt differently over witnessing a murder, but knowing what I knew and having almost gone through what I did…
that man got exactly what he deserved. Bradford’s father is not a man that should be walking the city streets.
How many people other than Bradford had he hurt?
How many omegas had he taken advantage of simply because he could?
He was not a good man, and I hope the world will remember that.
“Kayla Prim,” the alpha wearing what is apparently Alabaster Security getup says as he offers me his hand. “Good to finally meet you.”
Hayden stands directly beside me as we lean against Bradford’s car—which we finally turned off. I don’t like shaking hands, but I do it anyway.
“Pax,” he says. “I’m Hayden’s boss. One of them, anyway. I’m the reason Hayden was assigned to Bradford—it was my omega and beta he had kidnapped.”
Oh. Well, that makes this a little awkward, huh? I can’t say anything other than, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You didn’t force his hand. He chose it himself.” Pax looks at Hayden. “But I’ve been told there’s a bit more to the story, and after seeing what happened here, I’m inclined to believe it. Both of you seem to have grown pretty damn close to him.”
Hayden coughs and rubs the back of his neck in an awkward gesture, while I nod.
“I don’t like admitting this. Not long ago I would’ve been the first to toss that asshole in prison and throw away the key, but… maybe he deserves another chance. Maybe, somehow, you two have changed him. Packs have a way of doing that, especially when there’s an omega involved.”
I look up at Hayden as I wonder if what Pax is saying is true: did we change Bradford?
Or, somehow, did Bradford change us? I suppose both things can be true at the same time.
It’s weird, I didn’t feel like I was changing, but now…
now I look back at my old self and I don’t recognize her. I don’t want to be her anymore.
Hayden tells him, “I know how hard it must be for you to say something like that. I appreciate it, Pax.”
“Don’t appreciate it too much just yet. I said maybe. It’ll take the judge a whole lot of convincing, especially since he broke his house arrest to come here—” His bright green eyes fall on me. “—even if it was for a good reason. I would’ve done the same for my omega.”
I could easily imagine the über alpha in front of me doing something heroic to save his omega. What honestly still shocks me is that Bradford did the same, too. Out of everything Bradford could’ve done… I never thought he’d rush over here and stop his father from hurting me.
By killing him, but you know, it’s impossible for me to feel bad about that little detail.
“I’ll see what we can do. As for you two,” Pax pauses as he sizes us both up, “you should stay somewhere else tonight, not the Bentley estate.”
“I’ll take her back to my place,” the alpha beside me says, then he glances at me. “Unless there’s somewhere else you want to go?”
No, there isn’t, so I simply shake my head.
“Good. Take some time off, Hayden. I’ll call you with updates.” Pax doesn’t say anything more as he leaves us, and then the two of us stand there for a while as the weight of everything settles upon our shoulders.
I should feel anxious. I should be a wreck over what nearly happened to me here, but honestly, all I can think about is Bradford and how badly I want him back… how nice it was to finally feel his hands on me, his arms around me, and those lips of his on mine.
That kiss; I wouldn’t mind having a redo.
A million do-overs as we discover each other, as we learn what the other likes.
He still might not be comfortable doing everything, but that’s okay.
I can wait. I’ll wait as long as I have to—and it isn’t like I’ll have to wait alone.
I’ll have Hayden with me, through it all.
“I suppose we’re going to have to take Bradford’s car,” Hayden says, breaking the silence between us. “I rode here with Pax.” The way he studies me, I can tell he’s worried about me. “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod. I am okay, thanks to Bradford, and because of that it kills me that I might not see him for a while.
“You promise me you’d tell me if you weren’t?” When I give him another nod, he then changes course and asks, “Ready to get the heck out of here?”
Now to that question, I can only say a fast, “Yes.” Never has a single word had more weight behind it. This house isn’t one I want to linger at. “Do you think we could swing by Bradford’s house so I could grab a few things? Before we go to your place, I mean.”
I’ve never imagined what Hayden’s place looks like, so I don’t know what to expect.
All I know is that he lives downtown somewhere, in an apartment.
I’m kind of excited to see how he lives—and Pax was right: it’s best not to linger at Bradford’s house.
Doing so would only make me think about him more.
“Sure,” he says with a gentle grin. “We can stop by.”
Really, it’s not the clothes or any of the other things Bradford got me that I want to grab. No, it’s not something as trivial. The items I have in mind, in fact, don’t even belong to me—they belong to the alpha who might be locked away for a while.
His pillow. Maybe the comforter off his bed. Things that have his smell.
We get into Bradford’s car. I get a faint whiff of the über alpha, but it’s not nearly enough. You can tell just by a sniff that he hasn’t driven this vehicle much lately. His musk is hardly present, when it should linger on damn near every surface.
Or maybe that’s just me being wistful.
As we drive away from Bradford’s father’s house, I don’t watch it grow smaller in the rearview window.
I look ahead, just as I look forward to the future.
For the first time ever, I actually feel good.
I feel okay. Hopeful. I don’t know what’s going to happen or how long it’ll be, but there’s absolutely no way this is the end for us. No, if anything, it’s the beginning.
I lean my head on the headrest as I watch the scenery go by.
It’s strange how light I feel, considering what could have happened to me.
As he drives, Hayden reaches over the center console and grabs my hand, lacing his fingers through mine, a comforting gesture.
It’s one I would have refused two weeks ago, but now? Now I accept it without blinking.
It’s crazy to think about how much has changed in so little time. I never understood how people could court and claim so quickly, but now I get it. Life throws you curveballs, and there’s no bigger, faster curveball than the one called love.
Love.
I love them. I do. Hayden and Bradford. A wild thing to admit, even if it’s only to myself for now. I’ll tell them, but of course I want to tell them when it’s right, and when we’re fractured like this… it definitely doesn’t feel right.
Our pack needs to be together.
It feels a lot different riding to Bradford’s house than it has before.
When that familiar, huge mansion comes into view as we pull into the driveway, I can’t help but feel a certain way.
This house shouldn’t be Bradford’s house.
It has too many awful memories for him. Maybe, if Pax pulls some strings and manages to keep him out of prison, we could convince him to sell and move somewhere else.
Anywhere else would be better than the house where he got all those scars, the house that broke him when he was a boy.
Hayden pulls up to the front door, and he unbuckles his seatbelt as he leans closer to me, his eyes on the door.
“Looks like he left it open in his hurry to get to you.” Softer, he adds, “I don’t know what’s going to happen with him, but I’m glad he got to you first. I don’t know what I would’ve done if…
” He can’t finish that statement, but he does squeeze my hand.
When I look at him, he leans closer and plants a soft kiss on my lips, and I can taste the sincerity behind his words.
We get out of the car, and together we head inside the house.
“Okay,” he says. “Let’s get what you need and get the hell out of here. What are we grabbing for you?”
I blush, even though it shouldn’t be anything to blush about. “I, uh, want to bring some of Bradford’s things, actually.” Just to make sure I don’t sound too weird—like we came here only for that stuff—I add, “And some of my clothes and stuff.”
Even though I’m worried he’s going to judge me, he doesn’t. All he does is say, “Sounds like a plan. Why don’t I grab some of the things from your room and you can get whatever you need from Bradford’s? Take whatever you want. I’m sure he won’t miss any of it for a while.”
I hate how much his words hit me, and how true they are.
We split up, and as I wander to Bradford’s room, the house feels… different. Not that the house itself ever was loud or anything, but it’s extra quiet now that I know Bradford isn’t in it somewhere. It’s like this place is out of time itself, a twilight zone, and no one belongs here.
This house? Should be torn down.
Memories flash in my head as I near Bradford’s bedroom. Going to follow him, spotting him through the door crack as he took off his shirt and revealed his scars—something he still doesn’t know I saw. The way my view on him instantly changed.
I pause for only a second as I stand in front of his bedroom door. For some reason, it feels almost rude to walk into his bedroom and take whatever I want, but like Hayden said, Bradford won’t be needing anything for a while, so I might as well.
Heaving a giant breath, I step inside his bedroom and go straight for his bed.
I gingerly sit on the edge and reach for his pillow, pulling it toward me and bringing it to my face.
My eyes close as I inhale his clove and musk scent, and the omega I starved for so many years rears to life inside of me, wanting things she won’t be able to have for a while.
Wanting Bradford.
I sigh as I set the pillow on his nightstand and start to pull off the top comforter.
I’m so tuned in to what I’m doing that it doesn’t even occur to me I’m not alone anymore.
Someone stands in the doorway, watching me with a heavy expression, and it takes a good minute or so for me to notice him.
It’s not his scent that gets me, but his face.
The comforter overflowing in my hands, I freeze as I look at the man in the doorway.
My brother.