Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
I have to get out of here.
I have to get out of here.
I have to get out of here, chants through my mind as I break through the front door of the bodega.
Memories threaten to overtake me and pull me under.
Anxiety and panic pull at my chest, making seeing straight and breathing right tricky.
I can feel my heart beating faster, and my breathing is getting tighter with each step.
I can’t let a panic attack happen right now.
They’re debilitating and completely knock me off my feet.
It can’t happen. I don’t know where the fuck I am, I have no money, no phone.
The only thing I can do…is just get through this.
The sun is blaring overhead, starting to warm up the air quickly. The sidewalks are too fucking crowded as cars zoom past, going either direction without a care for the overstuffed sidewalks or bike messengers.
Which way do I go?
All I see are skyscrapers; just…identical gray buildings with reflective windows shining in the sun as far as the eye can see. What’s funny is I’ve always dreamed of coming here, to even live here.
I have to get out of here.
Now, I just want to go home. If this is how New York City is going to be, I don’t want to stay.
At least in Haven, I knew where I stood.
I had finally gotten used to driving past all our sentimental spots without flinching.
I can’t be here and have them hate me, or toy with me, or try to make me relieve the worst year of my life over and over.
Left or right? Left or right? My head whips from side to side while I try to make a decision and I can actually feel Kai getting closer.
Fuck it. Right it is.
I turn to the right and join the sea of people, blending into the crowd. People are touching each side of me as we all move like an ocean current, and I feel like I’m back in that mosh pit at the concert–my whole body being moved without my permission.
A guy to the side of me gets too close for comfort, and I try to swerve to get out of his way, but end up knocking into the gentleman on my other side. The man shoves me back–hard–and my feet buckle under me. I go down, my heart lurching into my throat as I fall.
I hit the cement roughly, pain biting into me as the sidewalk cuts up my knees. My hands fly out to grab for something to keep me from face-planting the ground, and what do I grab? The fucking jeans of the guy who was getting too fucking close.
“What the fuck?!” he screams, kicking out to keep me away, and letting me fall to the ground with a painful thud. My elbows catch my fall and pain shoots up my bones from the force. I can feel the cuts forming already along my forearms as my hands slap down against the concrete.
“You motherfucker!” A voice bellows loudly enough to cuts through the chatter of the crowd surrounding us. People around me turn and look, and I do too. But I already know who it is, barrelling toward me like a knight in shining armor
Kai stomps to where I lay on the ground, but his eyes are locked on the guy who kicked me out of the way with murder in his eyes.
“Get the fuck away from her or I’m going to smash your face into the goddamn pavement,” Kai snarls. His light eyes blaze with rage and the promise of an excruciating injury as he glares at the man who is currently cowering like he’s about to shit his pants.
“She fell on me. I didn’t do anything, man.” His hands go up like he’s scared. And with how Kai’s fuming, I would be, too, if it was directed at me.
Kai doesn’t look at me, instead keeping his eyes trained on the frightened bystander as he leans down and picks me up with one arm. I stand gingerly, hissing at my sore knees, and Kai shifts us so I’m behind him.
“Wait a second,” the guy says, “aren’t you one of the guys from On The Edge ?”
Fuck.
Kai’s muscles under my hands tense more, and I realize it’s because he now has to put on his public relations face.
He can’t handle this like he wants to, he has to handle it how he should .
I watch as his face changes, like a mask sliding into place.
The anger tucks behind his eyes, his snarl turns into an easy grin, his intimidating posturing shifts into a more protective stance.
“I love your new song! Oh my god, can I get a picture?”
Kai’s arm wraps backwards around me, pulling me into him tighter so I’m completely covered, like he’s trying to shield me.
“Yeah, I am. Thanks, man. We appreciate it.” Kai holds out his hand for the guy to shake and nods. “I’d rather not take a picture right now, thanks for understanding. I’ve got to get my girl to the doctor.”
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” the guy apologizes vehemently, looking to Kai in apology first and then to me hastily.
“Ma’am, I’m so sorry. I’m such a fucking klutz.
Please accept my apology,” He stutters and fumbles over his words as he realizes I’m apparently not just a random nobody. Even though I really am.
“It’s fine, it was probably my fault.” It absolutely was not , but it’s whatever. I just want to leave.
“I can’t believe I met someone from On The Edge .
My whole week is made,” he says excitedly and a little too loudly.
Other people nearby stop and start complimenting Kai too.
I can see how he’s trying to keep the fans happy and show his appreciation for them, but he’s also backing us up and trying to get out of this.
There’s a mini crowd forming right in front of my eyes, and I can see how this situation could immediately turn bad if Kai doesn’t play it right.
Fear creeps in as I watch with wide eyes, unsure how to really help. Kai’s got a fake smile on his face, handling it like a pro, while I just tighten my grip on his shirt.
“Thank you all so much,” Kai says loudly, waving with one hand overhead while the other is like a bar around my waist to ensure we will not be separated.
He walks us backward, keeping me away from the crowd and moving toward the windows of the shop we’re standing in front of.
“I really need to get going, but thank you so much for your love and support.” He turns and wraps an arm around my shoulders, then launches us through the edge of the crowd.
“Who is that?”
“Who is she to you? Is that your girlfriend?”
“Oh my god, you’re so fucking gorgeous! Kai, kiss me!”
What is wrong with people?
“Someone grab a picture of me with him!”
“Just keep going,” Kai urges, pushing me through the crowd like I’m the celebrity, not him. He pulls his phone out and makes a call, saying one word before hanging up. “Go, Mel!”
“Kai! I loved the new song! Can you sign this?” People are screaming at us now, and it’s a full-blown mob mentality. There are bystanders coming closer to see what all the fuss is about, and the people he talked to before aren’t taking no for an answer.
What a crazy thing. Just because he’s famous doesn’t mean that everyone gets a free pass to be creepy and grab at him. To demand more from him than he’s willing to give.
A girl to his side is nearly crying, screaming how much she’s in love with Kai and jumps at him. I don’t hesitate. I fucking clothesline that bitch. My arm goes straight out like a crowbar, and she starts to cough as her throat connects with my forearm.
No. Him getting attacked is absolutely not going to happen.
Not while I’m here.
Her blonde hair whips around as her head snaps back from the force of hitting my locked-out arm, but I don’t care.
“Don’t think you can touch him like that just because he’s famous. Fucking ask first, bitch,” I snap, pushing her out of the way right as I see the flash of a camera.
“Fucking hell,” Kai mutters under his breath and grabs my bicep, pulling me forward.
Without saying anything else, he opens the door to the store we’re in front of and pushes me inside.
“We’re definitely going to be in trouble for that, but holy fuck, woman, that was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. ”
“I wasn’t going to let her jump you,” I tell him as he guides me through the aisles, trying to lose the crowd.
What I don’t tell him is that I won’t let any girl try to get at him while I’m around. That’s a hard no for me.
“In here,” he says quickly, pushing us into a family bathroom. I look around and see that there isn’t anyone looking at us around and go inside. Kai shuts the door behind us quickly and turns the lights off. “In case they’re going to look under the door.”
His words are whispers in my ear, and the pitch-black surrounding us only heightens the tension between us. The way he’s whispering sends shivers down my spine and straight to my pussy.
My mind races. Has he always had this husky undertone to his voice that sounds like he’s growling in my ear? Has he always smelled so fucking delectable and manly? All clean laundry and something spicy and warm? Has he always been this tall and broad?
Kai pushes me against the door, caging me within his arms and pressing against me so hard that I can feel his heart beating against my chest. Each breath he takes makes goosebumps rise on my skin. Without being able to see him, I’m completely at his mercy.
I can feel myself start to get wet and my nipples push up against my bra.