Chapter 30
Kayla
Kayla
Unzipping the overnight bag Molly packed for me, I empty it onto the bed.
T-shirts, jeans, underwear, pajamas, it all tumbles out into a disorganized heap.
The speed at which my life has changed is slightly dizzying.
Just a few days ago the only thing I had to worry about was whether Todd was getting too serious too fast. Now I’m hiding from hitmen, reunited with my ex-husband, and living under the same roof as the man who once kidnapped me.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out to see three missed calls from my boss, Cassie. With a groan, I sit heavily on the edge of the bed. I forgot to call her this morning. I was supposed to be meeting with the Buckleys this morning to start planning their new landscaping. Quickly I reply:
Had a sudden family emergency. Need to take unexpected leave.
The reply comes almost immediately:
Everything ok? You need anything?
I stare at her message, my thumbs hovering over the keyboard. What am I supposed to say? Sorry, can’t come to work because my ex-husband’s crazy wannabe girlfriend wants me dead? Or maybe: In hiding because someone broke into my house to kill me?
Cassie isn’t just my boss; she’s become one of my closest friends in Billings. We have wine nights and talk about dating disasters. She confides in me about her struggles with her estranged family. She trusts me, and here I am, about to lie to her.
After a moment’s hesitation, I type:
I’m fine. Just need to deal with something urgent. Will explain when I can.
Another quick reply:
Take all the time you need. Jobs will be here when you get back. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.
I flop back onto the bed and groan, staring up at the ceiling. The cats are exploring the room, Mochi already claiming the windowsill and Charlie investigating under the bed. At least they’re adaptable. I wish I could say the same for myself.
And then there’s Todd. Poor, confused Todd, who walked into my house at exactly the wrong moment and got dragged into this nightmare. Todd, who’s probably wondering what the hell he got himself into by dating me.
I press the heels of my hands against my eyes until I see stars. Moping isn’t going to solve anything. I need to talk to Todd, explain as much as I can without terrifying him further. I need to figure out how long we’re going to be stuck here. I need to come up with a better lie for Cassie.
Sitting up, I run a hand through my hair and decide there’s no use hiding in this room. I’ve been kidnapped, divorced, and rebuilt my life from scratch. I can handle an awkward few days with my ex-husband and current boyfriend under the same roof.
When I step into the hallway, I notice people moving toward what must be the dining hall. The smell of food wafts through the air, reminding me that it’s been a few hours since I’ve eaten.
“Miss Kayla?” A young man in a prospect cut approaches, looking nervous. “Roman sent me to find you. It‘s dinnertime. He’s finishing something up with Dragon and then he’ll join you.”
I nod and follow him down the hall. Even though I ate both breakfast and lunch here today, this will be my first time eating in the dining hall.
For the other two meals, Maddie brought plates of food to my bedroom, explaining that it might be overwhelming for me to eat with everyone else.
Entering the hall now, I can see what she means.
It’s massive, with six long tables laid out in a row.
Maddie and a few other girls are dishing up plates of food and passing them to diners through a cafeteria style window at the front of the room.
Not seeing any sign of Roman or Dragon or even Todd, for that matter, I join the line to get a plate.
“I made you black bean tacos,” Maddie says when she spots me, handing me a plate already prepared with tacos and rice. “I remember you said you’re vegetarian.”
“Thank you,” I say, genuinely touched by her thoughtfulness. In the chaos of everything else, it’s nice to have one less thing to worry about.
I find an empty seat and slide into it, my stomach growling as the aroma of spiced beans and rice hits me. I’m just about to take my first bite when Roman appears beside me.
“Mind if I sit?” he asks, nodding to the empty chair next to me.
“It’s your clubhouse,” I reply with a shrug, though my heart gives a traitorous little jump at his proximity.
Roman settles in beside me, the warmth of his body radiating against my side. I’m acutely aware of every inch of him: the breadth of his shoulders, the tattoos peeking out from under his t-shirt sleeve, the familiar scent of him that still makes me feel lightheaded.
I’m so distracted by Roman’s presence that I don’t notice Todd approaching until he’s sliding into the seat across from me. I force myself to focus on my food, taking a bite of the taco to avoid having to make conversation. The tension between the three of us is almost suffocating.
As I’m chewing, I glance over at Roman’s plate and nearly choke. He’s eating the same black bean tacos that I am. I stare at his plate, then at him, until he notices my gaze.
“What’s up?” he asks, wiping a bit of salsa from the corner of his mouth.
I give my head a little shake, not quite believing what I’m seeing. “I just never thought I’d see the day when you’d willingly eat beans.”
Roman shrugs, a faint blush creeping up his neck. “Things change.”
“Our boy here only eats rabbit food now,” one of the brothers calls from further down the table, having overheard us. “Been that way since he joined us.”
The blush on Roman’s neck deepens, spreading to his cheeks. I’ve never seen him blush like this before. Roman Sullivan, embarrassed? It’s like seeing a lion trip over its own paws.
“Since when?” I ask, genuinely curious now.
Roman takes another bite, chewing slowly as if buying time. When he finally swallows, he keeps his eyes on his plate. “Since I moved to Billings.”
“But why?” I press. “You used to give me so much grief about my ‘hippie rabbit food.’”
He hesitates, and for a moment I think he won’t answer. Then he looks up, meeting my eyes directly. “It’s important to you,” he says simply. “So it’s important to me.”
I don’t know what to say to that. Two years of separation, of building a life without him, of convincing myself that the man I thought I married never really existed, and now he’s sitting here telling me he became vegetarian because of me?
I turn my attention back to my plate, not trusting myself to speak. From the corner of my eye, I catch Todd staring at us, then looking down at his own plate piled high with beef tacos. When I glance up again, Roman is watching Todd with a barely concealed smirk.
* * *
After dinner, I wander through the unfamiliar corridors of the clubhouse, trying to avoid both Roman and the curious stares of the club members.
The building is larger than I expected, with hallways branching off in different directions and rooms serving purposes I can only guess at.
I finally find the common room, a large space with worn leather couches, pool tables, and a massive TV mounted on one wall.
Todd sits alone on one of the couches, staring at nothing, his hands clasped loosely between his knees.
I hesitate in the doorway for a moment before crossing to join him. He looks up when I sit down, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. The bruise around his eye has darkened, making him look as if he’s been in a bar fight.
“This has been a very strange day,” Todd says, his voice quiet.
I can’t help but laugh at the understatement. “That it has.”
We sit in silence for a moment before Todd shifts, turning slightly to face me.
“There’s really no chance of getting out of here without someone finding out, is there?” he asks, in a tone of voice that says he already knows the answer.
I shake my head. “No. Dragon, he runs a tight ship. And they’re on high alert because of the threat right now.”
Todd sighs, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. “Is this what it was like before? When you were married to Roman?”
“No,” I have to admit. “No, this club is strange. This situation is strange even by normal standards.”
I think back to my time with the Devil’s Rejects, how Roman kept me separate from club business, how I lived in a bubble of ignorance until it was shattered by my kidnapping. Being in the center of everything like this is entirely new territory.
“What kind of danger could you possibly be in?” Todd asks, his forehead creased in confusion. “You’ve been divorced from Roman for years.”
I chew on my lower lip, weighing how much to tell him. “It seems like a member of his former club holds a grudge against me,” I finally say, the explanation sounding weak even to my own ears.
Todd stares at me, his expression shifting between concern and disbelief. “That sounds…”
“Crazy?” I offer. “I know.”
He hesitates, his gaze shifting to the doorway and then back to me. “That man I saw earlier. When you told me about when you were kidnapped before, you mentioned the man who did it was tall with blonde hair and green eyes. Is that…was that…?”
“That’s Dragon,” I explain. “He’s not the man who kidnapped me.”
“Oh, good.” Todd looks relieved, and some of the tension leaves his shoulders.
“He’s the twin brother of the man who kidnapped me.”
“Ah,” Todd looks a little uncertain now.
Before I can stop myself, I add, “Demon — the man who kidnapped me — is around somewhere too.”
Todd’s body goes rigid again, his eyes widening. “And you don’t want to find a way to call the police?” The words come out strained with disbelief.
I consider his question seriously. Do I want to involve the police? A month ago, I would have said yes without hesitation. But now, knowing what I know, seeing Roman again, understanding more of what happened two years ago…
“No,” I say slowly, “I don’t think so.”
Todd looks at me as if I’ve grown a second head, but he doesn’t push the issue. “Okay,” he says simply.
We sit in silence again. I can practically hear the wheels turning in Todd’s mind as he processes everything. He’s analytical, logical, and so different from Roman, who operates purely on instinct.
“Can I ask you something?” Todd says after a long moment.
“Of course.”
He clears his throat, shifting uncomfortably. “When I arrived earlier. You were holding hands with Roman.”
It’s not quite a question, but I know what he’s asking. “Yeah,” I admit, seeing no point in denying it.
Todd’s eyes meet mine. “Do you still have feelings for him?”
I take a moment to consider how best to answer. I could lie, try to protect his feelings, but Todd deserves better than that. And after everything he’s been dragged into because of me, he deserves the truth.
“I think…” I start, then sigh. “I think I never really stopped having feelings for him. It just wasn’t safe to have those feelings.”
“Ah.” Todd nods slowly, his expression thoughtful rather than hurt. He‘s quiet for so long that I wonder if I should say more, explain better, but then he speaks again. “You should probably resolve everything with Roman then, before we take our relationship further.”
His calmness surprises me. There’s no jealousy in his voice, no anger, just a pragmatic acceptance that reminds me why I was attracted to him in the first place. Todd is stable, reasonable, kind. He’s everything Roman isn’t.
“I never meant to hurt you,” I say softly.
Todd places his hand over mine. “I know.”
The simple statement contains such understanding that my throat tightens with emotion, and for a moment I wish I could just love this man the way he deserves.
He puts his arm around me, and I lean my head against his shoulder, grateful for his warmth and solidity. There’s no passionate spark like there was with Roman, no all-consuming fire, but there’s comfort and safety.
Todd presses a gentle kiss to the top of my head, his lips lingering in my hair. The tenderness of the gesture makes my eyes sting with unshed tears.
A movement in the doorway catches my attention.
Roman stands there, his body a silhouette against the hallway light.
Even in shadow, I can see the pain etched into his face, the naked longing in his eyes before he schools his expression.
Our gazes lock for a heartbeat, and I feel a pang of something deep and visceral in my chest: regret, desire, a yearning for what we once were to each other.
Before I can say anything, before I can even think of what I would say, Roman turns and disappears down the hallway.
I close my eyes, trying to block out the image of Roman’s wounded expression, but it’s burned into my memory like a brand. I made my choice two years ago when I walked away. So why does it suddenly feel like I’ve made a terrible mistake?