Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
KAI
I knock on Serena’s front door, fidgeting from foot to foot, desperate to see her again. Touch her again. Talk to her about what happened last night. I haven’t been able to take my mind off how her lips felt pressed against mine, and the feeling of completion that settled over me when I held her in my arms. We’ve hugged before. Cuddled even, but there was a charged energy last night between us. I let every tumultuous feeling that has been whirling through me out in that kiss, and nothing has felt more right in my life. I know without a doubt that a gravitational shift happened in our relationship, and there is no going back to the way things were. I need to make Serena understand the depth of my feelings for her. I can’t waste my chance, before it’s too late and Dominick makes her his forever.
Serena’s mom opens the door looking flushed and excited, which is wholly unexpected after the events of last night. “Oh, Kai! I’m so happy you’re here! Come in, you can celebrate the big news with us!” Laura grabs my hand and tugs me through the door, down the hall to the kitchen. The unmistakable rumble of Dominick’s voice reaches me before I see him and dread pools in my stomach at what this “big news” could be.
“Look who just showed up!” Laura announces when we enter the kitchen. I see Dominick sitting with Serena perched on his lap, one of his arms wrapped around her waist locking her in place, a smug smile plastered across his face. A giant, sparkly diamond ring sits on Serena’s left ring finger, catching the light, mocking me. Serena looks like she’s been crying, but her expression is unreadable. She doesn’t look sad, but she doesn’t exactly look happy either. She sucks in a sharp breath when she sees me, her eyes flaring in guilt, like I’m here to spill our secret to Dominick.
“Serena, tell Kai the good news!” Laura squeezes my hand in excitement as it lies limply in her grasp while I take in the scene before me in stunned paralysis. It takes a long moment before I find the ability to speak.
“W-what’s going on?” The voice that leaves me barely sounds like my own. It’s cold and suspicious. My gut is roiling with nausea as my mind screams, “No!” at the realization that I’m already too late.
It’s Dominick who answers me, Serena averting her gaze to the floor, unable to look me in the eye when he shatters my world. “Kai, my man, you’re just in time to say congratulations. Serena and I are getting married.” Dominick couldn’t sound more like a smug asshole if he tried. I can see the victory in his eyes. The bitter taste of defeat coats my tongue. I know I should say congratulations for Serena’s sake, but I can’t force the word past my lips. This is wrong. She isn’t supposed to be his. She can’t marry him. If she does, I’ll lose her forever.
“ReRe…” Her name is a plea on my lips. I need her to look at me, to see how wrong this is. It shouldn’t be him. He’s manipulated her into this after one of the most traumatic experiences of her life. There’s no way she actually wants this. Dominick barrels on, needling his victory into the very marrow of my bones.
“After last night, I knew I couldn’t take the chance of something like that happening to my girl again. I take care of what’s mine, and I’m going to give Serena and her mother the life they deserve. Isn’t that right, Kitten?” Dom tugs her against his chest and kisses her neck, while never breaking his eye contact with me. I don’t miss the emphasis he puts on “my girl” and my hands clench into fists as I fight the urge to punch the smug look off the fucker’s face. He doesn’t miss the tension thrumming through my body, and a slow wolfish grin spreads across his face. He’s won, and he knows it.
Serena finally looks up, meeting my eyes. She looks haunted and not at all like a woman excited to be getting married. I’m momentarily buoyed by the thought that maybe she doesn’t actually want this, but then she speaks, destroying the fragile bubble of hope forming in my chest. “Kai, Dom asked me to marry him, and I said yes. He’s what we need. What I need. And I love him. I hope you’re happy for me.” Her smile is a soft, broken thing, and it cuts me deeper than any knife could.
I force a smile that feels brittle and fake before saying the words that burn my tongue like acid as I speak them. “Congratulations, ReRe. I’m happy if you’re happy.” It’s the best I can offer under the circumstances. Her eyes shine bright with unshed tears as she nods, accepting my halfhearted blessing. She looks like she wants to say more, but I need to get out of here before I lose my shit completely. “I just wanted to come by and make sure you’re okay. Looks like you’re more than okay and have some celebrating to do, so I’ll leave you guys to it.” I lean down and give Laura a quick hug before making my exit. “Take care Ms. Laura, I’ll see you around.”
With that, I walk out of my best friend’s house, and possibly out of her life, for good.