Chapter 7
The thin layer of sweat coating my skin from sitting inside the stuffy bar is replaced with a refreshing chill as I step outside. The heavy door slamming shut behind me, sealing that world away from me. A world I’m not returning to in a hurry.
I inhale deeply, doing my best to calm the pounding in my chest. It’s not the cold making me shake, it’s the adrenaline coursing through me. I don’t know what came over me in there. I hate confrontation and I’ve always done my best to avoid it, but he drew something out of me I never thought I had.
The strength to stand up for myself.
And it felt good.
It was probably a bad move on my part to talk to Killian the way I did, given he could do a Ted Bundy on me after all and make me disappear. The thought sends a shudder wracking through me.
I wrap my jacket around me tighter and start walking across the parking lot. There’s a few guys lingering outside the bar enjoying a smoke, a couple of wolf-whistles and cat-calls emanating from their direction that I ignore.
Fuck, why did I agree to wear this stupid dress?
The door behind me swings open on its hinges with a squeak.
“Babe, where you going?” Fi calls after me.
“Home! Where I should have stayed all along,” I toss over my shoulder, the gravel crunching under my feet.
“You can’t go yet, it’s still early,” she protests.
I spin on my heel. “Why did you even bring me here, Fi?”
“Mac wanted to meet you and I thought you’d wanna get out of the house for a while.”
“Why would you think I’d enjoy watching a guy beat someone to a pulp? Is it supposed to be fun? I clearly missed the memo because as far as I’m concerned, violence isn’t a form of entertainment.” I release a shuddering breath.
Her face falls. “I’m sorry. I guess I just wanted to spend some time with my best friend.”
“By what? Leaving me sat at the bar next to a convicted criminal while you play tonsil tennis with your boyfriend?”
“That’s not fair.”
“Isn’t it? I only agreed to come tonight to spend time with you, because I saw how excited you were for me to meet Mac and I didn’t wanna let you down.
But this,” I motion towards the bar, “underground fighting? Associating with criminals? I get this is your world now, but it sure as hell isn’t mine. ”
“Careful, you’re starting to sound like your dad,” she shoots back.
Her words take me aback and it’s as jarring as if she slapped me across the face herself. “Wow, that’s a low blow even for you.”
“Okay, maybe I took that too far. All I’m saying is, Killian can be an ass sometimes, we all know that, but he’s really not that bad when you get to know him.”
“Well, I’ll have to take your word for it because from what I’ve seen, he’s an arrogant asshole with a God complex who thinks with his dick and is in need of a serious ego check.”
“Look, I get you’re angry right now, so I’m gonna go back inside before we both say anything else we might regret.”
“That’s probably for the best.”
She sighs. “Kai, just… just text me when you get home, okay?”
Tears sting the backs of my eyes. Despite everything we’ve just said, she still worries for my safety.
I give her a stiff nod before turning my back and marching across the lot without another word.
What should be a short ten minute walk to my house, it’s a long, quiet one with no music to distract me from my racing thoughts.
In all the years we’ve been best friends, Sofia and I have never had a fight. Sure, we’ve had minor disagreements over silly things, but never something like this, I guess that’s why it hurts so much.
My phone buzzes in my hand, and through a glaze of tears I find half a dozen missed calls from my father and I groan, the tears falling even harder.
I’m heading up the long driveway that leads to my front door when a voice catches my attention.
“Oh, hello. You must be Kaia.” I look up to find a man and a woman making their way to the unfamiliar car parked up in front of the house.
The man must be at least forty, thinning hair to the point he’s practically bald. He’s tall and stocky, but the beer belly is what draws my eye. If I had to guess, his wife, is around the same age. Tall, blonde. She’s gorgeous, and I have to wonder what he did to get a woman like her.
They look like such an odd pairing.
“That’s me,” I reply, slowing to a stop.
“I’m Barry Collins, the new sheriff here, and this is my wife, Susan,” he motions to the blonde woman beside him.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she offers.
I smile. “Likewise.”
“Your father was kind enough to invite us over for dinner tonight. It’s a shame we missed you, but I expect we’ll see you around,” Barry says.
“I’m sure you will. Have a nice evening.”
Once I’m inside, I sag against the front door, thankful the night is finally over. I pull up Fi’s number on my phone and tell her I got home safe.
I take off my shoes, rubbing my aching feet. All I want to do is peel this silly dress off my body, take a nice long bath before crawling into bed.
I’m three steps up the stairs when my father’s voice stops me.
“Kaia.”
My heart sinks.
Shit.
I follow the sound, finding him in the living room, his ankle resting over his knee as he sits on the sofa.
“Where have you been?” he asks without bothering to lift his eyes from the newspaper spread out in front of him.
“Out with Sofia.”
“Ah yes, Sofia. Is it correct she’s dating a member of the MC now?”
“Yeah.”
“Hm. Shame. That girl has so much wasted potential, then again with a dead mother and a drunk for a father it’s unsurprising. Trailer trash like that don’t change.”
I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from defending my best friend, because whatever I say won’t make a difference, nothing I say ever does.
“You just missed our new sheriff and his wife,” he continues. “Lovely people. I had hoped you would have joined us for dinner but apparently you had other plans.”
What the hell? Not once did he mention we were expecting guests tonight, but I suppose it gives him another excuse to berate me some more. “I didn’t know they were coming. How am I supposed to know if you don’t tell me?”
“Watch the attitude, Kaia,” he warns, still yet to look up from his newspaper.
I open my mouth to argue, but I decide against it, there’s no point.
“I’m going to bed.” I spin on my heel and head for the doorway when his voice stops me.
“What in God’s name are you wearing?” he asks and I turn back around to find his disapproving eyes raking over me over the top of his newspaper.
“It’s Sofia’s. She let me borrow it.”
“Well, you look like a whore.” He says it so casually. His harsh words have another wave of tears stabbing at the backs of my eyes. “I can’t have my daughter dressed looking like that in public. I have a re—”
“A reputation to uphold,” I finish for him. “Yeah, I know.”
His precious reputation is all my father is ever concerned about.
And God forbid I do anything to taint it.