Chapter 22
“Kaia, are you almost ready? Our guests have arrived,” my father calls from downstairs.
“Coming!” I shout back, taking one final look at myself in the mirror, smoothing my palms over my midnight blue gown that hugs my curves perfectly. My makeup is subtle and my long chestnut hair falls in loose curls down my back, styled half up and half down.
Tonight is the town’s annual winter ball, a night I’ve been dreading.
I’ve been lucky enough to avoid that last few, using school or college commitments as an excuse as to why I couldn’t go, but this year I’m not so fortunate and I’m going to have to spend the entire evening pretending to be the perfect daughter with the perfect parents and I can’t think of anything worse.
I make my way downstairs, careful not to trip and break my neck in these heels. But then again, that would give me the perfect excuse to get out of going to this stupid thing.
I can hear my father talking to these mystery guests who I’m yet to meet as I come down the stairs.
He wouldn’t tell me who they are when I asked, not that I’m even remotely interested, they’re probably someone else my father has tucked safely in his back pocket, or someone he’s trying to impress. It’s usually a toss up between the two.
I turn the corner into the living room to find two men facing away from me, talking to my parents, both dressed in black suits, both easily six feet in height.
“Ah, here she is now,” my father says, his eyes meeting mine over one of the men’s shoulders.
“You look beautiful, sweetie,” my mother adds with a kind smile.
Both men turn to face me and as soon as I lock eyes with the one on the left, my knees almost buckle, the entire world shifting on its axis.
“No.” The words are barely a whisper on my lips, only loud enough for me to hear.
This isn’t happening. It can’t.
“Kaia, you remember Daniel?” my father asks but my eyes remain fixed on the man in front of me, a face I’ve been trying so hard to rid from my mind.
“It’s so good to see you, Kai Kai.” Every muscle in my body tenses as he closes the space between us and presses a kiss to my cheek, his hands moving down my upper arms almost tenderly, but there’s nothing tender about him, I learned that first-hand.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispers, his mouth lingering on my skin, and a shiver snakes down my spine.
He pulls back, shooting me a grin anyone could mistake as kind and genuine, and honestly, Daniel always had a nice smile, it’s one of the things that drew me to him when we first met, only now I know better.
Because it’s fake. All I see in front of me is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the devil disguised as an angel, because the look in his eyes is pure evil.
The older man steps into my periphery, stealing my attention as he moves to stand beside Daniel. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Kaia, I’m Harrison, Daniel’s father.” He offers me his hand and I take it.
“Nice to meet you,” I reply, forcing a smile.
There’s no doubt they’re father and son, both sharing the same hazel eyes and bone structure. Looking at his father is like looking at Daniel in thirty years time and I shiver at the thought.
“Kaia, why don’t you show Daniel around? We have some time before we have to leave,” my father suggests and my stomach sinks, the thought of being alone with him sends a wave of dread through my body.
When I make no move to leave the room, my father shoots me a questioning look. “Kaia?” he prompts.
With my heart thundering in my chest, I swivel on my heel and walk stiffly out of the room, hyper aware of Daniel’s presence as he falls into step with me, the heat of his stare burning into the back of my head.
I turn the corner into the study, folding my arms over my chest, as if to protect myself but also hide my trembling hands.
He takes a quick glance around the room before his eyes return to me, his gaze looking me up and down. “You look good enough to eat in that dress, Kai Kai.”
“Don’t call me that,” I snap.
“What happened to us? We were good together.”
I scoff. Is he for real?
“You know damn well what happened to us. You did, when you abused me and tried to rape me, or have you forgotten that part?”
I turn to walk out of the room but he grabs my upper arm and tugs me back. I trip over my feet, almost falling into him as he shoves me up against the wall. He has me boxed in, his palms flat on the wall on either side of my head.
“I don’t appreciate you spouting foul lies like that, especially with my father in the next room.”
“Get the fuck off me,” I snap, pushing against his chest as hard as I can and he stumbles back a step. “You know as well as I do, they’re not lies.”
“No man likes a cock tease, Kaia, and we like lying bitches who cry rape even less. Keep talking and see what happens.”
“Why are you even here?” I ask.
“Your dad was kind enough to invite my father and I. He thought you might enjoy seeing a familiar face, thought I might keep you company.”
“I don’t want you here.”
“That’s just too bad. See, your father invited me here as your date to this thing and that’s exactly what you’re going to be. You’re going to hang off my arm like the good little girl you are, you’re going to smile and we’re going to look like the perfect couple.”
He wants me to cave, cower in fear but I’ll be damned if I give him that much power over me.
“You lay a single hand on me, and I’ll tell your precious father the kind of man he’s raised. A man that doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“Don’t push me, Kaia,” he warns, leaning in so close his nose bumps mine. “You won’t like it. You’re mine tonight, and I’ll do whatever I fucking want.” He reaches around and grabs my ass roughly through my dress. “Touch whatever I fucking want.”
I gather all the courage inside of me and square up to him. “I’m not the same girl you knew last spring. You don’t scare me, Daniel. Not anymore. Now get the fuck away from me before I scream. I’m not adverse to using a wine bottle if I need to.”
He catches my meaning, his face faltering ever so slightly.
“You ever touch me again, it’ll be the last thing you ever do,” I warn, knowing full well that despite everything that’s happened between Killian and me, he’d kill Daniel without thinking twice if he ever lay a finger on me.
He heads for the door, glancing back over his shoulder briefly, smirking. “Tonight’s going to be fun,” is that last thing he says before he leaves the room.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I’m left alone, my racing heart lodged in my throat.
I leave the room and head up the stairs on shaky legs to the safety of my bedroom, locking the door behind me.
I drop down onto my bed, trying to come up with a way I can get out of going tonight.
“Kaia?” My father calls from outside my room before he enters. “Ah, here you are. The car will be here soon, be ready to leave.”
He turns to leave the room.
“Don’t make me go with him,” I say and my father stops just inside the doorway, not bothering to face me so I’m left talking to the back of his head.
“If there is any part of you that loves me, you won’t make me go with him.
He tried to hurt me, that’s why I broke up with him.
Please, Dad,” I add. I never call him Dad, and I hope the sentiment will finally make him listen, that it might touch some deep-rooted part of him that remembers I’m his daughter, a part of him that loves me.
He turns his head slightly, giving me his side profile. He waits a beat before speaking, like he’s trying to find his words. “We leave in five minutes,” is all he says as he retreats from the room and disappears down the hallway.
His words slam into me like I took on a train head-on, my heart sinking as the realisation that I mean nothing to my father hits home.
He doesn’t care.
Through the haze of unshed tears, I dig through my bag for my phone, scrolling through my contacts list. My finger hovers over the call button as I stare down at Killian’s name.
I haven’t seen him in over a week since the night I tried to kiss him and there’s no doubt he’s been avoiding me just as much as I’ve been avoiding him.
But he told me to call him whenever I needed him and I’m sure that offer still stands, no matter where we stand with each other right now.
He’d help me, right?
I hit the call button but I end the call before it has chance to connect.
I can’t involve him in this. If Killian knew what Daniel tried to do to me, he’d kill him without thinking twice and I can’t give my father any more ammunition against the club and a reason to put Killian in jail, my father would love that.
Besides, it’s not his problem.
It’s mine.
For the next hour I’m paraded around like a trophy, forced to smile and pretend like I’m having a good time when it’s exactly the opposite.
Fi knew instantly that something was wrong, and like a superhero, she swooped in and stole me away from my date, the indents from his fingernails still embedded into my skin.
I’m surprised he didn’t break the skin with how hard he was digging them into me as if hurting me was a form of entertainment for him.
On more than one occasion he’s tried to kiss me and the thought makes me sick to my stomach. I don’t want to be within a thousand miles of him and he knows it. He’s making tonight as uncomfortable for me as possible.
He’s trying to break me.
But I’ll be damned if I let him succeed.