CHAPTER NINETEEN #2
The news should’ve eased me. If Miguel retired, maybe his silence wasn’t personal. Still, Javier’s words unsettled me. Why would Miguel walk away from a career he excelled at?
“I’ll email him one last time,” I said, cutting into my food.
Javi shrugged. “If it helps, do it.”
We talked about his team and mine through the rest of dinner. As I paid the bill, Javi yawned. “Fuck, I didn’t think jet lag would hit this hard.”
“I forgot it’s your first time overseas,” I said, slipping my wallet into my pocket.
“Let’s head back. I’m sure you want to check on Kaia.”
Jet lag, my ass. He’d given himself away without knowing it. Thoughtful bastard. And he was right—Kaia needed me.
“Yeah, I’d love to,” I said. “Thanks.”
***
The house was silent when we returned. Russell must’ve gone to bed early. Good. Javi always said I had no poker face, and I doubted I could hide how much I hated what Russell pulled tonight.
“Good night,” Javi said, disappearing into his room. I waited a few beats to be sure the house stayed quiet, then slipped into Kaia’s.
She was curled beneath the comforter, bedside lamp still on, her diary open beside it. I closed it and sat on the bed. My hand drifted to her hair before I could stop myself. She stirred, turned, and blinked awake. “Ash. Why are you back so early?”
I bent to kiss her. “Javi was tired. We had dinner and came home.”
“I see.”
I traced my fingertips across her face. Her skin burned, her eyes red and swollen. She’d been crying. Anger surged, and I dropped my gaze to the comforter so she wouldn’t see how furious I was at her father.
“I hate living here.” Kaia tucked her hands under her cheek. “I hate all of it. This house, my life. I wish I could find a job, earn enough to move out, but I’m stuck. My father made me stay to prove a point. Your mom came home, and he went to his room with her without looking at me once.”
She wasn’t wrong. Russell thrived on power, and keeping us apart was the perfect way to wield it. Javi’s warning about my career pounded in my head, but right now, I didn’t give a fuck.
“Get dressed,” I whispered.
Kaia’s brows lifted. “What?”
“I borrowed Ale’s car. Everyone’s asleep. Let’s get out, do something fun—or nothing. I don’t care, mi nina. I just know I won’t let you spend the night crying.”
Kaia caressed my cheek. “Estás loco.” You’re crazy.
“Por tí.” I kissed her wrist. About you.
She tossed the comforter aside, grinning. “God, that was cheesy. I loved it. Give me a minute.”
No skirt this time—just an oversized hoodie and sweats over her PJs. We slipped out of the room and tiptoed downstairs like thieves, pulling faces every time one of us made too much noise.
Outside at last, I dragged in a lungful of cool night air. “Fucking finally. Sometimes I can’t breathe in there.”
Kaia slid into the passenger seat of Ale’s Lexus. “Is that why you keep so little in your room? Because you want to leave?”
I hadn’t realized she noticed. But I couldn’t lie. “I’ll probably look for my own place this summer. Then you can come over whenever you want, no hiding.”
“You’re thinking ahead.” She smoothed her fingertips over the seat belt, lashes shadowing her cheeks.
I swallowed, twisting the key in the ignition. “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I didn’t want us to last.”
She was the first girl who mattered this much. I’d dated before, but never seen anyone the way I saw Kaia. I still had no clue what the fuck I was doing, and if our parents found out, they’d try to tear us apart. None of it mattered.
I curled my palm over her thigh. “Don’t worry about the future, okay? I’m yours as long as you’ll have me.”
Kaia covered my hand with hers. She stayed quiet on the drive, eyes fixed on the city lights flashing past, but when I parked, her smile lit up.
“How do you know about this place?” she asked as she slid from the car.
“Dawson,” I said, locking the Lexus though we were alone on a hill overlooking Stetbourg. “He used to come here with his wife. Said the view was the best in the city.”
I laced my fingers through Kaia’s and led her to the fallen tree trunk that worked as a bench.
She nestled against me, gaze sweeping the horizon. “I love the city at night.”
“Me too.” I brushed my lips over her temple. “It’s got a charge to it. I used to ride my bike after midnight, just to feel it.”
“Alone?” she asked, tilting her face up.
“Yeah. But I think I want to do that with you.”
“So, we’ll make sneaking out a habit?”
She deserved better than secrets. I wanted to take her out, date her, show her off. It fucking killed me that I couldn’t.
I slid my fingers through her hair. “Unless your father comes to his fucking senses and lets you go out with me.”
Kaia scoffed. “Not gonna happen. Odds aren’t in my favor, so sneaking it is.”
She rose without warning. Before I could ask, she straddled my lap, arms winding around my neck. Her warm curves pressed into me, blood surging hot and fast. Shit. I needed control.
Her nails raked down my nape, goosebumps sparking across my skin. “Fuck,” I breathed, hauling her closer by the backs of her thighs. “That felt good. You’re not playing fair, peque.”
“Neither are you,” Kaia whispered, edging closer. Her breath brushed my lips before her tongue traced the seam of my mouth—bolder now, hot, and somehow even more endearing.
“Teach me what you like.” She tugged gently at my hair, kissing the corner of my mouth. “How do you want me to kiss you?”
She’d be the death of me. “However you want,” I rasped.
She trailed wet kisses down my neck, teeth grazing my skin. My breathing fractured, body hardening to the point of pain. Fucking hell. It felt like someone had swapped my blood for gasoline and lit a match.
Her hands slid beneath my hoodie, fingertips sketching patterns across my stomach. I threw my head back, offering her more of my throat.
I should’ve stopped her, but I couldn’t break the spell. She’d filled my nights ever since our first kiss, every thought leading back to her.
Kaia rocked against me. Instinct made me push forward, then I jerked back, sobering. “Mi nina.”
“Hmm.”
She kept kissing me, her hand brushing my abs. Any lower and—
“Wait.” My swallow was thick. “Please.”
She cupped my face, eyes clouded with concern. “What’s wrong?”
“Everything’s right.” I smoothed my palms down her back. “I just don’t want to rush with you.”
“Why?”
Because I was out of my depth. She was younger, inexperienced, and some part of me wanted to shield her from everything—including myself.
“Because we don’t need to,” I whispered. “There’ll be plenty of nights. We can wait until we’re ready.”
“You’re more than ready.” She giggled, shifting in my lap. “But it’s okay. I’ll wait for you, peque.”
I bit back a grin. Peque. Only she could get away with calling me that.
“Thank you.” I kissed her slow, savoring. Our tongues pressed together, and I buried my hands in her hair, holding her close, kissing deeper.
Her soft moan undid me. So did the way she clung, unwilling to let even a breath of distance between us. When we finally broke apart, I wrapped her tight so she wouldn’t get cold, both of us staring at the city lights glittering against the dark sky.
It turned into an unforgettable night—and I swore I’d give Kaia countless more worth remembering.