Chapter 12 #2
“It is not! He treated me like I didn’t matter, that’s what hurt. I have a right to be hurt and it’s justified.”
The sound of rustling sheets and the soft creak of the springs in a box spring were audible as it appeared that Kaiser shifted in the bed, or maybe even sat up. “Yeah, you do have that right. But at some point, let’s put on your big girl panties and be an adult, huh?”
“Excuse me?!” Cristie demanded.
“You heard me, Cristie. He fucked up. Who among us hasn’t?
Who among our parents hasn’t? If you truly want who fate meant you to be with, you take a moment to understand why he fucked up, and you move on, hopefully with him.
Otherwise, you let it go and move on. But either way you stop torturing both him and yourself. ”
“Kaiser, he…”
“No, don’t ‘Kaiser, you don’t understand what he did’.
I understand that he didn’t claim you. Hell, he didn’t even acknowledge you.
But he didn’t renounce you, and he didn’t cheat on you.
He was involved with somebody else when the mate bond reared its ugly head.
So, basically, he didn’t want to cheat on her either.
He had to work shit out. Could he have handled it better?
Absolutely. But he didn’t. Deal with it or don’t, but don’t make it something it’s not. ”
“You’re really kind of pissing me off at the moment,” Cristie said.
“Somebody needs to,” Kaiser said, flopping back onto the bed and closing his eyes.
“What does that mean?” she asked angrily.
“It means any number of things. But basically, you got a mate. He thinks so highly of you even I can feel it when I’m around him. He’s a good guy, Cristie. He really is, and that’s not something to let slip away. Don’t take that for granted for so long that it’s no longer an option for you.”
Cristie sat down on the edge of the bed beside where Kaiser lay. “Why are you telling me all this. You were fine to help me keep him at arms’ length just a week ago.”
“Among other things, I hadn’t met him yet. Now I have, he’s a good male.”
Cristie turned to look at Kaiser who lay there with his arm thrown over his eyes. “What are the other things?”
“My head is pounding. You mind if I get some rest?” he asked.
“Want something for the headache?” she asked, standing up in preparation of leaving.
“No, I just want to lie here for a while.”
Cristie walked over to the door and paused to look back at him. “What’s going on with you? Something has drastically changed you, and quickly, too.”
Kaiser allowed his arm to fall away from his eyes and looked over at Cristie. “It’s been happening for a while; there’s nothing quick about it. I’m just losing my grip on my ability to ignore it.”
Her delicate brows furrowed as she took a few steps back toward his bed.
“No, I don’t want to talk about it.”
“But…”
“I can’t, Cristie. Do you understand? I can not discuss it.
But let me tell you, my shit, what I’m dealing with — or trying to deal with — just makes me understand all the more what you’ll be giving up because you have your ass in a sling because he didn’t drop everything and rush right up to you.
But let me ask you something… if he had, if he’d just run right to your side, dropping the girl he’d been seriously involved with in the process, would you want him?
If he hurt her so callously, would you still want him or would it nibble at you every time you had a quiet minute to reflect?
Is that the kind of mate you want? How about giving him a little credit for having some integrity. ”
“What is happening in your life that has you such a changed male?” Cristie asked.
Kaiser shook his head and sat up. “Just figuring out the answer to my own problem. Turns out I need to think about my own integrity versus instincts.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up.
Cristie watched as he shoved his feet into his shoes. “You’re fighting against your own instincts. You can’t have your mate and part of you wants to grab her and run.That’s it isn’t it?”
Kaiser raised his gaze to hers as he took a step or two, dragging his feet on the ground to shove his feet the rest of the way into his shoes.
He walked over to where Cristie stood and hugged her, and kissed her temple.
“Don’t let him go, Cristie. You’re one of the fortunate ones that gets the choice. He’s a good guy.”
He walked past her and out into the hallway.
Renata hurried back to the staircase, went quietly up the three or four steps, then took a heavy step down so Kaiser would know someone was on the steps and think they were coming down, not eavesdropping.
But Kaiser didn’t even look behind himself.
He just walked straight past the stairs and out of the front door.
He walked out to where Cristie had parked his car, keyed in the pass code on the security lock on the door and got in.
He dug an extra key out of the concealed tray beneath the steering wheel and started it up. Seconds later he was gone.
Cristie hurried to the door in time to see his tail lights as he drove away. She turned around and was startled to see Renata on the steps. “Oh, hi,” she said, forcing a smile to the forefront.
“Hi, baby. You alright?” Renata asked.
“Sure. Are you?”
“Oh, yeah. I just went upstairs to check on Kaiser, but didn’t see him. But he did just run past me on his way out.”
“Yeah, I guess he did,” Cristie said.
“Is he alright?” Renata asked.
Cristie thought about it. She had a duty to her best friend to keep his secrets, even if she didn’t understand them fully.
But she also owed her Aunt Renata honesty.
“Truth is, I’m not completely sure what is happening with him.
But I do know that he’ll be okay. One way or another, he’ll find his way. ”
“Should I go after him?”
“I wouldn’t. He needs some down time, maybe then he’ll be more willing to open up about what he’s struggling with.”
Renata’s gaze drifted away from Cristie and she looked out of the huge window in the living room that was the last place she’d seen the tail lights of her son’s car before he drove away.
“Maybe send a text and tell him that you love him and are available whenever he wants to talk, or just sit quietly for a while with someone who loves him,” Cristie said.
Renata smiled. “I think I’ll do just that.”
Cristie smiled and nodded, then went back to the extra bedroom to get the plate of food she’d brought for Kaiser.
She took it back to the kitchen and set it down on the counter top near the stove.
She looked around the now quiet kitchen — everyone had gone outside to relax and eat their meals together.
She picked up the plate, added two sweet yeast rolls slathered in butter, then went outside to join her family.
The minute she walked out onto the back porch, all eyes looked her way.
“There you are,” Riley said.
She smiled, convincingly, too. “I was wondering where everybody went to. Y’all moved the party out here.”
“Sure did. Come have a seat and join us,” Maia said.
Cristie nodded and made her way out into the yard. There were several places she could have sat, but she walked past them and hesitated beside a few available spots with Lucas and Richie’s families. “Do you mind if I butt in?”
“’Course not. Since when would you even ask?” Lucas asked.
Cristie smiled at Lucas’ comment, but her eyes were glued to Remi who sat with them. He was seated on a small wooden bench he’d pulled up to sit with them. He scooted over to sit on one end, rather than in the middle, leaving her a place to sit.
She sat down beside Remi. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Remi said.
She heard female whispers from across the yard and turned her head to better hear them.
Tia, Keegan, and Amanda were off by themselves, sitting together under one of the trees.
“And now she’s going to sit beside Remi like she can have both,” Tia practically hissed.
“Remi’s her mate, idiot. He belongs to Cristie,” Keegan said.
Harper, who was sitting nearby with Sebastian, Clay, Cruz, and Summer got up to throw away her paper plate, but made a pit stop beside the three younger girls sitting together. “You ladies need to watch your mouths. When you piss off our young Alpha, don’t come looking to me for help.”
“I didn’t say anything!” Tia claimed defensively.
Harper pinned her with a knowing look.
“I was just saying I think I’m going to go check on Kaiser,” Tia said.
“I told her she’s a fool. Again,” Amanda said.
“Watch yourself, Tia. I wouldn’t want you to tread into a situation you have no idea about,” Harper said.
“I’m only being a good Pride mate,” Tia said.
“Mmhmm,” Harper said, then slowly strolled away looking back at the small group of teenage girls.
“Just leave him alone,” Keegan snapped. “He’s a grown male.”
“I am going to check on him! He’d want me to, and she has no right to tell me to watch myself,” Tia said.
“He barely even knows your name,” Keegan said, her voice hard. “Leave the male alone.”
“You wait and see. He’s always looking at me,” Tia said. “And as soon as I look at him, he looks away.”
Keegan sighed dramatically. She seemed tired and almost out of patience. Then without warning, she got right up in her sister’s face, her nose pressed against her sister’s, a growl beneath her words. “If you go in there and bother him, I’m going to kick your ass myself.”
“He likes me! I catch him looking at me all the time,” Tia insisted, leaning away from her sister.
“I think maybe you’re a little confused,” Amanda said softly.
“With what?” Tia snapped.
“With where his focus is,” Amanda said.
“You don’t know anything,” Tia said angrily.
“I know more than you, obviously, fool,” Amanda said.
Remi sat listening to the girls, just like Cristie did.
He reached out and touched her arm gently.
She turned to him quickly. So quickly that she forgot to hide her confounded expression.
“Kaiser okay?”
“Ah, yeah. He will be,” she said, taking a bite of her food, though, she really had no appetite anymore.
“Good. I like him,” Remi said.
“He’s a good male,” Cristie agreed.
“You hear any of that over there?” he asked, lifting his chin slightly in the direction of the teenage girls who sat thinking nobody heard them as they continued bickering.
“Yes, I did,” she said, shaking her head dismissively.
“Seems he’s got a fan club,” Remi said with a chuckle.
“I’m not the least bit surprised. He can’t even get away from it at home.”
“Must be hard to live under that kind of attention.”
“Especially when you asked for it. It’s all fun and games in the beginning, until you realize they don’t give a damn about you, all they want is the notoriety of being associated with your image. And even the kids are trying to attract your attention.”
“I can understand that. Is that what he’s struggling with?” Remi asked.
“I’m not sure. I thought so, but now I think it’s deeper than that,” Cristie said.
“I hope he can work it to his benefit.”
“Me, too.”
“At least one of the girls is right,” Remi said.
“Hm?” Cristie said, chewing another mouthful.
“Keegan. She said I belong to you,” Remi said.
Cristie swallowed slowly, all the while holding Remi’s gaze. “Do you?” she half-whispered.
“I do. I’m just waiting for you to figure out that you belong to me, too.”