Chapter 21 #2
“Oh, I can’t believe that. You’ve got a history of having the most beautiful women in the world on your arm. So, what happened tonight?”
“I just decided I’d leave the attention to the charity instead of my personal life,” Kaiser said.
“I’m sure it wasn’t because you were out of options. You’ve got plenty to choose from right here, am I right?” he asked, as the camera panned across the crowed behind the barricades on either side of the red carpet. Hundreds of women screamed and waved at the camera as they called his name.
Kaiser pressed his full lips together and shook his head.
“What do you have to say about that?” the reporter asked, thinking he was having a chummy conversation with Kaiser that would result in his ratings going up, when in reality he was really pissing Kaiser off.
“I say it’s not anything the public is interested in right now. Let’s just focus on the reason we’re all here tonight.”
“Hang on, that sounds like an evasive answer to me. Does that mean there’s someone special in your life? Is that the reason for us not seeing you out and about with your bevy of girls lately?”
Kaiser looked at the reporter, his face devoid of emotion.
“I can neither confirm or deny that. I can say that you won’t be seeing me with anyone until the one is at my side and she’s ready to go public with our relationship.
But it’s been nice talking to you. You have a nice night, now.
” Kaiser walked away, not looking back a single time as the reporter called his name and shouted more questions at him.
The reporter recovered quickly, looking into the camera. “And there you have it! Is Kaiser Lyakhov off the market, ladies?”
“Who? Who is he seeing?!” Tia exclaimed, throwing the channel selector to the opposite end of the sofa.
“What is wrong with you?” Anahla demanded. “And I told you to find a movie!”
“Mom, I’ve seen him looking at me! He thinks I’m special,” Tia insisted angrily.
“Tia, baby. You’re so confused. Stop trying to make something out of simple wishful thinking,” Anahla said.
“Why doesn’t anyone believe me?” Tia demanded.
Keegan sat staring at the television, not having said a word.
“Mom, it’s not true! It can’t be true!” Tia said defiantly.
“Shut up, Tia. Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Keegan shouted.
“Don’t tell me to shut up, you don’t know!”
“I know everything! He’s not looking at you, you idiotic delusional child! He thinks of you just like the rest of us. We’re kids, members of his Pride. He’s twenty-five years old. Do you really think he wants anything to do with a fourteen or a sixteen-year-old child?”
“You don’t know. I saw him…”
“He’s not looking at you! He’s looking at me!” Keegan bellowed, shocking everyone in the house. “Me! Not you, you conceited little pain in my ass! He’s looking at me,” Keegan repeated, her voice getting softer with each word.
“Keegan, are you alright?” Lucas asked.
Keegan started to shake her head, then stopped and straightened her back. Put her shoulders back and raised her chin. “I will be fine.” She declared as she started out of the living room.
“Why is he looking at you?” Tia demanded, still sitting on the sofa, watching Keegan walk away.
“Because he’s mine,” Keegan said, without looking back as she walked down the hallway.
“He can’t be yours. He just said he won’t be seen with anyone except for the one,” Tia said petulantly.
Keegan nodded just before she disappeared into her room.
“Tia…” Anahla started.
“He was looking at me,” Tia said. She pouted a little as she looked over at her mother. “I really thought he was.”
“Because you’ve had a crush on him for the last few years. Like I said, it’s wishful thinking, and you’re just a kid. It’s normal. He’s a celebrity and easily accessible to all of us because he’s part of our Pride,” Anahla said. “But I can promise you one thing for sure, he is not your mate.”
“Do you really think he’s Keegan’s?” Tia asked.
“Here’s what we know,” Lucas said. “He’s not yours.
And he’s not here. And no matter who he is or isn't seen with, or belongs with, it’s not your business.
And here’s what you’re going to do. You won’t talk about him to anyone.
Not your friends, not strangers, not Pride members, and not your sister.
It’s not fair to Kaiser or to his parents for them to be descended on by reporters, and to have the only place he’s got to retreat to taken away from him because of whatever buzz that reporter just created.
Not to mention, we don’t want any of that kind of attention on the Pride.
You keep family and Pride business private.
If I find out that you haven’t done that, you will answer to me, and then Riley will want to speak to you. Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Tia said, clearly shaken up. “I’m so embarrassed. I told Amanda the same thing. I really wanted it to be true.”
“It’s okay. He doesn’t know you hoped for that. So there’s no reason to be embarrassed. It’s no different than anyone else having a crush on someone. Just let it go and move on, okay? It’s not a big deal and nothing worth starting an argument with your sister over,” Anahla said.
“But she really thinks he’s hers,” Tia said.
“Drop it,” Lucas snapped.
Tia nodded and sat back, watching the stations changing as her mother searched for something else to focus on.
“I’m going to check on Keegan,” Lucas said.
Tia sat there quietly, forcing herself to smile at her mother when she chose a Disney movie to leave on the television.
“There, I’ll make a snack or something,” Anahla said, walking back into the kitchen.
Tia turned around and watched her mother taking microwave popcorn out of the pantry and preparing to put it in the microwave. “You already knew he’s Keegan’s mate, didn’t you?”
Anahla didn’t answer, she just kept trying to tear the plastic off the bag of popcorn.
Tia sat down on the sofa again, lost in her own thoughts.
Back in her bedroom, Keegan carefully placed her book on her dresser, then got into bed.
She didn’t bother changing into her nightgown, she just climbed beneath the covers still wearing her teeshirt and shorts.
She pulled the covers tightly around her and curled in the fetal position beneath them.
She squeezed her eyes closed tight, and refused to let herself cry.
Seeing Kaiser on TV had given her the final push she needed to identify all the frustration she’d been experiencing around him, and with her sister regarding him.
She suddenly knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was hers.
It also explained why he’d been acting so strangely around her since the last time he’d come home.
But that wasn’t all it told her. It also told her he was gone.
He’d gone back to Atlanta without a word.
Which in all fairness he’d always done prior to now, but now it meant more than just his norm.
Now it meant that he was avoiding her. She’d not just been yelling at her sister about being a child, they might not be toddlers, but they were both certainly minors, and in any socially conscious circles, grown men weren’t interested in minors.
Which is why he left — to pretend she didn’t exist. But that wasn’t even the worst of it.
The worst of it was that he was dating someone.
And that someone was very special to him.
He’d alluded to it on national television.
And where did that leave her, a sixteen year old, who’d just discovered her mate was a grown man, nine years her senior, that she’d known since the very day she was born and had no idea about until now?
Forgotten, that’s where. Alone, forgotten, and left behind at home with her parents. Exactly where a child should be.
A soft tap sounded on her bedroom door.
Keegan sighed and pulled her covers tighter around her.
“Keegan, baby? You okay?”
“Go away, Daddy, please.”
“No, we need to talk,” Lucas answered.