42. Delilah
DELILAH
I stand on the porch, gulping cold air that burns my lungs.
My mother helped them. She didn't just cover for them—she helped them. Paid for hotel rooms. Moved her own reservation so they could fuck.
She sat with me while I cried about Dad and never said a word.
And Kane knew. Yesterday. He had proof and chose not to tell me.
I was trying to protect you.
That's what they all say right before they stab you in the back.
Behind me, the door opens.
Kane steps out.
I don't turn around.
"Lilah—"
"Don't."
"Please. Let me explain."
I face him. "Explain what? That you lied to me?"
"I didn't lie."
"You withheld information. That's the same thing."
"It's not."
"Then what would you call it?"
"I made a choice. A bad one. But I made it because I wanted you to have one more Thanksgiving with your family before everything fell apart."
"That wasn't your decision to make."
"I know."
"Then why did you make it?"
He exhales. "Because you were happy. And I didn't want to take that away from you."
"So you decided to wait."
"Yes."
"Until when?"
"Until after today."
I shake my head. "You knew yesterday. You called me yesterday. And you didn't say anything."
"I know."
"You let me plan this whole day thinking things might actually be different."
"I'm sorry."
"You let me hope."
"I know."
My voice breaks. "You let me believe my mother might apologize. That she might actually care."
"I know."
"And the whole time, you knew she wouldn't."
He keeps silent.
I stand there, shaking.
Not from the cold. From anger.
From betrayal.
From the realization that nothing has changed.
My mother lied to me for two years. Vivian slept with my husband with her protection. Connor didn't just take my sister from me—he took my mother too. By making her an accomplice.
And Kane kept the truth from me because he thought he knew better.
Because he wanted to protect me.
Just like my mother did.
I trusted him. After everything we went through—the kidnapping, the fights, the slow rebuilding of what we had—I trusted him.
And he threw it away.
I wipe my eyes. "When I showed you the drawer last night—when I gave you space in my apartment—did you know then?"
He goes still.
"Kane. Did you know?"
"Yes."
I feel nauseous.
"I showed you my home. I told you I wanted you there. And you knew."
"Yes."
"And you didn't say anything."
Kane's fists clench at his sides. "You were happy, Lilah. I wanted to give you one more night of that before I ruined it."
I step back. "You don't get to decide what I can handle."
"I know."
"You don't get to protect me from information I asked you to find."
"I know."
"Then why did you do it?"
Kane lets out a harsh breath. "Because I was scared."
"Of what?"
"Of losing you. Of losing what we had. We finally got to a place where things felt normal. Where you weren't looking for reasons to leave. And I was terrified that if I told you, you'd—"
"What? Walk away?"
"Yes."
"So you lied."
His jaw clenches. "I made a mistake. I know that. But I was trying to do what was best for you."
"Like my mother was trying to do what was best for me?"
He flinches.
I turn and walk down the driveway.
Kane follows. "Lilah. Wait."
I don't stop.
He catches my arm. "Please. Just—"
"Delilah!"
Leanne's voice cuts through the night.
I turn back toward the house. My mother stands in the doorway, watching us. Vivian's beside her.
"Come back inside," my mother says. "We can—"
"No."
"We should talk about this."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"You can't just leave."
"Yes, I can."
"If you walk away now, don't expect me to welcome you back."
I meet her eyes. "I never felt welcome here anyway."
Her face hardens. "Fine."
"Fine."
"But—" Vivian stutters. "What about my wedding? I told you about Mom. I'm your ally. You can't just—"
"Ally?" I let out a bitter laugh. "Do I need to list the shit you pulled all over again? Or are we clear on what you did?"
"I helped you just now."
"No, you acted out a petty revenge." I look my sister in the eye. "I'm not going to talk to Connor. I'm not going to give you money. And I'm not going to discuss forgiving you. Ever. Do you understand?"
She nods, her eyes red.
"Good."
Kane follows me outside.
"Lilah, wait."
"Go away."
"I meant what I said. I really thought I was protecting you."
"For fuck's sake, what is wrong with all of you?!" I spin around. "I don't need you to protect me from the truth, Kane. I need you to trust me with it."
"I do trust you."
"No, you don't. If you trusted me, you would have told me yesterday."
"I was going to tell you—"
"On your own timeline? That's not protecting me. That's treating me like a child."
He exhales. "You're right."
I blink. "What?"
"You're right. I should have told you. I should have trusted you to handle it. I'm sorry." He takes a deep breath. "I thought I was doing the right thing, that I was giving you one more good day. But I was wrong. And I'm sorry."
I feel tears sliding down my face.
"I promised I wouldn't lie to you," he says. "And I broke that promise. And I'm sorry."
I wipe my eyes. "I need to go."
"Let me drive you."
"No."
"Lilah—"
"I said no."
I start walking down the driveway.
Kane doesn't follow.
I make it to the sidewalk before I stop.
Because I don't have a car. And I don't know where I'm going.
And I'm so fucking tired of running.
I turn around.
Kane is still standing there, watching me.
"I'm still leaving," I say.
"Okay."
"But I need a ride."
"Okay."
He walks to the car and opens the passenger door.
I get in.
Kane drives for three blocks before he speaks.
"Can I explain?"
"Explain what?"
"Why I hesitated. When you called yesterday."
My throat tightens. I remember the call. How he sounded strange. How I asked if everything was okay and he said it was fine.
"Go ahead," I say.
"I wanted to tell you. I picked up the phone planning to tell you. But then you were talking about the pie you wanted to make. And how excited you were about Thanksgiving. And I—"
He stops.
"You what?"
"I didn't want to take that away from you."
I close my eyes. "I know."
"Do you?"
"Yes. You wanted to spare me. You thought you were being kind."
"I was trying—"
"I know what you were trying to do, Kane. But I already told you what I needed. I told you I wanted to make my own decisions. Even when they hurt."
His throat works. "I fucked up."
"Yeah. You did."
"I was scared."
"You've said that already."
"Then let me say it again. I was fucking terrified, Lilah. We were finally in a good place. You weren't looking for reasons to leave. And I thought that if I told you, it would—"
"Ruin everything?"
"Yes."
I look at him. His knuckles are white on the steering wheel.
"So you chose not to tell me."
"I chose to wait."
"And you didn't think I deserved to know before I walked into that house?"
He flinches. "You're right."
"I spent last night asking you to share my home. I told you I wanted you there. That I wanted this to be permanent."
"I know."
"And the whole time, you were sitting on information that could have changed everything about my relationship with my family."
"I know."
My chest aches. "Did you mean what you said last night? About wanting a future with me?"
"Yes."
"Did you mean it when you promised to stay?"
"Yes."
I turn back to the window. "I believe you."
"Lilah—"
"I believe you love me. I believe you want a future with me. I believe you meant every word you said last night."
"Then why—"
"But I can't trust you to tell me the truth. Because you just proved you won't, if you think it might make me leave."
The words hang in the air.
Kane doesn't respond.
I wipe my eyes. "I need you to take me to your house."
"Okay."
"I'm going to collect my things."
He goes still. "What?"
"I'm moving back to the bakery."
"Lilah—"
"I'll live in the apartment. Alone. Until I figure out what I'm doing."
"You don't have to leave."
"Yes, I do."
He pulls over to the side of the road. Before I can protest, he turns to me. "Please don't do this."
And there it is again. That burning urge to forgive him.
I cross my arms over my chest, as if that simple gesture could shield me. Ironic, isn't it? After all that talk of protection, the only thing I need protecting from is my own traitor heart.
And Kane.
"I'm not doing anything," I say, my voice tired. "You did this."
Kane's eyes on me are the worst part of this. He looks so open now. He never wears his heart on his sleeve like this.
But I can't let it sway me.
"I made a mistake," he says. "I know that. But I love you. And I want to fix this."
"I don't know if you can."
His face crumples. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I can't be with someone I don't trust."
He reaches for my hand. I pull away.
"Lilah. Please."
"Take me to your house."
"Let me fix this."
"You can't."
"Yes, I can."
"No, Kane. You can't." My hands start to shake. I press them together in my lap to make them stop. "Because every time you think the truth might hurt me, you're going to hesitate. You're going to weigh whether I can handle it. And you're going to decide for me."
"That's not fair."
"Isn't it?"
He bites his tongue.
I look out the window. "Take me to your house. I want my things."
He puts the car in gear.
We drive the rest of the way in silence.
My chest hurts. My hands won't stop shaking. I press them harder against my thighs.
I can still feel last night. His body against mine. His promise to stay.
I wanted to believe it was real.
Maybe it was.
But it doesn't matter anymore.
Because I can't trust him.
And without that, there's nothing left.