Chapter 20 - Kayla
This past week has been amazing. It’s easy to see how hard Josiah is trying to keep his promise to me.
Every single day, I watch him as he patiently waits for me.
He gives me all the space I have asked for, while still stealing cheeky moments to rest his hand on my leg or steal a tender kiss.
It’s his way of letting me know he’s still here.
He’s not going anywhere. And I appreciate all of it.
It’s impossible not to start opening up to him.
It’s impossible not to start feeling things and letting my heart soften towards him.
As much fear I'm still carrying, it's slowly beginning to fade with his constant reassurances.
And the girls are happier than I’ve ever seen them.
They have a full family in a beautiful home. They get smothered in attention by their parents and their aunt and uncle. I can see their confidence growing, and even Kelsey is being bolder, feeling safer to play and demand what she wants without feeling the need to wait and watch what Kira does.
I am so happy for them.
And for the first time in ages, I am starting to feel happy for myself, too.
Because the first phase of our new project at work has launched and is in testing stages, Josiah suggested I take a few days off work to spend with the girls.
We have been working late and coming home with just enough time to tuck them in, and I’ve been struggling and missing them like crazy, so I jumped at the chance to spend some time at home.
Of course, I can’t break their routine, so they are still at preschool in the morning, and that means I also, for a change, have some free time for myself.
It’s Tuesday. I slept a whole extra hour this morning, and I feel amazing.
I’m wearing my favorite jeans and my comfortable sneakers instead of killer heels and a tight dress. Don’t get me wrong, I love dressing up for work. But it’s nice to be dressed down and relaxed.
Glancing at my watch, I see it’s almost eleven. The girls will be home at two, so I still have plenty of time to do whatever I want.
And what I want to do is surprise Josiah at work by bringing him a nice lunch.
I know he’s still working his ass off, and every night he comes home tired. So, I want to show him that I’m thinking of him, and, of course, I want to make sure he gets some decent food and doesn’t try to skip lunch like he does when he’s too caught up in everything.
That man is massive. He needs proper fuel in his body.
Following his instructions, I inform the guards that I am heading out for the morning. There are two of them waiting for me at my car when I step out of the house.
“Hi Tony, hi Lucas. I want to stop at that restaurant at the waterfront. The one that sells those giant prego steak rolls,” I inform them.
“Sergeant Salt,” Lucas says, opening the door for me.
“That’s the one!” I say, grateful he remembered the name, because I couldn’t.
I climb into the back of the car with the bodyguards in the front.
It’s strange to have to go places with two giant men following you everywhere, but after what I’ve seen in Josiah’s life, I'm not arguing, and honestly, I prefer having them around. It’s the comfort that I need.
We drive through the city, and I watch people go about their morning routines.
Shopping. Dropping kids off. getting coffee.
Heading to meetings. There is such a wild mix of characters in Chicago.
Some people are dressed in professional suits that look more expensive than most cars, and others are wearing baggy pants that sit so low I can see their underwear and half their butt crack while they glide around the streets on a skateboard.
It makes me smile. All the different people, all the different cultures and lifestyles, and we all live here in the same beautiful city.
Lucas climbs out to open my door for me once the car is parked.
Both security guards follow me into the restaurant. One walks ahead, and one walks behind. Their alertness is much higher than mine since I feel they will keep an eye out for me.
I head to the counter and smile as I lean over it.
“Hi, I wanted to place an order to go?” I ask the pretty young girl standing behind the counter.
“Of course, would you like to see a menu, or do you know what you want?” she asks, eyeing my bodyguards curiously.
“I want one of those prego steak rolls and then your small chicken fillet burger, please.”
“And what sides would you like?” she asks.
“One salad and one fries. We’ll end up sharing both,” I smile.
She asks me a few more questions to clear up the order details, then I pay and step aside so the next person can order.
Glancing at my watch, I note the time. Fifteen minutes until the food is ready, and I needed to pee before I left the house, but chose to try to ignore it.
I may as well go now quickly.
“Guys, I’m just going to the ladies',” I tell the guards.
“Yes, ma'am,” Lucas acknowledges. “We’ll be right outside the door.”
“Thanks, I won’t be long.”
I hurry through the restaurant and into the hallway that leads down to the ladies' room.
It’s funny how you can hold your pee in for ages, but as soon as your brain realizes you’re ready to go, it stops even trying to hold it anymore, and now I’m doing this strange little dance as I hurry to make it into the cubicle.
I giggle at myself as I sit down and breathe a sigh of relief.
After I’ve straightened my clothes, I head over to the sink to wash my hands and check my hair in the mirror. My cheeks are rosy, and my smile is bright. You haven’t looked this happy in a long time, Kayla. It’s because of him. You really need to give him a chance.
I’m trying, I tell myself. I really am trying.
The ladies' room door swings closed behind me, and I am still drying my hands on my jeans when I walk straight into a man heading down the hallway.
“Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry,” I stammer, looking up at him.
He is beautiful, with dark hair and dark features that make his bright blue eyes seem even more intense.
“No, I’m sorry, I should have looked where I was going,” he laughs, gently touching my arm.
My body spikes with adrenaline, and my smile becomes tighter.
Oh, he’s gorgeous, and clearly charming, but something doesn’t feel right.
“Are you grabbing some food here?” he asks. “I hear they have amazing steak rolls.”
“Yes, actually, I was getting my husband a steak roll for lunch. If you haven’t tried one, you definitely should,” I say, stepping away from him.
“What about the burgers? My girl loves burgers. Should I get her the chicken or the beef?” he asks.
And I get the feeling that he doesn’t even have a girlfriend. And all he’s doing is trying to stall me here. Why would he be trying to stall me?
I take another, more urgent step away from him. “Sorry, I have to go. Get her the chicken burger, though, it’s much better,” I call over my shoulder as I try not to run from him to make it more obvious.
But he’s too quick. And the tall, dark stranger grabs my arm and pushes me against the wall.
The smile on his face is dangerous as he leans close. For the briefest second, I think he is going to kiss me, and I turn my head to the side, flinching from him.
He laughs darkly.
“Little Kayla. Your bodyguards are dead, so there is no need to run back to them. Don’t worry, we didn’t make a scene. They are tucked away in the trunk of your car. Safe and sound, but very dead.”
Nausea shoots through me, and I whimper, my breath shuddering as I try to breathe in.
“What do you want from me?” I ask, my voice cracking even though I am trying my utmost to sound strong and unafraid.
“Nothing, sweet, beautiful girl. I can see why he likes you.” He speaks with authority. His demeanor reminds me of Josiah; the confidence with which he holds himself speaks of power that most men don’t have.
I try to shove him away, and he pushes his body harder against mine, pinning me in place. “Don’t fight, you might get me excited,” he laughs as though we are playing some kind of game.
“Tell me what you want!” I demand.
“I want you to send a message for me, darling,” he muses, gently tracing his finger beneath my jaw and lifting my face so I am forced to look into his piercing, bright blue eyes.
He speaks in a whisper against my mouth.
“Tell Josiah I say hello and that I hope his family is well,” he says.
I am about to tell him to go to hell when he steps back and releases me.
His smile is still playful and charming, but his eyes glint with danger.
“Have a lovely day, little Kayla. I hope I get to see you again soon,” he grins, then he walks away, heading down the hallway to the back of the restaurant with a confident and calm stride and his hands shoved into his pockets.
My heart is beating so fast I might throw up. Suddenly, I snap out of it and sprint down the hallway back into the restaurant. The girl behind the counter waves at me and smiles. “Your order is ready,” she says in a sing-song voice.
I spin in search of my guards, but they aren’t anywhere. No, please, this can’t be real.
Sprinting out of the restaurant and into the street, I run straight to the car, and my heart drops down to the pit of my stomach when I see the blood smear on the back. A handprint on the trunk.
I know I shouldn’t.
My mind is screaming at me not to do it.
But I open the trunk.
The yelp of shock and horror that comes out of my mouth is nothing more than a strangled gargle. I step back, slamming the trunk closed again when I realize that there are innocent people everywhere around me, mothers and children who do not need to see the horror of what I just saw.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block it out, but the images become more defined in the darkness of my mind. Their bodies, twisted, distorted, and covered in blood. Their eyes, lifeless and hollow, staring up at me.
I lean close to the sidewalk and vomit.
Not knowing what to do, I tug my phone from my pocket and dial Josiah.
While I wait, I can’t bring myself to climb into the car. I can’t sit in there knowing they are in the trunk. But I can’t stand still, either. So, I pace up and down the street.
Josiah arrives in a matter of minutes and runs to me, grabbing me into his arms and clutching me as though I was trying to get away. But I cling to him like I never want him to let me go.