Chapter 27 – Kai
“ T ina?” I ask, still disoriented from the assault to my jaw. “The one and only.” She responds. She bends down, perching on her heels. I rub my jaw. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
She grits her teeth. “You don’t ever talk to me, Kai. I’m a little hurt. Why does Lana get all of your attention?” She pouts. She’s jealous of Lana? I laugh. She slaps my face. I am still reeling from the hit to my jaw earlier.
“Stop fucking hitting me.” I growl. “Or what?” She threatens. I grab her ankle and pull her down. “I will do unimaginable things to you, Tina. Don’t fucking tempt me.” She spits in my face.
I growl. “I wouldn’t threaten me if I were you, Kai Jameson. I know some people and when they find out you touched a hair on my pretty little head, you’ll be in deep shit.” I chuckle. “I’m not scared of a psychotic little bitch and her imaginary posse.”
She pulls me on top of her. “Don’t underestimate me. We don’t want precious Lana getting hurt, do we?” Her words send a cold chill down my body.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I grab her throat. She laughs. “That’s for me to know and for you to find out. Tread carefully or Lana will pay the price.” I grip her throat harder. “If you touch Lana, I will fucking end you and whoever stands in my way.”
She kicks me in the balls and shoves me over. She gets up to head out. “Oh, and Kai? You might want to ask, what secrets Lana is keeping from you. Maybe clear your head before you decide that she’s the one.” She scoffs and heads out of the trailer.
What the fuck was she doing here in the first place? In Liam’s fucking trailer. I groan and wait for the pain in my balls to go away. Tina will fucking pay for this. And if anyone and I mean anyone touches Lana, I will be on a motherfucking war path.
I get up and head back to my trailer. My trailer door is wide open. I run inside. Lana is gone. I immediately panic. Then I see the note.
Kai,
I don’t know where you went so I’m leaving this note.
I’m sorry about tonight. The panic attack, coming here with Liam, all of it.
We can talk another time. There’s so much you don’t know.
So much that I can’t say. But I promise, I will explain in little pieces.
I’m sorry I just left. I woke up and freaked out.
I had to leave. Liam is taking me back home.
Don’t worry about me. I will see you in a few days.
-Lana
A few days? Why? I crumple up the note and throw it back on the bed. I put my head in my hands. I don’t know if Liam is directly involved with any of this but until I know I can’t trust him.
I hope Lana will be alright. I wasn’t going to take Tina’s threat seriously. But now I am. Especially after she hurt me in more than one way. I didn’t realize she was this psychotic but I know now.
I decide not to drive. I’ll spend the night here. I need time to think and process. What Tina said, and Lana. Right now, not a whole lot is making sense.
I make sure my trailer door is locked, I turn the lights off and lay down in the trailer bed. I hope Lana and I can make things work. I don’t want to lose her when I am so close to keeping her.
My eyes get heavy and I fall asleep thinking about when I stalked her to Seattle. I will figure out why she left in the first place.
1990
It’s been a few weeks since Lana moved. I haven’t been back since the night she actually left. I followed her in my truck, all the way to Seattle. I wrote down her address and drove back home. I was biding my time.
I wanted to see if she would actually move back home in a couple weeks but she isn’t here. I’m going back up there to see how she’s doing. I hope she didn’t forget about me.
But maybe, that was her point. Why would she just leave? Without saying a word? I know she’s upset about something. That was apparent. After I went to Ember’s I decided to come back to Lana’s house.
It was still pouring down rain but I didn’t care. I arrived at her house. I planned on knocking on the door, but what I saw through her window, stopped me in my tracks.
She was packing her stuff. She was crying. Falling apart. I couldn’t stand to see her that way. But I also knew I couldn’t involve myself with what she’s going through. I watched her for a bit. What could’ve happened?
I don’t know why I didn’t decide to knock and ask her then. I just decided to move my vehicle and follow her out to Seattle. I wouldn’t have known where she was going otherwise. Because maybe she would’ve given me reasons why she had to leave.
I wouldn’t have heard her out. I would’ve done everything possible to keep her here. She belongs with me. I grab the crumpled up paper with Lana’s address on it out of my glove box.
I don’t hesitate. As soon as my shift at Spencer Gifts is over I will make my way to Seattle to check in. She won’t even know I’m there. I go back inside.
Ember gives me a weird look. I shove Lana’s address in my pocket. I grab a box of miscellaneous items and start putting them away. I turn around to put the box away and Ember is standing right in my way.
“What the fuck, Ember?” She stands there with her arms crossed like she’s caught me or something. “What’s up with you?” She asks. I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ember.” I brush past her to put the box away.
“Don’t do this again. We’ve talked about this once already. Communicate with me. Did you ever hear back from Lana?” I shake my head. “No. She disappeared, Ember. Without telling anyone.” I say. I throw the box.
She flinches a little but brushes it off. The customers look at us. “Don’t worry about it. She’ll turn up and, if she doesn’t, at least you have me.” I look at her. Ember is a hard ass but she’s also way too sweet for me. Too patient.
She grabs my hand. “It’ll work out, Kai, I promise.” I squeeze her hand. “It has to, Ember. I can’t lose her.” I admit. She looks at me with almost sad eyes. I knew she was attached but at least she’s not crazy like Tina.
Just a couple more hours until I can go to Seattle. I’m not letting on that I know where Lana is. Because I don’t need Ember thinking I’m psychotic. But, maybe I am. I’ll go to the ends of the earth to make sure Lana is mine.
I focus on cleaning and putting shit away so that, time will pass by faster. I just need to go to Seattle to check on Lana. That’s all I need. Ember has been giving me looks all shift. I wish she wouldn’t care so much.
There’s a couple people left in the store. Ember taps them on the shoulders and politely tells them we’re closing soon. I finish up the box of stuff I have to put away.
Ember takes care of the last few customers. I put my box away and start cleaning up behind the counter. She runs behind the customers, locks the door and throws the gate down. I look at her when the gate slams down.
She turns around and looks back at me. “Look, Ember, I know we have our arrangement, but I don’t want to do this tonight. I just want to go home, have a drink or something. I don’t want to think about Lana.” I confess.
Her cheeks get red. “It is nothing against you, Ember. I just don’t want to be reminded of her right now. I miss her.” She nods. She helps me clean up quietly.
Before we leave, she plants a kiss on my cheek. “It was nice knowing you, Kai Jameson.” She lifts the gate to let us out. I grab her waist and kiss her one last time. She kisses back and tangles her hand in my hair.
I kiss her harder and then we pull back. She looks up at me. I kiss her forehead. “I’ll see you around, Ember Price.” I let go of her waist, she lets go of my hair, we walk out of Lloyd Center together, and head out to the parking lot.
I get in my truck. She walks to her little car on the opposite side of the parking lot. I make sure she makes it to her car before I pull out of the parking lot and start heading to Seattle.
~ About three hours later~
I finally made it to Seattle. I pulled into her apartment complex parking lot. I drive around to see if her car is here. It is. I park somewhere inconspicuous but close enough, so I can keep an eye on her.
She comes out to the parking lot. I duck down, so I’m not seen. She’s dressed up, almost like she’s going on a date or something. She thinks she can forget about me? I’ll show her.
She makes it out to her car and then she reverses out of the parking lot and drives. I make sure to wait until she’s completely out of the parking lot to follow, so it’s not suspicious.
Where are you going, Lana? She’s headed for downtown Seattle. She stops at a restaurant, Duke’s Seafood. I guess I never realized that she liked seafood. I watch as she parks her car and then I follow suit.
She stands next to the door, waiting for someone. I wonder who? I sit in my truck just watching her, when the mystery man pulls up. It’s no one I recognize, which is perfect. I have to get rid of him.