Sweet Retribution (Rydeville High Elite #3)(24)

“But, baby.”

“No, Kai.” A more determined look appears on her face.

“Don’t you want to know if you are?” I want to place my hand on her stomach, to relive the experience even if it is a lie.

“And what if I’m not?” she whispers. “What if it’s all true. The abortion and the hys—other thing.”

Fuck. She can’t even say it. She’s in complete denial.

“Isn’t it better to know?” I softly ask.

“No.” She shakes her head repeatedly again. “It’s not better to know if it’s true. I will be a basket case. I will be a sobbing mess. Broken, damaged goods. I won’t be able to drag my body out of bed, let alone do what I need to do to take these bastards down.”

She runs her nails through my hair, and my cock twitches to life behind my pajama pants, as my libido fully wakens.

“Please don’t take my revenge from me, Kai. Because I need to do this. I need to make them pay. Fooling Charlie and then revealing the truth will destroy him. My deceit and the reality of what he’s done to his family is enough payback in his case. Taking everything from my father and putting him behind bars is what I really need to begin the healing process.” She kisses my cheek. “Then, and only then, can I think about dealing with this.” She peers deep into my eyes. “I know you’re hurting over this too, and if you’ve changed your mind, if you—”

Now it’s my turn to halt her. I clamp my hand over her mouth, trying to leash the rage pouring through my veins. “Do not fucking say that, Abby.” I don’t want to lash out at her, but she’s making it hard. “I said my vows, and I meant them. I will love and cherish you every day for the rest of my life. That’s all that matters to me. The rest we will figure out as we go along.” I grip her chin hard, trying and failing to tone down my glare. “Nothing has changed. Nothing.” I press a hard kiss to her lips. “You are still the fucking air that I breathe. The blood pumping through my veins. The only reason my heart beats in my chest.”

I loosen my tight grip, relaxing my facial features. “You’re the center of my universe, Abby. You. Only you. You hear me?”





CHAPTER TEN


Kaiden





She clings to me, and I wrap my arms more firmly around her. I can’t say goodbye. I can’t let her leave to go back to him.

But I must.

And she needs me to be strong.

Reluctantly, I ease her out of my arms, kissing her deeply one final time. “Go, baby. Be safe, and message me when you get there.” Now that she has a new purse, and Xavier has confirmed her room and her burner cell are clean, we’re going to start up our nightly calls again.

Unless that asshole Barron gets in the way.

The thoughts of him sleeping beside her, holding her in his arms, brings every murderous intent to the surface again.

The idea of killing him crosses my mind. As it has several times since Christmas Day. Hell, if I’m honest, those thoughts started long ago. When I first noticed how he looked at her.

I’ve wanted to murder Charlie Barron pretty much since the moment I returned to Rydeville.

“I love you.” She stretches up, pressing her lips to mine, and I sweep my tongue into her mouth, savoring the taste of her. “And I promise I won’t have sex with him. Like I said, the fact he cheated on me the night of our wedding is a good thing. It gives me ammunition to keep him at arm’s length, and it’s believable.”

When she told me that, I couldn’t believe it. What kind of fucking idiot is he? Or was he so wound up he needed the release and didn’t want to take it out on her like he’s claimed? I wish I knew the truth. But all I know is he’s one fucked-up asshole, and I hate my wife has to pretend to be in love with him.

But this isn’t about me, I remind myself, shoving those thoughts aside.

“I love you so much.” I pull her head into my chest and squeeze my eyes shut as I cradle her against me. It’s killing me to let her go.

She eases out of my arms this time, looking forlorn. “I should go.” She’s as hesitant as me to part.

“If anything changes, or your life is in danger, I’m your first call. You promised,” I remind her.

She bobs her head. “I know, and if it’s something I can’t handle, you’re the first person I want to call.”

I kiss the tip of her nose. “Later, firecracker.” We have a rule about not saying goodbye.

“Later, caveman.”

I’m bereft the instant she steps away from me, and the churning storm in the pit of my stomach is the same one that’s always there every time we are forced to separate.

One day, no one will be driving us apart.

I watch her hugging Drew and Rick but cast my gaze aside as she walks toward the door, already knowing she won’t look back.

The door softly closes, and I drop onto my bed, exhaling heavily.

“It sucks, man,” Drew acknowledges, sitting down beside me. “But at least you still get to see her. I don’t even have that luxury.”

I clamp my hand down on his shoulder. “When this shit is done, we’ll get your girl back.”

He shrugs. “It’ll be too late by then.”

I frown. “It’s not like you to give up.” The Drew I remember from my youth was like a dog with a bone once he got his teeth into something.