Begin Again (Again #1)(71)

“Just sign the papers, and I’ll leave,” he pleaded.

Kaden seemed to be weighing the situation; his face was still frozen. His gaze fell on me, and he swallowed hard. He came over and bent down to look me in the eye. “Please wait in your room.”

It was the last thing I wanted to do but Kaden reached for my arm again and gripped it tightly. “Please, Allie.”

With my lips pressed together, I nodded. Then I kicked off my shoes and went to my room. Throwing a last look over my shoulder, I saw Kaden step aside and nod for his brother to enter. Alex went straight into the living room. With a queasy feeling in my stomach, I closed my door.

If Kaden didn’t want me around when he discussed business with his brother, I could respect that. Even if it was hard for me to leave him alone in such a state.

What had happened between them? Kaden had shared some things with me, but I had witnessed two brothers who’d gone through more than just the divorce of their parents. Kaden’s face had been burning with hatred. And fear.

But why?

Ten minutes passed, then twenty. I paced in my room, much too agitated to do any studying. After thirty minutes without any sign, I couldn’t hold back any longer.

I cracked the door a sliver, and although I couldn’t see either of them, I heard every word.

“Shut the fuck up, Alex,” Kaden spat out his brother’s name.

“You need to get over it. How many years has it been? Two? Three?” Alex continued, unmoved. “It wasn’t serious between you two, anyway.”

I heard a noise.

“My God, you disgust me.” I could hardly understand Kaden, he sounded so furious.

“What do you want from me? I messed up, okay. But I confessed once and don’t feel the need to repeat it. Why isn’t that enough for you?”

“You confessed? When? I must have missed that,” hissed Kaden.

“We made a decision back then that protected our family. You know that as well as I do.”

Kaden snorted with contempt.

“And if you weren’t so proud, you wouldn’t have to live in such a shithole like this. You wouldn’t need a roommate to help pay the rent,” Alex continued.

“I won’t take a penny of that filthy money.”

I held my breath. Kaden had said that his father had refused to support him—but he’d never said he didn’t want his money.

Now it was Alex who snorted. “Sooner or later your pride will be your downfall, Kaden. Don’t destroy your future, just because things didn’t work out with a woman.”

I heard a muted thud and was sure Kaden had pounded the living room table with his fist. “That had nothing to do with Kendra. Keep her out of it.”

“How, then? With the new one?” Alex gave a cold laugh.

“I swear, Alex, if you even get near her I’ll-”

“So is that why you moved here? Because no one knows anything?”

Kaden gave a low growl.

“The girl doesn’t know, does she?” Alex probed. “Maybe I should take this chance to enlighten her.”

Something hit the floor with a bang. That was enough: I opened the door and rushed into the living room. Kaden stood with quaking shoulders opposite his brother, who sat on the couch, looking unimpressed.

“I think it would be better if you left,” I said, coldly.

“Oh, how cute.” Alex looked at Kaden with a smirk, then back to me again. A smile spread across his face as he let his eyes wander over my body. A familiar feeling crept over me.

“Get out of our apartment, or I’ll call the police,” I threatened, unable to suppress the quavering in my voice.

Cool and calm, Alex shuffled the papers on the table and stood. I marched to the door and held it wide open, as far as it went. He followed. Just before stepping across the threshold, he turned again toward me.

“Till next time,” he murmured.

I averted my eyes and felt bile rising up my throat.

When he was out, I slammed the door and locked it from the inside. Meanwhile, Kaden was standing stock still, as if frozen in place.

“He’s gone,” I whispered, placing my hand on his shoulder.

He winced and turned to me. He looked so angry that I took a step back. I opened my mouth but no sound came out.

Before I knew what had happened, Kaden had turned on his heel and had disappeared into his room. I shut my eyes as he slammed the door behind him.

Of course he needed a moment to himself. Though it was hard not to go after him and wrap my arms around him, just as he had done when we were in Lincoln. To keep myself busy, I returned to my room and proceeded to straighten up, clean my closet, and sort through my folders. When there was nothing more to do, I sat in the living room and waited. I didn’t want to give the impression that I couldn’t accept his wish to be alone. So I just kept waiting.

I watched one reality show after another, fiddled with my cell phone, and wondered whether I should call Spencer and ask him to come over. I rejected the idea.

When Kaden emerged from his room, he didn’t even look in my direction. Instead he headed straight for the door. I rose and followed him into the hallway.

“Are you okay? Where are you going?”

He slipped on his boots and ignored me, then stuffed his key into his back pocket.

“Kaden, where are you going?” I repeated in a brittle tone.