Love's Cruel Redemption (The Ghost Bird #12)(7)

Nathan swallowed, stepping just a couple of feet into the living room, waiting. He breathed slowly.

“Whatever happens,” he whispered to himself, “it’s only temporary.” It was something Mr. Blackbourne told him when dealing with a highly stressful situation, to stay calm during those moments. Situations are often temporary and look a lot worse in the immediate moment.

He started to repeat the phrase when Kota came around from the dining area, hurrying ahead, lips pressed together, focusing on Nathan instantly.

Kota quickly crossed the room. Erica and Jessica trailed slower behind him. Jessica tucked herself behind Erica, her eyes wide.

It was something Nathan had never seen before, not with Jessica. That hurt damn worse than anything else in that moment. There was no reason for Jessica to be afraid of him. They’d known each other for years. He’d never do anything to her. He’d never be angry at her for something like this.

If Sang was in a normal relationship with Kota, Jessica had every right to do what she did and tell Kota.

“Nathan...” Kota said, his voice steady and deep, oddly calm given the circumstances. He blinked rapidly and jerked his chin in the direction of the front door. “You and I need to talk, outside, right now.”

Erica reached out to Kota, offering a supportive rub between his shoulders, but said nothing.

A defensive excuse wove its way to Nathan’s tongue, but he bit at it, not wanting to start anything here. Maybe he didn’t have to. Kota wasn’t in the dark anymore. He probably could guess as to what really happened.

It all depended on what exactly Jessica told him, and Erica.

Nathan swallowed and slowly turned, trying not to appear guilty, too sorry for what happened.

They needed to figure out what to do next, but not within hearing range of Erica or Jessica. But how could they explain this to where they would understand?

Nathan eased open the front door and stepped out onto the porch. The sun was finally up over the trees surrounding the neighborhood, although the sunshine was now broken up by low hanging clouds. The air was cold and still.

Kota joined Nathan, and very sternly closed the front door before Erica had a chance to follow them out. With everyone so quiet, the sound of metal and wood connecting seemed loud.

Nathan didn’t like leaving Sang in the bathroom alone. Erica could go in there at some point without them. They’d have to make this quick.

Kota nudged Nathan in the arm, motioning to him to continue. “Out further,” Kota said quietly. “Out into the yard.”

Less chance for the others to hear, if they were listening.

Nathan stuffed his hands into the hoodie’s pockets, digging deep with his fists. He took the stairs, stepped across the walkway, and crossed into the grass. Kota followed. Nathan turned in the middle of the yard to face him.

Keeping his head lowered, Nathan tried not to look at the windows around the front door. He had a gut-wrenching feeling Erica and Jessica were watching, waiting for Kota to do whatever it was they suspected he would do.

What should Kota be doing to him, if they were going to keep up this appearance of Kota was exclusively dating Sang?

Nathan whispered to Kota, “I don’t know what Jessica said, but I promise you...I...”

Kota pressed his lips together, and then put a single finger to his lips. His back was to the front door, so Erica and Jessica wouldn’t see. “She said Sang kept saying no, and you were trying to force her to kiss you.”

Nathan’s mouth popped open, and he then realized Jessica misunderstood far more than he realized. “You know I would never...Never.” Nathan felt he couldn’t say too much, but he glared at Kota, trying to tell him everything he was thinking with a look.

Kota had known him for years, longer than any of the others. After everything they’d been through, Nathan was the last person to cross a line with anyone.

“I’m not sure what to tell them,” Kota said quietly. “I can either tell them that you did try to do that, or I have to tell them Sang wanted it. Those are our options, because telling them the truth right now isn’t...I don’t know how they’d react. But after this morning, this isn’t the best way to introduce it. Especially when we don’t even know...”

Nathan choked on a retort and shook his head. “Kota...You can’t let them think I would...that I’d...Can’t I say Jessica got it completely wrong?”

Even as he said this, he knew better. At the very end of the conversation with Sang, he’d pretty much had said out loud for her to kiss him, and while Sang had wanted to, Jessica had misunderstood a lot of the conversation. There wasn’t much of a chance she would believe Nathan had meant much else without it looking like Sang was willing to cheat on Kota.

“I’m not sure we have much choice,” Kota said. “Not right now. But I think I can say it was a mistake on your part. You misjudged something Sang was saying, perhaps...”

Nathan groaned and then rubbed a palm against his forehead. “This is my fault. Don’t let Sang get into trouble for it. Completely blame it on me. You know Sang won’t like it, but we have to do it this way.”

“I think I need to start yelling at you,” Kota said and frowned, nodding behind him at the door. “I don’t want Jessica thinking... I don’t know. I feel like I should. So she knows she did the right thing and...” He trailed off, frowning, concern etched in his face. “What would you do if someone else tried to force her into a kiss?”