Paradise Found: Cain (Paradise #2)(60)

I cursed myself for crying on Cain. I didn’t want him to see me weak. I definitely didn’t want him to see the pain. He’d only pity me. He’d try to convince me that this wasn’t some kind of punishment. The sins of the father always followed a child, and my day of reckoning was coming. Atom Callahan wanted to know more about me. He was going to come calling for an unpaid debt. He’d done it to his own son, Abel. Why wouldn’t he do it to me, a nobody girl, who was connected to his other son? He wasn’t a stupid man. He knew by now I was Cain’s wife. At least on paper. We’d been married for over a year and hadn’t spent more than two months together. It was unbelievable.

Suddenly, I needed some concrete answers and the best recourse was to go to a source. I needed to see Kursch. Other than his guidance out of the main house, I hadn’t seen him after that horrible night of confession. I didn’t know what to ask, and he didn’t offer any words other than directions on how to escape. If Cain was in the Preston area, then Kursch had to be around, somewhere. There was only one of two places I could think of to find him: Cain’s house or Cain’s work. I couldn’t risk either. I didn’t want it to appear like I was chasing after the wrong man.




At the university, I found Abel outside the science building.

“Hey,” he greeted me sheepishly. He’d been the one to convince me to attend the grand opening of the gym. He had also been the one who apologized profusely afterward, even though it was Cain who raised a hand to him. He’d provoked his brother, he said defending Cain. He was growing bolder in how he talked to his brother, how he behaved toward him. We chatted for a second before I asked him directly: “Do you know where I could find Kursch?”

Abel’s surprise was hardly masked. “Why?”

“I need to ask him some things. I need some answers.” I spoke quietly. My heart sank as I admitted the truth.

He confirmed what I already thought: the house or the gym. Surprising me, he gave one more suggestion.

“You could try Highlands. He’s been hanging out there quite a bit lately.”

Abel’s gym was at the base of the hills before entering the mountains outside Preston, versus Cain’s place that was in a warehouse on flat land. Highlands was managed by Abel’s coach, Ava Shepherd, who appeared to have some kind of history with Kursch. It was likely some connection to Atom Callahan and a ruined relationship because of him. Taking my chances after class, I followed Abel in hopes to find Kursch at this other gym.

Luck was in my favor, as Kursch was present, but he and Ava looked like they were in a heated discussion. His large imposing arms were crossed over a chest dressed in solid black. A black tee and black pants were his uniform of choice. Ava, on the other hand, had her hair down, which was rare. It was dark, almost black like Kursch’s attire, and wildly draped to the side of her head, slipping forward as her hands gestured and arms flailed in anger. Kursch kept his head bowed, but the smirk on his face proved he was amused by her rant, not frightened by her. She was smaller in stature than the large man, but she had a toned body and a fierce scowl on her face. That look was her uniform. She was tough.

The door to the office was closed, but Ava’s voice was carrying. I waited with Abel at my side.

“Why in God’s name would I ever consider working for him? You are out of your ever-loving mind!” she yelled.

Kursch’s mouth opened, but she interrupted him, continuing her tirade.

“He took everything from me. Every. Thing. And I can’t get any of it back. I would never work for him or his offspring.”

Kursch must have gotten a simple word in to which Ava responded, “That’s different. He’s different.”

She had to be implying Abel, who was growing restless behind me.

“I’m heading out,” he said, stepping away from me for the open gym.

I continued to watch the two people who paused for a stare off. Kursch reached out for Ava’s face, but her flinch and raised hands proved she didn’t want him touching her. The hurt in his eyes was evident, as he spun for the office door and noticed me observing through the window.

Regardless of my embarrassment, I couldn’t step down from what I needed to know.

“Kursch...” I began, but he breezed past me, grumbling, “Not now, Sofie.”

“Kursch,” I called after him. Not letting his foul mood deter me, I followed him to the lot beside the gym.

“Sofie,” he breathed my name, and turned on me. He rubbed a large hand down his face and sighed. “What do you need?” His false smile said he wasn’t willing to help me, but I had to ask.

“Were you there?” I paused, swallowing hard. “Were you there when Atom took my parents?”

“Sofie,” he sighed in warning. “I don’t think I’m the one to explain that night to you.” He turned his back on me and reached for the door handle of a black SUV. It was a vehicle I was all too familiar with.

“I need some answers. I can’t ask anyone else.”

“Go to Cain,” he commanded, spinning back to face me.

“You know I can’t,” I replied, lowering my voice. “I can’t go to him.”

“He’s waiting for you. He’ll tell you anything you want to know. He’ll tell you the truth,” Kursch sighed, lowering his body into the driver’s seat of the truck. I couldn’t ask Cain, but Kursch’s comment gave me pause. Did Cain know the answers? Did he know what his father had done? The realization hit hard; he knew and he hadn’t told me. I didn’t want to believe it. His initial reaction seemed as puzzled as mine. His attempts to make me focus on him, affirmed at the time, he didn’t know anything. But I couldn’t be certain: so much unknown, so much unanswered. It was another reminder I didn’t know who Cain Callahan was as a person.