Chapter Three
Warmth surrounds me from behind, and I spin on my heel, coming face to face with Kent. I step back to create some distance between us. He twirls a lock of my hair around his finger as he grins. “I didn’t take you for a dirty girl, but looks can be deceiving.” He smirks and a sour taste floods my mouth. “Don’t keep us in suspense. Who’s your secret fuck buddy?”
I take another step back. “You’re disgusting and who I spend my time with is none of your business.”
He gets all up in my face again, and this time I don’t back down. I return his sleazy smirk with a glare. Large hands grip his upper arms, hauling him off to the side. “How dare you speak to Faye like that,” Ky seethes. “Apologize.”
“Screw you, asshole,” Kent fumes, elbowing Ky in the ribs and freeing himself. “You two think you can stand on ceremony with me? Look down your nose at what I get up to in my private time when neither of you are any better?”
Okay, so I’m guessing he’s still sore that we broke up his little foursome at the last party, and he clearly can’t see how seriously out of control he is or that we’re only trying to look out for him.
He jabs a finger in my direction. “She’s only here a couple of months, and she’s already whoring herself out, and you’re back to slumming it with that slut Addison, so fuck off trying to tell me what to do.” He shoves Ky as he stalks out of the room like a raging tempest.
I half-expect Ky to follow him, but I’m relieved when he doesn’t. I rest my head in my hands, wondering what the hell I’ve done to deserve so much melodrama in my life.
“Now do you see?” Ky says, and I tilt my chin up. He’s eyeballing Kaden. “You need to intervene because Mom and Dad can’t or won’t deal with him. Maybe he’ll listen to you.”
Kaden runs a hand around the back of his neck. “I’ll talk to him but I’m not sure it’s going to do any good.” He rises, exiting the room with Keanu hot on his heels, leaving only Keven, Ky, and me behind.
“Man, this family is seriously fucked up.” Keven shakes his head. “And we haven’t even gotten to the good part yet.” His look hardens as he glances between us. “Mom told you?”
“She had no choice,” Ky replies. “Faye figured it out.”
A deep furrow lines Keven’s brow. “How the hell did you work it out? Neither Kaden or I had any clue when they dropped the bomb on our eighteenth birthdays. It came totally out of the blue.”
“You should’ve told me. Why didn’t you?” Ky jumps in, deflecting the question so I don’t have to reply.
“It was so messed up, Ky. It took me months to come to terms with it, and then I was so damned mad at both of them for lying to us. Why do you think we’ve been arguing with them for so long? We’ve been pleading with them to tell you, but they were begging us for more time. They are already worried enough about all of you, and they were scared over what it’d do if you found out.”
“And you bought that bullshit?” Ky’s tone is incredulous.
Keven sighs, crossing one leg over the other. “Yes and no. At first I could scarcely see beyond my rage, but more recently, I’ve begun to see their point of view. This family can’t cope with any more revelations.”
If only he knew that the biggest bomb of all has yet to be dropped.
A dark cloud shrouds my brain as thoughts of James and my mum swim to the forefront of my mind. I’m purposely trying not to think about it because my emotions are fragile, and I’d rather focus on the current drama before confronting the more disturbing truths. Plus, I’m still hopping mad with Mum and terrified that what James believes will turn out to be my new truth. A teeny tiny part of me is desperately clinging onto the hope that he’s mistaken. That Ky isn’t my half-brother. That I won’t have to give him up.
“I’m glad she’s decided to tell everyone.” Keven pulls me out of my head. “I think she needs to get this out in the open, and I don’t want to avoid my brothers forever.”
“That’s why you haven’t been around?” Ky asks.
“I’m sorry, Ky, but I couldn’t face seeing you all the time knowing I was helping to keep something like this from you. It’s better this way.”
“Do you kn—”
Keven holds up a hand as he stands up. “Save it for the meeting later. I’m going to head outside for a game. You up for it?”
“Sure. Just give me a few minutes. I need to talk to Faye about something.” Ky cocks his head to the side, and I get up and follow him silently out of the room.
“What did Addison want?” I ask the instant we step into my bedroom.
Ky closes the door behind me. “I don’t want to talk about her.” He moves directly in front of me. “How are you coping? Are you okay?” He raises his hand, angling it toward my face, and I peer up at him with longing. His hand falters, hovering in midair, mere millimeters from my cheek. Moisture pools in my eyes and my lip wobbles. The look of utter conflict on his face guts me.
My chest heaves as a wracking sob breaks free. “I’m trying to stay strong,” I whisper, “but it’s damn hard.” My voice cracks.
“Come here,” he says softly, opening his arms, and I fold into his embrace without hesitation.
My arms snake around his waist, and I ingest his scent, committing it to memory. Everything seems infinitely better locked in his embrace. I squeeze him tight, closing my eyes and uttering silent prayers, begging God to make this right. “I don’t want to lose you. Not when I’ve only found you.” I look up at him through blurry eyes.
“I know, baby. I feel the same.”
He looks away but not before I see the look of sheer torment on his face. My heart damn near ruptures. “But?”
“But we have to stay away from one another until we have those test results. I’m not strong enough to resist you otherwise.” He stares deep into my eyes, anguish and suffering reflected in his gaze. “You’ve no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now.”
I rest my hand on his chest. “Believe me, I know.”
He takes a step back, and my hands fall loose at my side. I’m instantly cold.
“Which is why we can’t be alone until we know what we’re dealing with.”
“And what then?”
When he looks up again, I’m startled to see moisture building in his eyes. “I don’t know, Faye. I can’t even bear to think of the what ifs. I’m hanging here by a thread, in case you hadn’t noticed.” He leans back, staring up at the ceiling. “Someone up there sure loves to fuck me around.”
I half-snort, half-laugh. “Don’t preach to the converted. My life is one big fuck-up after another.”
“I want to be here for you, Faye, but I don’t know how to do that and not be close to you, but I won’t sink to his level. I’m not going to do what he did.” A wave of revulsion washes over his face.
“I get that. I’m grossed out by it too.”
He steps toward me, pulling me gently into his arms again. “Hopefully it won’t come to that, but if it does we’ll deal with it. Until then, let’s just try and get through the next week. I’m sure Dad knows someone who can rush through the tests.”
“Okay.” I rest my head on his chest, listening to the rhythmic thud, thud of his heart. “I’ll miss you,” I whisper, as more tears spill out of my eyes.
“I’ll miss you, too.” His voice cracks at the end, and I can tell he’s struggling to hold it together too. He strokes his hand down the length of my hair, and we cling to each other, both of us hesitant to let go.
After a bit, I ease out of his arms, wiping my tears away with the back of my sleeve. I sniff. “This is only short term. We can do this.” I tilt my chin up and examine his beautiful face. So much emotion shines from his eyes, and it almost destroys my resolve. Every part of my being longs to reach out to him. To trail my fingers along his defined jaw. To pepper his mouth with long, explorative kisses. To
run my nose along his neck, inhaling his unique smell. To circle my arms around him and take all the pain away.
I love you.
It’s on the tip of my tongue, and I long to say it, to tell him his feelings are more than reciprocated, but I can’t, because I may not be allowed to love him like that, and it’s better he doesn’t know. So, I lock that truth away in my heart, hoping that I’ll get the chance to free it someday.
We are all huddled in the lobby, with the door wide open, as Max—the family chauffeur— pulls the car up to the front of the house. James and Alex exit first, swiftly followed by Kalvin. He hangs his head, his gaze fixated on the ground as he shuffles toward the house. Alex attempts to pull him into her side, but he shucks away from her gesture. Her eyes fill up and James sends her a sympathetic look which she ignores. My shoulders are knotted with tension, and the air is heavy with foreboding.
James and Alex step into the house, followed by a clearly reluctant Kalvin. He still hasn’t lifted his chin or made eye contact with anyone. Frowning, Kaden takes a step toward Kal, unashamedly hauling him into his arms. “We’re glad you’re home, and we know you didn’t do this. We have your back.”
Slowly, Kalvin raises his face, eyeballing his brother. “Thanks, bro.” His voice lacks the usual confidence, and a soulful pang hits me in the chest.
One by one, his brothers move forward, offering him a high-five or a slap on the back. His Adam’s apple jumps in his throat, and whatever control Kal has over his emotions is weakening. Tears stream down Alex’s face, and even James looks like he could blub. It seems he was right earlier—Kennedys do stick together in times of crisis.
Ky hugs Kal to him, whispering something in his ear. When he moves aside, I step forward, enveloping Kalvin in my arms. “I don’t know why she’s done this, but we’ll figure it out.”
“Did you see her?” he asks, holding onto me. I nod slowly, worrying my lip between my teeth. “What did she say?”
“Kalvin, I don’t think th—”
“Mom,” Kal cuts in, turning to face Alex. “You can’t protect me from this, and I want to know.” He twists his face around to mine. “Well? Is she okay?”
I hate to be the one to tell him this, but he deserves honesty. “She was upset and crying. She … she said she was in a bad place and that you hurt her…”
His eyes grow glassy as his stiff upper lip starts to waver. “I know I did, and I hate myself for that, but I still can’t believe she’s done this. I would never force her, or any girl, into sex. I …” He steps out of my embrace, bending over and clutching his head in his hands. His chest heaves with audible sobs, and when he lifts his chin, tears are falling by the bucketload down his face. “Mom.” His voice trickles out in an anguished plea as he pins forlorn eyes on Alex. If I thought my heart was breaking earlier, it’s nothing on how I’m presently feeling. Tears glide down my cheeks, and my heart physically pains me, as I watch my cocky, confident cousin fall to pieces.
Alex races to his side, pulling him into her arms and holding him while he dissolves in front of us.
Chapter Four
The only sound in the room is Kal’s anguished cries and Alex’s placating words as she cradles her son in her arms. Tears continue to trickle down my cheeks, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do to stop them. Ky catches my eye, concern and worry clearly evident in his gaze. He looks down at his feet, and I force myself to drop my eyes. There is so much turbulent emotion brewing inside me, and it feels like I’m on the verge of a massive blowout any second now. Stress has tied my shoulders into unyielding knots, and I wrap my arms around my waist, as if that will somehow hold me together.
An arm creeps around my back, and I’m towed into Keaton’s side. I turn my gobsmacked expression on him, melting immediately when I notice the empathy in his eyes. Without hesitation, I circle my arm around his waist, leaning into him. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot James’s frown, and my eyes narrow as I glare at him. For flip’s sake, what kind of girl does he think I am? Am I not allowed to care for any of my cousins-slash-could-be-brothers without it being construed as something else? His features relax and he sends me an apologetic shrug. I rest my head on Keaton’s shoulder, sniffling.
“Come through to the sitting room,” James says, motioning us forward. “Let’s give your brother some privacy.”
I sit on the couch beside Keaton, looping my arm through his. “Does this mean I’m forgiven?” I whisper hopefully in his ear.
“There isn’t anything to forgive,” he whispers back, and it’s the first thing to bring a smile to my face all day. “I’m sorry if I overreacted earlier. And the other day on Nantucket.”
“What happened at court?” Kaden asks before I can respond to Keaton.
“Your brother was interviewed by a probation officer who recommended he be released on bail and upon condition that he doesn’t leave the State,” James confirms.
“Has he been charged?” Keven asks in a low tone of voice.
“Yes, and we’re waiting for a pre-trial hearing date now. Dan is hoping we can get the case dismissed before it goes to a full trial, but it’ll depend on the nature of the evidence, and so far, the prosecuting attorney is being very cagey.”
Alex and Kalvin walk into the room and further conversation is halted. “I’m not sure now is the best time to do this,” Alex offers up, her eyes skimming the room nervously.
“No way, Mom. This happens now.” Kaden’s tone is final.
“There will never be a good time to share this news,” Ky adds. “Can we get on with it, please?” His expression is unrepentant.
Looking thoroughly petrified, Alex sinks onto the empty couch, keeping Kal glued to her side. She sits poker straight with her hands knotted in her lap. Her lip wobbles as she opens her mouth to speak, and there is no masking the sheer terror etched on her face. I can’t help feeling for her even though she has gotten herself into this mess.
James reaches over, covering her hands with his. She levels him with a contemptuous look Addison would be proud of. James snatches his hands back, and a muscle clenches in his jaw as his entire face turns puce. Tension is palpable in the air, and I wish she would just get on with it.
Rip the Band-Aid off, Alex.
“There is something I need to tell you. Something I should’ve told you all at a much earlier time. Your father and I have always tried to do what we feel is right by you, but sometimes we mess up. This is, arguably, one of those times.”
Kent splutters, leaning back on the couch and crossing his ankles as if he’s getting ready to watch a movie. “This should be good.” He smirks.
Kaden swats the back of his head. “Can you stop being an asshole and let Mom speak?”
I’m surprised to see Kaden jumping to Alex’s defense, especially now I understand what’s been driving the hostility toward his parents. Then again, I’d challenge anyone to look at Alex right now and not feel protective toward her. Her entire body is quaking in fright.
“This isn’t easy to say, and I’ve been carrying it with me for a very long time.” Her eyes glisten as she scans her son’s faces. “I was in a relationship with another man before I met your … before I met James. James isn’t Kaden and Keven’s biological father—they have a different dad.” She averts her eyes as she lets her words settle in the room.
The triplets look shell-shocked, and Kent is speechless for once. Kal is blinking profusely, clearly struggling to take it in.
“Oh my God,” Keaton breaks the awkward silence. “That’s what she told you when you were eighteen?” His gaze drifts from Kaden to Keven.
“Yeah,” Kaden admits.
“How could you keep something like this a secret?” Keanu looks distraught as he stares at his parents. “Fair enough if you didn’t want to tell us, but how could you not tell them?” He stabs his finger in the direction of his half-brothers.
; “When is a good time to tell your child that the man they believe is their father isn’t their father?” Alex asks bluntly.
I smother my snort of disbelief. The irony isn’t lost on me.
James winces, and Alex’s face contorts. “I’m sorry,” she whispers, looking James in the eye for what must be the first time today. “I didn’t mean it like that.” His eyes are downcast. “I know I haven’t handled this well,” she says, redirecting her attention to her sons, “but I don’t regret the choices I made.” Her eyes find Kaden and Keven. “James is your father in every way that counts. He loved you from the moment he met you, and he never treated you any differently to your brothers. The fact that none of you ever suspected anything is proof of that. He has loved you all equally.”
“I’ve never disputed that,” Kaden says quietly. “It’s the manner in which you told us, and how you forced us keep this from our brothers that I had issue with.”
“I’m glad it’s out in the open,” Keven adds. “Maybe now we can all move on.”
Silence engulfs the room as everyone absorbs the revelation.
“Who’s their father?” Kent asks, a few minutes later. “Have you met him?” He looks to Kaden and Keven with inquisitive eyes.
“That’s not important.” Alex’s words are urgent. “He was incapable of being a father to my children, and he abandoned me when I needed him the most. That’s all you need to know.”
Kaden and Keven share a loaded look, and Alex perceptibly stiffens. James narrows his eyes suspiciously. “What did you do?”
Keven squirms in his seat and Kaden draws an exaggerated breath. They lock eyes and some unspoken communication filters between them. Kaden crosses his arms over his chest. “We met him.”
Alex shrieks, clamping a hand over her mouth as her eyes widen in alarm.
Losing Kyler (The Kennedy Boys Book 2) Page 3