Falling For The Bad Boy

by Glenna Maynard

  She comes to her door slowly. She isn’t getting around too well since her fall I guess. I feel horrible that I haven’t been to check on her sooner. “Katie.” She smiles, opening her door. She has new glasses. I notice them right away. The lens look to be about three inches thick. She should be seeing great now. Poor Percy can’t hide from her now.

  “What are you doing here? Did your mom forget something when she moved?”

  “No, I was coming to see her, but thought I would check on you first. My mom moved?”

  “I reckon she ran off with that man. Nasty feller. I didn’t much like him. He had a funny look about him that one. Reminded me of the man that first brought you and dropped you off when you were probably I don’t know, I think you were three or four. You were a tiny thing.”

  “Where did she go?”

  “Can’t say to be sure. Out of town though. Left last week. Loaded up her car and was gone. Stiffed Jimmy on this month’s rent too.”

  “You said a man dropped me off when I was a child? Who was he? Are you saying my mother didn’t always have me?”

  “That’s right. She lived here for about six months or so I’d say before she got you. I think she said you were her sister’s kid. You came to live with her after your mom died.” She squints at me. “It was your dad who dropped you off. I remember now.”

  “Do you know what his name might have been?”

  “Sorry, I don’t, but your mom should be the one to tell you such things.” What in the actual fuck am I supposed to do with that information?

  “Thanks, Deloris.” I give her a gentle hug.

  “Wait, why aren’t you with your mom?” She eyes me curiously. Her glasses magnifying her tiny, weathered eyes, making them appear large.

  “Long story, I’ll come back soon.”

  I help her to her chair and get her some water before I go. I worry about her being so old and alone.

  Looking over at the house that was once my sanctuary and my worst nightmare, I can’t help but be drawn to it. Walking through the gate, I take a deep breath. It feels as though I have not been here in years instead of a few months. I step onto the small wooden porch with the white paint peeling. The dark wooden front door looks so cold and uninviting. I smile though when I see a hint of red and pink from where Kai and I painted over Penny’s artwork. Kai and I were just getting to know each other better. He was being so sweet to me when he didn’t have to be.

  The door opens suddenly and Jimmy—the property owner comes out with trash bags.

  “Hey, kid. Did your mom send you to pay me?”

  “Uh no, I came here looking for her, but she moved I guess?”

  He scratches his beard. “Well must be why she left this stuff.” He sits the bags down by my feet. “There’s a few boxes left too, if you want to go through them.”

  “Sure, thanks, Jimmy.”

  “No problem. Got a new tenant coming by tomorrow to look at the place. Anything you don’t want just sit it on the porch, and I can toss it for ya.”

  “Okay,” I say, and he opens the door for me, leaving me alone so I can look in private.

  The living room is barren along with the rest of the house, other than my old bedroom. I open the boxes Jimmy was referring to and wow…my mom left my baby pictures, and anything that belonged to me or serves as a memory of me. I guess she is finally letting me go. There isn’t much really, but I don’t have the energy to sort through it all right now. I take the boxes and bags, stuffing them in my trunk. Maybe the Coopers will let me store this stuff in the attic, or their garage, or something, though I probably have room in my gigantic closet.

  We haven’t really talked about what my plans are after graduation in a few weeks. I haven’t applied to any colleges, and Kai hasn’t said anything about my coming to LA. He isn’t even sure where he is going to be in a few weeks. They are focusing on getting their first single cut in time to join the Lords of Rock tour as an opening act. I think the tour kicks off near the end of May in Seattle.

  Penny has been begging me to move to Georgetown with her. She is going to school there in the fall. It is a tempting offer. I don’t know what I want to do or where I want to go. I can’t just sit around and pine away after Kai while he is chasing his dream.

  I drive to my home for now and think hard about what I want. I can’t see anything beyond Kai. He has become my world, and I am not sure that is a good thing. I have lost myself in him. When I go to bed, I am dreaming of him and when I awake, he is the first thought I have.

  I park my car next to Kai’s and smile, wondering how his day in the studio has been going.

  Kirk is at the counter when I come through the kitchen. “Happy Birthday, Katie.” He smiles reaching me a cupcake. “No big plans tonight?”

  “Nah, I am getting up early to help decorate the gym for prom.”

  “Guess you are bummed Kai won’t be taking you,” he says.

  “I don’t mind. He has a good reason. I’m going to go stag with Raven.”

  “Have fun with that,” he says with a snort, rolling his eyes. On that note, he leaves me alone with the cupcakes, and I eat way too many of them, feeling sorry for myself, and thinking about my mom, if she even is my mom…

  Bloated and sad, I crawl into my bed and cry missing Kai, missing his arms holding me tight, making everything else disappear.

  I pull out my phone and send him a text.

  Me: Killing me Kai <3

  Kai: Want you so bad Kat <3

  A FaceTime call comes through a few minutes later from Kai. “I wish I was there with you, Kat. Do you know what I would be doing?”

  “What’s that” I ask and try to smile.

  “I’d be eating all of your cupcakes.” He laughs.

  “Too late, I already did that. Thank you for everything today. Kai, you made this my best birthday ever, even if I didn’t get to spend it with you. You are the most amazing boyfriend in the universe.”

  “Wow, the whole universe huh, you sure think a lot of me.” His dimples are popping out. Then Vance sticks his bare ass next to Kai’s face and farts, ruining the moment. “Motherfucker,” Kai shouts, dropping his phone. I can’t help but laugh until I cry, hearing Kai punch him.

  Vance is shouting “Uncle,” in the background.

  Hunter picks Kai’s phone up. “Guess Kai will call you back after he kills Vance. Happy Birthday, Katie.”

  “Thanks, Hunter.” I end the call and go to bed with a smile on my face.

  Chapter 25

  Kirk was right. Prom without Kai is a total shit time. Penny is eyeballing Aaron and his freshman date all night, giving me an earful of their every move. Raven is pissed over a picture showing up online of Jake and some chick from an all-female band that is going on tour with Cooper’s Religion.

  “Don’t that bother you, Katie? Kai is there too, doing whatever Jake is doing,” she says, puffing her cheeks out.

  “I trust Kai. He wouldn’t hurt me like that.” He wouldn’t, I just know it. We have been playing phone tag all night. He is at some party for his record label. He already warned me that the label wants shots of the two groups hanging out to be leaked for publicity. I’m not worried. I told Kai to do what he has to do…within reason.

  I don’t have to like it, but I am going to be supportive of my boyfriend, even if the world doesn’t know he is mine…I do.

  Two weeks later though, I no longer feel like being so supportive. Now that Kai is being thrust into the public eye, reporters have been sniffing around our town trying to dig up gossip on the band. Kai told me to avoid any and all questions, only answering with a no comment. The label doesn’t want it known Kai has a girlfriend. Of course they don’t. They want the public to think Kai is getting cozy with Lena Lovelace, the lead singer of Ashes & Roses—that all girl band.

  The only good thing is Kai is coming home this weekend for Khloe’s birthday and my graduation. I have been so busy getting ready for graduation and Khloe’s party I haven’t had much time for
anything else. I tried to track down my mom, but Nancy Francis, has disappeared from the planet.

  I try to put all the craziness out of my head. Tomorrow is my graduation and my boyfriend will be here any minute now. I have only seen him through FaceTime the past few months, and I cannot wait to kiss his face, lick those dimples, and run my fingers through his hair.

  His single is dropping next week. He wants to fly me to LA for the release party. He said he refused to have anyone else be his date. He also says he has a surprise for me when I come to LA. I don’t know what he has planned, but I am so flipping excited. Penny is waiting in the driveway with me. I don’t know if she is more excited to see Vance or Hunter. Raven is coming to the party tomorrow, reluctantly. She said she is only coming for Khloe. Jake has been getting hot and heavy with Gina Lux the chick who plays the drums for Ashes & Roses. Kai told me he is bringing her with him this weekend. I can’t blame Raven for not wanting it flaunted in her face.

  It would kill me to see Kai with someone else. I think I would actually die.

  Finally, Kent pulls up in his wife’s Escalade. He left early this morning to get Kai from the airport, but they had a delay and are getting home, now three hours late. The vehicle has barely been shifted into park when Kai flings his door open and charges me. His hands are on my butt, his mouth on my neck hot, fast and needy. My fingers are in his brown shaggy hair I have missed feeling so much. He hasn’t shaven and now has a goatee and mustache thing going on. It makes him look so much older.

  “Killing me, Kat,” he growls in my ear. “Want you so bad,” he says, as I kiss his dimples.

  I look over Kai’s shoulder and laugh as Penny is trying to decide whom to hug first…Vance or Hunter. They both look ready to eat her alive. Jake and his new girl get out last, after Kent. He walks past Kai and me shaking his head. Guess he knows his son is totally getting laid—soon.

  “I am going to lick you from head to toe. You might not make it to your graduation tomorrow,” Kai threatens and promises in a husky tone.

  “I am giving a speech, so I kind of have to be there,” I tease.

  Jake introduces me to Gina. She is a bit funky, like Jake. They actually look perfect together. She has short blonde hair with black streaks striped through it and just as many piercings in her face as Jake has in his ears.

  “It’s finally nice to put a face with the name we all suffer listening to this one pine after.” She motions to Kai and his cheeks grow red.

  “You do love me don’t you,” I tease poking him in the side.

  Khloe comes running out of the garage, screaming for Kai. The kid is so excited to see him, she is shaking and crying. It is so sweet and yet sad. She has so much love for her brother. He picks her up and hugs her tight. I can swear a tear trickles down his cheek when she says, “Kai home no go no more without Khloe.”

  “I would stay home if I could, Khloe-bug.” He carries her into the house, and we follow them inside for the pizza Kai’s mom ordered earlier.

  I can’t eat. My stomach is doing flip-flops eager to be alone with Kai.

  After they eat, and the guys tell us all about LA, everyone slowly files out. Penny is driving Hunter and Vance to Jake’s place. And Kai is letting Jake drive Gina to his place in his car.

  I follow Kai up to his room and he leaves me briefly to take a quick shower. He is dripping wet when he comes back… he seriously had to jump under the water and straight out. He dives onto the bed after locking the door.

  “We should have gotten a room somewhere.”

  “Why is that?” I ask.

  “Because, I have been without you for too damn long, and I plan to make your toes curl, and I want you loud and screaming for me.”

  “I am sure you get plenty of girls screaming your name now that you are a famous rock star,” I tell him.

  “Only person screaming my name that will ever matter is you,” he tells me, and I die a little inside. He is laying on his bed naked with his hands propped behind his head. His legs are spread, and he is erect waiting for me.

  “Better turn on some music and hold on to those sheets, Kai Cooper, because you are about to be the one screaming my name.” He smiles deviously and turns his phone on loud with my favorite playlist on shuffle.

  I don’t give him any other warning than that. My lips wrap around the head of him and he groans, grabbing my hair. And then it’s over. My boyfriend seriously just came in under three minutes.

  “Kat, baby I’m sorry. It’s been so long, and I have wanted you so long, I couldn’t help it. I can’t believe I am about to say this, but I should have listened to Vance.”

  I look at him funny and he laughs.

  “No really, he told me that because I hadn’t been with you in so long, that I should empty the chamber, so to speak, before seeing you. I thought he was just being stupid, but the dumbass was right.”

  “Seriously. You. Are. Killing. Me. Kai.” I smack him hard with a pillow.

  “Just give me a few minutes, Kat, and I’ll give you the night of your life. Going to set your ass on fire.” Just as he says that, a song I recognize all too well starts playing from his phone.

  “That’s your song. We wrote that song together. Oh my God, Kai.” I am jumping on his bed—naked. The bed is knocking into the wall loudly and Kai cracks up laughing.

  “Well, babe, at least my bed is getting some action. Yeah, I wanted to surprise you. It will start playing on the radio next week.” He is grinning ear to ear with pride.

  “I am so proud of you, Kai,” I sink down onto his lap, biting his bottom lip, and he goes hard again.

  His face goes all dark and lusty. He shoves me back on the opposite end of the bed and makes slow, sweet, torturous love to me. His mouth and his hands are all over me as he drives me wild. We make love to his song all night, and he does set my ass on fire.

  Chapter 26

  The band causes quite the commotion when they show up at my graduation. Kai could walk with us but is choosing not to. He will actually be getting his diploma next week. Due to his hectic schedule, he was late with some of his tests, but he got them all turned in and he passed, thankfully.

  There are reporters crawling, trying to get some scoop, any scoop, on Cooper’s Religion. My stomach drops when Kai and I are trying to get into my car and a reporter calls Kai over to where he is standing with Raven.

  She has a smug smile on her face. “Can I get a photo of you with your high school sweetheart?” The guy snaps a photo of Kai and Raven.

  “She isn’t my anything.” Kai raises his voice at him, getting pissed.

  “You promised me an exclusive,” The reporter says, eyeing Raven speculatively.

  She shrugs and says, “See you in a few at your party.”

  I get in my car, slamming my door. I am not to tell anyone that Kai is my boyfriend but apparently, it perfectly fine for Raven to say whatever in the hell she wants to about my boyfriend.

  Kai gets in and punches my dashboard. “Sorry Kat, I told her not to be talking to the press. Guess she wants her fifteen minutes or something, since Jake won’t give her the time of day.”

  “Not your fault that she wants you back, Kai.”

  “You know she has no chance in hell of ever getting me back. You. Are. All. I. See. Kat.” I know he means what he says, but it is just hard when Raven seems to always find a way to come between us. Almost every fight we have ever had has had her name involved in it somewhere. I am tired of it.

  “No more lies, no more it’s complicated.” I look him dead in the eye and he nods, swallowing hard.

  “I’ll talk to her.”

  “Yeah, you do that.”

  We get back to the house and go to my room.

  He steps over my clothes and hangers carefully. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he flops down on the comforter lying next to me. I touch my pinky to his for support. I’m hurt but God do I love him.

  “I don’t want to fight, Kai, but I know you aren’t being honest with me,
and it’s killing me.”

  He squeezes my pinky hard with his. “Do you know how much I regret not just talking to you sooner? I used to watch you singing in choir every Sunday at Church. You made me so nervous. This tiny, brown-haired girl, with the voice of an angel intimidated me.”

  “Why?” I look at him amused by his confession.

  “Maybe…because when I tried to kiss her once, she kneed my balls, and it hurt really bad.” He laughs but then his smile falls. “Are we okay, Kat?”

  “Wild horses, Kai,” I tell him softly, twisting the pendant hanging around my neck.

  “I have some things we need to talk about, but I need to deal with Raven first.”

  “Okay,” I say, and he kisses my cheek.

  “I’ll find you in a bit. I love you, Kat.”

  Kai leaves my room, and I start getting ready for tonight’s party.

  I am standing in my closet trying to decide on something to wear, when Penny knocks on my bedroom door, and I tell her to come on in.

  “So, you need to get out here to the party. Raven is here and attached to Kai like a damn leech.

  “Great.” I fake smile.

  When I come out of my room, Khloe comes running down the hall wanting a hug.

  I scoop her up and carry her toward the kitchen.

  Kai and Raven are in the living room, I know this because I can hear them arguing.

  “It has been over three years, you can’t just change your mind now, Raven. Funny fucking timing you have.” Kai is shouting and Khloe cringes hearing how angry he is. Penny gives me a what the fuck look.

  “I don’t need your permission, Kai. End it or I go to the press and tell them everything about your family. I will tell them. Every. Little. Dirty. Secret.” Raven sneers and storms passed Khloe and me.

  Kai comes charging by grabbing her arm forcefully. “You aren’t doing this here—today.”

  “What in the hell is going on?” I look at Kai and Raven, and they are continuing to argue, ignoring Penny, Kirk, Khloe, and me.