“Don’t worry about me,” he says, softly, as he combs my hair with his fingers. Then he pulls my head toward him so that we can look into each other’s eyes. “Alexia, I love you. I always have. I’m so sorry for everything.”
“No, no,” I sob. “It can’t end like this!”
“Just say that you love me.”
“I love you, Kellan,” I say. Then I push my head into his warm chest. My sobbing becomes inconsolable. I hear a loud banging on the front door, but I don’t move my head from Kellan’s chest. Lights flash all around us as a police officer pries me out of his arms. Kellan does little to resist. “Stop!”
However, it’s too late. Kellan doesn’t say a word as two officers arrest him in the hallway. Paramedics lift my stepfather off of the floor as blood drips from his head. My gaze passes by my mother’s before she sharply turns away.
Chapter 19
Three months later...
I finish putting the last pair of shoes inside of my luggage bag before attempting to zip it closed. It’s beyond packed but I do what I can to finally force the puffy bag to do as I ask. The zipper latches at the end and my victory is achieved.
“I’m going to miss you,” says my dormmate, Miranda, as she sits on the end of her bed. “Time has flown by so fast.”
“Me, too!” I say in agreement. “Didn’t we just meet yesterday?”
“Feels like it,” Miranda says as she curves her arms around me.
“Have a good winter break, girl,” she says. “And I’ll see you when we get back.”
“Of course,” I say with a slight hesitation. “You, too.”
Lifting my bag off of the floor, the wheels descend from the back when I pull the trolley handle. Then I grab a stand of paperwork off of my bed and fold it under my arm.
“What’s all of that?” Miranda asks.
“Oh, nothing interesting,” I lie. “I’ll miss you.”
“Miss you, too.”
Then I closed the door behind me and looked at the top sheet of paper. LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR SPRING SEMESTER. I don’t want anyone else to see it, so I fold the papers and cram them into the top pocket of my luggage.
The air on campus has become much colder and many students are flooding out of the dorms. I notice how lightly they’ve packed compared to me. Still, I have much different plans than they do.
I feel a slight buzz from inside of my pocket, followed by a chime that booms in the air. After shifting my weight, I pull the phone from my pocket.
MOM reads the caller identifier. I slide open the display screen and place the phone to my ear.
“Hi,” I say shortly.
“You picked up,” my mother says with a surprised tone in her voice. Since she dropped me off at school at the beginning of the semester, I spent as little time talking to her as possible. It wasn’t so much that I was angry at her, but I knew that she’d never understand what happened between Kellan and me.
“I did,” I say, shortly.
“I just wanted to wish you happy holidays,” she said. “You didn’t come home for Thanksgiving and I was hoping that we would see you for Christmas.”
“How’s he doing?” I ask while trying to change the subject.
“A lot better,” she says. “He’s getting around on his own.”
“That’s good,” I say.
“You know, Alexia,” says my mother. “He didn’t press charges for a reason. I made him do it so this family wouldn’t be torn apart.”
“Did you now?”
“Yes, and you not coming home for Christmas just made things worse.”
“Look, mom,” I say furiously. “You decided to marry him and he’s a complete asshole.”
“It’s a good thing he didn’t die from those injuries!”
“You’re right, it is good. It’s also good that Kellan isn’t permanently fucked after years of abuse.”
“What your language, young lady!”
“Sorry, mom,” I say while pulling myself back. “I know that you’re just trying to survive.”
“What does that supposed to mean?” she asks in a huff, but the sound of the truck pulling in front of me overrides her desperate plea.
“Never mind,” I say. “Look, mom, I love you. I’m sorry if anything I do causes you heartache.”
“Oh...” she says seemingly caught off guard. “I appreciate that. So, when will I see you?”
“I’m not sure,” I answer honestly as I hand my bag off to the man who slings it into the back of his truck. “Have a Merry Christmas.”
“You, too, sweetie,” she says as we hang up the phone. Then I look upward to see the most beautiful man I have ever laid my eyes upon.
“Ready to go, gorgeous?” Kellan asks.
“Yes,” I answer as we embrace. My heart flutters with excitement from seeing him.
“Don’t you want to know where I’m taking you?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “Just as long as I’m with you.”
“Perfect,” Kellan says as he leans down to kiss me. “I guess we’ll pick Florida... though I was planning on Hawaii.”
“Oh!” I yell. “Let’s go to Hawaii!”
“Alright,” he says as we climb into the truck. “Hawaii it is.” Then we drive off into the cold, just before we leave for eternal sun.
From the Author
A big thank you from me for purchasing this book! It means more to me than I can express.
If you enjoy this series, please write a review on Amazon. I would greatly appreciate the positive notes!
Melissa
Stepbrother Scandal Page 5