“I promise. It’s fine. I’m just nervous about him knowing and understanding who I am to him. Mom says she used to go visit him. I never knew that.”
“Well we thought it best you didn’t know at the time. We never wanted to get your hopes up. Over the years I employed different doctors and specialist to work with him, hoping he could regain some brain function and have a better quality of living. None of it was ever successful.”
I bite back my tears. What kind of man Theo must truly be to take care of a man he had no responsibility to? He has no idea what it means to me that he tried.
“Thank you for trying.”
“You’re my girl, kiddo. I would do anything to make you happy.”
“I know you would. I gotta get going. If you talk to Mom tell her my appointment went well.”
“Appointment?” He hedges.
“Oh, you know girl stuff. Gotta go. Love you.” I hang up quickly before he realizes I was talking about the gynecologist.
“Who do you love?” I grin, hearing Killian’s voice as he falls into step with me.
“Theo.”
He scowls. “Do I have more competition to fight off?”
I should pretend just to tease him that there is someone else, but I don’t. “No. Theo is my stepfather.”
“Oh. Well then love him all you want.”
“I do.” I laugh. “What are you up to?”
“Going to talk to Hayley. Apparently, her and Liam are fighting. She is ignoring him, and he won’t shut up until I check on her and attempt to convince her to take his calls.”
“I don’t know if I would get into the middle if I were you.”
“What’s going on with them anyway?” His pinched brows tells me he is just as confused as I am.
“She has convinced herself that he is cheating on her because she went to surprise him last night and he wasn’t working at the garage like he said he was. Do you know where he was?”
Killian gets a deer in the headlights expression on his face. “I do.”
“Are you going to tell me where he was?”
“No.”
“No?” I scoff and cross my arms over my chest.
“It’s up to Liam to tell her.”
I want to shake him and demand he tell me, but Liam is his best friend like Hayley is mine. I wouldn’t betray her confidence either. “That’s fair.”
We get up to the dorm, but Hayley is gone. She didn’t leave a note and when I text her, I don’t get a response. “She must be in class,” I tell him. I can’t remember her full schedule. I do good to keep up with my own.
I flop down on my bed and Killian joins me. “Don’t go to your dance class, stay here in bed with me.”
“I have to work on my writing assignment,” I remind him.
“If I can’t tempt you away from an assignment, I must be losing my touch.” He kisses me, and I push him away giggling.
“Stop. I need to brush my teeth. I probably have onion breath from my lunch.”
“Maybe you do a little.” He grins.
I pop off the bed and go into the bathroom.
After I brush my teeth, I find him holding my phone. “Why is Hunter texting you and saying it was nice to see you today?”
I should be asking him why he is checking my phone, but I don’t want to fight. “I ran into him before I left to go to my appointment, and he asked if we could still be friends.”
“He only wants to fuck you.”
“And you don’t?”
“Liri,” he breathes my name out angrily. “I told you I wanted to get to know you. I meant that.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight. It’s just you can’t tell me I can’t talk to Hunter when you are friends with Jackie and Misty. It’s a double standard and it’s not fair.”
“I saw him kiss you at the party.”
“Oh.”
“It made me want to punch his face in. The thought of him trying to kiss you again has me thinking of running him down in my car.”
“Don’t be crazy. I told him that we are complicated.”
He snorts. “That we are. C’mere.”
I go to him and he hugs my waist as he sits on my bed. I run my fingers through his hair, and he smiles lazily.
“I will try not to beat up your friend but if tries to kiss you again I will destroy him.”
“You have nothing to worry about.”
“I saw the way he was looking at you. He looks at you the way that I do.”
“And how’s that.”
“Like he wants you.”
“Well I don’t want him. I want you.” I tilt his face up and repeat the words. “I want you, Killian.”
“Even though I am such an asshole?”
“Especially because you are such an asshole. I seem to find it an attractive quality in you.”
He kisses me and we spend the next few hours making out and talking. He tells me a teeny bit about his family. His mom actually lives a town over, but he doesn’t offer much more than that, but I consider it progress. It is more than he would have shared with me a week ago. I want to ask him why he hates his dad and stepmom so much, but I know he will tell me when he is ready, I hope.
“You didn’t tell me. How was your appointment?”
“It went good. I have my prescription and will start my pills next week.”
“Why next week?”
“That’s kind of personal.”
“Was your doctor a male or female?”
“Female. What’s with all the questions?”
“Good. I don’t want another man seeing you naked.”
“It is a bit different when it is a doctor.”
“Did I tell you I wanted to be a doctor once?”
“No. Is this something from when you were a kid or recently?”
“Right now actually, and I think I need to examine you.” He bites my neck and rolls over me. His hands move up under my shirt, teasing at removing my bra.
“Your fingers are cold and if you’re a doctor shouldn’t you be wearing gloves?” I beam up at him and he tickles my ribs.
Chapter 24
Liri
Hayley arrived an hour ago in tears and Killian left so we could talk in private. She ran into Liam and he wouldn’t tell her where he was last night, and someone told her they saw him picking up Jackie. For the first half hour she was here she locked herself in the bathroom and refused to come out. I told her that whoever said that was probably trying to stir up crap, but her source was Woodrow. I don’t know why he would lie, but I also don’t get why he would rat out Liam to Hayley.
Now she is laying on her bed in sweats and crying in her pillow.
“What exactly did he say?”
Using the hem of her shirt she wipes her face. I get up and grab a roll of toilet paper from the bathroom. “Thanks.” She sniffs. “You know when you and Killian started seeing each other I thought our roles would be reversed.”
I laugh. “Me too.”
“Well I was coming out of my English class and he was waiting for me. I point blank asked him again where he was last night, and he was all I told you I was helping Mack, why are you riding my ass? I shoved him and called him a liar. Told him I was there, and he wasn’t. He went pale, Liri, and my stomach dropped.”
“What happened after that?”
“I told him that he could either tell me where he was or not to bother speaking to me ever again. He just stood there looking at me with this sad puppy dog face, and I felt it in my heart. He cheated on me. I know he did. And with that skanky whore to beat it all. He could have chosen anyone but her. It’s not like I don’t have sex with him. But why her? I just need to know what I did or didn’t do…ya know?”
“How did Woodrow get involved?” Jackie is a total cow, but I thought Woodrow was a good guy.
Hayley blows her nose. “He came up on us fighting and told Liam he’d walk me back to the dorm. We were talking, and he asked what was wrong. And that’s when he w
as like I saw him pick up Jackie. God, Liri, I lost it. I went looking for her, but she’s hiding like a coward.”
“Put your shoes on.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I am taking you to Liam and you are going to get your answers one way or the other. Even if I have to beat the truth out of him.”
“Okay.” She sniffles. “He doesn’t understand why I am upset. He says I should take his word and not question any of it. Like how does that even make sense, Liri?”
“I don’t know but we are going to see what he has to say for himself.” I nod at her and start to text Killian but think better of it. I don’t want him to warn Liam so he can run and hide too. It takes her a few minutes to get herself together enough to leave. Killian has sent me two messages, but I haven’t checked them yet because I don’t want to lie to him about where I am. Hayley needs to see Liam and find out what he is doing behind her back.
We get to the house and Killian and Liam’s vehicles are here. Hayley marches through the front door without knocking. A bunch of the guys are sitting around the big screen in the living room playing games. We find Liam, Killian, Woodrow, and Porter out by the firepit with Jackie. She has on an oversized sweatshirt and is drinking straight from a bottle of liquor. I bet she doesn’t have one true friend who isn’t some random guy she has fucked. Killian perks up when he sees me but then he sees Hayley and he frowns. I have an ominous sensation swirling in the depths of my stomach.
“I was trying to text you.”
“Sorry. I was driving.”
“We need to talk.”
“Yeah sure. Right after Liam gives Hayley the respect she deserves and tells her where he was last night.”
Killian grabs my hands and Liam looks apologetic. “Liri, I can explain everything. That’s why Jackie is here, but I wanted to talk to you before Liam said anything to Hayley.”
I try to jerk out of his grasp. “Why?”
“Because he was doing me a favor.”
“What’s that have to do with Jackie?” I look over and she smirks at me enjoying the show.
“He took me to the clinic to get an abortion,” Jackie announces, waving the liquor around. It sloshes out the top and splatters on the ground like my heart. She doesn’t need to say anything more. I am on the verge of a major freak out.
“I told her I would give her a ride, but I wanted to be with you, so I asked Liam. Jackie didn’t want everyone to know her business, and Liam swore he wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“Is that your only involvement?”
“Yes,” he swears, but I hear Jackie laugh.
I look at her and she says, “Except you forgot that you paid for it.”
My throat goes dry and I feel a panic attack about to come on. “Was it yours?”
“Was what mine?” I can see the confusion in his eyes, but he isn’t going to play dumb to get out of this conversation.
I jerk away from him. “Don’t touch me.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong, Liri.”
“Didn’t do anything wrong? You could have told me!” I shout.
“It wasn’t my secret to tell.” My brows knit in confusion. I don’t know why this hurts me so deeply. I knew he had slept with her before I came into the picture, but my heart feels cracked in two right now.
“I can’t be around you right now.”
“Why? I’m giving you the honest truth.”
“Because you fucked her, and I hate her for it, and I hate you for it too.” Tears slide down my cheeks in rapid succession. I can’t even look at him right now. What kind of guy is he? Does he think an abortion is the answer to fucking around with random girls? I try not to judge people for their choices, but I can’t handle this. It’s too much. It hurts too much. I feel like he cut my heart out of my chest and split it into a thousand pieces right now.
“Everyone’s not perfect like you, Liri. Hell, even Hayley has fucked around. She fucked Woodrow before she got with Liam.”
Liam punches the side of the house and storms off as Hayley bursts into tears.
“You’re a real asshole, Killian,” my cousin seethes at him.
“I’m leaving,” I announce and run around the side of the house making for my car. I can’t fucking believe him right now. He had all day to tell me. The whole time we were together this afternoon he was pretending everything was fine. I suck in a breath and slide into the driver’s seat of my car.
Killian is chasing after me, but I lock my door before he can jerk it open.
“Liri!” He slaps his palm on the window, and I jump at the anger in his eyes. His eyes are nearly black as coal as he screams for me to open the door. “Open the door.” He jerks on the handle and I cry harder. I can’t do it. If I open that door I’m going to crumble.
I shake my head at him and start my car. He takes a step back, and I pull out before I give in. I can’t be here right now. I feel punched in the gut. Liam lied to Hayley for Killian and Jackie. My best friend may have lost her boyfriend over this shit. I would have taken the news better had he been upfront about the situation, but I feel like he was trying to hide it from me. That hurts more than the fact that Jackie was pregnant by him. I thought I wanted to give him my virginity. I knew Killian would hurt me, but I never imagined it would ever feel like this. I feel as though a hot poker is repeatedly stabbing me in the chest where my heart should be.
I cry and I drive. I can’t go to campus because he’ll just show up at my dorm. My phone starts blowing up with missed calls and text messages. I know it is Killian. I need to clear my head. A voice in the back of my head urges me to call Hunter, but I don’t want to unload on him about Killian and hear I told you so.
I stop off at a gas station to fill my tank up since I am leaving with Hayley to go to her mom’s in a day. Maybe we could skip our Friday classes and go first thing in the morning.
I get back in my car and I ignore all the messages from Killian.
Liri: Can we just go ahead and leave early to your mom’s?
Hayley: Yeah. Killian left. I’m still here at the frat house. Liam wants nothing to do with me.
Liri: Is it because of Woodrow?’
Hayley: Pick me up. I will fill you in on the way. I’m standing at the end of the driveway.
I stop my car long enough for Hayley to get inside and pull out while she buckles her seatbelt.
“Tonight was royally fucked wasn’t it?” She gives me a sad laugh.
“Whatever we need we can buy it on the way. I should tell you something.”
“What?”
“I lied to you about my credit card. My stepfather is loaded.”
“I knew that. Mom told me that a long time ago, but I get why you wouldn’t want anyone to know.”
“Thanks for understanding.”
“Of course.”
“So, what happened after I left?”
“Killian had to come back in the house to get his keys. I smacked him for outing me like that and lying to you. For using Liam like that. I had no idea about Jackie, obviously or I would have told you.”
“I know. Same here.”
“Anyway, he just grabbed his keys. I am assuming and went chasing after you. Liam refused to speak to me, and he left. Woodrow confessed that he only told me about seeing Liam and Jackie together because he has a thing for me and thought if he got Liam out of the way there would be a chance I’d go out with him again.”
“God, I hate boys,” I tell her.
“Me too.” She wipes at her eyes. “Liam wouldn’t even look at me or give me a chance to explain. I never told him about Woodrow because it happened way before we started talking. I didn’t want him to think differently of me. He assumed I hadn’t dated anyone he knew, and he liked that about me. I didn’t want him to think I was like Jackie.”
“You could never be like her.”
“That’s true. I do have self-respect.”
Chapter 25
Killian
I bang on Liri’s door
again. I couldn’t find her car, but she has to come back here to sleep.
A door down the hall cracks open. “Dude, I told you that no one has been here since earlier today. Some of us actually need sleep. Why don’t you give me your number, and if I see or hear them, I will text you? Just please stop screaming and banging on the door like a lunatic.”
“Forget it.” I stomp down the stairs of the emergency exit.
Liri is so fucking stubborn. I am too. It’s why we fight so damn much.
Where the hell would she go?
Hayley. She would want Hayley.
I hop back in my car and drive back to the house. Her cars not here but Liam is here so maybe that means Liri and Hayley are here with him. If she’d answer one of my calls or text I could explain. She needs to hear me out. I didn’t do anything wrong. I admit I could have handled explaining the situation to her.
Fuck.
Liam is in the kitchen downing shots. “Where’s Hayley?”
“Don’t fucking care.”
“Have you seen Liri?”
“Haven’t you done enough damage for one night?” His comment pisses me off but I let it slide.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you didn’t know about them.”
“Well now I do. Cheers.” He knocks back another drink and I feel gutted. I ruined everything because of Jackie’s dumb ass. This is all her fault. If she wouldn’t go around spreading her legs for everyone and damn, I can’t lay it all on her though I wish I could.
“So what? You’re gonna lose the best thing you’ve ever had because she slept with someone before you ever even knew her name.”
He glares at me. “If you are going to keep talking you can go. I don’t want to hear her name.”
I shake my head. “You’re being stupid.”
“Like you’re an expert on women. I’m glad Liri ran from you. You don’t deserve her. You spread misery everywhere you go.”
The Story of Killian & Liri (Cruel Love Book 1) Page 14