I roll my eyes. “I’m not that bad.”
“Yes, you are. When you drink your claws come out and you are dangerous.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Am I? Do I need to remind you of what happened last week?”
“No.” I blush.
A dark-haired woman who appears to be in her forties approaches us, and I immediately recognize she is Killian’s mother when she smiles at us. “Hello, son.” She kisses Killian on the cheek in greeting and turns her attention to me. “You must be the girlfriend I had to hear about through my other son.” She gives Killian a pointed look, but he grabs a beer and take a big swig. “Since my rude son won’t introduce us, my name is Diane.”
“Liri,” I tell her.
“That’s a pretty name for a pretty girl. You must be special if you can get my son in these clothes.” She tugs on his dress shirt and we both laugh.
“She is special and a talented artist,” he informs her.
“Impressive.” Her voice is raspy and reminds me of someone who has been a havy smoker for years.
“We always thought Killian was going to run off and join the military. He loved to wear camouflage pants and set up his own battles in the backyard with his plastic Army men. He’d get so mad if anyone touched them.”
Killian rolls his eyes and squeezes my hip.
“Why are you even here?” I elbow him for being rude to his mother.
“I was invited.”
“How can you stand to be in the same room as them?” He shakes his head and takes another drink.
“What happened is in the past. I’ve moved on with my life and they have too. You think I didn’t wish them many years of unhappiness after what we went through? Beating cancer gave me a second chance at life.”
“So did your failed suicide attempt.”
His mother pales and I snap at him. “Killian. That’s no way to speak to your mother.”
“You have no idea what they put me through.” He slams his drink down and grabs another.
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that to me. When you want to behave, I’ll invite the two of you over for dinner.” Diane gives me a sad smile “I’ll cook you a real meal. Not this imitation shit Susie is serving.” She touches my arm lightly and I nod. There is definitely still bad blood there. His mother stalks off, and I get another drink. I’m going to need it if this is any indication of how our night is going to go.
Killian is bad company, and I leave him with one of his cousins to escape to the bathroom. I’m at the sink washing my hands when a girl who appears mid-twenties walks in. She has gorgeous burgundy colored hair that hangs down her back in loose curls. I give her a friendly smile.
“I’m Noelle. I’m engaged to Dillan, Killian’s brother.”
“Oh.” I know my eyes are wide with surprise. “I’m Liri. It’s great to meet you. I don’t really know anyone here.”
“I figured. I actually followed you in here. I hope that’s not weird, but I thought I could introduce myself and give you a quick rundown on the family dynamic.”
“That’s actually really kind of you. Thanks.”
“I doubt Killian has told you much. I haven’t talked to him in a long time, but I can see he’s still the same pissed off at the world brat.” She laughs.
“You’re Killian’s stepsister but marrying his brother?”
“Correct. I know it sounds weird, but we didn’t grow up as stepsiblings. I was practically out of school by the time our parents were married, and I was already dating Dillan. Anyway, I’m sure you know the family drama that their dad was cheating with my mom while Diane was sick, but that’s not really how things happened. I know this isn’t your business, and you might not care, but I feel like I should give you the real story and not Killian’s version or what other people think happened.”
“Okay.” I have to admit I am curious what she could say that could change my view of the situation.
“It’s true that Mom and Diane were best friends. We started staying with the Hendrix family when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Mom was doing everything she could to see to it the boys were taken care of while caring for Diane. My mom used to be a nurse. Anyway, Diane’s health was declining, and the cancer had spread. She wasn’t improving and her chances of survival were slim. It’s a miracle that she recovered and went into remission. But that’s not the point. She is the one who encouraged my mother to get close to Conrad. She said she knew she was going to die, and she wanted her boys and her husband left in the care of someone she loved and trusted. It’s messed up and at first my mom brushed the suggestion off. She even talked to me about it and called it crazy because Mom and Conrad kind of didn’t get along. He was off racing all the time and Mom was taking care of his sick wife. They fought a lot but then that anger turned into passion and they fell in love.”
“Wow.”
“I know it is a lot to process. There’s more to that story, but I have kept you long enough.”
“Thanks. It was nice to meet you, Noelle.”
“You too. I know Killian comes off tough and hard but somewhere behind that anger is a good guy. You just have to dig really deep to find him.”
“I know.” I know that side of him, and I hate that there is also this side of him that has never gotten past all the things that went on with his parents. Their issues shouldn’t be his.
I leave the bathroom and go in search of my broody and mad at the world boyfriend. I find him back at the bar drinking another beer.
“How many does this make you?”
“Don’t. If I want mothered, I have two of those here already.”
“Okay then.” I change the subject. “Have you spoke to your father?”
“Yup. And you have the job if you’d like. You can start tomorrow at three.”
“Really?” I squeal.
“Yes, really.” His lips lift into an amused grin.
“Thank you.”
“I doubt you will thank me after standing on your feet for hours and come home covered in ketchup stains and smelling of grease.”
“You make it sound glamorous.”
He puts his beer down and strokes a finger along my jaw. “I’m sorry I was rude to you. Being here is just hard for me. It’s hard to stand here and put on a smile and pretend like my old man is some great guy because he won a few championships.”
“I understand. I do, and I’m not trying to get into your family stuff, but do you think it’s possible that people deserve second chances. I’ve given you quite a few,” I remind him.
“Don’t compare me to him.” His teeth are clenched, and he has dropped his hand away to pick up the beer again.
“I’m not, but you always want me to forgive you when you do something wrong.”
“Liri, I’m warning you. I’m having a bad enough night without you starting in on me too.”
“I’m sorry. I just hate to see you looking so sad.”
“I’m not sad. I have the most beautiful, talented, and sexy girlfriend in the world.” He kisses my cheek. “Let me show you off.”
He leads me onto the dance floor where his father and Susie and Dillan and Noelle are slow dancing. Killian has one hand on my lower back and the other holding my hand.
“I never knew you were quite the dancer,” I tease him, but I am impressed.
“When I was younger Mom had a studio, and sometimes she’d make us stand in and partner up with her students.”
“I bet you had all the girls fighting over you.”
“Naw, they all preferred my brother. I was skinny and awkward. He was older and better looking.” He dips me then brings me back up slowly and kisses me.
The rest of the evening is going great until Conrad quiets everyone to make a speech. He grabs the microphone from the small stage where the band was set up. “I want to take a moment to thank you all for joining us here tonight. Fifty for a man like me is a big deal. I never thought I’d live past twenty-five with th
e way I raced.” Everyone laughs. “But here I am surrounded by all you fine people. You’ve all gone through some hard times with me but there was a lot of good too. Diane gave me two boys to be proud of and a great marriage. Cancer nearly took her away from us and in that time, I made a lot of mistakes, but I wound up with Susie here.” He motions her to the stage and Killian is squeezing my hand so hard it’s painful.
“I didn’t deserve her, but she made an honest man of me. We have two beautiful granddaughters who think I’m the greatest man they know. I try to be, but lately I’ve not feeling like myself. And I wanted you to all hear it from me first. I have cancer. It’s my prostate but the doctors are hopeful we’ve caught it while it is in the early stages. Don’t worry, like my ex-wife bravely fought I too will kick cancer’s ass.”
Diane rushes from the room in tears and Dillan and Noelle go after her. Susie is smiling through her tears and Killian is in complete shock. “Hey.” I bring his knuckles to my lips and kiss them. “Are you okay?” I’m on the verge of tears myself, and I don’t even know the man. I can’t imagine how he is feeling right now. This is his dad.
He doesn’t answer me, but he stares into my eyes with so much hurt there it breaks my heart. I look back to the stage. He sees the same thing that I do. His father is handing the microphone off to Susie and maneuvering through the crowd toward us.
“I need some air.”
Before we can get to the door though his dad is stopping us. “You aren’t leaving yet, are you?”
Killian swallows hard and drops my hand. “How could you? How could you tell me like that in front of all these people? We don’t talk, but I deserved to be told in private.” He points his finger at his father’s chest.
“Killian.” I place my hand over his and lower it.
“Son, I get that you are upset, but if you want to be treated like a part of the family then you need to act like you’re a member of it. When was the last time you called me to talk or to ask how I was doing? When was the last time you hung out with your brother or hell even called your mother? You were a selfish kid who thought the world moved around you and you’re still that lost little boy. Grow up and be a man.”
Killian turns away from his father and punches his right fist straight through the glass door, shattering it and slicing up his hand.
I stare at my boyfriend and his father in shock and appalled at both of them.
“He better get that looked at,” Susie says at my side, pushing a clean rag into my hand.
I nod at her and she gives me a teary-eyed smile.
“Killian, let me see your hand.” I go to touch him, and he flinches.
“Don’t be stupid, boy. Let your girlfriend tend to your hand. You’re going to need her to drive your dumb ass to the hospital for stitches.”
Killian pushes the door open, and I step through the glass shards to follow after him. He moves sluggishly to his car and is leaning over it, resting his head on the passenger side door. Blood is dripping from his knuckles and onto the gravel where we parked off to the side away from the bar. Gently, I take his hand and wrap the rag around it that Susie gave me. It starts soaking through immediately. He doesn’t speak, and I stay quiet as I fish his keys from his pocket. I almost expect him to make some wisecrack about me playing pocket pool, but he doesn’t.
“I’ll drive. Where’s the closest emergency room?”
“I’m not going to the hospital.”
“Okay. I’ll take us home then.”
“Just drop me at a bar,” he tells me and gets into the car, slamming the door a little too hard with his other hand.
I am not simply dropping him at some random bar. He has lost his mind. I shuffle around the car and get in the driver’s side. I have to adjust the seat and mirrors and kick off my shoes that way I can drive easier. He turns the stereo off and thumps his head against the passenger side window.
“Do you want to talk about what happened back there?”
“Nope.”
“Killian, I know that sucked and your dad shouldn’t have verbally attacked you like that but what did punching your hand through the door do for you?”
“Was better than punching his bastard face,” he mutters and opens the glovebox. He pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He lights one up and cracks the window. I keep my mouth shut as he takes puff after puff. I want to tell him I think it is really gross that he is smoking right after finding out his father has cancer.
It is fucked up is what it is.
We get to the apartment after an hour of travelling in silence. I go straight to the bedroom and take off my dress. After putting on comfy clothes I grab the first aid kit from under the bathroom sink.
Killian forces his way into the small room and says, “Get out. I can do this. You shouldn’t have to.”
“I want to. Don’t push me away.”
“Just stop, Liri. I’m not good company right now. I don’t want to be mean to you, but I will be if you don’t get out of my face while I am in this mood.”
“Fine. You want to be an asshole. You want someone to yell at. Yell at me if it will make you feel better, but I’m not going to leave you alone. You need me!”
He slaps his bloodied hand on the sink counter making a bloody handprint, and I jump in response. “I need to be left the fuck alone.”
Tears burn in my eyes and I shove the first aid kit to the floor. “Fine.”
“Fine,” he yells back, and I slam the bathroom door behind me. I launch myself at the bed and bury my head in the pillow and let my tears fall.
Sometime later he leaves the bathroom. I glance up at him expecting him to come to bed even if he isn’t ready to talk. He keeps on stomping past me though, and I hear the front door slam followed by his tires squealing out of the parking lot minutes later.
I grab my phone and send him a text.
Liri: Where are you going? Why did you leave without even telling me?
Minutes go by without a response and when I call him, I get sent straight to voicemail.
God he is such a stupid jerk. I try to call him a few more times then I go into the bathroom and cleanup the bloody mess he left behind. There is no way I can sleep when I am so worried about him. He was drunk at the party and he did a good number on his hand. I go through the bedroom picking up our dirty clothes and towels from when we were getting ready before the party. After that I move to the living room and straighten things up. Next is the kitchen. I hand wash the few dirty dishes in the sink and empty the dishwasher. I clean the old boxes of Chinese takeout from the fridge and that fills the garbage. I pull the bag up out of the trash can and tie it before slipping on a pair of sneakers. I take the trash out to the dumpster and throw it in. I keep hoping I will hear Killian’s car coming down the road, but I don’t. When I get back to the apartment I start crying. I forgot my keys and managed to lock myself out. Great. I don’t have my phone and it’s too late to go knocking on my neighbor’s door. Not that she could do anything to help me. Hopefully Killian will be back soon.
I sit cross legged in the floor with my back against the door. I lay my head back and close my eyes.
Chapter 41
Killian
I had to get out of there. I couldn’t stand the pity in Liri’s eyes. The last thing I needed was her feeling sorry for me.
What I need is to get wasted until I forget my own name. It’s Saturday night and I know just the place.
I pull up to the frat house and a party is in full swing. I don’t stop to talk to anyone I go straight to the kitchen and grab a bottle of liquor. As I push through the living room to get to the stairs, I see Hayley on the couch making out with Woodrow. I shake my head. Bet Liam is loving that. I’m not surprised since he wants to be stupid and push her away. Which is exactly what I am doing to Liri. Maybe she will do us both a favor and go running to that Hunter tool. Make her parents happy and prove to everyone that I am just like they say I am.
A selfish asshole.
I
know I hurt her tonight and I’m a terrible person. I’m never going to be good enough for her. I’m a fuck up on a road to nowhere. I go out on the balcony. It’s chilly out here but if this liquor has anything to do with the situation, I’ll be numb to that too. Liri has been calling and texting me so I put her on silence. I don’t need her making me feel even more like shit. I don’t want to discuss my feelings or my childhood. I don’t want to tell her what a sick person I am because I wished cancer and death on my father for years. I hated him for what he did to my mom. Hated him for her suicide attempt. I hated Dillan too. But I never thought it would happen. That my father would get cancer. I don’t want to care about him. I don’t want to call him and ask what kind of treatment plan they are pursuing. I don’t want to know if Susie is okay. She deserves to watch him suffer the way my mom did.
Did he invite us all there so when he made his big announcement we would feel sorry for him? Fuck that and fuck him.
I take another swig from the bottle. The cheap liquor nearly burns my throat raw. I light up a cigarette and take a hard drag.
The double doors behind me open and I look up to see Jackie.
“Hey,” she says.
I roll my eyes and take another drink.
She takes up the spot next to me sitting cross-legged. “Did you and Miss Perfect breakup?”
“Nope. Maybe. None of your business.”
“Well you lasted longer than I thought you would.”
I look over at her and laugh. “You really are clueless.”
She leans into me and presses her mouth against mine.
I shove her back by her shoulder. “What the fuck was that?”
“Well I thought you know.” She shrugs and licks her lips.
I wipe my mouth and push up from the ground. The liquor bottle falls over spilling and leaking between the cracks of the deck. I flick my cigarette over the railing. My hand hurts and I miss Liri.
Jackie curves an arm around my waist. “Come on. For old times.” She smiles at me, teeth sinking into her bottom lip.
“I don’t think so.” I move away from her, but she moves to follow me. “Stay away from me.”
The Story of Killian & Liri (Cruel Love Book 1) Page 22