by Ella Goode
“Are you feeling okay?” Colby asks. “You never sleep this late.” Kale hides a smirk as I feel my face heat.
“I’m fine. I just didn’t get much sleep last night.” I run my fingers through his hair.
“Gonna check on Beast. You haven’t met him yet,” Colby says to Kale before running from the room. I can tell he’s really excited to show Kale. Seeing him this happy makes my heart happy. Kale sets the tray on the bed.
“Hi,” I say, suddenly feeling shy. He leans down, brushing his mouth against mine. “You came back.”
“Yeah.” I wrap my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. He growls against my mouth before he’s pulling back.
“You need rest and…” He glances to the door that is halfway open. “Colby.”
“I feel fine.” I am only a little sore. He looks over at the door again and I know he wants to do more. Yet I respect him for looking out for Colby.
“Eat your breakfast.” He moves the tray closer to me before sitting down on the bed.
“This is really sweet of you.” I pick up a piece of bacon, taking a bite.
“I’m sorry I didn’t eat your food.” His apology warms my heart.
“Is this your way of apologizing?” I take another bite. He shrugs. I think this is the first time I’ve seen Kale relaxed. I’d like to think it’s because he’s comfortable around me now. That I’m the only one that he shows his true self to.
“I guess so. I wanted to do something for you.” He reaches out, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear before his finger traces my jaw. “I’m probably going to fuck this up.”
“It looks good to me.” I take a bite of the omelet next.
“Not the food.” He stands, running his hands through his hair. He starts to pace back and forth.
“I can’t have you cleaning my home and still be sleeping with you. It doesn't feel right.” Is he firing me?
“I need this job.” Even as I say the words I think he might be right. That it would be awkward. I don’t know what Kale is to me now. My boyfriend? Will I have to beg him to not fire me?
Is he going to hire someone new and we’ll have to move out so they can have this space? So many questions run through my mind. A nervous feeling begins in my stomach at the thought of not having anywhere to go.
He starts to say something, but Colby comes running back into the room with Beast in his hands. “Oh.” Colby’s eyes go wide. “I forgot we weren't supposed to show him.” Colby holds the kitten tight to his chest.
“Why can’t I see it?” Kale walks over to Colby. He gives the kitten a pet under its chin.
“You might make us get rid of it.”
I watch the two of them.
“You can keep your kitten.” Kale looks over at me. I nod in agreement.
“Cool! Now we don’t have to hide her anymore.” Colby puts Beast down on the ground.
“You’ve been hiding her?” Kale smiles. God, he looks good when he smiles.
“Maybe?” I shove more food in my mouth. He doesn’t seem too shocked by the kitten, so I’m guessing he already knew we had one.
“Is Kale going to jail?” I cough, almost choking on my eggs. The smile drops from Kale’s face. “The chief is here.”
“Why is the chief here?”
“Doesn’t have a warrant so it doesn’t matter.”
“He thinks you’ve been kidnapped,” Colby answers. “Is Colten your boyfriend?” He scrunches his face.
“She's not dating Colten,” Kale growls. Annoyance shows on his face.
“Good, 'cause I think you two should be together.” His eyes bounce between Kale and me.
“Colby.” My face warms more. “What? He spent the night with you.” My mouth falls open. This is one of those times I wish the earth would open up and swallow me whole. How the heck am I going to explain this?
“He saw me this morning.” Okay. I guess that settles how I was going to tell Colby about Kale and me. I wasn’t going to tell him so soon since I’m not sure where Kale and I are even going. Or what exactly this is between us. We didn’t really do a lot of talking last night. So I’m unclear of what he wants.
“I don’t understand why anyone would think I was kidnapped.” I throw my legs over the side of the bed.
“I told him to leave. It doesn’t matter what they think.”
“But I can easily just go down and tell him I’m fine.”
“No.”
“No?” I stand there staring at him. I can tell from the look on his face he’s serious. Why would he be so adamant about me not going to talk to the chief? Maybe I have been kidnapped.
23
Kale
“If you don’t let him in, he’s going to get a warrant,” Tina warns.
I shift the phone over with my file so I don’t get metal shavings all over it. “I’m not keeping her by force. She can leave if she wants.”
“You know that and I know that, but Chief has Colten chirping in his ear about how you were aggressive in the restaurant. He’s getting everyone in town riled up. They’ve been making up stories about you since you bought the castle and refused to let anyone inside. Then you show up at Len’s Café hassling poor Colten over having dinner with your housekeeper. You dragged her out by her hair, and no one has seen her since.”
I stop filing the metal piece that will serve as the sculpture’s torso and scowl at the phone screen. “I said she can leave whenever she wants.”
“Then make her go! Otherwise you’re going to have a mob at your doorstep trying to save the sweet innocent from the terrible beast.” Tina hangs up in obvious frustration while I toss the heavy metal file onto my work bench, equally unhappy. Why can’t I just be left alone? Is it any mystery why I stay away from people? I know I look like a monster.
“Am I interrupting something?” says Summer.
I tilt my head to see her bringing in a plate of food. “What time is it?” The phone screen says its nearly dinner. “Damn. I didn’t realize it was so late.” Terror strikes me. Have I missed more of her texts? Is she about to dump the food over my head instead of in the trash? I grab my phone but before I can flip it on, her hand covers mine.
“Don’t worry. I did text you, but I understand you’re not ignoring me.”
My shoulders slump in relief. “Yeah, I’m just wrapped up in this.”
She leans her hip against my desk and surveys the piece. It’s starting to take shape. “It looks like a woman,” she comments.
I take a bite of the roast beef sandwich and avoid eye contact. I don’t want her to inspect the piece too closely because it might give uncomfortable questions like why the proportions of the sculpture so perfectly match the woman next to me.
“A sexy woman,” she continues. “I’d kill to have that waist to hip ratio.”
I nearly drop the sandwich in surprise. “Do you own a mirror?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then you would know this is you. This is how you look. Like a fucking sex goddess,” I blurt out. “That hip to waist ratio is yours, not some made-up thing I found looking at pictures on the internet.”
It’s her turn to be shocked into silence. “Well,” she says after some time. Her cheeks turn pink and she finds her feet very interesting. I throw a cloth over the statue so Summer doesn’t feel awkward.
She clears her throat. “Let me know if you want anything else,” she says.
I grab her wrist. “You leaving?”
“I don’t want to interrupt.”
“You’re not.” I push away from my work table and draw her down on my lap, angling my scarred side away from her. She’s fine with it, but I prefer not to shove it in her face. Her hand comes up to stroke my cheek.
“I’m not being nosy, but you didn’t sound happy on the phone. Is there something I can do?”
I nuzzle her palm. “Yeah, rub your little ass against my dick.”
She gives off a small laugh. “There’s nothing little about my ass.”
“Seems the right size to me.” I rock her back and forth, enjoying the friction between us. I could probably come from just this contact alone. I lean back and continue the slow drag of her plump cheeks across my now rock hard cock.
“As much as this feels awesome, Colby is waiting for dinner.” Summer gives my face a farewell pat and hops off my lap. I let her go reluctantly.
When she reaches the door, she turns back. “I overheard some of your conversation with your sister.”
“Yeah?” I ask warily.
“Was it about the Chief?”
“Tina’s a worrywart. Don’t pay her any attention.”
“I can go in—"
“No,” I interrupt. “There’s no reason for that.” I don’t want to admit it, but there’s this low-level fear that runs through me at the thought of her leaving the estate grounds. It’s like I think she’s going to disappear or that this is just a dream and if she passes through the gates I’ll wake up and be alone. Irrational thoughts, I know, but I can’t shed this sense of unease that courses through me when there’s any talk of her leaving. “If we give in to him now, he’s going to be at the gate every time there’s a hiccup in our direction. We don’t want that, right?”
“I guess,” she replies, although she doesn’t sound convinced.
“Why?” I ask. Is she suddenly unhappy? Did she look at my scars again and decide that fucking me again would be too disgusting? Fear and self-loathing makes me strike out. “You anxious to take off or something? I’m not paying you enough?”
Her soft face turns hard. “Is that what I am to you? A service that you pay for? I hope you choke on that damn sandwich.” She storms out of the workshop, slamming the door hard behind her.
I drop my head into my hands. How did it go wrong so quick? One minute she was dry humping me and the next she was wishing for my death. But I deserve whatever punishment she wants to mete out. What was I thinking to suggest she was a prostitute? I suck at this romance shit. What do I know of love and tenderness? Perhaps the Chief should come and save the beauty from the beast.
24
Summer
“You want to ruin your dinner?” I ask Colby when I make it back to the kitchen. He lifts his head from his map that he’s still making. His little face wrinkles up in confusion. The past two days have been wonderful here. Some of the best of my life. I think I was making up a fairy tale up in my head. Playing house and thinking that Kale was my Prince Charming when I should have been doing my job and taking care of Colby.
“How do we ruin dinner?” He looks over at the roast beef I have out on the counter. “Do we push it off onto the ground? Because I’m kind of hungry.”
“With dessert. Let’s go to the diner and get dessert.”
“Yes!” Colby hops up from his chair. It will do him some good to get out of the house for a few hours. I hope it will do me some good too. Before I go back downstairs and throttle Kale. That man is so confusing.
I find my purse by the front door. Then I remember my car is at the diner. “Crap,” I mutter. My keys are in my purse. I open the front door poking my head out. I see my car is parked off to the side. Kale must have sent someone to get it like he said he would.
“Let’s go.” I shut the door behind us. It isn't until I’m halfway to the diner that I realize I’m being spiteful. First he said I couldn't work for him. He’d need to hire new people. That first morning we’d woken up together. I got scared he would want us to move out. That I’d have to find a new job and place to stay. I was thinking he wanted to date or something. Then he didn't want me to leave. So that theory went out the freaking window. See! Confusing.
“Are you and Kale fighting?” Colby asks.
“Yes,” I answer him not wanting to lie. “Sometimes adults fight.”
“But then you make up?”
“Generally.” Maybe I should have lied. I’m still shocked by what he said. I get that Kale has his moods. He’s been through a lot. When he told me what his father had done to him it broke my heart. Somehow I ended up being the one crying as he held me close and then I kissed the scars, wanting him to know they didn't bother me. Needing him to know that I wanted every single part of him.
I actually find his moods adorable. It’s endearing that with a few touches or words I can pull him right out of them. This time his mood was aimed right at me. Like I’d done something wrong. His words had sliced through me. I’d hoped he might be falling in love with me. Now I’m starting to think I’m just a pretty object for him to own.
“You don’t look like you’re getting over it.” I meet Colby’s eyes in the rearview mirror. He looks worried. He’s grown attached to Kale. I let that happen.
“What kind of ice cream are you going to get?” I change the subject, almost to the diner now.
“Banana split.”
“I think I’m going to get a brownie sundae.” I pull into the diner, parking my car. I see that Chief Dane is already here. He used to eat dinner here almost every night. Until he went and fell in love with the new girl in town, Khloe. I think it broke half the girls’ hearts in town. He is handsome and all, but he never sparked my interest. No one has the way Kale does.
We head into the diner. Chief Dane is on his feet the second he spots me. His wife follows right behind him.
“I’m okay,” I say before they can start peppering me with questions. “We came to get some ice cream.”
“Are you sure? Kale is acting funny. I don’t understand why he wouldn't let you come to the gate the other day. I think something is wrong with him.”
I stand up straighter. I might be mad at Kale, but I’m definitely not going to let someone talk badly about him.
“There is nothing wrong with him.” I can’t keep the anger out of my voice. Dane lifts his eyebrows in surprise. He’s shocked by my tone as much as I am. Dane and I have had a few run-ins because of my mom. He’s always been nice to me and knows what’s going on with her. How she’s also dipping out on us and then popping back up. I never got snippy with him. Until now. I think Kale might be rubbing off on me.
“All right, I just worry about you. You’ve been through a lot.”
“Thank you, but I’m fine.” I can feel everyone staring at us.
“This might be out of line.” Khloe slides up next to Dane. He puts his arm around her, holding her close. My heart aches at their open affection. It’s something I’ll never have with Kale. He doesn't even like when I leave the house. Guessing he’s not going to want to come to town ever. I’m starting to see why Dane was shocked about Kale showing up at the diner and demanding I leave with him. “Dane told me a little about what’s going on and I thought I could offer you my old place to rent. It’s just sitting there. I haven’t had the heart to sell it. It would be no trouble for you to stay there.”
“We live with Kale,” Colby butts in. “We aren't moving are we, Summer?” Colby looks up at me. He still has that worried look on his face.
“Thank you for the offer, but we’re good at the moment.” I take Colby’s hand.
“The offer stands if you change your mind.” Khloe gives me a soft smile.
“She’s not gonna change her mind. They're going to get married.” I swear I can hear everyone turn to look our way.
“Colby.” I give him a hard look to zip it.
He doesn't. “What? You are. You sleep in the same room. That’s what married people do.” I close my eyes, wishing a hole would open up and swallow me.
“You left.” I suck in a breath at Kale’s deep voice. I will my body not to respond. We’re fighting. I slowly turn around to see him standing there. He looks extra pissed.
“I think you need to calm down,” Dane says. He tries to pull me behind him. Kale’s face goes from pissed to livid. I step out of Dane’s hold. Kale might be paying me to stay with him, but I’m well aware of his jealousy when it comes to me.
“Get in the car. We’re leaving,” he orders me. Colby starts to go all smiles that Kale just pr
oved his point. I don’t let his hand go.
“No. We’re having ice cream.”
“Summer,” he warns.
“This is so good. Better than any of my shows. Anyone have popcorn?” I hear someone say.
“Be quiet, Pam, it’s hard enough for me to hear,” someone else adds.
“We’re getting ice cream,” I say again. “I’m not on the clock. You don’t pay for these hours.” I turn back around, sidestepping Dane, who is watching all of this like everyone else. I find a booth and slide in, wondering what he’s going to do next.
25
Kale
How heavy is that booth, I wonder.
“No you cannot lift the booth,” the chief barks in my ear.
“Why? You try it?” I ask, not bothering to look at him. I can’t believe I voted for this interfering SOB.
“Come on, Kale. This isn’t how you want it to go down.”
He’s right there. I didn’t want to come into town and I definitely didn’t want Summer and her brother to leave. Colby is unsure of what to do. He loves his sister and is loyal to her, but he likes it at the castle too. It’s his home now. Still, it makes sense not to cause a scene. “I have ice cream at home.”
Colby’s face brightens. “What kind? I didn’t see any.”
“It’s in the freezer downstairs.”
“In the kitchen by the pool?” he asks.
“Did he just say that Kale has a pool?” someone whispers loudly.
Colby turns around. ”Yeah, and it’s awesome. It’s big and has all these floaties and jets.”
“Big...floaties...jets...selfish asshole,” are some of the comments that float my direction. Colby’s happy face grows dark, and Summer looks pissed. She might not want to stay with me, but she doesn’t like hearing bad things directed toward me. It’s not the same as love, but it’s something. I can work with that, but only if she comes home with me. Out here there are too many influences that could convince her that I’m bad for her.
