“Lana? You gonna answer now?”
“Yeeees, I missed it,” she squealed, feeling that her body was about to implode, “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Kayden groaned, as his body began to shake, his legs knocking against hers.
Kayden roared, Lana shrieked as he held onto her and emptied himself into the woman that he treasured. She pantedas her body exploded from within, waves of pleasure shaking her frame to the core. When the residual shockwaves stopped, they sank onto the bed. He slowly eased himself away and rolled onto his side. Kayden gripped Lana around the waist and pulled her as close and as tight as he could. They both held onto the other, and before they knew it, drifted off to sleep.
14
digging up the dead
Paula watched in horror as the red and orange flames engulfed the mountain home she loved so much. Her jaw slacked, and her mouth opened in disbelief. Her body was unable to move, her mouth unable to form words, but her brain was in overdrive as she stood in the kitchen of her Beverly Hills home, watching her laptop on the granite countertop.Who would do something like this?
She couldn’t peel her eyes away from watching the carnage unfold as firefighters struggled to get the fire under control. The first person she wanted to call was her mother, but after Kayden revealed the unbridled truth about what she’d kept from them, that Kayden is her half-brother and her Dad killed himself because of it, she wouldn’t. The house was destroyed, beyond repair, just like it seemed her family was destined to be. She reached for her cell phone, knocked over a glass with her hand, and it sailed to the floor, the shards scattering on the marble floors.
“Shit!” Paula yelled.
She carefully stepped over the glass to retrieve the broom and dustpan from the pantry near the stove. She leaned them against the cabinet and reached for the kitchen towel to soak upthe juice mixed with tiny daggers first. As she laid the towel over the liquid and the fibers absorbed the mess, she couldn’t help the sick feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. The feeling that somehow, Kim had something to do with the earlier vandalism and the fire.
Who else had a motive?Who else wanted to see her family hurt, besides Kim? But that made no sense, not when she had an ankle monitor watching her every move. The Capshaws had enemies, naturally, but nothing to this extreme before.
This thought gave Paula heart palpitations as she let her terror of the words sink in. She’d have to call everyone to let them know what was happening. Paula scooped up the glass, dumping them in the trash receptacle in front of her. She finished cleaning up the mess, sweeping up the remainder as best she could, then picked up her cell phone and swiped through her contacts for her mother.
Something had to be done, whether it was Kim’s doing or not, and although she didn’t have proof now, she was sure it wouldn’t be hard to find.
KAYDEN HELD LANAinhis arms as they lay in bed. The room was dark and cold, prompting them to snuggle up even tighter. Lana wished they could stay in that bed for eternity and shut the world out forever—no fights, no craziness, just them.
“Hungry?” Lana asked as she gently rubbed his chest.
“A little, I guess,” Kayden responded, his eyes glued to the ceiling of her room.
Lana started to climb out of the bed, but Kayden pulled her into him and kissed her on the tip of the nose.
“You know we have to talk about this, right?” he asked.
The look in his stormy eyes was stern, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to slither out of bed or the situation. She settled back down and took a deep breath, bracing herself.
“I know you don’t agree with me, Kayden, but something’s telling me it might do us some good,” Lana replied.
“I don’t understand how us being apartyetagainis going to help either of us,” Kayden shifted in the bed, sitting up, the impressive collection of muscles on his stomach flexing.
He tilted her face to his, and they locked eyes.
“I just, I just don’t know how to act anymore or what to do,” Lana said, her water-filled eyes searching his. “I wish I could go back to Hamby and pretend the last couple of months didn’t happen, but they did. How do we just pretend that your mother isn’t at the center of everything that’s happened?”
“We have to actively decide to move on. I don’t want to push you away by not respecting your wishes, but I also don’t want to lose you again. I can’t.”
The tears streamed down his face next and almost shattered her to pieces.
“You will never lose me, Kayden, never,” Lana replied.
“So, this means you’re definitely still going to go?”
Lana took a deep breath. As hard as it was for her to admit, and as much as she didn’t want to hurt him, she promised not to keep any more secrets from him. Being honest and truthful with him was the best policy.
“My flight is already booked. I’ll only be gone for three months, and then I’ll be back. It’s not that long.”
Kayden shook his head slowly and jumped out of the bed.
