Is going up there really a good idea?
Kat’s soft, and I love that about her, how caring and gentle she is, but that might not be a good thing right now.
Not when she just potentially watched me put a bullet between Carter’s eyes.
I’d told her to look away, but I have no way of knowing if she did; she might be soft, but she’s also stubborn. All I can do ishope that Vince had the sense to make her look away. Carter got what he deserved, but the last thing I want to do is cause Kat any more pain.
Hell, I hadn’t even wanted her to go down there, but even more than that, I didn’t want her to face him without me. I know the others were there, but I don’t know how to explain it; something told me to go, and I’m happy I did.
I’d wanted to end Carter since we'd flown out to meet him.
I make it up the stairs and stand staring at her door for what feels like an eternity.
Maybe I should just go. Vince can look after her; I know he’s more than capable, even though I hadn’t wanted to admit it before.
The door swings open, and speak of the devil, Vince stands in the doorway, glaring at me like I’m a child caught doing something I’m not supposed to.
“Get the fuck in here,” he says, moving aside so that I can move past him.
I hesitate still, my feet feeling as though they're stuck to the floor even though I want to go; I want to see her.
But what if she doesn’t want me here?
“Des.” Vince’s sharp, commanding tone pulls me from my thoughts, and when our eyes meet, I see the concern and confusion in his gaze.
Vince was always a hardass when I was growing up, but he cared in his own way; I never questioned that. None of us did. Addison got to see the closest thing we would dare call soft for him, and while I’d teased him, it’s because he was going soft in his old age. Now I’m pretty sure it’s just because she’s a girl.
I’d never seen him with a woman to know that he’s just softer with them, or at least the ones he seems to care about.
And I have no doubt that Vince cares about Katherine, even if he didn’t want to. There’s just something about her that’s so fucking captivating that none of us ever stood a chance.
I finally find my feet, moving past him to stand in the room. I hear the door close behind me, but stop short.
“Where is she?”
“Bathroom.”
As if on cue, the sound of throwing up fills the room, and I’m moving without thought.
Kat sits on the floor in front of the toilet, her arm on the seat, her head resting on it. A cup of water sits beside her, and her long red hair is clipped up on the back of her head.
“Hey, Kitten.” I move into the bathroom but stop after just two steps.
I’d never realized Carter’s nickname for her was so close to the one I’ve been using; she never said anything, but would she?
Kat turns to look at me, her face even more pale than usual, but still a smile pulls at the edge of her lips, and fuck, if that’s not all I need.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” I damn near slide across the floor to her as I hit my knees, crowding her, but unable to stop as the urge to be close rides me.
“Is this my fault?” My words are hushed, barely more than mumbled whispers against the skin of her neck as I nuzzle into her, holding her like my life depends on it, and honestly, it just might.
“No, I wasn’t feeling good before all of this. I think seeing him again was just a lot. It’s all been a lot.” I pull back to look in her eyes and find she isn’t lying. Kat’s a terrible liar, yet another thing I love about her, and that list is fucking huge.
”I love you.” The words are out before I can really think about whether now is a good time to say them. The last thing I want is to spook her, especially not right now, but fuck that felt good.I’ve been holding onto those three words since she walked back into the dining room that night months ago.
“What?” She looks up at me like a deer caught in headlights, her eyes wide as she searches mine as if she can’t believe I’d say that.
“I. Love. You.” I overemphasize each word, ensuring she can’t possibly miss it, but still she looks at me as if I’m speaking another language.
