He stops with his burger midway to his mouth, setting it back down on his plate. “You can’t go back to Rydeville. It’s not safe.”
“It’s safer than being on the run,” I retort.
“Not where your father is concerned.” He takes a massive bite of his burger. I stab a fry with my fork and pop it in my mouth, chewing slowly. “And we can’t be separated. I don’t want to miss a second of your pregnancy. I want to be with you every step of the way.”
Emotion clogs my throat, and I put my silverware down, unable to eat in case I choke. “Why?” I whisper.
“Why?” he asks, as if I’m crazy. “You’re carrying my child. It’s my responsibility.”
A different kind of pain slices across my chest. The type that maims and sucks all the oxygen out of your lungs. I’m in agony on the inside, and it’s too much pain to disguise.
He reaches across the table, clasping my hand. “Stop it, Abby.”
“Stop what?” I yank my hand back.
“Whatever that crazy hormonal brain of yours is telling you right now.”
“My crazy brain isn’t telling me anything. You’re the one that said it’s yourresponsibility.” I pierce him with a loaded look. “Don’t do me any favors, Kai.”
He grabs my hand more firmly this time. “That didn’t come out right. Yes, it’s my responsibility, but it’s much more than that.” He leans across the table. “Surely you see how much I care. I’ve never felt this way about any woman before.Ever.” His eyes are like laser beams burning me with intense heat. “From the moment I met you, you’ve consumed my thoughts. You are my world, Abby. I want this baby.” His jaw tightens, and his eyes blaze with determination. “And I want you.”
“That’s—” My ears prick up, and I whip my head around, my eyes almost bugging out of my head when my gaze lands on the TV. “Oh, fuck,” I whisper, staring in horror at my image on the screen. I read the headline with a mounting sense of trepidation.
MISSING MANNING HEIRESS IN GRAVE DANGER. SIZABLE REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HER WHEREABOUTS.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Kai follows my gaze, shock splaying across his face. He throws a few bills down on the table. “We need to get out of here. Now.” His face flashes on the screen, and my stomach churns sourly as I lock eyes with the waitress. All the blood has drained from her face as she recognizes us.
Kai takes my hand as he walks with urgency toward the exit, but I tug on his arm, holding him back.
“Abby,” he hisses, as I step toward the waitress. “Don’t.”
“She could turn us in!” Fear bubbles to the surface as I look at him. “I need to try.”
He thinks about it for a few beats, nodding curtly. I walk to the counter as she eyes me warily. “Please,” I say, in a low voice, hiding my face behind my hair because the other diners don’t appear to have noticed us or made the connection. “Please don’t turn us in.” I level her with earnest eyes. “My father is a monster who has abused me for years.” I put my ring hand on the counter on purpose. “I ran off because I told him I was pregnant and engaged to the man I love. He’s someone he doesn’t approve of, so he’s concocted this fake story to find us.” I pray for forgiveness as I slide my hand across my tummy. “I’m begging you, on my unborn child’s life, not to report this.”
Kai slides his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on top of my head. I place my hands over his, on top of my stomach, pleading with my eyes. Slowly, she nods, and I slump against Kai in relief.
“I saw you outside,” she admits. “And I could tell you were very much in love.” She looks over my shoulder at Kai. “But I still need you to look me in the eye and tell me you mean her no harm.”
“I promise I won’t hurt her. I just want to keep them both safe. If her father finds us, there’s a chance none of us will come out of this alive.” I can’t see his face, but his tone is even and sincere.
“I believe you,” she says, glancing anxiously around. “You should go now before someone else recognizes you.”
“Thank you.”
“Good luck to you both.”
We race out the door without looking back.
“Fuck.” Rick slams his hand against the wall in the living room. “This is a nightmare. Where the hell are we going to go?”
“We’renot going anywhere,” Kai says. “We’ll stay here, but you need to bring Harley and Joaquin back home, and you return to Harvard.”
“What about Dad?” Rick asks.
“What about him?” Kai snarls. “You three tell him nothing. If he doesn’t know where I am, he can’t get to me.”
