“It wasn’t deliberate,” Drew explains.
“That you know of,” Kai retorts.
“I’ve known him my whole life.”
“No one knows who he is. You’ve just admitted that!” Kai argues back.
Drew’s nostrils flare. “I know he’s loved Abby forever, and he’d never have orchestrated that on purpose.”
“How did it go down?” I ask.
“Charlie overhead us talking about it, and he relayed the intel to his father,” Sawyer says.
“AndCharlie’sasshole father toldhisasshole father,” Xavier says, jabbing his finger at Kai.
“Why would Charles Barron do that to me?” Out of all the elite, he has been the most kind and compassionate toward me.But it was all a lie.Achieving his own goals was all that mattered. I bet even his attempt to intervene was only half-hearted. Most likely done for Charlie’s benefit. Not for mine.
“Because he knew Plan B was for Kai to seduce you, and he thought it interesting that Kai hadn’t told his father the truth,” Jackson says.
“But he didn’t realize how far Atticus would take it,” Drew explains. “He didn’t know about the pregnancy either.”
Silence engulfs us, and Kai pulls me into his side, pressing a fierce kiss to my temple. Tears sting the back of my eyes as I look at the naked pain on his face. He rests his forehead against mine, and I allow him to comfort me.
The others are quiet as we have our moment, and when we break apart, I’m shocked to find tears rolling down Xavier’s face. He rounds the table, crouching down in front of me and taking my hands. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” He looks over my shoulder at Kai. “Sorry for both your loss. He had no right to do that.Theyhad no right to do any of it.”
Pain lodges in my throat, and I swallow harshly. “Thank you,” I whisper. Kai drapes his arm around my shoulder, kissing my cheek.
“We didn’t get to talk to you either, beautiful,” Jackson says, his eyes shining with sympathy.
“We hate what he’s done to you, and he’s going down,” Sawyer promises.
I’m fighting to control my emotions, and I don’t know if I can deal with this now.
“Enough,” Kai grits out, his voice choked. “We appreciate it, but…”
He doesn’t need to say anything else.
Everyone gets it.
Xavier returns to his seat, and I clear my throat. “I presume you know this from talking to Charlie,” I throw out to the room.
“Yeah,” Drew confirms. “Although he only fessed up after they had taken you. He’d been hiding the part he played since that day in the office.”
“Which is why we can’t say for sure it went down like that,” Kai says. “And why I don’t like my girl spending time with him, let alone living with him.”
“His parents and his sister live there too.”
“His place is a fucking mansion. They might as well be invisible,” Kai hisses, and I run my thumb across the top of his hand in a soothing motion.
“Give me a cell and a gun, and I can take care of myself.”
“And you’ll see her at school,” Jackson reminds him.
“About that.” Drew leans forward in his chair. “Donotshoot the messenger.” His eyes fasten on Kai’s. “Charlie will be all over Abby at school, but you can’t intervene, and you can’t talk to her or even look at her.”
Steam practically billows out of Kai’s ears, and he looks like he wants to tear Drew apart, limb by limb. “Hey.” I cup his face, forcing him to look at me. “You’re the only one I want, but Drew is right. The bastard has promised to stay away from all of you if I go along with this virgin bride bullshit, provided no one finds out about my pregnancy. I’ve got a part to play, but that’s all it is, Kai.” I caress his cheek. “It’s arole. Anact. And it’s more than just convincing the public. I need to convince him too.”
“No!” Kai jumps up, grabbing fistfuls of his hair. “No fucking way.”
