But before I could finish my thought, Caiden stepped forward, a low, protective growl in his voice. “Sorry, but I think she’s busy.”
Alex raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden possessiveness oozing from Caiden. “Just one dance, man. It’s just a friendly offer.”
“Yeah, well, she’s not interested,” Caiden shot back, his eyes narrowing, and the tension in the air shifted, thickening like fog.
“Actually...,” I started, feeling caught in the middle. The intensity between me and Caiden was so thick, I could barely breathe.
I needed to escape.
“I’ll dance with you.”
Leaving a bristling Caiden, I stepped away towards Alex, who continued to grin, shooting Caiden one last glance as if to gloat.
He took my hand and led me to the dance floor, spinning me into a carefree twirl that made me laugh. For a moment, I lost myself in the rhythm, the vibrant energy of the celebration washing over me.
But even as I danced, I could feel Caiden’s eyes boring into my back. A glance over my shoulder confirmed it: he was watching us, his expression darkening with every passing second.
My heart raced.
“Is everything okay?” Alex asked, pulling me closer as we swayed to the beat.
“Yeah, of course,” I replied, forcing a smile. But my thoughts were elsewhere.
I watched as Caiden shifted uncomfortably on the sidelines, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his jaw set tight.
It was clear he didn’t like the sight of me dancing with Alex.
“Come on, let loose a little!” Alex encouraged, his laughter bright and carefree.
I tried to enjoy the moment, but the tension wrapped around me like a cloak.
I glanced back at Caiden, and my heart sank. He had turned away, storming off in the opposite direction.
“Where’s he going?” Alex asked, following my gaze.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, unease settling in my stomach.
And then I saw it. Caiden approaching his mother, who stood awkwardly at the edge of the reception, her face a blend of apprehension and longing.
“Caiden, no,” I whispered under my breath, but it was too late.
He stormed up to her, his voice rising above the crowd. “What the hell are you doing here?” he shouted, the raw fury spilling out, a dam breaking under the pressure of years of pent-up resentment.
Her eyes widened in shock, and I felt a pang of sympathy for her. “Caiden, please, I?—”
“Don’t ‘please’ me!” he exploded. “You think you can just show up after all this time? You left us! You left me!”
The guests around us began to turn their heads, whispers rippling through the crowd like a wave. I could see Shane’s face twist in concern, knowing all too well the weight of Caiden’s history with his mom.
“Caiden, I’m sorry,” his mother pleaded, her voice trembling. “I wanted to explain?—”
“Explain what? That you abandoned me for another family? That you didn’t even care enough to check on me?” He stepped closer, his voice menacing. “Do you have any idea what that did to me? To my father? Do you know how much torture I endured? I was a fucking kid! I was a kid who needed his mom, but I was left alone with a monster.”
I felt my heart race, torn between wanting to intervene and the instinct to let him unleash this storm.
“Caiden, please,” she said, her voice breaking as tears welled up in her eyes.
He shook his head, his face a mask of rage and hurt. “You don’t get to apologize now. You lost the right to that a long time ago.”
