“Shut up and drive.” Noah laughs, but he doesn’t argue.
It doesn’t take more than ten minutes before we park in front of the bar, and I get out before Noah even has a chance to actually park the damn thing. I run toward the door while Noah parks the car and runs after me.
“Wait, let’s talk about it,” he says as he frantically presses buttons on his phone. A voice suddenly comes from it, and I stop right before I open the door to enter the bar.
Leo shouts from his end of the phone call, “Noah? What the hell is happening? Why is Rachel in front of the bar?”
“Yes, we are outside. I think you might want to take the blonde out the back and hide any sharp objects.” I turn to Noah and show him the middle finger before I open the door. The music is not too loud, and the bar is almost empty. The only people in it are Kai, Leo, and the blonde.
“What the hell, Kai?” I yell as I stride inside. “Who the fuck do you think you are, ghosting me like this?”
Kai holds both hands in the air. “Calm down, little criminal,” he says, not at all seriously.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” I say as I reach him, and before he can respond, I slap him across the face. I can see Leo out of the corner of my eye leading the woman out the door.
“Nadia, I think you should leave before Kai’s girlfriend decides to take your hair as a war trophy,” he tells her, and both Kai and I turn at the same time to face him.
“I am not his girlfriend,” I say at the same time Kai says, “She is not my girlfriend.”
I turn back to him. “What did you say?”
“The same thing you said,” Kai argues, one eyebrow raised and with more attitude than necessary.
I raise my hand, ready to strike him again, but someone grabs it from behind. I turn to see Noah, who has decided to intervene. “What the hell, Noah?”
“Calm the fuck down, Rachel,” he tells me in a tone I have only heard from him once before. I lower my hand and take a seat at the bar. Leo pours some wine into a glass and sets it in front of me.
“Let’s leave them alone,” he tells Noah, and my friend looks me in the eyes. It’s a silent, 'Are you going to be okay?' that I answer with a silent 'yes.'
When they leave, Kai turns to me. “Why are you so angry?” he asks as he pours some whiskey into a glass for himself.
“I am not,” I say defensively.
“Yes, you are. You asked me to leave you alone so many times, and now that I have, you get angry. Why?” he presses.
“Who was that woman?” I ask instead of answering.
He laughs. “Nadia?” He takes a sip from his drink. “That’s why you’re so angry? About Nadia?” he asks, coming to a conclusion without needing a response.
“Yes,” I admit.
“Oh, little criminal, you have it all wrong.” He laughs again, and I shoot him an angry look.
“What’s so funny?” I question.
“The fact that she is my sister.” What? I’m pretty sure I didn’t hear that correctly. She can’t be.
“Nadia is my baby sister. She came to visit on Monday. That’s why I wasn’t around,” he explains.
“What?” I question again. I must have heard wrong.
He comes to my side of the bar, moving closer until we are a breath away. He cups my face with both hands and kisses my lips softly. It’s not like any other kiss we have shared. It’s not full of lust or passion. It’s not a kiss between two new lovers exploring their passion. It’s full of comfort and familiarity. It’s how you kiss your partner when you are secure with them, when you know they are yours.
“Sweet criminal, I wouldn’t ghost you,” he says, his voice low. I don’t respond. Instead, I stand and start walking toward the exit because even if he knows I am his, I am not ready to accept it. As I exit through the door, Noah and Leo are standing right at the entrance.
“We are leaving,” I announce to Noah as I grab my keys from his hand and go to my car. I get in the driver's seat, and Noah gets in the passenger seat without arguing. He knows this look on me; he knows arguing won’t be a good thing, and I know this has gotten more complicated than I wanted. I need time away.
Kai
