Page 113 of Kaine

Chapter Forty

HER

I can’t believe whatI’m seeing.

“Kaine?” I say again. As if willing myself to wake up from the nightmare.

He yanks his hands off her and she almost staggers forward and he catches her.

In his arms. Again.

“Jade,” he says while steadying Jemima and turning to me.

But I don’t want to talk to him.

“Go to hell, Kaine.” I say, spitting with anger, storming towards the entrance.

“Jade! It’s not what you think!” Kaine calls out, running after me.

“Did you just kiss her?” I demand.

“Ye-... No! She kissed me.”

“But did you kiss her back?”

“Of course not. You saw me.”

“I heard you say ‘forget Jade’ and then her lips were on yours!”

“No. I was just repeating what she said.”

“So you agreed with her.”

“No! Argh! Just stop. Nothing happened, she came on to me. She’s done it before. But she knows there’s nothing between us. She knows there’s you. She was just hoping to convince me otherwise. She’s just had too much to drink.”

“And I’m supposed to be okay with this. That this is the woman working right beside you all day every day.”

“No... look, I’ll take care of it.”

“I’m going home.” I am suddenly exhausted.

“I’ll come with you.”

“No, not your home. My home.”

“Jade. My home is your home.”

“Not tonight, it isn’t.” I tell him, almost too tired to stand.

“Don’t do this.”

“Look, we both need some sleep, the launch is tomorrow. We’ll talk after. Just... just let me go.”

“At least take the car.”

“It’s New York City, I can get a cab.”

I raise my hand and a car comes screeching to halt by the curb next to me. I look at him once last time, trying to forget what I’ve just seen. And remember a time when I hadn’t.