Perfect. I merge back onto the highway and head straight to the house. She should be home by the time I get there.
If she’s even going home. I play with the idea of asking, but in the end decide not to. She’ll know I’m on my way if I do, and I want to catch her by surprise.
Hopefully the parents aren’t home. They shouldn’t be at this time, but you never know.
Almost an hour later, I finally pull into the driveway.
Empty.
Perfect.
I can’t tell if Kira is home, but at least no one else is.
I get out of my car and stare up at my father’s house. Where Kira lives. And I’ll be living here for the next few weeks. Back under the same roof as her, until I find an apartment in Columbus. Even then, I’ll be across the hall from her half the week due to my summer job.
It’s going to be hard, yet I’m also excited about it. Yeah, I’m supposed to behave, take it easy on her.
I’ll try my best. Doesn’t mean I’m not happy as fuck that I’m going to have her so close to me again.
I walk up to the house and grab the doorknob.
Odd. It’s unlocked.
Oh, well.
I open the door and step inside.
Kira’s voice stops me.
“Why are you here again? There’s nothing left to say between us.”
At first, I think she’s talking to me.
That is, until I hear his fucking voice responding to her.
“There’s a lot left to say between us, Kira.”
Rage immobilizes me.
And curiosity. Sick, sick curiosity.
I know Kira told me she wasn’t hurt about Austin sleeping with Jenn, but I can’t help but wonder.
“You told me what you have to say,” Kira tells him. “And I told you I don’t want to hear it.”
They’re in the living room, I can tell now. It’s wrong for me to stand here and eavesdrop.
Not that I make any move to make my presence known.
“You don’t want to hear it because you’re angry, and I hurt you, and I’m so fucking sorry—”
Kira interrupts him. “You said it all the last time you were here trying to explain.”
That piece of shit came to grovel to her?
Of course he fucking did.
“You promised me, Kira. You promised you would think about you and me, about being my girl.”
Fucker said what?
“I did think about it, Austin.”
I can almost feel the ground start shaking beneath my feet with the force of my rage.
This . . . I did this to her. Made Amanda my girl. Shoved her in Kira’s face, knowing it would slice her apart.
I deserve this.
I deserve this.
I. Fucking. Deserve. This.
A thousand times I repeat it to myself.
My fury continues to clash with my pain, and regardless of the fact that I understand the situation logically, I can’t stop from asking myself:
Kira agreed to think about being his girl?
He slept with Jenn, and yet she’ll forgive him that easily?
Austin only hurt her once.
I hate myself because I’ve done it way too many times.
“And what, Kira? . . . talk to me,” Austin begs.
“Every time I thought about it, all I imagined was you with Jennifer.”
Austin blows out a breath, silent for a few seconds. “Sometimes, Kira, all I imagine is you with Brayden.”
He knows about us. Really knows.
Son of a bitch knows, and he doesn’t give a fuck. He’s still determined to have her.
“I never fucked Brayden. I gave myself to you, Austin.”
The hurt in her voice slices through me.
There’s only so much pain I can take. Yes, I know I’m a hypocrite, that I should just stand here and take every hit like a fucking man, but I fucking can’t.
I head to the living room.
“Tell me the truth,” Austin says. “Were you thinking about him when we slept together?”
There’s nothing but silence from Kira.
Come on, Kitty. Answer him, and answer him right. Save his fucking ass from my fists fucking up his face.
“I’m sorry, Austin, but I don’t want to keep rehashing this with you. I’m going to tell you what I’ve told Brayden many times: if you truly cared about me, you never would have done it.”
I come to a halt at the entrance to the living room, reeling.
She’s comparing us to each other?
The look on Austin’s face tells me he feels as disgusted by that as I do.
Kira crosses her arms and stares him down. “At the end of the day, there’s a reason why you were both such close friends once.”
Don’t say that, Kira. Don’t even go there . . .
“In my eyes, you’re both exactly the same.”
“We’re not the fucking same and you know it,” I growl.
Kira jumps.
Austin’s head turns in my direction, his expression furious.
I ignore him, staring Kira in the eye.
She gives me a look of utter disgust, obviously realizing that I’ve heard a good portion of their conversation. “Oh, really? Explain to me the difference.”
Really? She wants to go there? Fine. “You’ve never felt for him what you feel for me. You never fucking will.”
She turns white as a ghost.
It’s like instant medicine for my anger. The perfect response to calm me.
The proof I need to know that my words have hit the truth.
Kira does still love me.
It’s almost enough to make me smile.