Kat looked so fragile under the water, her face lifting to the stream to wash away the tears. I undressed to my boxers and stepped into the shower with her. She needed me to hold her. I needed to hold her.
Tiny pieces of gravel fell from her hair as I ran shampoo through the strands with my fingers. Her back pressed against my chest as I washed the scrapes on her arms and her knees. I thought I heard her mumble something, something that sounded like, “I love you.”
My heart swelled and ached for her as I wrapped a large towel around her body. She held up her arms, letting me wrap her tightly in the cotton, her eyes staring into my soul with nothing but love. I loved her too. I didn’t say it. But I did love her.
“Don’t leave me,” she whispered.
I shook my head and smiled. There was no way I’d leave her now. “I’ll sneak out early in the morning.”
It felt natural in the bed beside her, our bodies fitting so perfectly together. I stayed awake, watching her struggle with sleep for at least an hour before my own eyes closed and I drifted off.
This was exactly where I wanted to be.
Where I needed to be.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Katrina
The small man’s face, his hands, his wicked smile, pulled me from my rest. I slid up in bed, propping myself on the pillow against my headboard. Todd was still here. I couldn’t believe he’d actually stayed. Of course he did. I practically begged him not to leave me.
Todd Morris had a huge heart, and I’d broken it. I didn’t deserve him comforting me like this. He didn’t deserve to be pulled into my crazy world.
God, how I loved this man lying beside me.
It didn’t matter. Love wasn’t enough. We needed trust, but that was something we’d never have. Not after all the lies I told. I knew he'd heard me tell him I loved him last night, even though I said it softly. He didn’t respond. So, that was it. He didn’t love me. He felt sorry for me. Poor little Katrina, scared, roughed up, and shaking in his arms. That was all this was. He was too kind to let me suffer.
My eyes traced the outline of his masculine form under my sheets. Parts of my body still reacted at the memory of how he felt inside of me. One last time, to say goodbye forever? No. My heart couldn’t take the pain of losing him all over again.
I sighed as I realized the horror my life had become. My dad was still responsible for coming up with nearly a million dollars. If he didn’t, we both could end up dead. I knew part of my fate was to be raped by the small man with cold, dark eyes. Maybe the large one too before I was thrown to the bottom of the river with weights tied to my ankles. I saw enough gangster movies to know women didn’t usually just get shot in the head. They were played with first, and that man, he'd made his intentions clear enough with his dirty mouth against my skin.
Todd’s eyes opened slowly, his lips parted with a soft yawn, and then he rolled to his side. “Good morning,” he said through a huge yawn.
“Good morning.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked, laying his hand to my thigh. I twitched, my body responding to the familiar touch.
“Thank you for everything,” I sighed.
His hand pulled away. He slid up on the bed, sitting to face me. “I’m glad you called me, Kat.”
I knew that was another one of his kindnesses. I had to let him off the hook. He couldn’t be so cruel as to walk away from me now. I didn’t want his pity. He didn’t respond to my declaration of love last night. He didn’t love me. He pitied me.
“I have a lot to deal with today. I appreciate you taking care of me, but I will be fine from here,” I said, my fingers twisting together.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at me with confusion, and… what was that, hurt?
“What do you plan to do?” he asked sternly.
“I shouldn’t have dragged you into this mess, Todd. It’s my personal life, and it’s best we keep things strictly professional between us,” I said with an assertiveness that even I found too cold.
He pushed the sheets back, stood from the bed, and began gathering his clothes. I watched as he dressed hastily, and yes, there it was again… hurt in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said.
“No. You’re right. I don’t belong in your personal life. You made that really clear the first time around, why would it be any different now?” he snapped, sliding on his jeans and rushing from the bedroom.
I ran after him, the sheet my only cover. “Todd, wait,” I called out, deciding my heart couldn’t take the pain of knowing I’d hurt him again. I didn’t mean to. I'd only wanted to let him off the hook, release him from his act of kindness.
He slung open the door to reveal Lana standing in the doorway. “Good morning,” she snarled and took a step back, waving at the hallway. “Don’t let me stop you from your walk of shame,” she hissed.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Todd defended. He looked back at me, remorse in his eyes.
“It’s okay,” I said softly, then gave him a small smile.
He nodded and strode out into the hallway, closing the door quietly behind him. Lana laughed as the door clicked shut, staring at me with judgmental eyes. I felt vulnerable in only my sheet but had nowhere to escape. She was in my living room, sizing me up. It was obvious she was enjoying my discomfort as she made herself comfortable on my couch.
“Looks like having a rich daddy isn’t enough for you. You want it all,” she gloated in her glory.
“It’s not what you think, Lana.”
“Oh, it’s exactly what I think. You’re never pleased, little Kitty-Kat. Are you? All your daddy’s money, all Rhett’s attention, now you want to work your way through the players one by one?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I snapped.
“You’re a little attention whore, aren’t you? I should’ve known by your posts. All those pictures of you surrounded by rock stars. Were you their encore?” she laughed.
“You’re way out of line,” I said sternly.
“No, you’re out of line. And now, you’re out of a job, my sweet Kit-Kat. I don’t keep whores on the payroll.”
I was stunned. Fired? She'd just fired me? Could she even do that?
“I’ll book you on the next flight to New York. You’ll need to clear out of the player condo within twenty-four hours.” She stood from her position, smiled, and walked toward the door.
“Oh, and Kat, don’t waste any time with goodbyes. I’ll let the team know you're gone and why, of course.”
She shut the door behind her, leaving me to stew in my anger, my humiliation, and my desperation. I needed this job. Needed Todd. It was all I had.
My phone lit up, my mother’s face showing on the screen. I fought back tears and picked it up, answering in my strongest voice. “Honey, are you okay?” her warm voice opened the floodgates, and tears began streaming down my cheeks.
I could barely speak between sobs but managed to utter, “I just got fired.”
I listened to my mother’s “everything’s going to be okay” speech, not feeling as irritated as before. I needed to believe it. I had to believe. If I didn’t, the alternative was more than I could bear.
“How’s Daddy?” I asked, wiping my tears and clearing my throat.