Page 125 of Heir

“Why?” I croaked. It was one of those times I really resented the way my brain worked. I wished I could understand. Perhaps then it wouldn’t hurt so badly.

I had been burying all of that inside me.

Deep inside, all of my panic and fear resided, but now we were bringing it up to the surface, and I didn’t know how to deal with that.

Then he said something that made me pause. “My mom wanted me dead.”

My eyes widened in horror, unsure if I had heard him correctly. “W-what?”

“She and my dad had me at fifteen. They were kids. They didn’t know what they were doing, and she hated my fucking guts. She claimed I ruined her life by existing.”

He laughed, the sound cold and bitter.

“I didn’t fucking ask to be born. It didn’t stop her from resenting me growing up. I don’t know how many times she would tell me she wished she hadn’t listened to my dad and aborted me. It’s funny, though, because once my dad started making money, the only reason he put up with her cheating and lying was because of me. He would have left her ass years before.”

“Kai, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, pretty girl. I didn’t tell you that to make you feel sorry for me or to take away your pain. I just wanted you to know I understand what having a terrible parent is like. Your mom’s a bitch, and that’s all it is. What she did is not your fault. Never your fault, okay?”

My lips trembled as more tears pooled in my eyes.

“The pictures are so terrible,” I said.

If he found the website, then he saw the pictures of me used to lure people into bidding.

His arms tightened around me. “I know, baby.”

“She’s such a terrible person.”

“She is,” he agreed.

I wrapped my arms around his middle. I didn’t know where to go from here. I didn’t—

“Kai, you have to let me go.”

“When I fucking die,” he said fiercely.

I shook my head, trying to push him away. He only pulled me back. “Kai, you can’t. You’ll be in danger if you’re with me. I was caught up in the fantasy. I thought it would be safe to be with you, that if I ignored them, they would just leave me alone, but last night proved that isn’t the case. I’ll put you at risk!”

“Baby, you need to calm down.”

“Let me go!”

“Fuck, no!” he roared.

I stilled, looking up at him.

More tears fell, and that was the only thing I noticed.

“I will never let you fucking go,” he said, calmer than before. He cupped my cheek gently. “Can’t you see? Can’t you see how I am incapable of letting you go?”

I hiccupped, not knowing what to say.

I often found myself at a loss for words, but this was so much more than that. I was robbed of my speech.

He wouldn’t let me go.

How badly I fucking wished that was true, even though I could see how selfish it was.

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