Page 187 of Heir

I flinched when our eyes met.

His eyes were red.

Whatever had happened, he was in pain, and I didn’t know how to stop it.

“K-Kai?”

His chest pushed in and out roughly, as if he couldn’t catch enough air.

“Breath with me,” I said softly.

He didn’t respond, but he wasn’t pulling away from me either.

“Breathe in, breathe out.”

He followed the way my chest moved and mimicked it.

I offered him a shaky smile and stepped closer to him.

The tips of our shoes touched.

“Kai,” I said again.

He wrapped his arms around my middle and we both fell to the ground, with me on his lap.

Then Kai completely broke apart.

A hard, anguished sob wrenched out of him. I tightened my arms around his shaking body as he buried his face in my neck.

His tears stung my skin. I rested my face on the top of his head.

“Shh, it’s okay,” I said. “I got you. I’m never letting you go. I got you.”

I tightened my arms around him as much as I was able.

He shuddered against me.

I met Dominic’s eyes.

His eyes were wet as he watched his son break down. Emmy came in and led Dominic out. They shut the door gently behind them, and I went back to holding Kai, vowing I would never let him go.

“I love you so much,” I said. “So much. And I am never letting you go. I got you.”

I had him.

* * *

It was past midnight.

Kai and I were both lying on our sides, facing each other, not saying anything.

I didn’t think Kai could go to sleep any time soon, and I couldn’t either.

I kept seeing his tortured face.

The way he felt as he broke down against me.

I reached out now and cupped his cheek.

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