Page 32 of Keeping Skylar
We all stand and head out of the bar together, gathering outside to wait for our Ubers to arrive.
As I sit in the backseat of the car, it finally hits me—just a week and a half from now, I’ll be moving to another city and into my new apartment, all on my own terms. Tonight, has been the happiest I’ve felt in weeks, and nothing can take that away. Not Kaden. Not Lucia. Not their affair. Absolutely nothing.
I arrive home an hour earlier than expected, still buzzing from the night’s excitement. This week has left me with a renewed sense of energy and hope for what’s ahead. It feels like nothing could shake my joy or ruin my good mood at this point.
I’m just about to close the front door when I catch a glimpse of Lucia’s silver sedan parked across the street. My breath catches, and in an instant, a cold wave of anxiety swirls through me. My fingers freeze on the doorknob, dreading what I might find waiting inside.
I wait a few minutes to steady myself before quietly closing the door behind me. As I turn around, I notice the house is cloaked in darkness, save for the faint glow of the rangehood light above the stove. The stillness feels unsettling, like the calm before a storm.
Taking a deep breath, I head towards the bedrooms. That’s when I hear it—solid wood thudding heavily against a surface, followed by the unmistakable sound of muffled groans and grunts.
My heart pounds violently in my chest as I slowly approach the room where the sounds are coming from—Kaden’s study. The door is slightly ajar, and I hesitate, peering through the crack, careful to stay hidden from view. From where I stand, I can make out just enough to see what’s unfolding inside.
Instantly, my stomach curdles at the sight before me. Lucia is sprawled on her back on Kaden’s desk, her legs draped over his shoulders as he thrusts hard into her with one brutal force after another. They’re completely naked, sweat dripping off their skin, a clear giveaway they’ve been fucking for some time or multiple times.Oh my God!
As if on instinct, my hand moves to my phone, and I quickly snap a photo of their betrayal before I can talk myself out of it.
I’m not sure why, but something deep inside tells me this photo will serve a purpose one day, even if right now it feels like I’m in the middle of my worst nightmare.
Lucia’s loud moan snaps me back to reality, and I stumble away from the door, my back hitting the wall with a soft thud. My chest tightens, throat closing in as I struggle to take in air.
“Oh, God. Yes, just like that, baby! Harder!” Lucia screams. The violent force of Kaden’s thrusts causes the solid oak desk to creak and thud with each movement, echoing through the otherwise quiet house.
“Fuck, you look so sexy!” Kaden groans. “Play with your clit, baby. I want to feel you coming on my cock.” He grunts loudly.
Lucia’s moans have gotten so loud, it’s near deafening. I have to clamp a hand over my mouth to keep myself from both screaming and throwing up at the same time.
Seeing them together like this is the last straw, the final, crushing blow that shatters any hope of reconciliation or civility between Kaden and me. I will never forgive either of them for as long as I live.
The walls suddenly feel like they’re closing in, suffocating and crushing me from the inside.I need air. I need to get the fuck out, now!
So, I do the only thing I can. I run. I flee from the horrific sounds and sight, from the two people who’ve caused me unspeakable pain, and from the one place that no longer feels like home. Once I’m outside, I sprint to the end of the street, adrenaline driving my legs as if they have a life of their own.
Tears glisten on my cheeks as I order an Uber, gulping in air like it’s the only thing keeping me upright. I pace the sidewalk, back and forth, desperate to erase the image of Kaden and Lucia fucking inside my home.
Five minutes later, my Uber car arrives and I quickly rush to get inside, ignoring the driver’s curious glare. “I’m safe now. I’m finally safe,” I whisper, not giving a shit if the driver sees me talking to myself.
My mind is in complete turmoil, even as I inch further away from the house. In a single night, Kaden and Lucia have managed to obliterate my spirit and torn my world apart, leaving nothing but devastation in their wake.
I can’t believe he brought her back to our house. I can’t believe I saw it with my own eyes. If I hadn’t come home early, I would’ve never known. They crossed every fucking line tonight—and now, there’s no coming back from it.
Moments later, the car pulls up at my destination. I don’t wait—I fling the door open and run towards the one person who’s always felt like home. My best friend. Kirstin.
The second Kirstin opens the door, I throw myself into her arms, sobbing hysterically. Without saying a word, she carefully guides me to her couch, where we sit in silence, holding each other as I cry in pain.
She gives me all the time I need—never rushing me, never asking questions. Eventually, my tears slow, and the trembling in my body subsides. I pull back and wipe away the last of my tears, knowing this will be the last time I cry over either of them.
Kirstin’s expression radiates genuine empathy—like she’s absorbing every ounce of my pain, her heart breaking alongside mine. She comforts me in the only way she knows how: by sitting patiently, waiting for me to find the strength to speak.
“I saw them.” My voice comes out as a hoarse whisper, heavy with anguish. “In my house of all places! I fucking saw them!”
Kirstin lets out a heavy exhale as she gently strokes my bicep, her silence encouraging me to keep going.
“He was having sex with her in his study, without a care for who might hear or walk in on them. Do I mean so little to him that he would bring her back to our home?” I sob, my voice strained and raw from crying.
Kirstin pulls me close once more, wrapping me in her gentle embrace. “God! I’m so, so sorry, hon,” she murmurs into myhair. “I could just kill them for doing this to you. You don’t deserve any of this. What can I do to help ease your pain?”
I sink slowly back onto the couch as Kirstin hands me a tissue. I thank her quietly, dabbing at my cheeks before blowing my nose. “Having you here with me is helping a lot. Would it be alright if I stay the night? Until I can figure out what to do next. I just don’t know if I can go back there right now. It’s still too raw,” I choke out.
