Page 20 of Judge
“Yeah, something like that.”
I wait a moment, working the words over in mind as Kaia takes another sip from her glass. “Kinda like us, almost.” My eyes dart in her direction.
Her face falls slightly and it makes my chest tighten. I watch as she pulls herself back together, piece by piece until she looks unbothered by the conversation. I’ve seen her do this time and time again growing up, and yet somehow she never looked thisalone, this fragile. I know it’s not my place to ask what she’s been through, not yet. I need to gain her friendship, her trust back before I can even think to ask such things.
She shakes her head, plastering a smile on her face, her eyes still holding shadows. “Not quite like us. We’re more best friends to lovers to enemies. That’s a thing, too.”
I stare at her. “Seriously?”
She laughs and it strips the tension a little. “Seriously. Women have long been neglected in the book world. There’s all sorts of tropes.”
“Mira talks about them a lot, but I thought she was just making stuff up. I mean, half the time I’m not even sure I get the full sentence when she talks.”
Kaia giggles, and the sound makes me want to make her laugh all the time. Forever.
“I love her. I love all the women. Did I tell you I got to fire a rocket launcher?”
I mirror her grin. “Yeah. The kids were pissed they never got to fire it.”
She starts shaking her head back and forth before I even finish speaking. “Nope, nuh uh, no way! Those two can cause trouble without military grade weapons.”
“I don’t know, they seem pretty innocent to me,” I joke.
A look crosses Kaia’s face and I watch as those damn shadows take over again. I knew this woman like the back of my own god damned hand for most of my childhood. She’s gone through some shit and come out the other side. I just know it.
“You’re a fantastic mom, Kaia. I wouldn’t trust anyone else in the world to raise my children.”
She sniffs and looks over my shoulder, “You don’t know what type of mother I’m like, Judge, and your confidence is misplaced. But thank you for using your words.” She gives me a sad smile.
“Dinner is served!” Cove’s shout right next to us makes Kaia jump but it’s the jolt we needed as she throws her head back and laughs.
“Thanks, Cove,” I grin as she walks away in her snazzy looking head chef outfit.
All the kids look great, the waiting staff - the big kids, including mine - are all dressed in smart black attire. Jovie seems to be holding down a few roles, both in the kitchen and outside. Elio is being himself, attempting to socialise but instead placing dinner plates of bolognese in front of Tav and Blanche with little to no interaction.
“Bolognese for the lady, and the gentleman,” Annie-Bella grins, placing first her mother’s and then my meal in front of us. “Enjoy!”
“Thank you, Belly,” Kaia murmurs, pressing a kiss to Annie’s temple.
My brows pinch and I gotta ask, “Did you just call her-”
Kaia giggles, swallowing her mouthful, “Yeah, sorry. Her name is just a mouthful sometimes, so I sometimes call her Belly. Have since she was little.”
A smile breaks out across my face, it’s damned cute.
“Jax calls her Fanny-Smella when she pisses him off.”
I blink, once, twice before throwing my head back and roaring. “That’s siblings for ya.”
We grin at each other, and I enjoy the food and the company. I can’t say that Kaia won’t stab me in the balls when I least expect it, but at this very moment it feels like there’s a short burst where the years between us disappear and I’m here, with my best friend.
“Thank you, Kaia, for agreeing to dinner.”
“Thank you for asking, I guess. Although I have a feeling Pops had a lot to do with it.” She grins in Pops’ direction, catching his gaze enough to point at her eyes, then back at him inthe universal sign for “I’m watching you”. Pops’ back stiffens and I stifle a laugh.
“Kaia, after all this shit is over and done with, would it be OK if I visited with the kids? Not too often, it’d be up to your discretion and all that, but I’d, um, I’d like to get to know them.”
She stares at me, and I can see her brain working. I hold my breath, hoping like hell she agrees. “It’ll be up to them to agree, but I don’t have a problem with it. Just, just don’t break their hearts, OK?” Her eyes implore me and I fucking know they’ve been hurt in the past. The urge to get to the bottom of this shit burns in my gut but I need to tread softly here.
