Page 163 of Keeping Kasey
I know his words are empty promises, but I can’t openly reject him.
Not when he hasthison me.
“I don’t even know who you are,” I whisper. “I couldn’t help you even if I wanted to.”
Which I don’t.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll be in touch by the end of the week,” he says. “But, Kasey, you should know that if you tell anyone about this or try to run without giving me what I want, there’s no place on earth you can hide from me.”
The call goes dead, and the tears stream down my face so hard I’m not sure they’ll ever stop.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Logan
The first thing I notice when Kasey steps into the hallway the next morning is the puffiness under her eyes. It’s worse than yesterday, and before she drops her gaze, I notice her eyes are red, too.
She was crying again last night.
I’d known one dinner wouldn’t be enough to fix everything, but I’d thought—like me—she would’ve walked away feeling a little less like a train wreck.
But I guess not.
I managed five hours of sleep last night. It’s not the full night of rest I so desperately needed, but it’s better than nothing—even if it didn’t come until after I’d spent way too long staring at the door that joins our rooms with one thought spiraling through my brain.
I should’ve kissed her.
She’d been right there, staring at me with the most mesmerizing blue eyes, her full lips parted just slightly, like she was waiting for it too. I could practically feel how she’d gasp against my mouth as I tugged her into me. I’d dig my fingers into her waist, and she’d wrap her arms around my neck until there wasn’t an inch of space between us.
Instead, I went into my room alone.
I wish I could blame some abstract intentions, but I can’t. The reason I didn’t kiss her is because—even if she did embrace me—it wouldn’t change anything. She’d still wake up the next morning hating me, and I’d still trust a toddler with scissors more than her.
Four months ago, we claimed to hate each other, but that was just our budding personalities. It was a game of control that we used to get closer to each other because that’s what we actually wanted.
This—this grim reality—is the culmination of months of deceit, betrayal, and lies. Impulsive actions that tore apart the sliver of a relationship we’d begun to establish.
And now, I’m forced to keep my mouth shut andnotask why she’s been crying.
Again.
We get to the base, and I silently walk Kasey from the garage to Ford’s office. She goes inside without a glance in my direction, and unlike yesterday, I’m not angry.
I’m worried.
I shouldn’t be. It’s not like she wants my concern. Hell, she’d bite my head off if I voiced it.
But it’s still there.
James is waiting in my office when I walk in.
“You look like you’ve been hit by a car,” he says with a smile.
“And that’s a good thing?”
“The last few days, you’ve resembled a mangled corpse, so this is an improvement, yes.”
I point to the door. “Get out.”
