Page 53 of Kian's Devotio
Chapter 11
Karalee
Even though Kian was with her, her stomach was in knots as they drove.
She hated how stressed she was, and it was mainly from the text she had gotten from her mom’s number.
She assumed it was Carlos and hadn’t told Kian that tidbit of information.
She needed to though. Before they claimed her mom’s body, she knew that Carlos would try to cause issues.
His text had said this: Your mom overdosed this morning. Thought you should know that she couldn’t be revived, and you need to come claim her body.
Then he sent her this text: Just remember that after that is over, you still need to come pay her dues. She isn’t here to pay them anymore and racked up quite a debt. Be ready.
She had shuddered and had called Kian to let him know she was leaving, trying her best to not show how upset she was.
How scared. She knew that she needed to claim her mother’s body, but she would do her best to get to the town and then out of it again before Carlos found out that she was there.
She let out a sigh as they left Silver Springs behind and longed to be back there.
She was grateful that Kian was at her side and that he could help to protect her from Carlos.
And she would do her best to avoid any issues. Kian and his family had been through too much already.
She looked at the man she loved and then took a deep breath, “Kian, I need to talk to you.”
He grinned over at her, “Shoot angel. I am all ears.”
She looked down at her fingers, and then over at him and he gave her a nod, “Go ahead babe. It’s okay.”
“So, I didn’t really tell you or anyone what made me really want to move with Emery to Silver Springs.”
He gave her a confused look then turned his attention back to the road, “Um, my mom has sort of had this boyfriend for the past few months and he is a big-time drug dealer and a pimp. He also seemed to think that my mom owed him a lot of money and that I would be the one to pay it. So, um, yeah. He tried to touch me once and I kneed him in the balls and then I came here.”
She picked at her fingernails and didn’t say any more and waited for Kian to say something.
Except he didn’t say anything. Just calmly turned the blinker on in the car and then pulled over to the side of the road.
Once the car was in park, he took off his seatbelt and turned in his seat, “Let me just see if I understood you correctly. One of the men that your mom brought home, tried to touch you, which you stopped, and seems to think he owns you and wanted to cash in on that when you got back?”
She winced, “Yes?”
Kian swore, “Son of a bitch! Kara, why didn’t you say something earlier?”
She flinched again, “I'm sorry. I just thought I left that all behind and started a new life here. But I was wrong apparently.”
He glared at her, “And you were going to go there alone. To do what? Run into the guy and get kidnapped and forced to do his bidding? Was that your plan?”
She shook her head, “It wasn’t. I just wanted to claim her body, have her cremated and spread her ashes so I didn’t have to have her hanging over our heads anymore. I wanted that chapter of our life shut.”
Kian pinched his nose with two of his fingers, “Babe, as soon as you got to town, that man would have grabbed you. He still could. We are going back to Silver Springs.”
She shook her head, “But, Kian. I have to go. She is my mom. The only family I have ever had. I have to do this.”
He looked at her, “You have a family Kara. You have since you were a little girl. We've loved you and cared for you, since your mother never did. And we still want that for you. All I have ever wanted was to love you and marry you and have a family with you, but you seem determined to cut me out of your life. To run to this guy and I will never see you again.”
She winced again, knowing he was right. “I can’t live with that choice. I love you Kara. I always have, and I always will. I want you to choose us, choose me. The family that has always tried to give you the life you deserve. The life you have always wanted.”
