Page 63 of Kian's Devotio
Chapter 15
Karalee
Watching Kian walk out the door and knowing he was going to confront Carlos, broke something in her.
It took every single ounce of willpower she had inside her to not call him back to her side.
She sank to the couch and then broke down sobbing. She knew this was his job and that he was good at what he did, but she had tried for years to put it out of her head.
To not let herself know that he was in danger and not let herself even think of him.
But now? Being in the thick of it and knowing it was her mom, and Carlos that could hurt Kian?
It was too much. She just sobbed on the couch and Graham came, putting his arms around her and she let herself cry in his chest.
He was a good friend and a good guy. And she appreciated his strength right now.
When she pulled back, Graham looked down at her and she shook her head, “Sorry. I know that Kian is a cop and has been faced with dangerous situations before, but I never was around to see it. I refused to forgive him for years and even knowing he was a cop I didn’t realize what he did every day. The situations he has faced and the danger he was in when he strapped that badge to his chest. It hurts. Knowing he could have been killed and still could be, because I have a horrible mother.”
Graham shook his head, “Karalee, your mom made her choices. Not you. She was the one who chose to have that man as her boyfriend, and he chose to be evil. No one truly has to be. But Kian is going to put an end to it. It’s what he and Reid did before. They were and are good at their jobs and more than one evil man is off the streets now because of them. Kian puts his life on the line to protect women like Isabelle. And women like you. To help people in unbearable situations.”
He looked at her, “He does this so that someone else doesn’t have to go through what you did as a child. And he has always wanted to protect you from anything that would hurt you. It’s always been his goal.”
She looked over at him, “He talked about me? Really? I know that Gray said a little, but Kian really talked about me?”
Graham barked out a laugh, “Are you kidding? He never shut up about you. Knew all about you and your life. Checked your social media religiously and wanted to give you the world. He just had to get you to forgive him first. And I am glad you did. He is the best man there is. Truly. Women would ask him out and he would very gently turn them all down. He had his heart stuck on one girl. You. We all knew your name. Heard your story and the story of him being a jerk and hurting you. We all rooted for you to be together. I have never seen a man so in love. When he told us all about the tattoo he got of your name, in your handwriting, it made us all stop and wish that we had a girl like that.”
She gave a soft laugh and he went on, “Even with you not talking to him, he loved you. He wanted only your happiness always. And even if he couldn’t have you, he still only wanted you to be happy.”
She sighed, “I love him. I always have. And I am glad he got me to forgive him.”
Graham laughed, “I am too. He would have done anything and everything for that.”
She laughed and he nodded, “Yep. He was so far gone for you. I can’t wait to tell the rest of the crew he finally did it.”
She blushed, “That is crazy. That men I don’t know, know all about me, and how much he loved me.”
Graham snorted, “Anyone who would listen knows about you.”
She laughed again, “Alright. Thank you for making me feel better. I'll be a nervous wreck until he comes back, but I am not crying. So, there is that.”
Graham laughed again, “Are you hungry?”
She gave a small nod, and he said, “Do you want to come with me to this little diner down the street? They make the best waffles.”
She looked at her phone, and saw it was in the afternoon. “It’s almost dinner though?”
He laughed, “I guarantee these are the best ever any time of the day. Come on.”
She followed behind him and when they got to the diner, there were a few firemen and two cops sitting at a table.
They looked up when she and Graham walked in and they all yelled, “Graham the man! You have a girl?”
Graham shook his head, “This isn’t my girl. It’s Kian’s.”
One of the men stood up and he was a head taller than Graham, who was around 6’2 himself.
He had a large brown beard and kind eyes. “Kian Collins? Really? He got his girl finally?”
