45. CHAPTER 45

45

JULES

“Get your hands off him, Jules,” Jenny shouts at me as she runs over, like she is protecting Kai from a madman.

“No,” I say as I stand up from the bed next to Kai and hold his hand in mine.

Jenny goes to smack me in the face when I catch her hand mid-air.

“I’d be very careful of who you raise your hand to,” I say. This is a non-negotiable situation. She can be upset, hurt even. But that’s her shit to sort through, Kai is my only priority.

“Take your hands off me,” she snarls. I push her hand away and she stumbles back slightly. She looks down at Kai, who is very quiet, and moves to the other side of the bed to take him in her arms.

“Mom, careful. It hurts,” he says, pulling away from her and clutching at his stomach.

“Sorry, honey. I’m just so happy to see you awake and talking. How’s the pain?”

“I’m managing.”

“Jules, I want you to leave,” Jenny says.

“No. I’m not going anywhere,” I say, standing tall and crossing my arms across my chest.

“He’s my son!”

“You’re being hysterical. He’s an adult.”

“You can’t touch him. It’s sick. Kai, did he force you?”

“What? No! Mom, I don’t want him to leave. But there are things we want to explain,” he says as his head falls back into the pillow. His eyes are droopy, exhaustion taking over.

“I don’t want to hear any of it. I want him gone, Kai. Or I’ll make security get rid of him.”

“No you won’t. I’m an adult patient and I get to say who stays. I want him here, Mom.”

“I don’t need to listen to this. I’ll wait outside. You’re obviously so doped up on medication that you don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Don’t patronize him.”

“And don’t you tell me how to treat my boy. My baby who you barely know.”

“I know him better than you, Jenny, and I will correct how you treat him if I think it’s unfair. Let him rest. He’s been stabbed, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“You son of a bitch.”

“That title fits. I am the son of a bitch.”

“Can you two stop? Please. I’m tired and in pain, and you’re not helping,” Kai says, his voice gentle as he loses the battle to keep his eyes open. I run my hands through his hair where he snuggles against the touch.

“Sleep, sweetheart. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

I swear he purrs like a kitten as he falls asleep with my hands in his hair. He’s so fucking beautiful. Jenny is evil eyeing me so hard, I’m expecting to be set alight from the hate she’s projecting. But I really don’t give a fuck. Nothing and no one will come between us.

“I can’t believe you’d do this to me. You’ve groomed him or something. This isn’t natural. You’re his uncle. It’s sick, is what it is.”

“You can put as many spins on this as you want to justify your feelings, but he ain’t my nephew. We share no blood, not even the same surname. I was hardly in his life. You can make it as perverted as you want, but it won’t change. Kai is mine and he’s coming back with me. Nothing you do will change that.”

Jenny stands in shock, a tear escapes her left eye, her eyes like saucers. Devastation written all over her face.

“Always have to have your own way. Selfish as a child, and selfish as an adult. I’ll find a way to keep you away from him. He’s too good for you.”

I laugh, unable to contain how stupid those words are. She’s no idea what she’s talking about. Still bitter and resentful about a situation that I had no part in. I was a child when she got pregnant with Kai and I’m sick of her bitchy ass blaming me for a fantasy relationship with our parents that I never had because of her. But that’s an argument for another day, and as we’ve learned, no threat should be treated as idle. I glance over at Kai’s sleeping form, my feelings solidifying more, and my need to possess him is overwhelming.

I move over to Jenny, a foot between us, and I lower my mouth to her ear.

“I’d be careful with the threats, Jenny. You don’t know me. Now, I’m gonna leave you with Kai for an hour so you can have some time together, and that’s the last time you’ll be alone with him. Make it count.”

I walk away, out of the room, and notice Tim sitting in the waiting area, looking at his phone. He looks up at me as I approach and pockets his phone as I get closer.

“Jules. How is he?”

“In pain and tired, but it looks good. Any news on who did it to him?”

“I think you already know. I’ve looked into your friends. Don’t play me for a fool, Jules. Where are they?”

“Who?”

“You fucking know who. We can’t locate Jez and Zac. They just so happened to disappear on your first night in town when you go AWOL. A coincidence? I think not.”

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

“Liar.”

“You have your opinion. I would put that mind to better use and go comfort Jenny.”

“I thought you said he was okay?”

“He is, but Jenny hasn’t taken the news well that Kai’s my man.”

“My god, this family is out of their mind.”

“Yep. Be good for you to remember that,” I say as I grin and walk away. He has nothing on me, no matter how hard he digs.

Needing some air, I head outside, letting the sharp bursts of wind cut across my skin like shards of ice.

I can’t wait to get Kai home.