Chapter Nine

Matthias Delgado

"Can we talk about what happened yesterday?" I ask Kaelie after our tutoring session.

"No."

"I need to know what's going on. Amber is going nuts, threatening to take everything you love from you."

"What?" Kaelie asks, clearly panicked.

She rips her phone from her pocket and dials a number before pressing the unit to her ear. I watch her as she paces the length of the deck we're sitting on. When there is no answer, she redials. With each passing second, I see her anxiety grow and I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms and hold her until the panic fades from her beautiful face.

"I need to go." She grabs her bag and turns to walk away but I catch her arm.

"You need to talk to me," I say. "It's been more than a year that you've been dealing with her shit and this is the first time I've seen you freak out."

"I can't take the time to explain this to you right now. I need to call an Uber because the bus will take over an hour to get there."

Her voice has gone up an octave as her panic skyrockets. Her breathing becomes labored and tears cling to her eyelashes. My heart starts beating harder as I watch her try to hold back what I'm sure will be a breakdown.

Taking her face in my palms I force her to look at me. "I will drive you, but you are going to tell me what the hell this is about."

"Why do you care?"

"Just because you've moved on doesn't mean I've stopped caring," I tell her the truth hoping she will trust me.

She stares at me, looking for some sign that I'm lying to her before she nods in agreement. I take her hand and lead her through the house and into the garage.

"Where are you headed?" my mother asks. She looks up from under the hood of her latest project, a '67 Ford Mustang.

"I'm just driving Kaelie. Should be back in an hour."

"Stay safe." She waves as I boost Kaelie into the truck I haven't driven since she walked away from me. Too many memories.

"Where are we going?" I ask her once we hit the street.

"Carlisle Street."

"Start talking."

****

Kaelie Carter

"I assume you know who Amber's father is?" I ask because I don't know where to start if I don't know what he knows.

"Yeah. His father and mine used to be rivals but now that's changed…"

He doesn't finish the sentence, but he doesn't have to. I know what he means. The two families will be united when he marries Amber.

"Do you know who my father is?"

"No, should I?" He frowns at the road ahead of him.

"Kris Carter. They used to call him ‘Money' because he always made it rain money." I chuckle sadly at the memory. "He was second in command until he got hooked on his own product. I don't know how it happened or when it started but by the end of my last year of high school, he was hooked and my mother was sleeping with Amber's dad."

"Fuck me," Matthias curses lowly.

"Yeah. Amber's mom found out and slit her wrists and my mom moved in before her body was even cold."

"Your mother's a bitch. I met her once. She tried to sleep with me."

Bile churns in my gut. I never wanted anyone to know the truth. I didn't want them looking at me like he is now, but I need his help, and telling him the truth is the only way to get it.

"The night we met,"—I take a deep breath—"I was supposed to meet Amber. It's the night her mom died."

We're waiting for the light to turn green and he takes the moment to turn to me in shock.

"I was fucking my best friend's soon-to-be fiancé while she was going through the worst time of her life. Her mom died and I didn't answer my phone because I was lost in you."

We don't speak again until we pull up outside the grandmama's house. He switches off the engine while he stares out at the darkness creeping in on us.

"Is that why you hate me?" His voice is low and scratchy, his hands gripped tight on the steering wheel.

"I don't hate you," I whisper, squeezing his knee. I want to tell him more and reassure him, but I need to make sure my loved ones are safe before I continue. "Wait here, I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

I rush from the truck and hurl myself through the gate and up the porch steps. I almost fall flat on my face as the door opens but catch myself just in time.

"Welcome home, Kaelie."

A sharp pain radiates through my skull before everything goes black.