Page 33 of Exile

KAI

Iknock on Serena’s front door, fidgeting from foot to foot, desperate to see her again. Touch her again. Talk to her about what happened last night. I haven’t been able to take my mind off how her lips felt pressed against mine, and the feeling of completion that settled over me when I held her in my arms. We’ve hugged before. Cuddled even, but there was a charged energy last night between us. I let every tumultuous feeling that has been whirling through me out in that kiss, and nothing has felt more right in my life. I know without a doubt that a gravitational shift happened in our relationship, and there is no going back to the way things were. I need to make Serena understand the depth of my feelings for her. I can’t waste my chance, before it’s too late and Dominick makes her his forever.

Serena’s mom opens the door looking flushed and excited, which is wholly unexpected after the events of last night. “Oh, Kai! I’m so happy you’re here! Come in, you can celebrate the big news with us!” Laura grabs my hand and tugs me through the door, down the hall to the kitchen. The unmistakable rumble of Dominick’s voice reaches me before I see him and dread pools in my stomach at what this “big news” could be.

“Look who just showed up!” Laura announces when we enter the kitchen. I see Dominick sitting with Serena perched on his lap, one of his arms wrapped around her waist locking her in place, a smug smile plastered across his face. A giant, sparkly diamond ring sits on Serena’s left ring finger, catching the light, mocking me. Serena looks like she’s been crying, but her expression is unreadable. She doesn’t look sad, but she doesn’t exactly look happy either. She sucks in a sharp breath when she sees me, her eyes flaring in guilt, like I’m here to spill our secret to Dominick.

“Serena, tell Kai the good news!” Laura squeezes my hand in excitement as it lies limply in her grasp while I take in the scene before me in stunned paralysis. It takes a long moment before I find the ability to speak.

“W-what’s going on?” The voice that leaves me barely sounds like my own. It’s cold and suspicious. My gut is roiling with nausea as my mind screams, “No!” at the realization that I’m already too late.

It’s Dominick who answers me, Serena averting her gaze to the floor, unable to look me in the eye when he shatters my world. “Kai, my man, you’re just in time to say congratulations. Serena and I are getting married.” Dominick couldn’t sound more like a smug asshole if he tried. I can see the victory in his eyes. The bitter taste of defeat coats my tongue. I know I should say congratulations for Serena’s sake, but I can’t force the word past my lips. This is wrong. She isn’t supposed to be his. She can’t marry him. If she does, I’ll lose her forever.

“ReRe…” Her name is a plea on my lips. I need her to look at me, to see how wrong this is. It shouldn’t be him. He’s manipulated her into this after one of the most traumatic experiences of her life. There’s no way she actually wants this. Dominick barrels on, needling his victory into the very marrow of my bones.

“After last night, I knew I couldn’t take the chance of something like that happening to my girl again. I take care of what’s mine, and I’m going to give Serena and her mother the life they deserve. Isn’t that right, Kitten?” Dom tugs her against his chest and kisses her neck, while never breaking his eye contact with me. I don’t miss the emphasis he puts on “my girl” and my hands clench into fists as I fight the urge to punch the smug look off the fucker’s face. He doesn’t miss the tension thrumming through my body, and a slow wolfish grin spreads across his face. He’s won, and he knows it.

Serena finally looks up, meeting my eyes. She looks haunted and not at all like a woman excited to be getting married. I’m momentarily buoyed by the thought that maybe she doesn’t actually want this, but then she speaks, destroying the fragile bubble of hope forming in my chest. “Kai, Dom asked me to marry him, and I said yes. He’s what we need. What I need. And I love him. I hope you’re happy for me.” Her smile is a soft, broken thing, and it cuts me deeper than any knife could.

I force a smile that feels brittle and fake before saying the words that burn my tongue like acid as I speak them. “Congratulations, ReRe. I’m happy if you’re happy.” It’s the best I can offer under the circumstances. Her eyes shine bright with unshed tears as she nods, accepting my halfhearted blessing. She looks like she wants to say more, but I need to get out of here before I lose my shit completely. “I just wanted to come by and make sure you’re okay. Looks like you’re more than okay and have some celebrating to do, so I’ll leave you guys to it.” I lean down and give Laura a quick hug before making my exit. “Take care Ms. Laura, I’ll see you around.”

With that, I walk out of my best friend’s house, and possibly out of her life, for good.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

SERENA

“Idon’t know, Dom. This is too much…we can’t afford this.” Dom, my mom and I sit around the kitchen table staring at a brochure for an independent living facility called Whispering Grove. It features individual apartments, a community center, tennis courts, walking trails, a dining hall, indoor pool, and a state-of-the-art memory care center.

I glance over at Mom who is staring at the brochure, a pensive look on her face while she bites her bottom lip nervously. I’m worried she thinks we are trying to get rid of her so we can get married and live happily ever after. My stomach pitches at the thought. “Mom, we don’t need to do this. I’m sure you can stay with us. We’ll figure it out.” I look to Dom, seeking reassurance, but his eyes are locked on my mother while she studies the information in front of her.

“Dom, we can’t afford this. We are barely getting by with free help from Mrs. G,” I say again, reaching to pull the brochure away from Mom, not interested in entertaining this dream that will never become a reality. I’m not even sure if it’s a dream I want. The idea of being separated from my mom after it’s been just the two of us for so long makes me queasy.

“We can if we sell the house.” Mom’s voice is barely a whisper, but it makes my blood run cold. My hand stops its movement, my body frozen as my mind tries to process what she just said. Mom lays her hand on top of mine and squeezes, drawing my attention to her face.

“We sell the house; you can move in with Dom, and I can live at Whispering Grove. You won’t have to worry about supporting us both or working two jobs, you can focus on school. You can have the life you’re supposed to be living.” The air in my lung catches, and I can’t believe she could seriously be suggesting this.

“No. No! That is not an option. You and Dad bought this house when you got married! I was born here. Raised here. Dad lived here! I can’t believe you would even suggest that. What if moving makes your memory loss worse? What if you forget more? What if you forget Dad?” I choke on the last words when a sob catches in my throat.

My mother pulls me into a hug and cradles my head against her chest. “Sweet Pea, nothing could ever make me forget your father. A once in a lifetime love like that never goes away. I don’t want to see you struggle anymore, Rennie. You’ve carried this weight for far too long, and what did it get you? Attacked? Almost raped? I won’t have my daughter, my life blood, putting herself in that position again. Not for me. Let me take care of you for a change. And who knows, maybe the memory care rehab will help me? We can give it a try.”

The woman who gave me life pulls back and cups my face, forcing me to look her in the eye. She’s a blurry silhouette, the tears pooling in my eyes obscuring her face. “You’ve been strong for so long, precious darling. It’s okay to let someone else take the reins now. I believe Dom will take care of you the way you deserve, and I want you to be happy.”

“She’s right, Kitten. I will take care of you. You can’t count on the help of your elderly neighbor forever, and I want you with me in my house, where you won’t have to worry about anything ever again. Let’s go tour the facility and see what it’s like. We don’t have to decide right now, but I think once you see it in person, you’ll realize it’s exactly what your mom needs.”

I look over at Dom, and his eyes are the color of steel—cold and unyielding. Even though his words are reassuring, my heart still feels like it is being squeezed in a vise. This doesn’t feel right. Selling the house doesn’t feel right. Losing the last tie to my father does not feel right. When I look back at Mom, she is staring at Dom like he hung the moon. I know there is no winning this argument now while I’m emotional, so I accept his suggestion to hopefully buy more time to talk Mom out of this crazy idea.

“Fine, we can go look. But if it isn’t perfect then we aren’t selling the house.”

Mom gives me a sad smile as she nods her understanding. “Of course, Sweet Pea.”

With the moving discussion tabled for now, Mom excuses herself and goes to her room to write in her journal about our overwhelming morning. Alone with Dom, the full weight of everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours hits me. The assault. Seeing Todd die. Kai’s confession. Dominick’s proposal. His suggestion to move Mom into a care facility. Mom’s suggestion to sell the house. My breathing becomes rapid and shallow, and a buzzing starts in my ears as the beginning of a panic attack claws its way into my chest.

“Serena! Look at me!” A rough shake of my shoulders snaps my head back, pulling me out of my panic. Dom is kneeling in front of me, his hands gripping my shoulders tight enough to bruise, a somber look on his face.

“You’re hurting me.” My voice comes out small and weak. Dom winces at my words and releases his hold on me.

“Sorry, Kitten. You weren’t responding to me. You were having a panic attack.” Dom offers up a bashful smile as he brushes a tear from my cheek. “Aren’t you happy? I know it’s a lot, but these are good changes.” His voice is tentative, like he’s unsure of where we stand now.