Page 78 of Pallas & Kawehi

A steadying hand against his back kept him on his feet, but since they'd been the cause of it all, it was the least they could do.

He'd seen Charmaine smiling and he'd seen her livid with anger when he'd forgotten their anniversary. Again.

Now, he'd seen her look like she could peel his skin off his body with her eyes alone. "You're married in Hawaii?!"

What was he going to say now? "Baby, I-"

"Daddy said you were no good."

"Char-" The door slammed in his face, and he sighed.

Nick turned back around and saw that the cell phone was still pointed at him. He turned and looked at the back of the cell phone with a glare. "Well, I hope you're happy, Kawehi, you bitch."

PALLAS

When he'd gotten the call from Axl, he hadn't thought much of it. When Axl told him the reason he was calling, Pallas wanted to punch a wall. A Nick shaped wall, but he couldn't do that.

He'd have to take it out on a heavy bag later, but that was for him.

He needed to keep his cool and get to Kawehi.

Snatching up his keys from the hook beside his apartment door, he jogged down to his Bronco and got behind the wheel. Pallas had to push Axl's words out of his head while he drove.

It wasn't going to do anyone a bit of good if he caused an accident getting to Kawehi's side.

He remembered when she'd told him about her meeting with Paul. He'd heard it from Paul himself later at the counter in Lanikai Lanes where he'd returned for a meal.

They knew that Allied was going to be serving Nick with the papers, but they hadn't known when it was going to happen.

Axl's call had been short but pointed.

"Maile stayed to cover Kawehi's shift at the alley, but she's about to close down the place and go over to Kawehi's house."

"What's going on?"

"Between curse words and some rather colorful descriptions of Nick's anatomy, she said that the process servers sent Kawehi the video of Nick being handed the papers and she's upset. I can't understand much more. She's saying words I don't understand, but while I know she's pissed, I think she's more worried about Kawehi."

"Yeah. Okay. I'll get over to her house and see how I can help."

"Yeah. Good. I'll tell Maile and hope she'll stay at the alley. I don't think she'd be much help seeing how pissed she is."

"Thanks, man."

"Anytime."

Pallas pulled into the driveway and noticed that the front door was open, but so was the screen door that covered it.

A slight wind had it swinging open and tapping against the door frame.

He locked his Bronco and jogged up the walk and up the stairs to the porch.

"Kawehi?"

He called out loud enough that he knew she could hear him, but he didn't hear her reply.

Pallas put his hand on the screen door's handle and pulled it open. He didn't like that she'd left both doors open and unlocked, but it just told him what kind of a state that she was in.

Toeing off his sneakers, he left them on the side next to a pair of slippers that Kawehi used in the yard, and stepped inside. "Kawehi? Are you in the bedroom?"