The Heavier the Chains...

Chapter 25

The reasons we forgive.

Kenzlee~

Talon was drawing lazy circles on my naked back, and I wanted to stay like this forever.

Alex had dropped me off at his house after dinner, and I'd had every intention of talking to him about the money. However, Edie had taken off for her second shift at the church carnival, so it had been just me and Talon, and there'd been no talking once he had shut the front door behind me.

"Explain to me why you won't move in with me again?" he murmured, his lips against my hipbone.

"Because we're still in high school, you live with your mother and sister, and no matter what your mom says, I'm not going to be the girl shacking up with her son in her house," I reasoned.

"It's not shacking up if we're in love," he retorted. "And we're most definitely in love, White."

I snorted into the pillow that was currently nestling my lazy head. "How about I make you a deal," I joked. "I'll move in with you if you let me pay for Edie's college, so that you can use all the money that you saved to put yourself through college."

Everything stopped.

The circles on my back, the kisses against my hip, even his breathing, all of it just stopped.

I closed my eyes, knowing that I ruined the moment. We'd been having a perfect moment in time, and I couldn't just let things be. "Talon, I'm sor-" My words were cut short when Talon flipped me onto my back and climbed up over me. "Talon?"

He was braced on his elbows, and his hands were brushing my hair back out of my face. He looked so serious that it was hard to believe he was only eighteen-years-old. "Do you mean that?"

This was it.

This was my chance to make him accept the money. This was my chance to...shit.

I couldn't.

I couldn't start our future on blackmail and coercion.

I shook my head. "No," I whispered. "I...I do want to pay for Edie's college, so that you can use all the money that you saved to finally do something for yourself, but...but I'm not going to...bribe you or blackmail you into accepting my wishes, Talon." I could feel my eyes glossing over, but I didn't mind. I wasn't scared to be vulnerable with Talon anymore. "I...I'm going to buy a car and pay off my uncle's house, but..."

"What, baby?"

"The fight with my mom was awful, Talon," I started to explain. "She wants the money so badly that she's willing to sever all ties with me in order to strongarm me into giving in."

His face softened. "I'm sorry, White."

"I don't want her getting any of it, Talon," I went on. "I...I want to spend it on the people that I love. The people who I know will appreciate it, and...and do good with it, you know." He gave me a small nod. "I know my uncle and aunt are going to be grateful every month when they have a free check that they can enjoy, one that no longer has to go towards the mortgage, and that's what I want."

"Kenz-"

"No," I said, stopping him. "Please, let me finish, Talon." He brushed a kiss across my cheek and let me continue. "I know if...you let me pay for Edie's college, she'd be grateful on two accounts. She'd be grateful not to have to worry about school anymore, and she'd be happy that you no longer had to fight. She'd be super grateful for the money, and...and..."

Talon groaned, "You're making me feel like a real insecure jerk here, baby."

I gave him a small smile because I knew that he was trying to lighten the heaviness of my emotions right now. "I'm sorry, Talon. That's not what I'm trying to do. I'm just trying to explain what I want to do with the money."