Love Me | Series Book #1

THIRTY EIGHT

"Kaya," Chase repeated. He'd been calling my name for five minutes, but I couldn't react.

No one was home, and no one would be home for a couple of days. Aaron's team had an overnight tournament in Houston, and both my parents had gone with him. My dad managed to tear my begrudging mother away from the office with the promise of a facials and back massages offered in the hotel's spa inclusion.

"Is everything okay?" Chase asked.

No. God, no. Nothing was okay.

But then he followed my gaze, like a spotlight, to the car that sat in the driveway. My fingers shook as I released the seatbelt.

I could dodge him. I would walk into the house, and I wouldn't even look in his direction. I would lock the door right behind me...

"Kay," Chase pressed on.

"I'm fine," I said, knowing that he knew I was anything but. "Thanks for the ride."

His eyes lingered on the view ahead of us. The locks were still down as he hadn't made a move to let me out. If I didn't make a decision soon then Chase would definitely realize what was wrong. I couldn't have him get in the middle of this. Not again.

"Can you let me out?" I asked.

But, he didn't. His eyes were still on Mason. I could see the gears turning over in his mind, as if every single missing piece were finally falling into place. I prayed that he wouldn't ask me. Please just don't ask. Because then I would have to tell, and I don't think even I could stop myself from falling over that mountain after taking the first step towards the edge. Once it all spilled out I'd be free-falling, with nothing to hold onto as I descended.

"Chase," I tried again. "Let me out. Please."

At once, he relented and released the locks.

I grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder before shutting the door behind me. I kept my attention locked on my feet, following each step across the gravel of my driveway up to the front step of my door.

Damn it, the key.

It was all the way at the bottom of my backpack, buried under the weight of my books. My hands shook as I shifted through it all until I spotted the silver keyring. From the hum of his engine, I could tell that Chase hadn't yet pulled away. I mentally thanked him, upon realization that he wasn't going anywhere until he saw that I was safely inside.

It was only after I twisted the key into the door and let it close behind me, that I released the breath that I'd been holding. But, my body shook violently with tremors. The doorknob was slippery under my grasp as nausea circled in the pit of my stomach.

I slid down against the door, pressing my back against the its cold surface. I hadn't even realized how clammy I felt, or how flushed my skin had become. I couldn't stand that he still had a hold on me this way. How just the mere sight of his presence could evoke such a reaction from my own body. As if parts of myself didn't even belong to me, but to him. And the worst part about it all, is he knew. He knew it, and he used it to his own advantage, to keep me here.

Stuck.

Mrs. Peterson couldn't do anything for me. She should that she could, but she couldn't. And neither could Rachel, or Chase, or anyone else in my life who thought that they knew better than he did. Because, ultimately, it was me to blame. I was the one who opened the door for him into my life. I let him inside, simply watching, as he tore the entire house into ruins, depreciating its value until it was worth only a mere fraction of what it used to be.

How dare I try to raise the price now.

The front pocket of my jeans vibrated as a text message came through. The nausea had at least cleared, so I could see straight. I don't know who else's name I expected to see as I read the message displayed on my screen.