5 Darkness Falls Read Free

remorse. “I’m sorry, Kai. I never meant to hurt you. I…I didn’t want this.”
    He stood up, pulling me into his chest ; he kissed my head repeatedly . His fingers combed through my hair and caress ed my back. “Shh. It’s okay, Leka. You’re going to be okay. I’m not mad; I’m just shocked, and maybe a little hurt. But I love you. I’ve always loved you. I want you to be happy, and if Kellan’s the one that makes you happy…” His words trailed off , as he continued to soothe me.
    The tears began to fade, and slowly, I backed out of his embrace. He wiped the last few tears from my face and placed a kiss on each cheek. I closed my eyes , leaning in to feel his touch. When my eyes opened , I found him inspecting me closely.
    Our eyes locked, and he waited until my focus was solely on him. “If he ever makes you unhappy, if he ever hurts you or endangers you, I’ll kill the bastard.” His tone was serious, but a smile playfully lifted his lips. “I’ll always be here for you. Maybe it won’t be in the way I want, but I will always be here … in whatever capacity you allow me to be.”
    “Kai.” His name was a soft whisper on my lips. I shook my head negatively. “I don’t want that. I’ve been honest with you. I love you, but I love Kellan more. I can’t give you what you want and you shouldn’t be accepting scraps from me; you should be with a woman who…” I sighed and shook my head, regrouping. “You should try to find someone else to make you happy, Kai … in every way. You deserve that kind of happiness with someone who …” Tears spilled, cascading down my cheeks. My emotions overpowered me, causing my chest to tighten and forcing me to pull away. He looked so broken, like my words were stinging. How did I ever allow myself to hurt someone that I care about so deeply?
    “Don’t blame yourself, Leka. I let my feelings for you grow to what they are. I’ve controlled myself, kept walls up with every other woman , but I chose to let you in … and I’ll never regret it.” He gazed down at me, determination etched in his features. As he faced me, his body visibly tensed; I could tell he was trying to punctuate his words with a deeper emotion.
    “Kai-“
    “Don’t.” His nostrils flared , as his lips pressed into a thin line.
    I swallowed hard, surrendering with a nod of my head. I wiped away the last of my newly-fallen tears.
    “How far along are you? I don’t hear a heartbeat yet.”
    “I’ll be six weeks tomorrow.”
    I heard his teeth grinding. He took a deep breath, expelling it in a long -drawn-out sigh. He tilted his head tenderly and stood motionless, silently studying me. Slowly the tension disappeared. He relaxed his body, as if finally coming to terms with what was happening, choosing to accept it rather than fight it. “Are you happy?”
    “It’s not what I had planned, but I’m not angry. I know everything happens for a reason.”
    “A baby is something to be happy about, Leka. Don’t let anyone rain on your parade.” A smile lifted his lips. “How about we go shopping? I’ll buy you your first baby item.”
    I smiled softly. “Sorry, but Beth and Aunt Claire have you beat.”
    “Have they given it to you yet?”
    “No.”
    “Ah, then I can still be the first.” He grabbed a set of car keys from the fireplace mantel. “Let’s go.”
    “Drexel is waiting out front.”
    “Of course. Tell him I’ve got you and the baby covered. I’ll drop you off at your condo later.”
    “Okay.” My heart swelled with relief and love. In this moment I loved Kai a little more. The woman he ended up with - the right woman for him - was going to be a very lucky lady.
    Kai opened the front door , watching me closely as I approached Drexel, who was casually leaning against his army - issued vehicle.
    Drexel turned his gaze to Kai before looking over at me. “Everything okay?”
    I nodded. “He’s going to take me shopping. He said that he would protect me