Page 44 of Off-Limits Bad Boy

“He’s letting you stay here until I’ve had enough. And I’ve had enough. I suggest you go now,” I say.

Ryan hesitates, glancing at Kade one more time before storming out, slamming the door behind him. The moment of silence that follows is deafening.

“Thank you,” I whisper, folding my arms around myself. Kade closes the distance between us and pulls me into his arms. And I realize there’s nowhere I’d rather be.

Chapter Eighteen

Kade

My heart tap dances in my chest as I make my way to my front door.

I’m not expecting someone to stand up and ambush me on my porch, and when Stella approaches me, I say a silent prayer that whatever she’s here for, it’ll be easy to convince her to leave. I’m not in the mood for whatever drama she’s about to unleash on me.

She focuses on me, her expression soft. The flutter of her blue eyes and the sprinkle of freckles across her nose don't stir anything in me like they used to. She’s a closed chapter in my life that I don’t miss or wish to reopen.

“Why are you here?” My voice comes out sharper than I intend. She stiffens as if I’ve struck her, and I take a deep breath, clinging to the buzz from my time with Emma that still hums under my skin. Her arms wind around herself and she speaks in a low voice.

“Can we talk?” She sounds almost... hopeful as she stands, dusting off her jeans and reminding me of our teenage years when she’d climb trees or ride horses, then would pat the dust, dirt, and grit of her time spent being playful from her clothing with a rueful grin.

“About what?” My voice is cool, detached. There's nothing left to say that could change things between us.

“Us.” She smiles a flirty grin and tilts her head as if she can charm me into changing my mind. Not going to happen. “Is there any chance we could try again? Start over?”

The question hangs in the air between us as I consider how to respond, even though there’s only one answer. “No, Stella, there isn't.” I walk past her to my front door, shutting her down.

But she’s not done. “Is there someone else?”

I glance over my shoulder at her and notice the curiosity brightening her features. But her eagerness feels oddly out of place.

“Maybe.” I shrug, thoughts of Emma making my heart beat a rhythm that’s only for her now. “But it's not your concern.”

“Who is she?” Stella moves to my side, searching my face for clues.

I shake my head, a small smirk playing on my lips, despite the situation. “You don't get to know everything, Stella. We’re not close like that anymore.”

Stella's shoulders drop just a fraction, the hint of defeat clouding her pretty eyes. But she nods, accepting my boundary with a grace I hadn't expected.

“Okay,” she whispers, stepping back. “I had to ask.”

“Goodbye, Stella.” I slide my key into the lock of my door, dismissing the memories of high school love and romance, and the woman I once thought would be the center of my life.

I flick the light switch, illuminating the kitchen and make my way to my coffee pot, craving caffeine. The metallic hiss of the coffee maker fills the silence as I scoop the dark grounds into the filter—the start of my daily ritual to ground me back to reality. The mouthwatering scent fills my lungs, a perfume that I can’t resist.

“Is there anything I can do to change your mind?” Stella's voice pulls me from my thoughts.

Squeezing my eyes closed, I ask the universe for strength. I glance over my shoulder and see her standing in the doorway as if frozen in place. Something in her eyes tugs at some forgotten corner of my heart. But it's just that—a memory, a shadow of what used to be.

“Stella, we had our time. It's gone now.” My voice is firm, but gentle. I don't want to hurt her, but I also don’t want to offer even a shred of false hope.

“Kade...” She steps closer, her perfume invading my space as she comes into my house as if she belongs. “I just...”

My need to shut things down wins out over my need to be kind for a moment. “Listen,” I say, turning away to pour the steaming coffee into a mug, hoping the action will steel my resolve. “I cared for you. Deeply. That will always be part of who I was... who I am. But you're a stranger to me now.”

She flinches, the hurt flashing in her blue eyes before she masks it with a wobbly smile. “I understand,” she whispers, wrapping her arms around herself as if holding the pieces of her broken heart together. I don’t understand how she can still be so attached after all these years. I’m a stranger to her now, too; why can’t she see or accept that?

“I’m sorry,” I say, hating the feeling of guilt welling up in me. This isn’t my burden to carry.

She nods, her lips pressed into a thin line. “It's okay, Kade. I had to try, right?”

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