Page 110 of Revenge

We had been back at the house for hours. The journey back in the car had been eerie and quiet. Once we got in, Kai said he had some calls to make and I left him to it. I didn’t know what to say, I couldn’t console him for the death of his father when that is what I had wanted.

Planting my feet on the floor, I cricked my neck from side to side as I waited for Kai to answer. Was he ghosting me after everything that had happened that day?

I had bumped into Cillian earlier on the stairs as he made his way to my mother’s room. We had shared a look, a silent understanding. I was relieved that Kai had stopped me from shooting his father. It meant I didn’t have his blood on my hands. And where Cillian was concerned, what was one more life added to the list? I did feel some contentment knowing that he did it for my mother. And the fact that Kai had given him the order to do it, told me everything I needed to know.

Kai had chosen me.

When there was still no answer, I gave up. Enough was enough, I dropped the phone onto the bed and pushed to my feet, heading to the bathroom to freshen up. Running my fingers through my hair, I stared at my face in the mirror above the sink. I still looked tired even though I had slept for over five hours. There were bluish shadows beneath my eyes.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs it was eerie. No guards were stationed at the doors. A slither of fear snaked up my spine. Where was everyone? This led me to wonder what had happened to Gerard's men.

A door down the corridor which led to Kai’s office clicked forcing me to turn and follow the sound. The marble floor was ice cold against my bare feet. As I turned the corner, Nico came out of Kai’s office. He looked worse for wear, his tie was gone and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone. His hair was also mussed like he’d run his fingers through it several times.

“Is Kai in there?” I questioned when he saw me. The serious expression he’d worn as he’d closed the door behind him shifted and he smiled weakly. It was the type of smile that suggested he’d been drinking and I could smell that he had. When he didn’t reply, I went to move past him but he shot out an arm against the door, blocking me.

“I wouldn’t, Ava. He’s not in the best shape,” Nico murmured with a slight slur.

My brow scrunched, “What do you mean?”

Nico lowered his arm and made a sweeping gesture with his fingers, “In a nutshell, he’s wasted.”

So, Kai was drunk. And why wouldn’t he be? He had given the order for his father to be shot.

Pursing my lips, I weighed up my options, I had never seen Kai intoxicated and who knew whatthatwould look like. On an exhale, I blurted, “I don’t care. I need to see him.” I then gently pushed Nico to the side, something he allowed me to do.

“I’d warn you against that, but I know you're stubborn. Just know that there is no reasoning with him when he’s like this,” he explained with a flick of his head.

As I looked up into Nico’s face, I realised his smile was forced. He too was hurting, probably for his friend and my hand automatically lifted to his shoulder. “You’re a good man, Nico, and a great friend to Kai. I know how much you care about him.”

And then his next words resonated through my entire being.

Nico shrugged and declared, “He’s a difficult man to love, Ava. You need to remember that.” His tone was now serious, almost as if he’d sobered up in a flash.

I gave him a tight smile as I wrapped my hand around the door handle, “I realise that, but I do. Withallmy heart.”

“I know,” he replied softly.

As I entered the room, I focused on closing the door before turning and placing my back against it. The open fire was lit but had burned down to only a few embers.

Kai was sitting in one of the leather Chesterfield chairs. He was cradling a glass of what I assumed was whisky against his chest and as the door clicked, he looked up.

His eyes met mine and I shoved off the door and walked towards him. A strange sensation fluttered in my stomach. I had never seen Kai look so torn, almost like a broken man. His shirt was also minus his tie and the sleeves were rolled back showing off his tatted arms.

Kai didn’t speak as I lowered myself into the chair opposite. I watched silently as he took a drink from his glass. As he did so, he turned to stare into the fire. He didn’t look drunk like Nico had, but then he was sitting down. Kai’s legs were stretched out before him and crossed at the ankle.

“What are you doing Kai?” This brought his face back around to mine.

He shrugged and raised the glass, almost as if to highlight the answer to my question, “Drowning my sorrows?”

Part of mehatedthat he feltanysorrow at all for having Gerard shot, but the man was his father.

Clearing his throat, Kai’s eyes searched my face as he added, “Isn’t that what normal people do under these circumstances?”

I leaned forward in my seat and placed a hand on his knee, “The circumstances being you had your father killed?”

A flash of distaste crossed his features, “I don’tcareabout Gerard, this hasnothingto do with him.”

His reply puzzled me, if it wasn’t about Gerard then what the hell?

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