Page 63 of Revenge

“Why not.”

Experience told me to remain silent. I knew Kai was building up to say something.

After adding pepper and a smattering of cheese to my meal, Kai took his seat. I glanced down at the spaghetti, my stomach suddenly waking up.

“It looks great,” I said softly.

He appreciated the compliment. One side of Kai’s mouth tugged up and then we started eating. It was odd as I knew it should feel weird, behaving so civilised and sharing a meal, but it didn’t. It was like old times but much more grown up. When I was an early teen, we’d eat cheeseburgers together.

Halfway through the meal, Kai stopped and raised his chin. His face looked strained and I wondered what he was going to say.

I didn’t have long to wait.

“I can’t turn back the clock, Ava; all I can do is apologise for not being there.”

“Thank you, I guess.”

“If you want to tell me exactly what happened I’m ready to listen.” I could tell from the expression on his face how much it cost him to say those words. To encourage me to share the sick way Gerard had behaved towards me. Gerard, Kai’s father, the man heusedto look up to.

I realised that I didn’thaveto share the gory details. Kai believed me and that was enough.

“It’s done now, Kai. It’s in the past,” I explained.

“Maybe it would help to talk about it. To give you some closure,” he suggested.

My lips twisted, “But I can’t get closure, Kai.”

His brow creased and I pointed out, “The only way to get closure would be to face him and that’s impossible now,” I pointed out. “I willneverbe able to get justice for what he did.” I hated the painful truth of that, the way Gerard had cheated me out of my revenge by dying.

“Justice?” Kai repeated, placing his fork down. His tone of voice sounded off.

I raised my chin, “Yes. Because he’s dead.”

A strange expression crossed Kai’s features and he opened his mouth to say something but stopped.

“What?” I asked, wondering what he had been about to say.

Pushing back in his seat, Kai rolled his shoulders. I had probably made him uncomfortable. The death of a parent would never be easy to talk about, even if the guy was a scum bag. He was still Kai’s father.

“I’m sorry, Ava. On behalf of both of us.”

I felt a twinge of annoyance that he thought I’d accept an apology from Gerard but I needed to move the conversation on to my future. Surely, he’d let me go now he knew the truth. Gerard’s treatment of me was a motive for sending him to prison. Kai had asked for my reasons and now he had them.

Leaning back in my chair I placed my cutlery down, “I just want to move forward with my life now, Kai. Without having to look over my shoulder.”

“I understand that but it’s not that simple, Ava.”

Kai’s words forced my insides to churn. I knew it wouldn’t be straightforward, nothing about Kai ever was.

“But I’ve told youwhyI did what I did,” I pointed out, flustered.

“Yes. But you haven’t told me who helped you.”

Shit. I should have known he wouldn’t leave it there.

I evil-eyed Kai across the table but he only smiled, a slight tug to his lips but it was there.

Kai’s eyes dropped to my mouth and he raised his hand and tapped the side of his, “You’ve missed a bit,” he said.

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