Page 65 of The Devil's Chaos

“Haven, I…” he began, his voice faltering. “It’s not what it looks like.”

I laughed, but it was a hollow, broken sound. “Jesus, Kai! How stupid do you really think I am? It’s exactly what it looks like! And here I thought…” My voice broke as a fresh wave of tears streamed down my face. He reached for me again, desperation etched on his handsome features.

“Please, let me explain,” he pleaded. “There are things about my family, about our history, that you don’t understand. It’s complicated, but I swear to you, my feelings for you are real. What we have is real.”

I shook my head vehemently, backing away from him. “I understand enough, and I don’t want to hear any more of your lies. There’s nothing complicated about getting sucked off by another woman. Your brother’s soon-to-be-wife. I moved past the fucking hunt you all participate in, but this is too much. Was this all just a part of your sick game? Seduce the naïve daughter of your enemy, only to crush her heart in the end? I can’t believe I was foolish enough to trust you and think that someone like you could care about me.”

Tears streamed down my face as I choked on the words, each one slicing through me like a razor blade. The pain was unbearable, a searing agony that consumed every fiber of my being.

His face crumpled. “Haven, please,” he begged, his voice breaking. “It’s not like that at all. I know how it looks, but there’s so much more to the story. I wanted to tell you. I tried so many times.”

“You had plenty of chances to come clean, Kai,” I scoffed bitterly. “I’m done listening to your excuses and half-truths. You chose to keep me in the dark, feeding me pretty words and empty promises while you were off fucking Mila, Maddie, and who knows how many other girls, and now I know why.”

His shoulders sagged, the weight of his guilt bearing down on him. “I was trying to protect you, Haven. I never meant for you to find out like this. You have to believe me. I never meant to hurt you. I lo?—”

“Don’t!” I cut him off harshly, holding up a trembling hand. “Don’t you dare say it. Not now. Not after this.”

I couldn’t bear to hear those words from his lips, not when every promise, every tender moment between us now felt tainted by his betrayal.

“Please give me the chance to make this right. To explain everything.”

I shook my head, my heart hardening with each passing second. “I don’t have to listen to anything you say anymore, Kai. You’ve shown me who you really are, and I want any part of it—of you.”

Each word was a dagger twisting in my chest, but I forced them out, needing him to feel the depth of my pain. I turned away from him, unable to look at his face a moment longer. The face that had once filled me with such warmth and desire now only brought pain and revulsion.

“We’re done. Whatever this was between us, it’s over.”

I started to walk away, my vision blurred by tears. I needed to get out of there and put as much distance between Kai and me as possible. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight with him so close.

"Haven, wait!" He called after me, his footsteps pounding on the pavement as he chased me.

I quickened my pace, hitching up my gown so I could move faster. But Kai was faster. He caught up to me easily, his hand grasping my elbow to stop me.

“Let go of me!” I wrenched my arm free from his grasp, whirling to face him. “Don’t fucking touch me! You don’t get to touch me anymore. Not after what you’ve done.”

“I said let go!” I screamed, drawing alarmed glances from nearby guests. A few of Kai's bodyguards stepped forward, their hands resting on the guns at their hips, ready to intervene.

Kai held up his free hand, signaling for them to stand down. “Give us a minute,” he commanded, his voice brokering no argument. They nodded and stepped back, but I could feel their watchful gazes on us.

He turned back to me, his blue eyes pleading. “Haven, I know you're hurt and angry right now, and you have every right to be. But please, don't do this. Don't throw away what we have without giving me a chance to explain.”

I stared at him in silence, so he continued.

“Why am I wrong for what I did when you literally fuck men for money?” he scoffed in anger.

Once those words left his mouth, I knew he regretted them, but there was no taking them back. They were already hovering in the toxic space between us.

“The difference is I never lied to you about it.”

“Oh, so you can fuck whoever you want?—”

“I don’t have a choice!” I screamed. “You, of all people, know that.”

“You always have a choice,” he sneered.

“Fuck you, Kai Montgomery. If you come near me again, I’ll kill you.”

I reached the valet stand, my chest heaving with exertion and emotion. “My car, now!” I demanded. The startled attendant scrambled to comply, running to retrieve my vehicle. I slid into the driver’s seat, slamming the door behind me. My hands shook violently as I jabbed my finger at the push-to-start ignition. The engine roared to life, and I peeled out of the driveway, tires screeching against the pavement. In the rearview mirror, I could see Kai standing in the driveway, his figure growing smaller as I sped away. Part of me wanted to turn back, to hear him out and give him a chance to explain. But I couldn’t because I knew that if I looked into his blue eyes, the ones that held such tenderness when he looked at me, all I’d see reflected back was my shattered heart.

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