Page 71 of Chasing Xander
She curled up in his lap and clung to him as he rocked her.
“I’m here,” he repeated, his voice soothing and compassionate. “I won’t ever let you go, Ky. I promise.”
Promise…that one small word shattered her already broken heart even more. She buried her face against his neck and cried until she ran out of tears. And he sat there, holding her and caressing her back the entire time. His hold never wavered. He never once complained.
“I can’t stay here.” Her throat burned, and each word was a challenge. “I thought I could, but I can’t. I need to get out of this house.”
Gently, Xander took her face into his hands and wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. He stared into her eyes, and she stared back. She couldn’t begin to imagine how awful she must look. But if she really was a hot mess, he didn’t seem to notice or care.
“We’ll go stay in a hotel, then. You said there was one nearby?”
She nodded.
“Okay.” He slid his hands from her face and down to her neck. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”
“Thank you.”
…
An hour later, Kylie stood in a hotel room and looked around. This room was nicer than hers at home. Bigger, too. Her gaze was drawn to the mini-bar in the corner. A lump formed in her throat, and she swallowed hard against it.
Xander set her bags on the floor near the couch. “My room is right next door, so if you need anything, just—”
“I don’t want to be alone. Will you stay?” Her voice trembled. “Please?” The moment he left, she would be tempted to empty that mini-bar.
He hesitated as if he were considering saying no. Probably because he was worried she’d try to touch him again, or that she’d try to do more.
She tucked her hands under her armpits to hide the fact they were shaking. “Tonight, when you found me in Nammy Joyce’s room, I was looking for a drink.” She took a breath. “I figured maybe my dad was onto something. Get drunk and stay that way so the pain will stop.” She hung her head as shame heated her face and neck.
Without a word, Xander walked over to the mini-bar and gathered every bottle of liquor in it. Then he proceeded to open them and pour the contents into the sink.
“Xander! What’re you doing? Those are going to be billed to the room.”
“I don’t care.” He shook his head and emptied the last bottle. “I’d much rather pay for it than have you do something you’ll regret.”
Nammy Joyce had done the same thing to try to sober up her father and get him to realize he had a problem. It hadn’t worked. Her shoulders slumped. God, she was such a mess. If her messed-up family didn’t make him want to run for the hills, the way she was acting tonight would.
“I know it hurts.” He put his finger under her chin and tilted her head up. “But drinking to numb the pain won’t make it go away.”
“I know.” She sighed. “It just hurts so much I can’t even breathe. I really don’t want to be alone right now.”
“You’re not.” He smiled softly. “I promised I wasn’t going to let you go, remember?”
That familiar twinkle flashed in his eyes, making her heart race.
“Just give me a minute or two, okay?”
She nodded. Xander went to the bathroom while she kicked off her sandals and climbed into bed. The cool sheets welcomed her tired, weary body, and she sank back against the pillows. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she was teetering on the edge of oblivion when she felt the bed dip and Xander slide in beside her. He reached for her, and she didn’t hesitate. She moved toward him and put her head on his chest at the same moment he put his arm around her shoulders.
“This okay?” he asked.
“This is perfect.” She yawned. She wanted to stay awake and savor this moment, to enjoy every second of lying in bed with him like this. But her eyelids were too heavy, and she succumbed to the peaceful darkness of sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Xander’s phone vibrated, forcing him to fully open his eyes, even though he didn’t want to. After Kylie had fallen asleep last night, he’d put his phone on silent so it wouldn’t wake her. She was still curled up next to him, her body warm and soft against his. Without disturbing her, he reached for his phone and rejected Finn’s call. That’s when he noticed he had seventeen missed calls and just as many text messages, a few of them were from Tanner and Ryder. He also noticed the time—4:39 p.m. Holy shit! Setting his phone back on the nightstand, he rubbed his hand over his face and yawned.
He hadn’t slept at all while at Kylie’s house, and then he’d heard her sobbing. Seeing her on the floor of her grandmother’s room, broken and trembling… He closed his eyes. That was an image he’d never get out of his head, no matter how much time passed. But that was nothing compared to her admitting she wanted to get drunk, and then her voice when she’d asked him to stay with her.
