Page 72 of Diluted Truths
“Why did you think that?” Kai asked, confused.
“Well your wife made it seem that way when she called us,” Jackie responded while eyeing Mckinley, whose ears were red with embarrassment.
Kai turned to her, even more confused. “You told them I was dying?”
She stuttered trying to explain herself. “I-I didn’t think they would come. You said you wanted to see them so I got them here.”
Kai sighed and rubbed temples as though he had a headache. “Can you give me a moment to talk to them? Alone?”
She just nodded in response as she stood and walked away. Once she was out of earshot he continued. “I’m really sorry about her.”
“Please explain why you married her? She was horrible to us back in high school,” said Theo.
“It’s a long story.” Kai sighed. “One I don’t want to get into right now. I’m just sorry she lied to get you guys here. When I got hurt, one of the guys on my team asked what I needed. I was really drugged up on pain killers because they were trying to get me out of the field and I said you two. I guess he told Mckinley and she called you.”
Jackie stood and sat next to her brother. Theo followed suit, handing me Violet who settled on my lap and then took a seat on the other side of her brother.
“I’m glad she called, I just wished she wouldn’t have stressed us out so much,” Jackie stated. “Can you tell us what happened?”
He shook his head. “I wish. I promise I would if I could.”
“I know you would,” Theo sighed as she took in the sight of her brother, “I’m sorry it took us so long to come here to see you.”
“Don’t you dare apologize. I get why. If I could, I would never come back here either. I should have gone to see you two more. Or even called. I guess after Nate died… it was just too hard.”
They were all silent for a moment before Jackie spoke up. “It’s not the same without him.”
“It never will be,” he remarked, “but you’re here now. How long are y’all in town?”
I shrugged. “We have no plan, I guess however long you want us here.”
He smiled at me. “Good. We have extra rooms y’all can stay in. Grab your stuff and I’ll show you where.”
I grabbed all of our bags from the car and followed Kai down the hall where the guest rooms were. I dropped Theo and Violet’s bags in one and mine and Jackie’s in another. As I turned to leave, I was stopped by Kai in the doorway shooting me a suspicious glance.
“What?” I asked.
He stared a moment longer before responding. “How old are you?”
“Thirty-four.”
He marinated on my response. I knew there was an age gap between Jackie and I, but it wasn’t as though she was eighteen and I was twenty-five. She was twenty-seven. A fully grown woman who could make her own choices, and I was lucky enough to be one of them.
“Treat her well, okay,” Kai finally responded.
“Of course.”
“I’m going to be her big brother for a minute. God knows I have years of that to make up for,” he began as he sat at the foot of the bed and I sat next to him. “Jackie and Theo deserve the world. A world Nate and I fought hard to give them. I… I love them more than you could ever understand. The shit we went through together because of our parents bonded us in ways you couldn’t understand. Just… just don’t hurt her.”
I nodded. “Of course I won’t, but I thought it was Nate who got her and Theo out. What do you mean youandNate fought for them?”
Kai sighed before looking at me. It was unnerving how similar he looked to his sisters. “I won’t go into too much detail and please keep this between us. But, the night Nate got them out, I was there too. Someone had to make sure our parents didn’t follow them. That’s why I stayed here while they left. I kept an eye on my parents, kept them away from Jack and Theo.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Our parents aren’t good people,” Kai began. He paused for a moment, as if trying to decide just how much to tell me. “I tell you this just because I need you to keep an eye out for Jack and Theo. I know about the Bly family, and if you are the Bly I think you are, you have the money to keep them safe. Our parents are fucking crazy. They beat all of us, abused us emotionally and physically for some idiotic beliefs. Nate and I got the worst of the physicality, honestly probably Nate more than me. They were cruel and vindictive and more stubborn than you know.”
“It’s been thirteen years, and you still think they are a threat to Jackie?”
