Page 42 of Silent Secrets

“Then I think we’re done for the night.” My mom moves over to run her hand over my head. “It was lovely to see all of you, but I think we should let the boys get back to it, hmmm?”

There’s some grumbling from Gabe, Eve, and Kam, but soon we’re all walking back to the palace so that our parents can return home. Marcos, Hunter, and I stick close to Kai, making sure that Kam doesn’t have a chance to get him alone again. I’m fairly certain Kam realizes what we’re doing, but he won’t call us out on it.

The walk back seems to take forever and then we have to wait for our parents to say goodbye. Kam tries to lead Kai away while we’re saying goodbye to our own parents, which I won’t let happen.

Pressing one last kiss to my mom’s cheek, I duck around the corner that they’d just turned to find Kam pressing Kai against the wall, his hand wrapped too tightly around Kai’s arm as he leans in, hissing in his face.

“Kam, I didn’t miss you. Good,” I call out loudly, grinning as Kam drops his hold on Kai and glances over my shoulder to see if anyone else heard me call out—they did, I made sure of it.

“Caiden, what can I do for you?” Kam’s disdain for me drips from his words.

“My sisters wanted me to ask if they could come and visit Bella before the baby comes. Have a girl’s day.”

Of course, they did no such thing, seeing as they can’t stand Bella. But my sisters love me and I know that they’ll suck it up if I ask them to.

“And why are you bothering me with this? They can set it up with Bella themselves.”

I ignore the annoyance leaking from him as I smile. “Oh, I know. I tried to convince them of that, but they want it to be a surprise. So I thought I would ask you when it might be a good day to set it up.”

Kam’s jaw clenches as Gabe calls to him from behind me. “I’ll check our schedule and get back to you.”

“Thank you, Kam. They’ll be so happy to hear that.”

Kam turns his glare to Kai. “Son.”

“Father.” Kai keeps his head bowed as he nods.

Kam continues to glare at him for another moment before shaking his head, eyes flashing at me in anger before rushing past me. Air rushes from Kai’s lungs as he slumps against the wall as soon as his dad is out of view.

“You shouldn’t do that, Cade.”

“Do what? Make sure that he doesn’t hurt you more than he already has?” I shake my head, not wanting to hear his answer. Kam doesn’t scare me, but what he does to Kai pisses me off, and that will always be my overriding feeling when it comes to that man.

“I don’t want to hear it, Kai. What’s done is done, but we have somewhere to be.”

“What do you mean?”

I shake my head, nodding for him to follow me as I lead us toward Hadley’s rooms. Once I’m sure we’re far enough away, I sigh. “The only way that I kept Hadley from losing her shit was by telling her that we’d come see her after our parents were gone. She’s worried about you.”

“And what?” Kai demands, eyes widening as he glances at me. “You want me to tell her that I’m so weak that I let my father beat the crap out of me? That seems like a great way to get her to choose me as one of her consorts.”

He snorts, rolling his eyes, and I don’t tell him that I think it’s the perfect way to get her to choose him. I don’t tell him because I know he won’t believe me. Looking away, I focus on where we’re going instead of on the man that I’m head over heels in love with.

“I think she’ll surprise you,” is all I tell him before we continue our trek in silence.

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