Page 72 of Make Her Bleed
Mi amor? That can only mean …
"Nico?" I don't pick up my head, but I feel him hug me from behind which opens up the floodgates even more.
"What happened?"
I cry harder, my entire body shaking. "He broke my heart."
"Come here, corazón." I turn in his arms and he rubs my spine as I cry harder. "The first cut always hurts the worst. I'm so sorry, mi amor."
I don't know how I'd make it through this ache without Nico holding me together.
"Crying is healthy. If you don't cry, you don't heal. That's what my mother always says."
Crying is healing. If that's true, why does it feel like I'm being broken instead of put back together?
* * *
Once my tears run dry,I'm full of anger and resentment. This is all Kai's fault. He's the one who planted this idea in Rowe's head. I know this is one of his torture methods, but I can't figure out which one of us he's trying to hurt or why.
I charge into Kai's office but find he's missing from it. Where the fuck is he?
I'm about to walk out and search the entire house for him, but my eyes settle on a picture inside the glass case with all his awards and trophies, like some twisted badge of honor.
I step closer and examine it.
It's an old picture, probably from before I was born. It must be from a high school dance or prom because Kai is in a suit, holding a stunningly beautiful brunette in his arms, decked out in a sleek purple dress. Her smile is radiant and she looks truly happy.
So does he. I've never seen him smile in a way that's genuine and so fucking real.
Whatever is messed up in Kai's head, this girl is the key to why and possibly the way to fix him.
"What are you doing in here?" I hear his gravelly voice but don't turn to him.
"Who is she?" I ask. "She looks … familiar."
I don't know why or how, but I've seen her somewhere before. I turn to Kai and the darkness in his eyes drains every bit of wind from my sails.
"Her name is Teigan Harper," he answers.
I think he might attack me, but instead, he walks over, opens the glass case, and pulls out the picture frame. He flips over the frame, opens it, and pulls out the picture before handing it over to me. It unfolds in my hands, revealing an unseen side with my dad and … a girl who looks identical to me.
"Mom?" I see a few traits she has that I don't, but mostly, it's like looking in the mirror. All except my blue eyes. Hers are brown.
"Teigan was your mother's best friend." The way he says this doesn't sit well with me, like anyone having anything to do with my mother is frowned upon. What the hell?
"Was she your date to prom or something?" I ask, more joking than anything.
Kai is a cold fish. He hasn't had a girlfriend as long as I can remember.
"She was my girlfriend," he admits, which shocks me.
Kai actually had a girlfriend.
He gently takes the picture from me and sets it on his desk, taking a ragged breath.
Is he getting … emotional?
A small part of me wants to hug him, but this is the man who has tortured me so I refrain from any contact.
