Page 12 of Restitution

“Do you want to go to the hospital? To Kade? If you… If you think I slept with you without your consent, do you want to report me? I’ll explain what I can to Kade and hand myself in.”

Pressure builds behind my eyes. I believe him. “It wasn’t your fault. I think my brother brought me here as punishment.”

Thinking back to last night, my head hurts. I was at the club with Chris and his friends, and he forced me to swallow a pill, then another and another. He held my jaw and yelled at me to drink to flush down the drugs.

He made me dance.

Someone’s fingers were… I said no.

And then it all went blank.

Jason… where did he come from?

I remember seeing him in the club. It was brief, when Chris tried to manhandle me onto the dance floor, or was it off it?

I drop my head to my hands. “I’m so sorry,” I say. Chris brought him into this. And not only has he ruined my relationship, but he’s also ruined Jason and Giana’s. “It’s my brother. He’s a monster. He would have set this up. He’s like that. He’s evil and manipulative. He… hewould have made me do this to get back at me for being with Kade.”

I hiccough, and a lump of sick climbs up my throat.

“I… I came off my pill because me and Kade were trying for another baby. What if? What if we—” I struggle to finish the sentence, the forbidden question that makes me ill. “I love Kade. I thought you were Kade when I woke up. I need to tell him. I can’t keep this from him.”

“I don’t remember anyone else being in here. I think… I think we just came here. I don’t know. We’ll both tell Kade. We’ll explain ourselves. The last thing I said to my brother was to keep you safe and keep his chin up.” He lets out a disgusted snort, his own eyes red as they water. “Andthishappens.”

“What about your fiancée?”

Jason stares at me. “I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me for this. Regardless of the circumstances. She’s at work.” He glances at the clock. “She’ll be home in a few hours.” He stands. “I’m going to take you to hospital.”

“No!” I reach up and grab his arm. “I just want to go home.”

“I’ll pick you up once I speak to Gi. We’ll talk to Kade.” He wipes his cheek, sniffs and nods. “I’m sorry, Stacey.”

My lip trembles. “I’m sorry too.”

By the time he drops me off at home, barely able to walk into my house without cringing in pain, I feel a heaviness on my chest. Both physically and mentally.

I’m waiting for my world to end.

Chris is playing music in his room. Nora is at a charity event with my dad. And Kyle is at college.

I slowly make my way up the stairs, crawling the last flight, and locking my room door behind me. The shower is boiling, turning my skin red, and I sob until I can’t anymore as I wash away all the mess.

The water goes from red to a light pink to clear, and I stay here,even after it turns cold. I’m not sure how long it takes me to get out and dress, then I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling as I think of a million ways to make Kade not hate me forever.

I’m going to lose him.

A knock at the door doesn’t faze me. Even when it opens thanks to my stepbrother’s annoying ability to unlock it from the outside. He chuckles and faintly, I hear him ask, “Rough night?”

My eyes don’t leave the ceiling.

“You left this in the club,” he says, dropping my phone on my chest. “You really shouldn’t drink. You were quite the mess last night.”

When he gets no response, he kisses my cheek and leaves.

A tear slides down the side of my face, past my ear, and soaks my pillow.

An hour goes by. And the pain gets worse. Jason will pick me up soon, and we’ll go to Kade.

At some point, I check my phone, and my heart twists in my chest when I see all the messages from Kade. Some from my friends. Tylar asking me to go over plans for the studio Ewan is building in the manor. Luciella telling me I need to visit because she’s always bored and Base keeps pestering her.