Page 19 of The Pucking Fake Marriage (The Ice Kings #4)

EIGHTEEN

THE PORCH SHOWDOWN (CHARLIE)

There’s bile squelching around in my gut as I step up to the Edwards’ porch, milling with neighbors and acquaintances. The mild December weather and the overhead heated lamps have allowed the guests to spread the party outside, enjoying the unusually balmy night.

“You don’t need to look like you’re about to witness an assassination.” My mother, who is at my elbow, rolls her eyes at me. Under her white cashmere coat, she’s wearing a knee-length, A-line emerald silk dress, subtly shimmering in the light. Her slender wrists are adorned with delicate bracelets. There’s a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. No doubt she’s hoping that tonight will end in what she thinks is another entertaining scene.

I don’t know whether to resent her for it.

“You saw what happened the last time we came here,” I remind her as she rings the doorbell. Inside the home, we can hear the sounds of festivities. The Edwards decided to throw a Christmas party. Half of the neighborhood is probably in there, spread out between the porch, the living room, and the kitchen. As nervous as I feel about seeing a community of people I haven’t interacted with in years, nothing beats the fact that I will be running into Ken for the first time in weeks.

My heart constricts with the memory of our last conversation. Since I reconnected with him, I struggled between wanting him and hating him for what he did, but I never considered telling him. Ever. But then, while he was holding me with his dick deep inside of me, teasing me and turning my body against me, I considered the fact that Ken didn’t even know enough to feel guilty about what he did. He went on living his life these past few years, unbothered by how I suffered for his actions.

I decided I couldn’t live with that anymore.

Not that it made a difference. Ken didn’t even react. His expression hadn’t changed. He’d walked out of the house and didn’t come back.

Meanwhile, I spent the whole day crying.

Even now, I feel ridiculous for hurting about it. What did I expect? Besides, nothing he could say would change the past. A part of me will always resent him for what he did, even if my business is doing well now.

But then a huge part of me had also hoped for something. That Ken would at least acknowledge his mistake. Apologize. Tell me he hadn’t meant to. Do anything that would make me feel better. Especially since this life, our new life, was something I was starting to get used to. Something I was starting to want.

“I should have stayed with Dad at home,” I mutter, more to myself than my mom.

She gives me a stern look. “Definitely not. You’ve got nothing to hide. On the contrary…” Her lip twitches, and I get a sense that she hates whatever she’s about to say next. “Yo u’ve done pretty well. A lot of my friends talk about your restaurant and how well it’s doing.”

Knowing that my mother wouldn’t have anything good to say about me if Ken hadn’t handed me the loan only stokes the riot raging in me. I ignore the feeling as best as I can.

“Plus…” My mom looks like she’s trying hard not to smile. “Your presence always makes the Edwards household… interesting .”

I resist the urge to scream in her face just as the door opens. I turn around, my heart already in my throat. But I relax almost instantly. The tall, dark-haired man standing in front of us in a suit is only Kali.

“Oh. Hi.” He takes our coats and fixes a broad smile on his face. “You look stunning as always, Ariel.” He gives me a once over and adds, “You too, Charlie.” Then he extends his arm to my mother. “Some people have migrated to the porch but let me show you where the real party is.”

Grinning broadly, my mother follows him, leaving me alone at the doorstep.

I glance down at my outfit. It’s a simple gray jumpsuit, dull enough to blend in with the background. I take my first tentative step into the house. As I suspected, there are more than two dozen people around, lounging on the couches, playing chess on the dining table, a few women drinking wine huddled in a corner. I’m relieved to see that most people around are my parents’ age—this isn’t going to be another high school reunion, apparently. I slip past the living room and the kitchen without anyone noticing me. Still, my heart is hammering in my chest, and it’s not hard to figure out why.

Ken is in here somewhere.

Just weeks ago, I was certain Ken wouldn’t betray me again. But now, he sort of has.

The first time he did it, I avoided him for ten whole years. Who knows how long I’ll go this time around.

And I’m ready to start.

Over the past two weeks, I poured over the internet, researching an annulment. I plan to move out of his house after Christmas and end our marriage permanently.

It’s the only way I can move on. Thankfully, this version of Ken’s betrayal doesn’t come with total career ruin.

“Charlie!”

I turn around, dread forming in my chest. Thankfully, it’s just Elizabeth, Ken and Kali’s mother. She’s wearing a Christmas hat and, compared to my mom, is dressed down. She’s tucked away in a corner with a gaggle of ladies I vaguely recognize. After a few awkward introductions, she takes me by the hand and leads me back to the porch.

“I’ve been seeing photos and reviews of your restaurant,” she says with a cheeky grin. “Your menu looks awfully like our weekly rotation.”

My cheeks burn with embarrassment. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I should have asked you before I took your ideas for inspiration.”

She waves a hand. “It’s the best compliment you could have given me. Please, use what you want. You’ve always been obsessed with my cooking, and I’ve got myself some bragging rights. Looks like you’ve perfected the recipes too. Ken is a good teacher.”

It’s hard to maintain a smile now, but I do it anyway. “You’re right, Ken walked me through a few steps.” A sinking feeling forms in my gut as I acknowledge the obvious. No matter how many walls I build between myself and Ken, I’m always going to have to live with the fact that he helped me rebuild my life.

And I don’t even know how to feel about that.

“You’re doing great, sweetie,” she says, giving me a warm hug. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks,” I say, some of my tension oozing out. For a second, I wonder what my life would have been like if Elizabeth was my mom, how much more supported I would have been. But then, I recall what Ken’s life was like and push away that thought. We did bond over feeling rejected by our parents.

“Where’s Ken?” I ask now, in as casual a tone as I can muster. Maybe I can keep a physical distance between us until I return back to the city.

She rolls her eyes. “You know him, moping around the house and casting a dark cloud over everyone. He only came back this morning, but I think he’s slipped out again. Or maybe he’s back, who knows?” With another cheeky grin, she turns back to her friends.

Moping around the house. My mind instantly goes to wondering if Ken’s upset about what I said. But then I hate myself for thinking that. I don’t want to know what Ken feels like about anything. All I know is what he did.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I catch Kali coming out to the porch with my mother. He’s talking rather loudly about his flight, catching the attention of everyone. Bile rises in me, but I decide to follow them. Ken’s going to be anywhere but near his brother, and maybe I can use that to my advantage.

Most of the people seem to be drinking wine while chatting about their upcoming cruises or grandchildren. Kali walks past them, stopping under a lamp.

“Didn’t I tell you that you were going to love this?” Kali mutters to my mom. “Beats talking about your children’s marriages, doesn’t it?”

My mother beams lovingly at him. “Yeah, especially when I’ve got nothing to report.”

Disgust swirls within me as I watch them nibble on finger food. Ken isn’t exactly the poster child for a great romantic partner right now, but it still stuns me that I wasted so much time with Kali. How was I so blind to what a dingbat he is?

“You know, Bettie’s kid is getting married,” my mother is saying to Kali, who is nodding thoughtfully. “She keeps going on about color schemes and whatnot.”

“Charlie’s going to get married soon.” Something about the evil grin on Kali’s face is a giveaway that he’s merely saying what he believes to be a consoling lie. “You’ll be in the thick of it soon enough.”

I try to muster the urge to go up to him and punch him in the face, but I can’t bring myself to. I’ve dealt with the Edwards twins long enough to tire of them for a lifetime. I’d rather listen and boil with fury than immerse myself in this mess even more.

“I don’t know. We always hoped Charlie and you would get together, but…”

My mother stops talking at the sound of someone shuffling around. I turn toward the direction of the noise.

Ken is suddenly standing on the porch, seemingly appearing from nowhere.

My entire being ossifies into stone. I want to disappear back into the house and keep running from there. If I have to endure being around him even for one second, I will combust into flames. But somehow, I find myself drawn in. Compelled to just look at him, unable to move.

He’s wearing a Philly Titans tracksuit, the brown color contrasting oddly with the Christmas decorations strung around the porch. His face is a mask of cold indifference. He looks like he’s gotten a new haircut over the last two weeks, and something about that makes me hurt a little, to know that life has proceeded normally for him.

All the while I’ve been with Ken, I’ve been scared of many things. Of being hurt again. Of getting too attached. Of forming a real friendship.

But it’s the one thing I never thought to fear that is now happening to me.

The fact that I’m in love with him. No matter how much I fight and run, it’s the truth. Deep down, I always loved him. Even when I turned him down because Kali was the safer option.

Ken takes a few steps toward the entrance, raking his eyes over the crowd huddling under the lamps. Suddenly, there’s an uproar, most of the men turning to him to greet him and thump him on the back. Outside of his little ballet-loving family, Ken is a hero in this town, the only kid good enough to play in the league. He barely seems to notice the adoration. His gaze keeps sweeping over the porch…looking for me.

My heart stops beating as our eyes meet. I notice a few more details, the bags under his eyes, the fact that he’s not even smiling—a rare occasion. For a second, I wonder what he’s going to do next. Come to me? Take me upstairs? And—my cheeks glow with heat—claim me as his?

I hate myself for it, but I wouldn’t mind that one bit. Picking up from where we left off.

But Ken’s eyes stay on me for only a second longer. The next moment, he’s looking away, his eyes moving to the man standing with my mother and enjoying a drink. His eyes stay on Kali, and I notice them darken .

Even before it happens, there’s a sickening feeling in my gut.

Ken shoulders through the crowd congratulating him, literally pushing some of the men out of his way. There’s a general sound of surprise and disgruntlement, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He heads right up to his brother, who only has time to turn and flash a cocky grin at him before Ken throws a punch at his face. Kali’s nose breaks, blood splattering everywhere.

I hear myself yell, but the loud gasps from people nearby muffle the sound. Within seconds, Ken has got Kali flat on his back. He punches him over and over, turning his face into a bloodied mess. I stare at them, my ears ringing, hardly believing what I see. All around us, pandemonium is reigning; people are running onto the porch from the main house, three men are trying to pull Ken off Kali, and their mother is screaming for Ken to stop.

Ken keeps punching for what seems like a full minute before he finally stands up. Kali’s suit is torn and muddied, and I can barely distinguish the features of his face. His parents go to him instantly, dragging him to his feet. Elizabeth is already yelling at Ken, and some of her words—“How dare you attack my son?”—still manage to surprise me.

But again, Ken doesn’t seem to notice. His dark gaze finds Kali. There’s no trace of satisfaction in them, even as he watches him spit out a tooth. I’m aware of my mother sliding up beside me, but I don’t even look at her. I can’t, not now.

Plus, I already have a feeling about what she’s going to say. That this display of rage is connected to me.

Only, there’s no way I could have caused this .

“Say it,” Ken says. His voice, hard and furious, makes me flinch.

A second ago, their mother was yelling, their father trying to restore calm, and there were murmurs all around from the thick crowd of people that surrounded the family. But Ken’s voice brings a hushed silence to the place.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Elizabeth says.

Ken doesn’t look at his mother. “Say it. Tell her.” And then, he raises a hand and points. Everyone follows his finger as it lands on me.

This cannot be happening.

“Want to tell me what this is about?” my mother asks.

I shake my head, unable to speak with the eyes watching us. A ball of anxiety forms in my throat. What the hell is Ken doing? Trying to play a game because I reminded him of what he did?

“Say it,” Ken’s voice is louder now, and everyone turns right back to him, dislodging my fear only by a breath. “Or I swear I’m going to fucking kill you.”

Elizabeth steps protectively in front of Kali. Murmuring starts again. Underneath his bloodied face, his eyes are flickering nervously. From trepidation? Or…guilt?

“Tell her. Tell her right now.”

“I don’t…” Kali spits out a mouthful of blood. He’s no longer smiling, and he sounds more like a scared little boy than I’ve ever heard him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“My dumbbells? Ten years ago? You fucking better remember like your life depends on it.”

My blood turns to ice.

No, no, no.

Kali gazes at Ken. His eyes are still flickering, but there’s a stubborn set to his jaw. “Dunno what you mean. ”

Ken’s fist clenches just as Elizabeth yells, “Stop terrorizing your brother. You’ve been bullying him all his life, and now?—”

“I’m going to tell you what your darling son did,” Ken says, his cold voice cutting across his mother’s. “Ten years ago, when Charlie had that injury? Know what caused it?”

A few eyes flicker to me before turning back to Ken. Elizabeth’s eyes narrow at her second son. “That’s what you’re talking about? A ten-year-old injury?” She sighs in frustration. “You know, Ken, I’ve had it with you and your obsession with everything your brother does. You’re an adult now. You?—”

“Your son,” Ken cuts her off. “Kali. He placed my dumbbells on the stairs. Charlie tripped on them, and he set me up to take the blame.”

The crowd gasps. My mother makes a strange noise behind me. Kali’s parents turn to him, their faces white.

“Why would he do that?” one of the neighbors asks.

Ken keeps his gaze fixed on his brother as he replies. “Don’t know. Maybe he thought he’d have a better chance of getting into PBT if she was delayed. Maybe he just wanted to give everyone another reason to hate me. Or maybe out of pure spite, who knows. Why don’t you enlighten us, brother dearest?”

There is total silence on the porch. Fifty adults gathered, and you could hear a pin drop. My body is bursting with goosebumps, my mind too frazzled to process new information.

It can’t be. It just can’t be.

And yet, it makes perfect sense. More sense than the story I’ve been holding close to my heart for the last ten years.

The reason I cut Ken out of my life a decade ago .

It was not Ken. It was Kali all along. He’d set up Ken, knowing that I would see the weights and assume it was his brother. He did it when he walked out of the room, before Ken came in. It was a cunning plan, especially considering that Ken was about to tell me how he felt about me that same night. He threw his girl and his own brother under the bus and stomped on the accelerator.

And I was right there with him. Hating Ken. Thinking that the person who loved me the most in the world would be capable of causing me such pain. Maybe I even wanted it to be true, to make up for the fact that I didn’t necessarily believe anyone could love me without any strings attached.

At the end, I treated Ken even worse than his family ever did. He always expected them to mistrust him without cause. But I shut him out without even seeking an explanation. I believed the worst of him for no damn reason.

I’m not even aware that I’m crying until I feel tears spilling down my cheeks.

“No,” someone mutters. I wipe my tears away to look. It’s Elizabeth, who’s staring at Ken again. “No. I just can’t believe Kali would do something that awful to Charlotte. He loved her. He would never have done that.”

Ken’s shoulders sag. “But I would?”

There’s a deathly quiet as Ken looks at his parents’ faces. They say nothing, merely stare back. His gaze roams over the crowd, most of whom are also silent. Their backs are turned to me, and I can’t see their expressions. Yet, I get the sense that most of them are thinking, that’s a lot more probable than Kali doing it. You’re the violent one.

Ken, eternally scorned. Even on the verge of proving his innocence.

My heart breaks into pieces. I want to go to him, to tell him I believe him. But I’m way more undeserving than anyone else here. He should hate me a lot more than Kali. My betrayal was worse.

The stillness lasts for a full thirty seconds. And then Ken mutters, “Fine. Think what you want.”

Then he shoulders out of the scene the way he came, leaving a ringing hush in his wake.

And also leaving in his wake, very much in the manner of Ken, my own heart shattered into a million little pieces.