“McKinley why are you here?” he whispers.
My heart pounds in my chest and I wrap my arms around myself. “What?”
He snaps his head up to look at me, anger taking over his normally gentle features. “Why the fuck did you really come here? Was it to find family or was it to use my family?”
I can’t stop the tears as they run down my face. He knows and there’s no going back now.
“Answer me,” he yells.
“Braden,” I whisper, wiping my tears.
He moves a little closer and I can feel the anger rolling off of him. “The first night you got here I asked you why you were here. I asked what your agenda was. You told me it was to find family not to cause problems. You made me out to be the asshole for questioning you, but that was because I was right. You were here with an agenda, weren’t you?” he hisses.
I’m sick to my stomach watching the anger and pain I’ve caused the man I love. I search his rage-filled eyes as I choke back a sob. What can I say? He is right.
“Fuck,” he yells, turning and punching a hole in the wall.
I can’t find the words. I’m rooted in place. The pain he is feeling, the defeat is because of me.
The door slamming shut causes me to jump and when the silence hits me, I know it’s over. Everything I love, I destroyed. A cry, unlike anything I’ve ever heard before rips out of me as I bend at my waist.
I lost him.
Chapter 20
Braden
My hand is throbbing, and my knuckles are bleeding as I drive over to Jax’s. I won custody of the girls and brought them back with me. They are at my mom’s right now. I didn’t tell her anything. I simply said I needed help and as always, she helped no questions asked. She, of course, cried when she found out I won custody and was thrilled to have the girls.
I texted Kallie and told her I need to talk. She called several times, but I’m not doing this twice. I can only handle saying McKinley used us all one time. I can’t fucking believe I let her in and fell in love with her and it was all a lie. I was a steppingstone in her fucking career. The best connection, other than Blake, to get close to the top photographer there is.
I’ve done nothing but think of all the time we spend together, trying to see if I could now see the lie. I can’t. Everything I think back on seems so genuine. It makes this that much worse.
With Sarah, she was a bitch, and it was obvious something was going on. With McKinley, she was sweet and caring. She seemed to want me as badly as I wanted her. I’ll give her credit, she was convincing. It just makes it hurt that much more.
I pull up to Jax’s, gripping the steering wheel. “Fuck,” I hiss, feeling the pain in my hand.
The walk to the backyard is dreadful. Once I say all this out loud there is no way for me to pretend it isn’t happening. I’m crushed and I fucking hate that I need to go crush them too.
“Braden, what the hell is going on?” Kallie asks, wrapping her arms around me. I hiss when she hits my hand, and she quickly pulls away. When she sees the busted knuckles, her eyes snap up to mine. “Braden.”
“Let’s talk,” I say, walking toward the table.
Jax, Blake, and London are sitting there, and I try to control my emotions. Blake is going to be fucking crushed. He was so damn excited to have a sister to look out for.
“Here,” Jax says, handing me a beer.
I graciously accept it and sit down. They are all staring at me so I tip back the beer, hoping it will relax me. “I got custody of the girls,” I say.
They all visibly relax and start talking loudly. The concerned faces change to smiles as they congratulate me. I nod, sipping my beer as they continue.
“Okay, that’s good news. So, what’s wrong?” Jax asks.
Once he does the others stop talking and they all look at me again. I scrub my face and the pain in my hand is nothing compared to the pain in my heart. It’s just as physical, just as real, but so much worse.
“Sarah brought up McKinley,” I begin.
“I’ll fucking kill her,” Blake growls.
I shake my head as I look at him. “McKinley didn’t come here looking for you or for family. She came here to use all of us. She wanted to be rich and famous. When she found out you were her brother, she decided to take advantage of it. She used all of us and we all let her without question,” I say.
They all exchange looks, except for Blake. His hard eyes are focused on me. “Bullshit,” he hisses.
“Sarah went and spoke to her mother, who also sent this letter to the judge. It’s all true,” I say, placing the letter on the table.
Jax and London read it, but Kallie comes to sit next to me. She rests her head on my shoulder and it takes every ounce of self-control to not break down. Blake is still staring at me. I know how he’s feeling. He doesn’t want to believe it because it hurts too much.
“No, nope, fuck this,” Blake says, standing up.
London gets up to stop him from leaving, but that’s not what he’s doing. He’s pacing, grabbing his hair, as he shakes his head.
“He doesn’t wanna believe it,” I say.
“Neither do you,” Kallie whispers.
I look down at her and my eyes fill with tears. “No, I don’t.”
“Oh, Braden,” she says, trying to wrap her arms around me.
Blake slams his hands down on the table and Jax stands up.
