Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 116254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry!” he blurted. “It was stupid! I’m stupid!”
Kai shot him a glare and kept on pacing, raking a shaky hand through his sopping wet hair. Breck took him in. Still dressed as before. Track pants, bare feet, and a snug white tee. Not white anymore, though. Thanks to the rain, it was virtually see-through. “I can’t deal with this shit, Breck! I can’t!” He sounded unraveled. “You’re over the top!”
Breck’s stomach knotted. “I’m sorry! I know I fucked up!”
Kai halted and whirled to face him. “And yet, you refuse to change a goddamn thing!”
Breck reared back. “No way! Not true! I won’t ever drive like this again! I swear!”
Kai threw up his hands in exasperation. “It’s not about the driving! It’s about you, Breck! You’re a self-sabotaging mess!”
Breck groaned and palmed his head. Kai was right. He felt like a ship tossed about in a total shitstorm.
Thing was, Kai had started to feel like his lighthouse. A beacon in the distance, quietly guiding him home. But when he cut him loose, it was like Kai went dark. And now Breck felt adrift and completely lost.
Swallowing, he dropped his hand. Kai was back to pacing, the set to his shoulders, his jaw, attesting to his current state. He was barely holding it together. Which was seriously the most confusing thing for Breck to behold. Where was Kai’s so deeply revered state of control? Was he truly that pissed for having to save Breck’s ass? “Listen—”
“No.” Kai pointed at him heatedly, still stalking back and forth. “Do not say another fucking word.” He dug out his phone from his pocket. “I know a guy who owns a towing company. He owes me a favor and will take care of this shit. Just get in the fucking car and let me goddamn think.”
Breck nodded, glancing back toward his Altima, then headed for Kai’s car, that rope still fastened to something under its bumper. Kai’s Shibari rope, he realized. He must keep extras in his ride.
He shoved inside and shut the door, then peered out the windshield to watch Kai pacing as he talked on the phone. His wipers were still going—he must’ve jumped out in a hurry—his headlights illuminating his tense demeanor and rigid gait.
Breck’s insides twisted in utter shame. He’d thrown Kai into a situation he hadn’t deserved. For shit’s sake, Kai had nearly been forced to watch him plunge to his death.
Another groan crawled up his throat. What a nightmare. He looked back in the direction of his car, eyeing the tracks that’d torn through the grass and disappeared over the bank.
Jesus. What would he tell his parents? He’d definitely need to downplay it to spare them a stroke. Either way, his dad was going to go apeshit, the image it’d portray completely unacceptable in his eyes.
Willing his heart to calm, he closed his eyes. A few minutes later, one of the car’s rear doors opened. Kai, chucking his rope into a duffle bag. The door shut curtly, then Kai was shoving into the driver’s seat. His clothes were soaked. His dark hair dripping, his lashes spiky and wet.
“Thank you,” Breck murmured. “For calling a tow… And… probably saving my life.”
Kai met his gaze and gave a nod. He appeared more collected, but still looked frazzled. “Are your keys still in the ignition?”
“Yeah.”
Another nod. “Then Don should be good to go. He’ll take your car to his shop and call you in the morning.” Pulling back onto the road, he cut a U-ey.
Silence lingered for the remainder of the ride. Breck suspected Kai wanted it that way and it was probably for the best. His brain was totally scattered, his emotions a dumpster fire.
Nearing town, Kai finally spoke up. “Where’s your place?”
Breck’s gut clenched. “My place?”
“Yeah. So I can drop you off.”
Oh, God. He still couldn’t handle that atmosphere. His head was even worse off than it’d been before.
Heart thumping uneasily, he gave Kai directions. But only to the street corner down the road from where he lived. Not his actual fraternity house. The last thing he needed was to be spotted getting out of Kai’s Exorcist. He’d be swarmed in seconds, bombarded with a million questions. In his current state of mind, that’d put him over the edge.
Kai pulled to a stop but kept his engine running.
Breck peered toward his frat house and damn near grimaced.
Grab the door handle. Get out of the car.
Instead, he turned to Kai. “Please. I can’t go back there. Not yet. That place is a madhouse and my brain’s a fucking mess.”
Kai pursed his lips. “Breck—”
“Please.” Breck shifted to face him. “I swear I won’t bug you. I promise. Just let me crash on your couch.”
Kai closed his eyes. Drew in a long, slow, steadying breath. “Go home, Breck. Lie in the bed you’ve made. That’s what adults do when they fuck shit up.”