The Freedom Search: Kai & Gloria's Story (Search Series Book 4) (9 page)

A Few Weeks Later

Gloria

Her phone was ringing, luckily she had a minute to answer it. The diner had been crazy busy today and she was ready to head to Kai’s. “Hello, Lukas,” she answered.

“Hey, doll.” His tone was serious. Was everything okay? Was he canceling their evening?

“Everything okay?” she questioned.

“Yeah, a meeting just came up. Can you come over at midnight instead?” He sounded flustered and annoyed by this turn of events, but she was relieved he still wanted her to come.

“Sure. No problem, Lukas,” she chirped.

“Great. I got to go,” he replied.

“Of course, me too.” With that he hung up. She stared at the phone wondering if she’d ever get answers from him. He was sweet at times, but other times he was an ass. She wasn’t much better though, she put her phone back in her pocket and returned to work.

Kai

Kai was tapping his foot, Roy was an hour late. If he didn’t get here soon then Gloria was going to be at risk. “Evening Lukas clan.” Kai turned Roy’s way

“You’re late,” he snapped.

“Whoa, watch it there, son. One would think you had a date or something.” The look Roy gave Kai sent an uneasy flood of emotions through him. Did he know about Gloria?

“Maybe I do,” Kai snapped back.

“Well, when you see this you’ll want to cancel it.” He said handing over the document in his hand. Kai’s father reached for it first.

“Oh Roy, this is brilliant.” Kai shifted his gaze between the two men.

“He promised her she wouldn’t have to change. Tom let that slip.” Roy said amused. Kai took the paper but didn’t look at it.

“Are we done?” he asked forcefully.

“Aren’t you going to read it, son?” his father asked.

“Later. I have an appointment,” Kai said dismissing himself with the document in hand. Was he curious? Sure he was, but she would be there in less than an hour and that was all he could see right then.

Gloria

The room was dark as she climbed into the window. “Lukas?” she whispered.

“I’m right here, doll.” His voice came from the foot of the bed.

“What’s with the darkness?” She chuckled crawling on the bed towards him.

“It helps me think,” he answered, turning to her and placing a long hot kiss on her mouth

“Wow. Happy to see me?” she asked when he broke the kiss.

“Hell yeah! Let me show you how much,” He spoke pulling her shirt over her head.

Gloria let him lead. He was strong, but gentle. It was like their love making had become full circle. It was still hard, but now gentle, passionate. It wasn’t just sex anymore, of this she was sure. When he finished he pulled her close and Gloria decided to play her hand, hoping the freedom from the darkness would be found in Kai Lukas.

“I love you,” she spoke. He tensed up and said nothing instead he just kissed her forehead. Gloria cried silent tears.

Kai

“I love you.” That’s what she had said. Kai heard her and tensed up. Things were still so complicated. Did he love her? Yes, no, maybe. Everything in his world was so messed up. She didn’t even truly know who he was. How could she love him?

Kai went to the desk where he had dropped the document from Roy. He couldn’t sleep so he might as well read it now while she slept.
He turned on a small light he could use to see the words without disturbing her.
‘If the leading family’s heir chooses to be with a human that human must make the ultimate sacrifice. Become a vampire.’
Kai stared at the words. “Wow,” he whispered.

Kai snuck out of the room and quietly shut the door before heading to his father’s office. “I’ll present this to Raiden tomorrow,” he said as tried to quickly leave.

“Hold it, son.” Kai paused and faced his father again. “What the hell was that tonight?”

“It doesn’t matter. Roy gave us what we needed. I know Raiden, he’ll hate this.” Kai tried to leave again.

“Son, are you seeing someone?” he asked.

“No.” Kai swallowed.

“Don’t lie to me, boy.”

“What if I am? I’m twenty-eight. I’ve been playing your game long enough I wanted a little fun.” Kai hoped that would work.

“Is she human?” Kai swallowed.

“Goodnight.” Kai answered before rushing back to his room. He locked the door and stared at her still on the bed. She was still asleep, platinum blonde hair cascading over her face. Kai smiled at the site, but didn’t climb back in bed. Instead he went back to his desk and studied the document again, keeping watch as well.

Gloria

When she woke he wasn’t in bed. There was a small light coming from his desk and he was sitting stock still his face in his hands. “Leave.” He muttered quietly.

“Huh?” She questioned.

“Get your shit and get out, dammit!” he hissed, Gloria felt lost. She slowly got off the bed and began dressing keeping her eyes locked on him. “Don’t know what you’re thinking. Really don’t fucking care either, but I asked you to leave and I suggest you do it now!” She flinched at his tone.

She turned towards the window. “I thought Raiden was a jackass.” She spat before leaving. She rushed to the car he was letting her drive but decided not to get in. She raced to the street and flagged a cab down crying as she gave him her address.

Kai

“Fuck!” He screamed throwing his fist through the wall. He hated that he had to do that, but he couldn’t risk her being caught, and the document brought things to new light to the redemption he had been seeking since he was twenty-one.

He got dressed and slipped out the window not wanting to deal with his father this morning. A string of curses left his mouth when he spotted his spare car.

When he arrived at Raiden’s house he smiled. This was it the final game. “Redemption, Kai,” He whispered as he approached the door and knocked.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Lukas?”

Kai planted a smug smile on his face. “I have a document for you that you might enjoy.” He held his hand out and Raiden took the document reading over it quickly.

“What the hell is this, Kai?” Raiden asked looking up.

“My ticket to redemption.” With that Kai watched his one-time friend morph into something he couldn’t describe. Raiden flat out snapped.

“You don’t fucking get redemption, Kai.” You made your choice at twenty-one just like I did.” Kai listened as Raiden continued to spit words at him. “Guess what, asshole? You. Are. Stuck.” Kai laughed, that was good one. Roy and his father promised things would be alright he just had to wait it out.

“Good one, Wyrick, you can tell me that one again when your fiancée leaves your sorry ass because you can’t keep your pathetic promise to her.”

With that last phrase any control Raiden had vanished before Kai could process what was going on. Raiden slammed his fist into his face. “FUCK YOU!” Kai stumbled out the door. “Don’t you fucking come back.” Raiden yelled as he slammed the door in his face. Kai pressed his hand against his cheek as his wandered back to his car. What now? The mission was complete, but at what cost?

Gloria

She called in sick to work and had been throwing up for the last hour. She couldn’t hold anything down. She had a theory, but she was scared to death about the outcome. She reached into her bathroom drawer she had bought a pregnancy test a few months ago. She was on the pill, but she also knew it could fail. Kai had been the man she allowed to go without a condom because she thought she meant something to him.

“Stupid stupid bitch!” She admonished herself in the mirror. “Time to pay the piper.” She took the test and waited with baited breath. Finally,
‘pregnant.’
She threw the test at the mirror and rushed to her bed collapsing on it in a fit of tears.

Kai

He pulled into Grace’s clinic, a place he hadn’t been to in years, for a few reasons. His face was stinging and when he looked in the rearview mirror there was a huge welt forming on his cheek. Raiden had clocked him good and it was well deserved. He pulled out his phone wanting to address something that had been said to him while at Raiden’s. “Hello, son, did you deliver it?”

“Yes, sir,” Kai replied.

“Good and...?” he pressed.

“And nothing. I was hit, cursed at, and kicked out. Raiden was visibly upset.”

“This is good,” his father replied.

“I have to ask you something.” Kai swallowed. “If this works, can Roy really get us all redemption?” His father remained silent. “Dad?” Kai asked again.

“Why would you ask such a thing?” his dad snapped.

“I...was just wondering,” Kai answered.

“Don’t fucking question me or Roy, boy. So far you don’t deserve redemption!” His father hissed promptly hanging up.

Kai sighed as he climbed out of the car. Maybe Raiden was right. For now, Kai couldn’t focus on that he needed to focus on his own redemption, and that now entailed finding a way to make things right with Gloria.

“Kai, I haven’t seen you in here for a while,” Grace said instantly.

Jordan was staring at him and Kai was surprised to see him at the clinic. “What are you doing here?” Kai questioned.

“Jordan is working for me. Shall we go to the back?” Grace answered. Kai continued to stare at Jordan and likewise Jordan continued to stare at him. “Jordan, you’re free to go,” Grace addressed which broke the stare down.

“Are you sure?” Jordan asked looking her way. Grace looked towards Kai and back at Jordan and nodded and with that he left.

“That’s a nasty bruise you got there under your eye and cheek,” She threw at him as she made her way to the back.

“Raiden might have hit me,” he chuckled as he entered the exam room.

“It’s about time.” She smiled at him.

He shrugged, “I suppose. I...think it helped clear some things.”

“Really, like what?” Grace asked as she took an ice pack and pressed it to his face.

“Someone admitted to loving me last night.” He smiled remembering her soft voice.

“That someone wouldn’t be Gloria Keller would it?” she asked with a cock of her eyebrow.

“I see you and Bethany still talk.” She nodded. “She’s gorgeous, Grace. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, but...” he paused.

“But what?” she asked stepping back away from him.

“She’s human.” Grace turned away and left the room leaving Kai in wonder.

“Do you love her, Kai Lukas?” she asked stepping back into the room with a folder in her hand.

Kai nodded, “I do.” She handed over the folder.

“Don’t read this now, but when you’re ready. Oh, one more thing, Lukas, you and Bethany need to talk in the future.”

“Yes, Ma’am. I cared about her, but I didn’t love her. I know that now.” Grace gave him a small smile and he left with folder in hand. He ended up at her apartment but he couldn’t bring himself to go inside. His father called a few times, as did Roy, but he didn’t answer. He kept looking at the folder on the passenger seat until the darkness started to fall.

Gloria

She knew she was in trouble, when she couldn’t get Kai Lukas out of her head. He was a fucking asshole, she thought the way Raiden kicked her out after they had sex was bad. Well, it surely didn’t compare to the way Kai had dismissed her.

“Damn it, Gloria! You are not trash!” she hissed, but the truth was trash was exactly what she was. She knew Kai didn’t want her any more than Raiden and yet she easily fell in bed with both of them. Power and control was all those two cared about. Her phone rang as she stared into the darkness of her bedroom. “What?” She answered, damn she really was a bitch, she would have to work on that, but when your self-esteem is so low no matter how you present yourself on the outside it’s tough to not be a bitch.

“Gloria, It’s Kai” he stated, his tone different than anything she had ever heard him use. He had lost whatever battle he was fighting with Raiden, because Raiden got engaged. For three months after that, Gloria ended her night in Kai’s bed only to be hastily thrown out the next morning. This last time though he was downright cruel and Gloria wasn’t sure why he was calling now.