Their Kitten: Chapter 13

Well…this is awkward.

Once the lustful haze of sex starts to fade, we all kind of just sit there for a moment. Considering Tristan isn’t asking me a million and one questions only tells me that Talon really hasn’t told him who I am. A part of me is relieved because I can definitely do without any drama today, but the other part of me is tired of walking on eggshells whenever he’s around. Tristan has been so volatile since the day I met him, and the longer he doesn’t know who I am, the more unpredictable he can be. He’s definitely not the sweet guy I remember, but I’m constantly having to remind myself that we all grew up and life changed us. They lost their mother and then me, and I lost the only actual family I had when I left them.

I think back to the better memories of them, when life wasn’t so fucked up.

“Hey, Cleo! I bet you can’t get up here!” Tristan calls from the tree in the backyard. I stand on the ground with my hands on my hips as I look up at him.

“Mom said not to get up there!” I say.

“Mom said not to get up there!” Tristan mocks and sticks out his tongue. “Don’t be such a wuss. Are you coming or not?”

“Beat you to the top, Cleo!” Talon says as he runs past me. I watch the way he climbs up the tree. I hate heights, but I hate looking like a wimp in front of them as well. My defiance overpowers my fear, and I climb up the tree and wiggle my way onto the branch.

The branch swags a little as I get situated and Talon looks down at the ground nervously. “I think we’re too heavy to all sit on this branch.”

“It’s probably Cleo’s big butt,” Tristan teases.

“Maybe it’s your big head!” I fire back, giving him a little shove. He bursts out laughing, which sends us all into a fit of giggles.

“You wanna know something?” Talon says when we all calm down. He gives me a small smile. “I thought having a sister was going to suck, but you’re not so bad.”

“Yeah,” Tristan says with a nod. “I mean, it would’ve been cooler if Dad got us another brother, but having a sister isn’t so bad. We’ll protect you and stuff.”

I smile. Coming to live with them has been an adjustment in itself, but they warmed up to me pretty quickly. They weren’t the happiest when I first got here, but they’ve become some of the most protective, caring boys I’ve ever come across.

“I love you guys, too,” I say.

“Ew! We didn’t say that, weirdo!” Tristan says, but he smiles anyway.

“Hey! I told you kids not to get in that tree!” Mom shouts from the patio. “It’s old and the branches are rotting. Out! Now!”

“God, way to ruin a moment,” Talon mumbles.

We all shimmy down from the tree and head over to the trampoline, lying out on it and staring up at the darkening sky.

“I want you guys to promise me something,” I say after a long stretch of silence.

“What?” Tristan says.

“No matter what, we always have each other’s back.” I roll over onto my side. “Even when we grow up or if I get taken away or something. We’ll always find each other and have each other’s back.”

“No one gets left behind,” Talon agrees with a nod.

“Yeah, no one gets left behind,” I say and hold up my pinky. “Swear on it.”

“Swear,” they each say as they take turns locking pinkies with me.

Tears fill my eyes when I realize I’m the one that broke that promise. I guess I can understand why they’re so angry that I left, especially since I left without really saying goodbye.

I loved them so much back then, always feeling so safe and protected when they were around, but they couldn’t save me from everything. They’d never understand why I had to leave, and they probably won’t accept the truth. I just need to get my money so I can disappear, and life can go back to how it was before they came back into my life.

After a few tense, silent moments, I finally clear my throat. “I think it’s best if you guys leave,” I say. “I have to get ready for work soon, so…”

“Oh, right,” Talon says, though Tristan doesn’t say anything. He just continues to stare at me while he fixes his clothes. Talon raises a brow as he regards me. “Do you need a ride to work?”

“Oh no,” I say, shaking my head. “I car pool with a coworker so it’s fine.”

He stares at me for a long time as if he doesn’t believe me, but he finally nods. “Okay then.” He looks around the living room and grabs an empty envelope and pen from the coffee table. He writes something down before handing it to me, and I see that he’s written down his cell phone number. “Don’t hesitate to use it if you need us.”

I nod and watch them walk out of my apartment, sinking into the couch with a sigh when the door closes behind them. How did this one-time thing turn into them turning my life upside down?

And why do I already feel empty now that they’re gone?

“Okay, get your head back in the game, Cleo,” I murmur to myself as I finally push off of the couch. I quickly shower and get dressed, officially on a mission to figure out what the hell is going on with the money that is owed to me. It’s been a week now and there hasn’t been a word or any indication that I’m going to receive my money, and after not being able to reach Lucian by phone, I’m going to make an in-person visit instead.

I lock up my apartment and cautiously exit my building, hoping that Tristan and Talon aren’t still lurking around. Thankfully, the bus is arriving right when I approach the bus stop, and I ride it all the way to Purgatory. My mind fills with all the questions I have for Lucian, but I can’t help but wonder if the guys are now refusing to pay until Tristan knows my name. I don’t know which is worse—losing my virginity for nothing or Tristan finding out the truth and losing his shit.

The bouncer outside the club looks down at me, probably remembering me from the last time I was here.

“What is it?” he says, his tone rough.

“I’m here to talk with Lucian,” I say softly.

“For?”

“The deal I made with him. I just want to follow up about what we’d talked about,” I say. I don’t want to tell him that I’m here to figure out where my money is, as I don’t want him to think I’m here to cause trouble or harass the man. I’m only looking for answers or a timeline to know when I can get the hell out of here and away from Tristan and Talon.

The bouncer regards me for a brief moment before he presses a finger to his earpiece to listen to someone speaking to him. He opens the door for me without another word, and I quickly slip inside. The main floor is as busy as it was the last time I was here, excited people waiting around before going to their respective floors.

I weave through the crowds to head toward the hallway that houses the office, grateful for the quiet solitude when I move further away from the noise of the main floor. The carpet-lined floor softens my footsteps as I get closer to Lucian’s door, my heart racing as my nerves build. I have no idea what he’s going to tell me when I get there. The fact that I haven’t been able to get him on the phone in a week makes me feel as if he’s dodging me, so I hope bad news isn’t on the horizon. I don’t know if I can suffer a blow this big.

Once I reach his door, I suck in a deep breath and knock firmly on it. “It’s open!” he calls from the other side.

“I can do this,” I whisper to myself and push the door open.

Lucian sits behind his desk, flipping through a stack of papers, looking up at me in surprise.

“What can I help you with?” he asks. The aloof tone that he uses is almost as if he has no clue why I could possibly be here. I frown as I regard him.

“I’ve been trying to get in contact with you for the last few days,” I say, my tone flat. “I still haven’t been paid.”

“Ah, yes. My assistant did tell me you called, but she didn’t mention the money part.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “It’s been a week. What’s the hold up?”

“Sometimes it can take the banks a while to verify that the money is legit when making such large wire transfers,” he explains. “Trust me, this kind of thing is normal. You should have it in the next few days. The funds have been released if that’s what you’re worried about; it’s up to the banks now.”

I purse my lips. There isn’t much I can do but take his word for it. “Okay then. I’ll wait a few more days, but if it’s still not here, someone is going to have some explaining to do or phone calls to make.”

“I’m sure you’ll have everything you’ve earned,” he says, just as there’s a knock on the door. “If you’ll excuse me, I have another appointment.”

I spin around and head for the door, opening it to find a girl who looks to be the same age as me. She looks frightened and completely out of place. She reminds me of how I probably looked when I came in here looking for financial salvation. Sometimes I wish I never stepped foot in this place, because at least my life wouldn’t be the chaos that it is now.

“Is…is this Lucian’s office?” she asks. I step off to the side and allow her to enter the lion’s den before leaving her alone with the lion. As much as I want to potentially save her from what she’s getting herself into, I have my own issues to attend to.

I exit the club feeling a little defeated and frustrated. Now what? I still have no money, which means I’m stuck here until it hits. It’ll suck to leave Tristan and Talon behind once again, but it’s probably for the best. They don’t need me in their lives making things more complicated for them, just as I don’t need them making things harder for me. The sooner I can move on with my life, the better.

The bus is closing its doors by the time I round the corner. “Wait!” I shout, knowing it’s in vain because the driver can’t hear me. I chase after it, hoping a passenger will alert the driver to stop, but no one does. All I can do is helplessly watch the bus drive further away. I groan out loud when I check the bus schedule and see the bus I just missed is the last one of the day.

“I swear the universe hates me,” I mumble.

For a split second, I consider calling Talon to come get me, but then he’d know that I lied about work. Instead, I just continue on to start the long trek to home. The sun beats down on my back and sweat beads up on my skin.

“Had I been paid, I’d have a car by now,” I mumble bitterly.

The longer I walk, the more I want to call Talon. I decide to make sure I’m far enough away from the club before I call so that he doesn’t know I just came from there.

“Hey!” someone calls out.

I turn to my left to see a car slowing down next to me, groaning inwardly when I see Tristan, of all people, staring back at me.

“Are you following me?” I ask accusingly.

“Get in,” he simply says with a grin.

I look around as I hesitate for a moment. He’s the last person I want to be alone in a car with right now. And the fact that he found me makes me wonder if he’s been following me. There’s no way he’s just coincidentally ended up in the same area of town as I’m in when I told them I was going to work.

After fighting with myself, I finally get into the passenger seat and pray I don’t regret this decision.