Handcuffed Heiress

34. Conclusion

34. Conclusion

Niko

"Why are you so upset? It was an honest mistake."

"It's not about the beef. It's about mum's blatant disrespect and about you sitting there and taking it. You have no problem being vocal with me, but you keep quiet around my mum."

"She's your mother. What should I have done?"

"You should have spoken up." I sighed.

"Kaitlyn, she's your mother. I was showing her respect."

"Well you don't have to. You don't owe her anything. You're a member of this family. She has to accept it." I sighed again.

"Pull over." I needed to explain this to her in a way she'd understand.

"I'd rather not."

"Please?" She sighed this time, but did as I asked. I turned in my seat to face her. "I'm not used to being around people. I'm not used to family. Besides your grandfather, there is no one else. I don't remember what it's like to have a mother. I don't even remember her face. I didn't have any siblings either. I don't know how to get along with one. I'm not used to answering to anyone. I never have before. I've always been allowed to do whatever I wanted. I never got punished if I did anything wrong either, but I rarely ever did. I tried to be everything your grandfather wanted so he wouldn't abandon me." She was crying again. "Why are you so popular with the waterworks this evening?" I tried to lighten the mood. She wiped her tears.

"Niko, I get it. But if you're going to survive in this family, you'll need to hold your own."

"Noted. Can we eat now? I'm starving." She laughed.

"Of course. What do you want to eat?"

"No beef." We both laughed.

"If I had known you were coming I would have planned a tour for you."

"You still can."

"I guess you're right."

"So does this mean we're friends now since you defended my honour so passionately against your family?"

"I don't like injustice." That's the excuse she was going with. Okay. She smiled but said nothing more.

"Kaitlyn."

"Don't Niko." How did she even know what I was going to say?

"You don't even know what I'm going to say."

"We're not talking about it."

"Kaitlyn."

"We're not talking about it, Niko." I switched tactics.

"Does it have to be him?"

"It's him."

"But does it have to be? Can't it be me?" I could not believe I was asking her this. She let out a heavy sigh.

"It has to be Phoenix. It has to be him because it has always been him." There was nothing else I could have said in that moment. She'd made her choice. Even after spending a night in my bed, the choice was him. I'd lost. I needed to accept it, but could I really?

"Okay." We spoke no more about that. I'd make sure never to revisit this topic.

Phoenix

I was just as confused by what had just transpired as everyone else. Well maybe deep down I wasn't really confused. It was more a state of denial. I'm just going to believe that Kait's little display was out of annoyance rather than anything else.