BLOODHOUNDS #2: THE TAKER

Chapter 18 - COMPLICATED

Tatiana Knight

Kayden never came home.

It's been five days, and I'm worried sick about him. I can't sleep properly, and I have been calling him non-stop. I tried to call Hugo, but he never answered either. I tried to ask Tiffany, but she told me that she couldn't answer anything related to Kayden's whereabouts.

I've been ignoring Blake's call, too. I will plan my murder on him when we meet again next time.

It's past midnight, and I've been going back and forth, looking at the door.

Where is he exactly?

Kayden Grant

I flew to Paris to see my mother. It's been three months since I saw her, and she's been texting me her everyday routine. I decided to surprise her by going home.

I got out of the car and walked into the mansion. To my surprise, my father hasn't gone to work yet. When he saw me walking in, we both ignored each other.

I walked into the kitchen and found my mother there.

"Mother," I called her, and she turned around.

When she saw me, her eyes widened, and tears filled her eyes instantly. She ran to me and gave me a big hug.

"Oh, my sweet boy." She hugged me tightly, and I let out a long sigh. She pulled away and cupped my face. "You're home." She cried and hugged me again.

"I'm home."

"How are you, Mother?"

"Why didn't you call? Have you eaten? Let me make you something!" She pulled away and opened the fridge to get some ingredients out.

My father walked in with his usual poker face to grab his water bottle. He walked over to my mother and kissed her on the cheek to say goodbye to her. He left the house, and my mother started to make my favorite dish of all time.

Basque chicken and onion soup.

"So, how are you, darling?" She asked as I sat at the dining table.

"I'm good. How about you, Mother?" I grabbed a glass and filled it with water.

"I'm very good, darling. It's been weird a transition from always working to retiring." I was the one who forced her to retire. She's been working hard all her life, and I told her to live happily.

If possible, I want her to divorce my father and find a better man.

"I heard that you have a fiancee now. How come you didn't bring her here? We want to meet her." I shook my head.

Mentioning Tatiana would only bring me back to where I screamed at her. Adding the fact that Blake reminded me about how similar I am to my father.

He was right.

I hated my father and wanted to kill him so badly, but I guess it was a curse to be his son because I somehow ended up like him.

"It's fake, Mother." She put her knife down and sighed. "I was just helping her to abdicate her title. She wants to be a doctor." My mother decided not to comment on my statement. She continued with her cooking.

"Should I move back here? You can move in with me and get a divorce with Hugo." That's when she put her knife down again.

"Kayden, we've talked about this. I will never get a divorce from your father. I forgave everything, and you should, too." It's easy for her to say because she's nice and kind.

"I'm getting married in two months, and I want you to come to the States." Her jaw dropped, and she walked over to me.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, but it won't be for long. In two years, we'll get a divorce." She pinched my arm, and I glared at her.

"Why are you being so difficult, Kayden?" I let out a long sigh and looked at the table blankly. She grabbed a chair and dragged it to sit beside me.

"I guess because it's in my blood, but I'm slowly turning into Hugo."

"Oh, Kayden." She pulled me into a hug and cried. She knew what I meant, and she always told me that I was nothing like my father, but somehow, everything that I did said otherwise.

"I don't want to make the same mistake, Mother. No matter how hard I tried, I always gravitated towards it."

"You're not like your father, Kayden. You're so much better than him."

"No. I'm not better than him, Mother. I'm far worse."

Tatiana Knight

It's been a week since I saw Kayden.

I decided to do the absolute most. I called Clyde for the tenth time. I called him until he answered it. He was pissed, but I didn't care.

"Where's Kayden?"

"And why should I tell you?" Does he live in Antarctica?

"It's been a week. Tell me where he is!"

"No. He asked me not to." I wanted to kill Clyde so severely.

Clyde and Blake are both my future victims.

"Clyde, tell me." I tried to be patient. I was pacing back and forth, completely frustrated.

The doorbell rang, and I ran toward it. I opened the door and found Blake.

"Why are you here?" I asked, not welcoming him at all.

"I'm here to pick you up. Kayden, let me bring you back to New York." That's when I pulled his hair. I smacked his back and pulled his hair again.

"Tatiana! What the fuck?!"

"You caused this! Kayden never came home after-" We both turned to the opened lift revealing Kayden. Tears started to fill my eyes, and I ran to him.

"Where were you?" I hugged him and cried in his arms. Kayden held me with one arm, picking me up and brought me inside. "Get lost, Lockwood." He hissed and closed the door on Blake.

"Where were you?!" I pulled away and smacked his chest. "I was so worried! It's been a week!" I looked up at him, and he looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"Where did you go? Did you lose your phone or something? Why didn't you call me? I called you a thousand times!" I was going crazy. I don't know why I'm going too wild over him not coming home.

"What am I going to do with you, Mon Avenir?" With that, he crashed his lips to mine.