A Faltering self (Distorted Reality book 2)

Chapter 31- What have I done?

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(Kalston's POV)

I go to run to Madison, hoping that maybe I can still undo this. That I can show her that I'm not the monster she just saw, but a hand grabs mine to hold me back. I turn furious before seeing Bailey as the one holding me back with a stern gaze and an even more stern tone.

"What, are you going to hit me to? Try, and I promise you'll be out of her life faster than you were in."

My shoulders drop before I look back to see Madison gone and Matt giving a glare I deserve before he too is gone.

Good job!

'You screwed up big time."

'I'd like to see how you'll get out of this one.'

'She's going to hate you.'

How can I fix this?

'You can't.'

Bailey drags me inside before directing her words to Canton and daggers at Zach.

"Keep him out here."

Zach looks somehow pleased and it makes me all the more want to finish him off, but this time would be at the final cost of myself being lost.

I can't do that again.

Bailey shuts the door before dragging me into her room where Ash seems to be with his girlfriend, just as freaked as Madison was a moment ago. Her gaze softens on them before backing us out and into Madison's room. She now speaks to me, and somehow she seems to be so much taller, though I still tower her.

"Okay, I get the dude has a knack for getting under people's skin, but I asked you to watch him. Not mame him. Really, what did you think you'd accomplish by that?"

I'm quiet for a moment with my eyes unable to be on her.

"I know I screwed up, I just..."

"You just what? Okay, let me ask this, what did he say? He had to have said something to push you like that. I might not know you all that well, Kal, but come on, you're not one to easily flip like that over nothing."

You're right, you don't know me.

"He kept calling Madison crazy. It just, I don't like people calling others crazy. They don't understand the impact that has on others or... I just don't like that he kept pushing that about her. It's like he was trying to make me believe she is, but-"

I change my words because now I need to know.

"What happened between her and Jackson?"

I finally look back at Bailey. She's unreadable, but in a different kind of way than Madison is at times. More collected. More like she's trained for the silence on her face than her being afraid that it will give away her secrets.

"I can't say much about them, but they have a history. Ask Maddy, it's not my place to tell her story if she's not wanting it told."

I try a different approach instead as I can tell this is a dead end.

"And Liam?"

There's a quick glimpse of something, but squashed before I'm able to read it.

She has training, but why?

It's unmistakable that that has to be the case. People don't accidentally come to covering up on this level.

"Has Maddy mentioned him?"

The way she says it makes me cautious. Proving more that I have to tread lightly with her.

"No, Jonathan. He said it was the wrong name, but it seemed like it was something else."

He can take the fall, that'll be fine with me.

There's irritation on her face, and I ask the last question because I don't think I'll get anything more from her.

"Zach said that Madison went to an asylum? Did she? I just know that if that's true..."

I'm not sure if I should bring up my past with Olivia, I already might have shared too much, but if it will help, maybe I should?

"Yes, Maddy has a history, but again, it's not my place to tell you what she hasn't. That's up to her. Has she shown any signs that worry you? Even if at first you didn't think anything about it? It's important you tell me, okay?"

But, Bailey, it's not my place to tell you if Madison hasn't told you.

I'm becoming bitter because I see how this is. She wants this to be a two-way street. I also know now what my next step needs to be. Who's history I need to dig more into. I already have with Bailey, but with this, I know that there are things hidden that might need a different approach to uncover.

"No, it was what Zach said that made me wonder. Madison seems fine, so that's why it hurt so much I guess to hear him play that song on repeat. I should have kept my cool, I will next time, I just didn't expect him to be..."

I'm lost for the word to use, or more so, have too many to use.

A monster, sinister, dark, evil, some other unsavory words, or as Ash said earlier, a jerk to not go too mature with it.

"A psychopath? I don't even say that lightly. Honestly, I think if the dude got checked out, he'd be right there. It's like he enjoys playing games with people for his own pleasure. Like it's the only way he gets to feel close to anything."

Bailey's description fits well too. It also shows me more of why I need to be careful around him or with Madison around him. I've dealt with one sort of evil, but at least he has his own guilt to suffer with. A psychopath, I don't think he'd be able to even feel guilt.

"Don't worry about Maddy, though. She'll be fine, she's been through worse, just give her time, okay? And for real, get that temper under control because you really don't need to be in her life if you're going to lose it every time someone says something you can't handle. Buck up big boy because people don't care what they say, and with him, no matter how much I'd rather him be across the world to stay out of Maddy's life, he has a tendency of slipping into. So if you want to protect my girl, then that's not how you do it. Honestly, it's Matt who has impressed me today. The guy's been a delight, so be a little more like that if you don't want her to push you away."

Her words hurt, but no matter how much I want to hate him, I don't think I can after today. He really has been the one to protect Madison the most today.

Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on him.

"Now go get cleaned up before she comes back seeing you like that. For real, you're a mess. Maybe that's some people's definition of hot, but not my girl's."

There's a slight smirk from her before she steps out of the room and I'm left standing there for a moment in silence.