Perish: Book Three (bxb) ✔️

24. You just successfully took away and shredded my love story.

August Luna

One second, I was thinking about the dinner I was about to have with Kayax, and the next second, I was shoved into a frozen state as I stood at the top of the stairs, watching multiple members of my family pile in. And I knew in the deepest parts of my soul that something was wrong.

The person who my soul belonged to, something was wrong with him. Something happened. And I had a feeling I wasn't going to like the answer.

Mindlessly as if I were on autopilot, I started walking down the stairs. Members of my family were walking past, whispering to one another, which only served to put me further on edge. They weren't being loud, and that was when I knew something went down.

And it involved Kayax.

Because as I looked around, I didn't see any sign of him anywhere.

Everyone was too busy talking amongst themselves that they failed to notice that the owner of this house was standing around. And it wasn't until Papa Bear came roaring around the corner that everyone quieted down. And I knew from the second I faced him that Kayax was no longer here, and it was he who told him to leave.

Kayax wasn't in a good mental state, and now, I was afraid to find out what happened.

Papa stopped in front of me, and Dad wasn't far behind. "August, what have I told you about making sure that gate is locked?" It was locked. "I constantly worry about your safety as it is, and now," He lifted his hand toward the window to our left as if to gesture outside. "Kayax Adler was on this property, looking through your windows, August. He's damn lucky I didn't call the police, and the kid looked unaffected by everything I said to him." He was fuming; I saw it, but he had no idea of the monster waking up inside of me. "I made sure to make myself clear that he wasn't welcomed here, but I'm unsure if he even heard me. I'm going to have your Dad set up a little extra security around here."

I was looking at my Papa, but I wasn't seeing him. I could only imagine what Papa meant by making himself clear about being unwelcome. He was notorious for his way with words, and not always in a good way. He knew how to make them stick, and when Papa said Kayax was unaffected...

That meant Kayax went into survival mode instantly, and he threw up every defense he prepared so that he wouldn't appear weak. But Papa had no idea what he'd just fucking done.

"Did you let him speak?"

My voice didn't sound like mine, but after the question left my lips, I saw the way Papa curled his lip, and I had my answer. He didn't give him a chance. And while I knew it looked bad, I couldn't help but stick to the one little detail. The gate was locked. Someone in this house unlocked it.

"No, I didn't let him speak. Why on earth would I care to hear what he has to say?"

I turned my head toward the window, seeing the same sun that Kayax had been watching not one hour earlier start to set behind the horizon. Then I looked at the large gate at the end of the driveway as my hands curled into fists. He was gone. The gate was locked, and more than that, I was in the house. So, tell me, how did my Papa think I had no idea what was happening on my property?

The one my entire family was crawling all over when I had no idea anyone was coming?

"The gate was locked."

"What? No, it--"

I felt that monster inside me start to consume me. "The gate was locked." I turned my head, feeling the fire start to grow. "Someone in this house had to have unlocked that gate to get in. Because I locked it. And moreover, Papa, I was in the house."