Dare to Fall

Chapter LIV

Cayden turned around and pressed his lips to mine. I felt a jolt of surprise at the suddenness of his kiss. It wasn't just the kiss that surprised me; it was the warmth of his affection that felt electric. If he kept this up, I might just find the motivation I needed to face everything that loomed ahead.

"I love you," he said, pulling back to look into my eyes. "And I'm not giving up until I prove to you how much you mean to me. You mean the world to me, everything. I'd be lost without you."

His words made me smile, and I leaned in to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

He pouted, a playful frown creasing his forehead. "Just a peck? You know I deserve more than that," he said, dramatically pointing to his lips. I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my laughter at his theatrics.

"I'm really glad you're focusing on your happiness," he continued. "And I'm happy to be a part of that."

"Without you, I wouldn't be happy either," I said, winking at him. He chuckled, playfully slapping my shoulder like a little kid. I laughed at his antics.

"Stop flirting with me," he said, his tone mockingly high-pitched, which only made me laugh harder.

"But seriously," I added, my expression turning more earnest. Cayden smiled back at me, and his hand slipped into mine, intertwining our fingers.

"I like how small your hands are," he said, glancing down at our linked fingers. "They fit perfectly with mine." We began walking upstairs, trying to avoid my mom catching us together.

"You know you don't have to keep this up just because of what I told you," he said, looking serious for a moment.

"No, it's not just that. I'm doing this for both of us, and especially for me. Everything you said is true; I have to do what I think is right," I replied. He smiled, pressing a soft kiss to my hand, and I felt a swell of warmth at the gesture.

But a nagging worry tugged at me. How long could we keep this a secret? My heart raced at the thought of coming clean. If Cayden and I wanted to fight for our relationship, we'd have to tell our families eventually. But how could I break the news to Liam and Mom without hurting them?

"First, I need to figure out what's happening with my mom before Trevor shows up," I said, and Cayden's face shifted into a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean?" he asked as we stepped into his room. I plopped down onto his bed, and he closed the door behind us. His room was enormous, big enough for a tent for four.

"Earlier, I told my mom about Trevor, and she freaked out a little," I explained.

Cayden raised an eyebrow, knowing I was holding back. "Okay, maybe she freaked out big time. When I told her it wasn't a good idea to keep switching towns and hiding from Trevor, she suggested we stay here until the wedding. I don't know; it felt weird. I know after the wedding, we'll end up living with you guys."

"Isn't that great? You living under our roof means more time for us together!" Cayden said, winking at me. I couldn't help but smack his shoulder playfully.

"Okay, that really hurt," he laughed, rubbing his arm.

"I'm serious. I can't just live here with you. But if we want to be safe, we need to find somewhere safe, and our house isn't safe anymore. Plus, my favorite pajamas are still up there."

"I can get them for you," he offered, standing up and grabbing his car keys from the bedside table along with his black leather jacket.

"No. It's not safe for you to go back there. Who knows if Trevor will show up?" I warned, but he shook his head, a reassuring smile on his face.