Winning Back Mr. Right

Chapter 25

•Kevin's POV•

"Sir. You need to see this."

We're burning up, almost choking to our own nervousness. I look away just in time for Yuri's grand entrance. "I'll see you in my office." My eyes are still on Airie. "Don't go anywhere. It won't be long." I tell her and she didn't even flinch.

"Talk to me." I order him. Yuri is standing in front of the office table waiting for me. He is carrying a white folder and starts reading while I walk carefully to my seat.

"Clyde Rivers. 22. He works at a car shop called RUSHH, west downtown."

"The small one. The guy with an arm tattoo. Who is he?"

"Erik Deen. 38. He's the owner of the shop. He just got out of jail last year with a case of felony."

"And the other two?"

"Friends. Names are not clear yet. I'll dig more in the morning." His answers were short but concise. I nod back to his decent report. "Should I drive her home?" He asks about Airie.

"Hell, no." Yuri vanished instantly hearing me say that.

The living room is empty when I came back. I search around and couldn't contain my joy when I found her in the kitchen returning the medicine kit to its rightful cupboard. What a fucking nerd I am. Her eyes caught mine when I came in and the smile on my face is now apparent. She looks away, however, trying to escape this small world we are creating again between us.

I walk towards her measuring every step I take because I might be pushing her too hard. I don't want her to run away from me. There's no place I'd rather be than by her side right now. "I'm glad you're still here." I open up while pulling out the tall chair across her. The only thing separating us is the short, rectangular piece of wood that serves as my dining table.

"How do you feel?"

"This?" I scan my body. "I'm good."

"I know you're in a lot of pain. You should rest."

"Sure. I'll do that in a while. For now, let me be here with you. Can you stay a little longer?"

"Kevin?" Her eyes are dead-tired. She probably is exhausted too. "I'm so lost right now. You keep saying the right things. You're always so sweet and gentle. I shouldn't even be here." Regret is starting to take its toll on her. It's pretty evident.

I grab her hand and look at it for a moment as this second could never recreate itself. "Yuri can drive you home. But hear me out. Just this once, please. Then you can decide." I beg of her.

"I'm scared to hear more."

"You kissed me so I believe I deserve a shot. Whatever you decide after this, I swear I'll make it happen." I promise her and she finally lends her ear to listen.

"Throughout my childhood, I was exposed to two main things: One, my dick of a father. And two, my fucked up friends. Although my mom tried so hard to fight for me and save my ass to millions of things I've done wrong, she lost it when I was down for drugs. She almost gave up on me when I kept piling trash over trash of serious offenses. Then one day, I saw Chad. And for the first time, I realized I have a soul. Not because he was like me, a lost kid. But mainly because, for the first time, I didn't want someone to grow up the same way I did. I'm neither his dad nor his big brother, and I would never be. I wasn't even his friend at first. I was just some stranger who was secretly looking after him so he wouldn't end up being some cracked up kiddo doing crazy shit. What I didn't know is that, my own wounds healed on the process. He was like my therapy."

I clear my throat for a second before I continue.

"I had to leave for a year and a half to get to rehab. It was still necessary. So I told my mom to look after him and make sure he gets everything he needs when I'm away. She kept her promise and even sent Chad to school anonymously. After a year, the doctors said I can finally leave the place. Since then, I never turned to drugs when I couldn't stand my dad. Instead, I decided to finally introduce myself to Chad. That's when we became friends. Along the way, Zoe added up to the party of two."