NOVPUB
Chapter 122: _ One in a Million
My jaw hung slack, refusing to process the words that had just tumbled out of Kylo’s mouth. "Your house?" I repeated, bewildered. "What do you mean?"
Before I could pry further into what exactly he meant by "his house," Cullen cut in, oblivious to my confusion. "Yeah, Isleen! It’s a brilliant idea! Since our place is a pile of ash now, Kylo’s suggesting we crash at his place for a while."
The idea of staying under Rhett’s roof, especially without his explicit invitation, felt like steering a minefield blindfolded. I was sure he wasn’t the type who reacted well to visitors, not to mention uninvited ones.
Nah. I couldn’t even imagine living under the same roof with him. It was absurd. I wouldn’t do that.
I furrowed my brows. "Cullen, we can’t just waltz into someone’s house and expect to stay, especially when it’s not even ours and the owner is not around too. No, I won’t do that."
"But Isleen," Kylo interjected, moving towards me, "it’s not like you are strangers. It’s my dad’s house, and since yours is... well, you know," he gestured towards the smoldering remains of our apartment building, "he wouldn’t mind if you all stayed for a bit. But then again, he’s too busy to care. Look, I know things are... complicated between you and Dad, but this isn’t about that. You guys need a place to stay, and the guest room at our place has been gathering dust for ages. Think of it as putting it to good use. Come on!"
Oh, Kylo; you wouldn’t understand. You wouldn’t understand and I honestly couldn’t try to make you understand either. How would you react when I tell you that I fear staying under the same roof as your Dad because I didn’t know what I’d do hearing his heartbeat just a door away?
That I was scared of myself and what I’d do more than I was of him?
"But what about Gamma Rhett?" I hedged, unsure of what to use as the justification for my rejection of such a good offer. "Shouldn’t we at least ask him first?"
Kylo scoffed. "Dad’s swamped with work, especially after the attack. He won’t be back for days. By then, we’ll figure something out. Besides, it’s not like he wouldn’t offer anyway."
He had a point. Gamma Rhett, for all his gruff exterior, possessed a surprisingly compassionate heart. Still, the thought of potentially intruding on his personal space didn’t sit well with me.
Or perhaps, I didn’t even care about intruding on his space, but his body. After all of the pent-up desire in me, I doubted I’d be able to hold off not swallowing him whole when next I saw him.
Liam, who was oblivious to the internal battle raging within me, tugged excitedly at my hand. "Can we go to Kylo’s house, Mommy? Can we?"
Cullen, catching Liam’s enthusiasm, jumped in. "Yeah, come on! Let’s go! I bet Kylo has all the coolest games at his place!"
Seeing the genuine excitement reflected in their eyes caused a small smile to tug at the corners of my lips. Denying them a bit of normalcy, especially after the trauma of the night, felt cruel. I should probably cave in.
With a sigh of resignation, I divulged. "Alright, alright. We’ll stay at Kylo’s place for a night or two. But we’ll need to find a more permanent solution soon."
Relief washed over Kylo’s face. "Great! Let’s go then!" He turned towards Lupe, who stood silently observing the exchange. "Lupe, are you coming?"
Lupe, who seemed lost in her own thoughts got startled slightly. "Oh, yes, of course," she stammered as a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.
Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, I squeezed gently. "We’ll be okay, Lupe. We’ll figure things out, together."
Would we?
We followed Kylo towards his house. The walk was mostly silent, the aftermath of the night’s events very evident in the air. Everyone was either going back to their houses or lamenting in front of their damaged properties. It was an eyesore.
As we neared the house, a familiar wave of emotions washed over me. The scent of rain filled my nose - the scent of Rhett. My wolf was happy. She wanted this to be our home.
Hell, would I be able to do this? I doubted I’d be able to do this.
Taking a deep breath, I forced my emotions down. Now wasn’t the time for sentimental journeys. My focus needed to be on Liam and the uncertain future that lay ahead.
The house itself looked much the same – a sturdy two-story structure built in the traditional werewolf style, with dark wood paneling and a gabled roof. Unlike the rest of the neighborhood, it remained unscathed like a few others.
"Phew!" Kylo breathed. "Looks like our house survived after all."
Cullen threw his hands over him, causing Kylo to lose grip of Liam whom he was holding. "Looks like we did." He said.
Kylo unlocked the front door, ushering us inside. The scent of Rhett intensified, filling my senses and triggering a twinge of longing I hadn’t anticipated. Or HAD anticipated.
"Welcome to my home!" Kylo announced, obviously excited to have us over.
I could imagine his excitement. He must have been living in loneliness and used to having a nonchalant father who was never at home and no mother to lean on to. Kylo was really a strong man, just like his father.
The house was eerily quiet and devoid of any sign of Rhett’s presence. Relief washed over me because even as Kylo had assured us that the man wouldn’t be coming home for a while, I knew Gamma Rhett was an unpredictable man.
While the idea of staying under the same roof was unsettling, the thought of encountering Rhett directly right now sent shivers down my spine.
"Follow me," Kylo said, leading us down a hallway lined with framed artwork and not even one single photograph. Gamma Rhett, that man; he couldn’t even hang even if it was just a picture of his family. 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
He really was one in a million.
