Page 86 of Finding Kyler
Discreetly, I dig my fingernails into my thigh. “For what?” I feign ignorance, knowing full well what he’s implying. Brad was right—Jeremydoesn’tgive up easily.
“Our date.”
“I thought our last conversation made everything crystal clear. And, if I remember correctly, you weren’t actually interested in going out with me anyway?” I cock my head to the side.
Reaching out, he fists a hand in my hair, tugging me toward him. “I should probably apologize for that, huh?” His large hands hold my face in a firm grip, and I’m instantly uncomfortable.
“Jeremy, let me go.” I curl my hand around his wrist, trying to loosen his hold.
“Baby,” he rasps, closing his eyes as he inhales deeply. “Don’t fight this. You know you’ll give in one way or another.”
Fear and anger choke me as I raise my knee in preparation.
“Get your fucking hands off her!” Ky’s tone is pumped full of explosive rage.
Jeremy slowly releases my face, backing away with a sneer.
Ky pulls me behind him, facing off with Jeremy. Every muscle in his body is on high alert. “Faye isn’t interested, so leave her alone.” Ice drips down my spine at the hostility in his tone. “Next time, I won’t be so understanding.”
Jeremy claps him on the shoulder. “Go fuck yourself, Kennedy.” Looking down, he fixes his intense gaze on me. “You and me ain’t done, Ireland.” His eyes smolder with malicious promise. “Not by a long shot.” The clumping sound of his boots retreating is like music to my ears, and I release the breath I was holding.
“You need to tell me if anyone is hassling you. Especially that skeeze,” Ky glares at me as if this is somehow my fault.
“He hasn’t bothered me in ages. I thought he’d lost interest.”
“There is no such thing when it comes to Jeremy.”
“Well, I’ll be ready for him next time.”
“I know you can handle yourself, Faye, but Jeremy’s got a rep for a reason. Promise me you’ll tell me if he gets too much.”
Muscles flex and roll under his shirt as he crosses his arms in front of him. His pale blue eyes become storm-filled, and I melt under the power of his gaze. Genuine concern radiates off him in waves and my heart soars in my chest. While I’m more than capable of looking after myself, it feels unbelievably good to know he cares enough to want to protect me. A long-forgotten memory pops into my mind. “I will, thanks.” My voice quivers a little.
His thumb swipes over his prickly jawline. “What’s going through your head right now?”
“It’s nothing.” I attempt to shrug it off. “Just remembering something that happened when I was younger.”
He lounges against the wall. “Try me.”
“It’s kind of silly.” I pull at the corner of my ear.
A genuine smile graces his lips. “Now I’m intrigued; you have to tell me.”
I smooth my hands over my apron as I clear my throat. “We lived in this large estate in Waterford when I was younger, and there were these two brothers who used to tease me relentlessly. They were always giving me a hard time. Mum was fond of saying they had a crush on me, but whatever.” I smile at the memory. “During the summers, all the kids used to play water fights on our bikes. It was only supposed to be harmless fun. One time, one of the brothers caught me and absolutely drenched me, soaking every last piece of my clothing. I was hopping mad, so I raced home and filled my bottle with a mix of washing-up liquid and water and went back out and hunted him down. I deliberately squirted it in his eyes, and he totally freaked out, knocking me off my bike and kicking me repeatedly in the stomach. As I was lying on the ground, I remember how much I wished that I had an older brother or a cousin or someone who cared enough to come to my rescue.”
Ky’s face is a block of stone, and now I definitely feel silly. I shuffle, embarrassed, on my feet. “Your words brought the memory to the forefront of my mind.”
Silence engulfs us as we stare at one another. After a bit, he opens his mouth. “I’m not the hero, Faye.” A look of repulsion crosses over his face. “And I certainly can’t be that for you.”
My embarrassing recollection and Ky’s words plague me the rest of my shift. No matter what Ky said, his coming to my rescue has touched on a long-held desire. While I don’t consider myself to be a damsel in distress, it’s nice to know I can count on others to have my back.
It hasn’t always been like that.
I still don’t know why he came to the diner earlier—whether there was a purpose to his visit or it was just lucky timing. Either way, I’m glad he was there.
Rose comes back to the house with me after work so we can get dolled-up together in my room. My cousins are throwing another party tonight, and even though we can’t hear anything from here, I’m assuming it’s already in full swing. “Where’s Theo tonight?” I ask, wiggling a pair of jeans up my legs.
“Away with his fam for the weekend. He’s back tomorrow night.” She saunters into my walk-in wardrobe, emitting a low whistle. “Do you think the Kennedys would adopt me if I begged enough?”
