Page 64 of Chasing Kit

Kit stayed silent for a full ten seconds. Then, very quietly, he said, “Me too.”

Leland let out a shaky breath and wiped his face on his sleeve. “I won’t do it again. Ever. I mean, work for—” He flicked his eyes at Derek. “—him. Not if it means losing you. Swear on my life.”

Kit shrugged, suddenly sheepish. “I don’t need you to swear. Just don’t lie to me, okay?”

Leland nodded, grateful. “Never again.”

There was another long, messy pause, and then Kit said, “Do you want coffee?”

Leland glanced at the table, then back to Kit. “I’d love some.”

I poured him a cup even though I was sure he never drank it, either. There was a reason they were friends. The peace was awkward, but it was peace.

Kit took a deep breath, then fixed his gaze on Derek. “There’s one more thing.”

Derek raised an eyebrow.

“I know you asked if this was happening, but I want to be clear. I’m with War.” Kit raised his chin, defiance flashing in his gaze. “Like, officially. So, you need to accept that or stay out of it.”

Derek studied my face, and for a moment, I thought he might finally ask if I was good enough or safe enough or whatever a parent would ask. But he just said, “Fine. No more dumb errands during the day. I’ll leave you two alone and War can go back to his normal duties.” He sounded relieved. Did the big guy miss me?

I rolled my lips into my mouth to stop from making a stupid joke. This was a serious conversation.

Kit nodded, satisfied.

Derek stood, drained his mug, and looked at Kit like he was memorizing him. Then, he opened his arms. He stayed still, letting Kit decide, and I thought that said a lot about Derek and his respect for his son. They’d always had a close relationship, and even though Kit wasn’t forgiving him, I wanted to see them repair their fractured connection. Not just for Derek, but for Kit, too.

Kit leapt into the hug, burying his face against his dad’s chest like he was ten years old again. Derek’s hand came up to the back of Kit’s neck with a gentle and steady grip. They stood like that for a full minute, neither letting go first.

When Kit finally pulled back, he wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand. “Sorry,” he muttered.

Derek shook his head. “You never have to be sorry.”

Leland, not to be left out, nudged Kit’s shoulder. Kit rolled his eyes, but he let Leland pull him into a side-hug.

I stayed at the table. My insides rearranged themselves in ways I didn’t have words for.

Derek tugged his keys out of his pocket and nodded at me. “Take care of him.”

I met his eyes. “Always.”

Derek and Leland left together, silent but less tense than when they’d arrived. Kit closed the door behind them and leaned against the solid wood before sliding to the floor.

I stood and rushed to sit down beside him. We didn’t say anything for a while, just listened to the quiet and tried to figure out what to do with the day ahead of us. We had peace now. We were together and Derek wasn’t going to try to stop us from being partners. This was the first real relationship I’d been in, so I was as lost as Kit.

“I’m not going to classes today,” Kit said after a while.

“Didn’t think you would.” I nudged his shoulder with mine.

“I just want to be here. With you.”

That did it. All my walls and careful detachment shattered. I put my arm around him and kissed his forehead, slow and deliberate, before I moved down to his lips. He melded into me, his mouth moving against mine until we were breathless.

“Me too.” This time I didn’t care if anyone heard.

Kit pressed his face against my shoulder, warm and damp from tears he’d never admit to. Finally, we rose and went to the couch, or more like I half dragged him there. Instead of falling onto the cushions, though, we sat on the living room floor, our backs leaning beside the two-seater. His heartbeat thumped against me through the fabric of my shirt, still racing even though all the threats were gone. There was a faint rattle in his breath and it felt like the silence after a tornado, when the air is thick and the only thing left is to wait and see what’s still standing.

He picked at the seam of my pants. “Do you think it’ll always be like this?”