Page 91 of Rebellious

She snorted. “Your actions say otherwise.”

“I do,” he insisted, unsure what to say to make her believe him. He was more in control of his emotions than he’d been Saturday evening, but he still wanted to sob and beg. “I swear, if I get another chance, I’ll do right by her.”

“You should’ve done right by her the first time. To my understanding, she gave you several outs, and you denied them all, just to break her heart.”

He flinched because she was right. Over the months, he’d had several opportunities to exit the relationship with Rebel. But he never wanted to leave her.

“I just needed sex. Don’t you remember?” he asked glumly.

Meggie froze. “I recommend you think about your next words very carefully. You’re asking for my forgiveness, but what happens the next time ‘you just need sex’?”

“I’ll jerk off,” he blurted, only realizing his error when Meggie reddened.

He thought it was from anger until she shook her head and lifted her hand. “TMI, Kaia.”

“But you asked,” he said to defend himself.

“You’re right,” she said, then turned off the burner for the eggs. She nodded to the breakfast bar. “Let’s talk.”

Kaia’s stomach growled and he looked longingly at the half-cooked eggs but followed Meggie’s orders.

“Cheating is a hard pass for me, Kaia,” Meggie started as she slid onto the stool and nodded for him to sit.

“I understand,” he mumbled, sliding next to her.

“I doubt that you do since you’ve never been in a committed relationship.”

“No one has ever been committed to me,” he said with a shrug.

Meggie’s look softened and she nodded. “That’s an open wound that you need to deal with if you ever want to be truly happy, sweetheart.”

“Rebel makes me—”

“No,” she cut in. “You have to make yourself happy before anyone else can come in and light up your world. That joy and strength has to come from within, love. Rebel can’t do it for you. Fia can’t do it for you. No one can, except you. Once you find inner peace, then that is when your entire perspective will shift. You’ll know if you want monogamy or an open relationship. It won’t be a concept you’re striving for to please anyone except yourself.”

Kaia tried to consider Meggie’s words, but no one had ever given him such understanding or grace. Not even his mother.

“I hear everything you’re saying, Meggie. I journal sometimes. I used to feel so…so lost and unfulfilled when I’d get money in exchange for sex and whatever I was told to do. I always listed what I wanted in a relationship. The most important thing was someone who understood and valued me. Someone who thought I was enough.”

“Yeah, well, she has to be enough for you, too.”

“Rebel is…suppose I told you I’ll give up my job and move out if Rebel gives me another chance to prove how serious I am?” It wasn’t his original goal, but if that’s what it took, then he’d live on the streets.

“Suppose I told you I’ll let you decide what school you’d like to attend and keep you on my payroll as a live-in employee if you stop pursuing Rebel?”

“I don’t want that,” Kaia said without hesitation. “I’m resigning and I’ll move out today, Meggie…Mrs. Caldwell.” He’d only become so informal with her because of the way Bishop addressed her. “I…Rebel is important to me. I-I came in to ask you to help me set up a savings account and to ask what I could buy Rebel to give her when she gets home today. I want to have the money on hand to give Rebel whatever she wants.”

“And yet you just quit, without any prospects for employment.”

And no place to go. He’d moved into that economy apartment because his parents didn’t want him living under their roof anymore.

“If Christopher ever cheated on me, I wouldn’t forgive him,” Meggie…Mrs. Caldwell said. “My trust would be gone completely and it would take a miracle for me to regain it.”

“Miracles happen, Mrs. Caldwell.”

“You don’t have to stop calling me Meggie, Kaia.” She laid her hand against his arm. The blue diamond ring sat on the finger right next to her expensive wedding set, both of which she proudly wore and both of which Outlaw could afford to gift her. “Rebel wants to continue your friendship.”

Kaia nodded. “You can keep track of my every move. If she wants to implant a tracking device in me, she can. I swear to you I’ve learned my lesson.”