Chapter 15 | More mysteries

Ashleigh’s POV

True to his word, Reginald did pick me up after school. He was on time even. As soon as I got out of the school building, I spotted his car in the drop-off. It was the only one there and the big wheels, tinted glass and custom plate screamed money and power.

“Yo, dude, check out that whip!” I heard someone say to his friends behind me.

“Sick!” They said and started laughing as they talked about the model.

I tried not to make it an awkward affair as I casually got into the backseat beside him. I could feel the stares of a thousand students burning a hole through my back. No matter how hard I tried, this family somehow found a way to make me get into the limelight.

I really hoped that Samantha or anyone else from the magazine society didn’t see this and decide that their rule against writing about members was moot point. I would hate to read about this anywhere.

“Good afternoon sirs,” I greeted both the driver and my future stepfather.

“Did you let Kane know you would be taking a ride with me?”

I opened my mouth and then shut it almost immediately because I wasn’t sure I had an answer to that. Was I supposed to let Kane know I would be taking a ride with his father? Did Reginald think he and I always let each other know stuff like that? Clearly, he wasn’t paying enough attention to what was going on in his house.

Your son absolutely hates my guts! I wanted to scream but there was no need. There was nothing Reginald could do about that.

“You didn’t,” Reginald concluded when I finally didn’t respond.

I shook my head.

“I’ll call him now.”

I shook my head again. Reginald didn’t know that Kane didn’t want our familial relationship to become public news. I wasn’t sure how he would react to his father calling him and letting him know he picked me up but then I remembered what happened with my mother and knew it wouldn’t be any good.

“Yeah, I…I don’t think we should do that. He is probably at practice.”

I didn’t know whether that was true or not but it seemed to work. Reginald asked the driver to move and as we rolled out of school premises, I caught site of Kane walking to the parking lot with his group of friends.

s**t!

When I turned, Reginald seemed distracted by his phone and I prayed he would keep his head down till Kane went out of site. He did. Thankfully.

I didn’t yet understand the type of relationship Kane had with his family. And I didn’t want to be the one who got between whatever issues they had going on. He had simply warned me to stay away from him in school and not let anyone know we were related (or going to be soon) and I intended to fully heed that warning.

Reginald may not be as embarrassing as my mother had been but I knew Kane would not be happy with it either way.

The car ride was silent most of the way. Reginald did ask me once if I would like to get anything and I shook my head. All I wanted was to get home and maybe forget this day ever happened.

I had some school work to catch up on so, when we returned home, I thanked Reginald for the ride and shut myself in my room. I needed some space. I had had enough people contact for the day.

Dinner was served sometime in the evening and I noticed Kane was absent. Not that I cared but when I looked out, I didn’t see his car in its usual spot outside. He’d probably gone out for the evening. It really wasn’t any of my business either way.

Samantha called me later that day.

“Didn’t see you today after school,” she started.

“Yeah, I left early.” And Thank God for that.

“Well, the girls and I are going shopping on Wednesday and wanted to know if you’d be able to make it.”

“Shopping?” I didn’t know what shopping with other girls would feel like. I had never done it before.

“Yeah, shopping. Do you not know what that is?” Samantha scoffed, already getting impatient.

“Yea, I do.” I thought about it for about two seconds then said, “Sure, I would love to tag along.”

“Great! We meet in the parking lot after school.”

With that, Samantha ended the call and I was able to finally go to bed. Maybe joining this magazine society would finally help me make some friends in school.

I didn’t need anything in particular from the mall but this was the first time I was getting invited to…anything really. What would it hurt to just tag along? I had a little bit of cash left and could easily buy a thing or two and not feel left out.

I woke up in the middle of the night to the pressure building between my legs. I was so tired as I staggered out of bed and nearly lost my balance. My head was pounding as I stumbled my way to the bathroom. I could barely see anything so the first thing I did as I opened the bathroom door was flip the light switch, praying I didn’t get blinded by it.

“What the f**k dude?!”

I heard his voice before I even registered his face. Kane was seated at the edge of the bathtub, bare chested and…bleeding from a deep gash in his shoulder.

“Oh my goodness!” I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. “Is…is that blood?”

There was a first aid kit at his feet from where he’d taken out a pair of tongs and cotton wool which he used to dab at the wound.

“Yeah. I’m on my f*****g period. Get the f**k out of here,” Kane growled, very angrily.

I didn’t need any other motivation as a bloody Kane got to his feet. In that moment, with his shirt off and blood and sweat dripping all over him, he looked even scarier than before. There was a wild look in his eyes that I had never seen before. A violent streak and something like…fear? It made my blood turn cold.

I could tell he was in a lot of pain from the way his face was squeezed and it tore at my heart to see him like that for some reason. He usually presented a tough exterior all the time so this was a new and very frightening look on him.

I turned around and fled the bathroom. I heard him curse again as he shut the door behind me.

“How did I forget to lock the damn door? s**t!”

I didn’t stop running until I got to the kitchen where I put a steadying hand on my chest and tried to catch my breath. I threw open the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water.

How ironic. I had wanted to pee before but Kane’s bloody figure had just made my mouth go dry…and not in a good way.

How the heck had he gotten that wound on his body?! That didn’t look like something you’d get fighting some high school kid and I had never even seen Kane in a fight before. The school has strict rules against that so this had definitely happened somewhere else.

My heart was still beating when I heard footsteps approaching the kitchen. I immediately knew it was Kane. I opened the fridge to return the bottle of water and find my out of the kitchen. But, Kane was there faster than I thought and shift the door before I could do anything.

He was wearing a shirt now and seemed to be in less pain, even though there was still a grimace on his face.

“You spill a word of this to anyone and I’ll do more than put dye in your body wash. You hear me?” His voice was deep and threatening.

I gulped, having no doubt that he would do exactly as he said. I nodded.

“I want to hear you say it.”

“I hear you,” I whispered.

He nodded and grabbed the water from my hands before turning around and walking away