Down the Rabbithole
Summer slowly made her way in, dressed in a comfortable hoodie and yoga pants. A little out of the norm for her, but when recovering from being shot and stabbed, one went for comfort, not style. Even so, she still had that serious as fuck look on her face, the fire in her green eyes burning. She made her way to a loveseat by the fire and lowered herself slowly into it. No sudden flopping to jar her aching body.
Kaine shook his head as he followed Summer in. As usual, he was snappily dressed, a smartly tailored suit, polka dot tie, brown brogues. She should be at home, resting, but he let her out of her gilded cage to stretch her legs. He strode over to the loveseat, lowering himself into it, by her side, his arm reaching around next to her.
Summer leaned her head on Kaine's shoulder as he sat down next to her, wrapped his arm around her. Her hand found its way to his leg and rested on his thigh. She looked up at him and made a small smile, still a little dazed from her pain medicine. “I should have gotten dressed.” She murmured. “I look like a wreck.”
Kaine reached up to run his fingers through her hair once before dropping it to cover hers on his thigh. “True as that may be, you're my wreck.” He snickered quietly under his breath. He knew the pain meds were affecting her. “I still think you look gorgeous, and you know my feelings on where real beauty comes from.”
Summer lightly elbowed him, as much as she could without flinching. “Ha. Ha. Haaaaa.” She groaned, though her eyes sparkled softly at him. “I am your wreck. I'm lucky you still want me after all that shit.” She looked at herself, then him, and she smirked. “Careful, the photogs might think you're cheating on me with a broke college student.” She chuckled, clearly not being serious. There was no mistaking her, her identity was clear even in sweats. She gave him a little, playful growl.
Kaine bit the air in front of Summer's face, growling back at her. “So funny you forgot to laugh? I've heard that before.” That brought a snort of derision. “Why wouldn't I? Besides, the paps can think whatever the hell they want. We both know the truth.” He gave her hand a cautious squeeze, trying not to make her jump. He wouldn't be cheating on her with anyone anyway, she knew that. Journalists were just scum. Unless they worked for him.
Mental note: Need to see if that Marissa Lewis girl would like a job with Hayden Publishing. She seemed reasonable.
Summer bit the air right back and grinned. “Reporters are a necessary evil. But the one who did that article for the Post seemed fair. That last paragraph was the best 'fuck you, I quit' I've ever read though.” She laughed, then winced. Ugh. Still hurt. “I'm ready to be fully healed now.” She groused.
Kaine smirked. Reporters are just plain evil, to him. Except the ones that worked for him. What did that make him? “It's not entirely fair on her though, she just picked the short straw on interviewing me. Granted, it was foisted upon her.” He shook his head as he took a deep breath in, holding it for a few moments as if drawing strength. “It will take time, Cupcake. Have patience. I know that's a big thing to ask.”
“True, but it shows integrity and standards. That's rare. If I had room for her, I'd find her and offer her a job.” She bowed her head then when he replied to her complaint. It wasn't fair, really, and she suddenly realized it. “I'll stop complaining, Kaine. I'm sorry.” She murmured quietly.
Kaine pulled his phone from his pocket as it bleeped with a message1) . He tapped out a response2) and sent it, then went to put it away before sending a second message3) as a follow up as he realized what might be happening. “I'll send her an invite in the morning. The more pressing issue, however, is your sister. She's going just as stir crazy as you, and she wasn't anywhere near as injured. Just scrapes, scratches and bruises after being thrown out of that car. And she misses her beau.”
Summer leaned forward and put her head in her free hand. “Fine. Fine. Whatever she wants. It's not fair to her. I'll deal.” Summer mumbled. She was terrified at letting Winter out of her sight again but she had to either push that fear aside or just deal with it. Winter hadn't been the target, after all, but the thought of her being used as collat–no. No. Push it aside, Caldwell.
“Mmhmm. I already told her Troy can turn up. I've told Wyatt to send him up as soon as he arrives.” He looked down at her next to him, he could feel the fear of losing her sister radiating from her. “You can't keep her cooped up inside all the time. Nor can you protect her from everything. At least try to let Troy do that for her.”
“I know. I know. Tell her…she can go back to her dorm. Whenever she wants.” She muttered from her palm. It was sinking in how much her fear had taken hold of everyone around her, and suddenly she felt very small and awful, the She-wolf mentally stumbling.
Kaine frowned at her. This wasn't like her. “No, you can tell her. She's your sister, you're the one being overprotective, you're the one who needs to tell her she can do what she wants. You know how much she looks up to you, Cupcake.” His voice was firmer than before, taking control and trying to implant that idea where it belonged. Not too hard, she was still a little fragile.
Summer blindly reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out her phone, tapping out a quick text and sticking it back into her pocket. “I have to get a grip.” She lifted her head slightly. “I have to stop complaining and just…not. It happened. It's over, I'm safe. I have to get over it.”
Kaine slipped his hand under Summer's. “Here, get a griiii—hold that thought.” His phone bleeped three times in quick succession4) . He was popular tonight. He pulled it out, read it, tapped a brief reply5) , tucked it away and put it back under her hand. “Grip of that.” He couldn't help but laugh at that. “Look. You know I'll support you in your recovery, but it takes time. Trust me. I've been through… Something… Like this. Ish.”
Summer sighed. “I know it takes time but I'm feeling all this pressure to just….snap out of it. I have to snap out of it. I can't…” She frowned and pulled out her phone, then tapped out a reply. “I am bringing everyone down.” She sighed. “That is why I have to get over it. I have to stop bringing everyone down.”
“There's no such thing as 'snap out of it'. You have to let your body heal. You have to let your mind heal.” Bleep “I'm ignoring that one. She can wait. Are you bringing me down, or am I going to have to drag you, kicking and screaming, up out of your rabbithole?” Bleep6) Sigh. “Gimme a second.” He grabbed his phone and tapped out another reply7) before leaving it on his leg where he could see it, this time.
“I don't know how to let my mind heal. I just want to move forward and I make progress but then the pain becomes a reminder.” She murmured, then squeezed his hand. “May we go home, Sir? I just….when I'm there I want to get out but then I get out and I just want to go where I know I'm safe. I think working from home would help me and it just….it doesn't help. It just makes me hate myself for not keeping above the surface in all the emotions.”
Kaine looked down at his phone expecting it to interrupt him. Nothing. “Let me help you. It sounds like you need a vacation. We get your company sortBleeped out… Your sister has impeccable timing. Then I take you somewhere you can get out and be free.” Bleep8) Poke. Tap. Send9) . “You need to get away from it all. I can have someone trustworthy keep an eye on your company if you're worried.” Not another Amy. Someone who'll do the job right. Not that she couldn't, she was just a traitor. He tucked his phone away. “Come on, let's go home. How does Frisco sound?”
Summer nodded. “Alright.” That's what it was about, right? Trusting everything over to him, trusting he would know when he needed to take over. “Alright. Just us?” She asked as she moved to stand, still holding his hand. “Frisco sounds lovely.”
Kaine held her up, rising after and leading her towards the exit. “More or less. Ethan has a shoot, Troy's family are out there, but we don't have to spend time with them if we don't want to. It's all about you, as far as I'm concerned.”
Kaine answered his message tone one more time as they left through the door10) . “Damn, Winter's really going stir crazy.”
Next: Mile High Club
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