Free Bird by Mignon Mykel

Author:Mignon Mykel [Mykel, Mignon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MMC, LLC
Published: 2022-09-07T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

Kate

When I left the White House, I knew there were eyes on me.

But I’m no longer the first family, and I’m an adult.

However, leaving means I can’t go back.

And I’m okay with that.

I’m officially severing this tie.

I did a little bit of sleuthing to figure out where Tanner lived, and was proud of myself when he opened the door.

I just needed to see him one more time, I told myself, but once I was in his place, I realized I needed him to know everything.

I needed him to understand me.

Because I thought maybe I loved him, and I know you can’t love someone without knowing everything.

But the way he just said, “Like fuck I did,” when I told him he was right there...

My goal wasn’t to hurt him.

You don’t hurt people you love.

I’ve had a lifetime of examples showing what love isn’t. I would know.

And even though I know I don’t have a home to go back to right now, I still say, “I should go home,” instead of hurting him more.

“Just... Give me a minute to process this, please.” The pain is clear in his voice.

“I shouldn’t have said it,” I whisper from where I lay in his bed.

His bed that smells like him.

“You should have said it three, hell, five years ago!” His eyes widen at his outburst and he squeezes the bridge of his nose. “Fuck. I’m sorry, Kate.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not, but...” He shakes his head then stares down at me, still sitting up as I lay. “Who got you pregnant?” It sounds like the words are hard for him to say, and he looks like he’s going to vomit. I knew he wouldn’t believe me when he told me to lie.

“Peddleman,” I whisper, my eyes locked on his.

“You’re sure?”

I nod, continuing to speak softly. I’ve never said the words aloud. They feel strange, and saying them softly doesn’t feel as...harsh. “Arden stopped touching me after I got the boob job.” The words seem to just fall from my mouth when talking to Tanner.

But while the words come out easily for me, they clearly are affecting Tanner in a way I didn’t expect. He squeezes his eyes shut and starts to work his jaw. “I’m...” I watch as his Adam’s apple bobs, then he opens his eyes. “Just... stay there. I think I might actually be sick. Don’t move, Kate.”

He moves into the bathroom, not bothering to shut the door or turn on the light, and it’s not long before I hear him retching. I make a face, but it sounds like it’s mostly just sounds and not...him actually getting sick.

That’s...

Good, I guess.

I decide then that he won’t find out he was the agent on when I went to the clinic. I can’t keep hurting him.

The toilet flushes—did he really get sick?—then he moves to the sink, where he brushes his teeth and gargles mouthwash.

I don’t move a muscle.

And when he gets back into the bed, he immediately pulls me to him, an arm under my neck, the other searching for my hand so he can thread our fingers.

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