Love, Lies, and Other Ties

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Carter's POV:

I was losing my shit. The Mafia? No. Nope. No way do I believe this. Molly must have been mistaken. If she was going to make up ridiculous rumors about my friends, maybe I didn't need to be friends with her anymore. Liam's entire family welcomed me with open arms from the very beginning and they acted as if I was part of their family. Molly left as soon as Kay and Loki showed up at my door. I needed to get answers and Kay was the perfect one to ask.

"What was her rush? Was it something we did?" Kay looked disappointed that Molly ran out of here so fast.

"Nothing. She's being a little ridiculous and I snapped at her. I think that's why she left. Who knows what is going on through her head?" I responded. We fell into a brief silence until Loki spoke up.

"How are you feeling Carter? How much longer are you going to be a prisoner here?" he asked.

"I'm feeling much better. I'm hoping that they let me go home tomorrow. Finger's crossed that I'm finally healthy enough," I responded with a strained smile.

Kay then went into telling me all about the things that had happened at school since I had missed it and said that if I would like her to pick up my homework until I'm healthy enough to return to school, she had no problem with it since I wasn't sure where I stood with Molly. I had finally had enough and decided that I needed answers about the whole mafia thing.

"...and then Ginny told the girl who pushed her that she would regre..."

"Are you in the mafia?" I interrupted.

After a brief silence, she gave me a bright smile and said, "What? Of course not! You're being ridiculous. I mean, the mafia? Really?" she started laughing but I could tell it wasn't real which made alarms go off in my head.

"Tell me the truth, Kay. I'm tired of being lied to."

She gave me a strained, fake smile and replied, "we're not part of a mafia. We should go, it's getting late."

It was only 5 pm so I knew she was lying to my face and I was done with people keeping secrets from me, hurting me, belittling me and bullying me. I no longer wanted to be a pushover. First, it was my dad treating me like pure shit. Then, it was Ginny who treating me like a piece of gum on the bottom of her heels. Also, Liam treating me like shit in front of everyone, including Ginny. Now, Kay, who I thought was my best friend is lying right to my face. I decided I needed to grow some balls.

"Kaylin Knight, if you walk out that door right now without telling me the truth, I never want to see or talk to you or any of your family and friends again. You are supposed to be my best friend and be honest with me but you are treating me as if I am a child who can't handle the truth. I can't keep doing this anymore," I said with tears streaming down my face.

Her back was facing me the entire time I spoke and when she turned around, tears were streaming down her face as well. Loki looked pale like all the blood had drained from his face at my speech. She stayed silent for a few minutes and just when I was about to ask her to leave, she spoke.

"It's true. We are all a part of a mafia. The American Mafia. Liam is the next in line to be leader. Please believe me, we were going to tell you but then everything with my mom and you being hospitalized happened and it was never a good time. I'm so sorry we lied by omission but we did for your own safety. Once you know and are involved with us, even as friends, you are in more danger."

I couldn't think straight. Liam was next in line for the American Mafia? There is no way. He was so kind and gentle with me and now I find out he is dangerous? I can't believe it. He always made me feel so safe with him. I didn't know what to do. I needed to be alone to be able to think.

"I'd like to be alone, please," I said to them.

"Okay, but, please don't shut us out. Now that you know, we will answer any questions you may have. I'm so sorry," she said through her tears. Once they left, I turned away from the door and pulled my knees up to my chest and cried silently to myself.

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Liam's POV:

I raced to the hospital as fast as I could. This is bad. I was going to tell her. I promised myself that as soon as she was healthy enough to go home that I would tell her. I needed to talk to her. I needed her and this will not be what separates us for good. It can't be.

Once there, I ran to her room, ignoring all the staff that told me to stop running. When I got to her room, I found a hysterical Kay with Loki holding her and rubbing her back to try and calm her down. He got her calmed down enough so she could tell me what happened. I was hoping that she did make good on her threat to never talk to or see us again. I lived without her once, I wasn't going to do it again.

After talking to Kay and telling Loki to take her home, I decided to go into Carter's room. There was my baby girl, lying on her side with her knees up to her chest and tear stains on her pillow and she was sound asleep. I walked over to the chair that was facing her back and slowly ran my fingers gently through her beautiful hair. I decided to just talk to her even though she was asleep.

"Hey, baby. I know you hate me right now and I understand why. I was terrible to you and spoke to you in awful ways. I even threw Ginny in your face when I have no desire of being with her. I'm heartbroken at how I tried to break you. It was uncalled for and it will never happen again. I promised myself that I would treat you like a princess and I've treated you like everything else but that.

"When I first laid eyes on you, I knew that you would be a part of me for the rest of my life. I was 5 when I saw you for the very first time. At that time, I wanted you to be my "bestest friends" as I told my mom. You were the most adorable girl I had ever seen. We were inseparable. We did everything together and saw each other everyday since we lived next door to each other. I would get so jealous if any one else tried to be your friend. I wanted all of your attention.

"My feelings grew as we grew older and by the time we were eleven, I had a full-blown crush on you. My jealousy grew, too. I didn't want any boys near you. We were only eleven but I knew then, I loved you and I would forever. We were each other's first kiss. Shortly after sharing our first kiss, we had to go into hiding due to a complication with one of my dad's men which just so happened to be your dad.

"Your dad had turned against my father and threatened mine and Kay's lives. I didn't want to go. At the time, I didn't know the reasoning behind it. I resented my parents for dragging me away from you but they said It would only be for a couple of months. Months turned into years and I gave up on ever coming back. I wanted to come back to you so bad and I never forgot you. I got into partying real bad. The very first girl I slept with looked like you in my drunken haze. The next morning, I was sick of what I had done. I wanted it to be you so bad, but it wasn't.

"When we came back and I saw you for the first time, you took my breath away. You had grown into the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes on but for some reason you didn't remember me. It's like you blocked off anything from our lives together. I missed you so much. Did you miss me? Did you ever think about me? Dream about me? I know I screwed up this time but please don't give up on us just because of the mafia shit. I need you, desperately. I can't live without you, baby. Please, don't leave me," I leaned over and kissed her lips and then turned to leave, not knowing that my sleeping princess heard the whole thing.