Hello, I Love You

Chapter 10 - A Failed Seduction

He stood suddenly, startling her, and stormed past her to the kitchen. Grabbing the forgotten wine glasses, he slowly walked back to the couch. When Valerie didn't follow, he turned to see her confused expression as she stood in the bedroom doorway.

"Sorry," he muttered. He didn't give an explanation for his strange behavior, but gestured to the seat beside him. "We should really finish running these lines."

Valerie raised a questioning brow, but glided to the open seat beside him. Slowly lowering herself, she crossed her legs dramatically, causing her skirt to rise higher on her legs. Patrick didn't miss the teasing way her foot traced his calf. He cleared his throat and picked up his script, ordering himself to focus, so he could send Valerie on her way.

"Tessa, you ask too many questions," he began.

"You give me no answers," Valerie growled in response.

"Can't you see that I am protecting you?!" Patrick didn't have to try to sound exasperated when he spoke the line. He felt like he was reliving his earlier conversation with Kylie.

"You aren't protecting me, Vincent. You are controlling me!" Valerie yelled.

"This life is too dangerous for you, Tessa. Tonight was proof of that," Patrick murmured. "I almost lost you," he finished with a whisper.

"But you don't have to lose me, Vincent," Valerie cooed. "We can be together forever, if you would only turn me."

Patrick had been so focused on his script, he hadn't noticed that Valerie had moved closer with each line she had spoken. She was no longer holding her wine glass, which was evident by the two small hands clenching his shirt. He looked up, eyes wide, only to see Valerie's lips a mere two inches from his.

"Please, Vincent," Valerie begged, leaning closer, intent on kissing Patrick as the scene directed.

"You will not believe what that asshole did!" Kylie's tone bordered on frantic. She rounded the corner, fuming, only to come to a dead stop at the sight of Patrick locked in an embrace with Valerie. Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment as Patrick pulled away from Valerie, his expression concerned.

"Ne-never mind. I'll just go call Mia," Kylie mumbled. She hurried into the bedroom, closing the door.

"Well, that was awkward," Valerie purred. She placed her hand on Patrick's chest again and stared into his eyes. Her chocolate brown eyes were swimming with lust, but Patrick had no intention of giving Valerie what she wanted. He stood abruptly and handed her the script he'd been holding.

"Yeah, and it looks like we'll have to call it an early night," he answered abruptly.

Valerie's eyes widened in surprise. "She said she would talk to someone else about whatever was bothering her. We don't have to quit rehearsing yet, do we?" She stood and stepped closer to Patrick.

He continued to retreat, aiming his steps toward the front hallway. "I think it's best that we do," he answered. His heart was racing and his mind was full of thoughts regarding Kylie's date with Trent. That man better not have done anything Kylie didn't want. A growl escaped Patrick's throat at the thought, and he locked eyes with Valerie. "I need to check on Kylie." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, handing her a twenty dollar bill. "Catch a cab, Val. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, Patrick opened the front door and gestured to the empty hallway. Valerie flinched visibly when the rejection registered, and she rushed angrily from the apartment, muttering lividly under her breath.

Patrick closed the door and sighed loudly. He clenched his fists and counted to ten, trying to calm his runaway imagination. Trent had a past Patrick viewed as criminal, and he didn't trust the man with someone as sweet and beautiful as Kylie, but he really didn't think Trent had harmed her. Kylie had looked angry, but not hurt when she'd entered the apartment. She hadn't been gone long, so maybe Trent had royally screwed up and Kylie had sent him packing. The thought made Patrick grin involuntarily.

He hurried to the bedroom door and knocked quietly, determined to find out what had her so upset. When he didn't hear Kylie respond, he forced himself to look compassionate and serious, and then opened the door to the bedroom. His heart stopped and his breath caught in his throat at the sight before him. He gripped the doorframe and forced himself to swallow. The sudden panic that filled his chest at the sight of Kylie packing her bags was debilitating.

"Where are you going?!" he demanded.

Kylie looked at Patrick with angry tears running down her cheeks.

"Do you know what that bitch told my kids?" she said, her voice wavering. Patrick's eyes widened and she shook his head.

"She told my kids that I had left them. That I had gone to California because I didn't want to be their mommy anymore."

Patrick couldn't stop the gasp that escaped his mouth. Who would do such a thing?

"She told them that she was their new mother and they needed to call her mommy!" Kylie screamed. She continued to throw things haphazardly into her luggage.

"So, where are you going?" Patrick repeated, his voice softer in deliver this time.

"I'm going to collect my kids," she retorted. "I don't care that it's Alec's time with them. He let that whore tell my kids I wasn't coming back! He sat at the table while she filled their heads with lies, and he didn't once correct her!"

Patrick stepped slowly across the room, his steps hesitant, and his voice calm and soothing. Kylie looked like a wild animal that could be easily spooked. He wanted to help her see reason, not give her another reason to vacate the premises.

"So, Katy called you?" he asked gently.

"Yes," Kylie sighed. Her lower lip quivered. "She'd taken Alec's cell phone and hid in a closet to call me."

"Smart girl," Patrick chuckled. When Kylie looked baffled, he explained. "She knew not to take the word of a lunatic. She called her mommy for the truth."

Kylie's face softened. "She was crying, Patrick," she murmured. "That woman made my child cry."

Finally closing the distance between them, Patrick pulled Kylie into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cried softly into his chest.

"I'll never win against Alec," she sobbed. "He can do whatever he wants, and he doesn't care that what he does can wound our children. Katy said he was at the dinner table when Coco told the kids to call her mommy. He didn't care that she was hurting our children."

Patrick rubbed Kylie's back gently as she continued to cry.

"If you run straight there and take the kids, he can use that against you, can't he?" he prodded.

Kylie nodded and lifted her watery gaze to meet Patrick's blue-gray stare. "He could use it as grounds to ask for full custody," she whimpered.

"Then you can't go, Sweetpea," Patrick murmured. He lifted his hands from her waist and gently used his thumbs to wipe tears from her cheeks. "We've got to fight smart if we want to beat that jackass."

"Okay," she whispered, her heart swelling when he included himself in her fight.

Patrick pulled her back into his arms and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"You hungry?" he muttered against her temple.

"Yeah, the phone call kind of killed the date before we even hit the restaurant."

"Can't say that I'm torn up about that, Kylie," Patrick confessed.

Kylie chuckled and elbowed Patrick playfully, before following him to the kitchen for a cozy dinner for two.