Chapter 105 No Mercy
1092words
My eyes flew open to find Kayn laying next to me with an amused expression, his face half-hidden by one of my fluffy pillows.
"Open the door this instant!" Mom cursed. "Johnathan! Jonathan!"
I bolted up into a sitting position, spotting my mom's face peering into one of the windows. "I'm pretty sure I closed that last night."
"No, you didn't," Kayn stated. "It was open. I'd know because when I showed up I could see you lying on your bed scrolling on your phone."
I muttered a curse, shoving him on the shoulder. "Get up before she kills you!"
Kayn shook with laughter as he sat up, throwing the covers off from us. "She's going to be disappointed when she finds out I'm not so easy to kill." He eyed me with a deadpan expression. "Does your dad have a shotgun?"
"Kayn, oh my word. Get out of here," I cried out, incredulous. "You are absolutely incorrigible, you know that?"
"True." He grabbed me and tugged me flush against him, planting a kiss on my lips. I could hear Mom hiss angrily before he pulled back. "But you still like me."
I huffed, my cheeks blossoming with heat. "Jackass."
Kayn sputtered a laugh as he slipped out of my bed and headed for the door like a civilized person. Mom chose that as an opportune moment to bolt for the door as well, because when Kayn opened the door, Mom stood there, seething.
"Good morning, isn't it?" Kayn beamed and I cursed. He slid past Mom and walked toward his house as if he didn't have a car in the world.
"Carly, you better have a damn good explanation," Mom spoke through gritted teeth.
"Weren't you the one who encouraged our relationship?" I peered at her and sighed. "Mom, I swear, nothing happened."
"Nothing, really?" she snapped. "Why on earth was there a boy in your bed then?'
Dad chose that as the opportune moment to walk out of the cottage. "What?" he exclaimed, looking completely shell-shocked. "What boy?"
Mom cursed, turning around to face him. I had to admit, there was a lot of cursing going around this morning, that Kayn claimed to have been a good one.
"I just found Kayn and Carly sleeping together," Mom scowled and my eyes widened.
Dad turned a dangerous shade of red. "You found her and—just a moment." Dad made a sharp turn toward the neighboring house and I almost fell over my own feet to grab hold of him.
"It's not what you think," I cried. "Nothing happened, I swear!"
Dad froze, turning to face me. "Then do elaborate why there was a boy in your bed. Your mother says she saw you...you know."
"We didn't," I swore. "Yes, he did stay the night in my bed but we didn't do anything other than sleep. I promise, dad, please. Nothing happened."
Dad glanced up at Mom. "In what state did you find them?" I flushed, looking away.
"Entangled in limbs on the bed," Mom said. "They had clothes on, but you never know what happened before they put them on."
"Mom!" I felt completely defeated.
Dad rubbed his face, muttering, "I need coffee before I deal with this."
Just like that, thankfully, he turned back toward the cottage, though I knew this was far from over.
Mom disappeared into the caravan, reappearing a few moments later. "Did you use protection?"
My lips parted in shock and it took me a moment to put together words. "No, mom, we didn't because we didn't do anything."
"Carly, don't test me," she scowled. "Did you use protection?"
I could tell Mom wasn't going to let this go. I breathed out a depleted sigh, "Yes."
"Good." She stepped past me toward the cottage. "Go take a shower and have breakfast. We'll talk when your father and I have decided what to do about this situation."
I sighed again, turning toward the caravan.
"And you best not be going over next door until we've talked, understand?"
"Yes, Mom."
***
Mom and Dad sat me down for a long birds and bees speech after breakfast. Mom decided, regardless of my protests, that she would be taking me to a doctor to get a birth control prescription.
My mortification was beyond repair and my dignity shattered. I found Ember knocking on my caravan door as I exited the cottage, relieved to escape the constant dismissal glances of my parents.
"Hey," I said and she turned, grinning. An actual, crap-eating, grin. "What's up?"
"I'm just happy." She threw her arms around me. "How are you holding...Oh. I'm sorry. Of course, you're not okay."
I sighed. "It could have been worse."
She peered over my shoulder toward the front door. "How're things with your parents?"
"Awkward."
"I'm sorry," she said again. "If there's anything…"
"It's not what you think. I know they care about me, biological or not," I snorted. "Let's just say my parents are under the firm belief that I'm sleeping with your brother."
Ember sputtered a laugh. "Are you?"
I playfully punched her arm. "Absolutely not."
"Really?" Her brows shot up. "I know he snuck out last night. And there's no one else on this island besides you he'd want to go visit."
"Yes, he was with me, but I swear nothing happened."
"He didn't come back until this morning," Ember deadpanned.
"I'm painfully aware of that since my mom caught him sleeping beside me on my bed." I quickly added, "Just sleeping. Fully clothed, that's all."
"Then I don't see the big deal?"
"My parents think, uh, the point is...They think we did something devious and want to put me on birth control."
"I would die," Ember covered her mouth and giggled. "No wonder it's been awkward."
"You tell me," I sighed. "So, what did I miss with you?"
"Well, my sister is alive," she beamed. "And Rake and I are talking again."
"So, you're…"
"No, not together," she shook her head. "But we are talking. That's a start. I hate to admit it, but I miss him."
I offered her an encouraging smile. "He still cares about you. He's doing all this to prove to you he's innocent."
"I want to believe him," she admitted. "But we'll have to wait and see if he's telling the truth, don't we?"
"I know."
"Anyway, why I'm here." Ember grabbed my hand and urged me in the direction of her house. "Come. I need your help with something."
