Meet Me in the Penalty Box (Orchid City, #1)(69)

“Please don’t leave me,” I pleaded as the tears spilled from my eyes. I fought an earnest battle against them, but I couldn’t hold them in any longer. The coldness that radiated from Kai had seeped into my bones and I shivered as I viciously swiped at my cheeks. “What about Vermont? We were supposed to go together.”

Kai’s eyes darkened under the moon that hung above us in the night sky. “I was never going to go with you, Winter.”

His words struck me, swiftly draining the air from my lungs in a rush. My lips parted and it felt like my world was turning upside down. “What?”

He shook his head as another frigid laugh escaped him. “What the fuck is there for me in Vermont?”

“Me,” I breathed without hesitation as he twisted the knife in my chest while pushing it in deeper. “We were supposed to go together. You and me.”

“There is no you and me, Winter. Stop being delusional,” he scoffed as the mask of ice slid across his features. “Did you really think college was even an option for me? I only made it through high school because of my father having the board in his back pocket.”

He was breaking my heart, tearing it to shreds and letting the pieces fall to the ground by our feet. Kai’s moments of vulnerability always made him cruel, but he was always different with me. He let me into places no one else would ever come close to touching. He was icing me out and I didn’t know how to get through to him.

“But you told me you got into Wyncote University.”

His face was blank. “I lied.”

Nausea rolled in the pit of my stomach. “You never applied, did you?”

He shook his head and shrugged with indifference as he shifted his weight on his feet. I watched him transform in front of my eyes. The coldness had encapsulated him, but he wasn’t here with me anymore. He had withdrawn from me completely.

“This is life, Winter Reign. It’s disappointing and fucking pointless. It is never what you expect it to be and I was never meant to be a part of yours.”

“You don’t mean that.” I let out a ragged breath as I reached for him.

Kai abruptly took a step away from me. “You need to leave, Winter.”

I shook my head at him. “I’m not leaving you.”

A shadow passed over his face. “Go.”

“Don’t do this.” My plea fell from weak lips and my words were barely audible.

Kai ran his hands through his hair in frustration and gripped the strands between his fingers. The ice from his gaze slid through my veins. “GET OUT!”

My chest had finally caved in and his words punctured my lungs. I took a step backward, feeling slightly off-balance. The distance between us was already feeling like it was rapidly growing by miles.

“I hate you, Malakai Barclay.”

His face fell momentarily before he recovered and his mask was back in place. “Good.”

I faltered and waited two breaths for him to say something else. He didn’t. I was met with nothing but silence and his cold gaze that was locked on mine. This was it—this was the inevitable end Kai had promised me from the beginning. He was broken and I could never fix him.

Slowly turning my back to him, I left my heart lying on the ground by his feet and walked away from him forever. Kai made it his mission to push everyone away from him. He had finally succeeded with me, but only after he had let me in and allowed me see the side of him no one else got to see. He had left a scar on my soul—one that I would never be able to remove.

I should have listened to him when he warned me to stay away.

He never lied when he said he would destroy me.

The only lie was the lie of us.





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS





To my husband: You are the endless support and inspiration I need in life. You will always be loved more than words would ever do justice. Thank you for always picking up the slack and for meeting me in the middle (whatever percent that might be). You will always have me to annoy you. You know you love it.

To my beta readers from throughout the series (Alex, Lauren, Caroline, Emma, Erica): Your help and encouragement has literally been priceless. I love you and appreciate you all!

Rumi: You know how to make shit shine. I love you forever.

Cat: 637. That is all.

Cassie: Never hugs and always drugs.

Alex: You are the absolute best! I appreciate the fuck out of you.

Christina: THANK YOU ALWAYS

My street team and ARC team: You guys are seriously so amazing. I appreciate you all and your support never goes unnoticed!

My author friends (I’m not going to list everyone, but you know who you are): We all know that sometimes this industry is toxic as hell. We all know that sometimes the people here want nothing but the worst for you. I cannot say that about all of you, though. The support, the way we all stand by each other. It’s something special that I will treasure forever.

My bookish friends (again, I’m not going to list because I’m bound to forget a name lol): All I have to say is I am so glad that books brought us together. You are an integral part of my life now and that means so much to me.

And last but not least, my readers. You are all what keeps me writing. If you didn’t show your love for these stories I create, there would literally be no point in me creating them. I will always be so grateful for each and every one of you. Seriously, I think I have the best readers out there.