Naughty or Nice?

10. Kendall

CHAPTER 10

Kendall

Icy dread washes over me at the furious sound of Nate’s voice. I remain seated in my chair, unable to process what’s happened. How has Nate turned up outside Nicholas’s Airbnb, and how does he know we’re together?

Nicholas moved his truck to the garage. He told his family he was busy with last-minute business plans for his brewing company, sleeping overnight in the office at The Tavern, and that he would be home Christmas morning.

Had Nate known he was lying or did something else to tip him off to his whereabouts?

“This can’t be for real,” I mutter under my breath, my hand shaky as it comes to my face.

Nicholas glances between the door and where I’m seated at the dining table. His expression hardens, his jaw like steel.

“It’s time, darling. There’s no avoiding it. He knows we’re inside.”

“OPEN UP!” Nate roars from the front door. He beats his fists against the door, adding a few swift kicks to emphasize his demand.

“Nick…” I moan, sighing. “I don’t know what to say to him…”

“I’ll handle it.”

The situation is no longer containable.

It’s spinning out of control. My worst nightmare coming to life.

I sit at the table, closing my eyes, wishing I’d never come to Morrow in the first place. Did I really believe it would turn out like some Hallmark movie?

Nicholas grips the doorknob and then wrenches the door open, coming face to face with his son.

Pure loathing contorts Nate’s features. He glares at his father like he’s his enemy and then spits, “Where is she? KENDALL!”

He pushes past Nicholas, shoulder checking him as he does. I stand up from the table on legs that feel unsteady, so on edge I feel like I’m about to throw up the eggs and bacon I’ve started eating.

“Nate, what are you doing here?”

“Don’t give me that crap. How could you, Kendall?”

My eyes meet Nicholas’s from faraway. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“Cut it out!” he booms, making me flinch. “I know all about what you two’ve been up to! I saw it with my own two eyes. This new or have you been fucking my father all along?”

Hearing it spoken aloud adds a new layer of shame to the situation. My mouth opens to explain, then clamps shut. A warm flush washes over me as I realize I have no real defense.

None that will undo the damage being done before me.

I’ve not only slept with my ex’s father, I’ve ruined their holiday. I’ve possibly ruined their family .

“Nate, this wasn’t something I planned,” I say finally, my tone quiet.

“You didn’t plan it? That supposed to make it any better? It took you a couple hours to move on? And to my father ?” he sneers in disgust. Rounding on Nicholas, he eyes him with even more contempt than me. “What about you, Dad? You saw my sniveling fiancée out in the cold and thought you’d play hero? All that about mourning was nonsense? You’ve really been waiting for a chance to screw my girl?”

“Lower your voice and have some respect about your mother’s passing,” Nicholas warns.

Nate hacks out a cold laugh. “You’re telling me to have some respect? What about you?!”

“Your mother passed away nine years ago. You know how difficult it’s been for me to move on.”

“SO WHAT? You think that gives you a pass to nail my fiancée!”

“You dumped me!” I blurt out, taking several steps away from the dining table. “How are you acting like you’re innocent? I’m your ex -fiancée, remember?”

“We have things to work out.”

“Work out what? How your dick ended up inside your secretary?”

He stuffs both hands inside his pants pockets and releases another cold laugh. “You can’t seriously be comparing the two situations. The passion between Rosa and I was genuine. It was real. Whatever the hell you’ve got going on with my father’s nothing but bitterness. It’s payback because I told you I didn’t want to marry you.”

“I don’t want you, Nate!” I yell. “You dumping me was the best thing you could’ve done—it helped me see you were the wrong man for me!”

“You weren’t saying that when you were practically begging for me to take you back.” He closes the gap between us like I have, starting toward me. “Face it, Kendall. You wanted to trap me into a marriage and pop out some babies and ruin my life. When I told you I wasn’t with the program, what did you go and do? You slept with my father a few hours later like the slut you are.”

Nate’s words have their intended effect. They catch me off guard for the second that follows. A satisfied smirk comes to his face, pleased by the fact that he’s successfully put me in my place.

But it doesn’t last long.

Nicholas charges toward his son, gripping him up by the front of his shirt. He slams him against the wall, pressing his forearm into his windpipe.

“Don’t you dare call her out of her name,” he rumbles in a low, dangerous tone. “I won’t allow you to degrade her.”

“You mean like how you did last night? I saw it, Dad. On your ring cameras.”

“Oh my god,” I mutter under my breath. I cover my face with my hands and turn away from both of them.

It hadn’t occurred to me there could be ring cameras in the house, or that Nate would somehow gain access to them.

“I hacked into your account,” Nate boasts. “Because I didn’t buy your bullshit story about working late at The Tavern and sleeping overnight in your office. Call it a hunch, but something told me you were with her. Guess I always knew you couldn’t make a ho into a housewife.”

Nicholas draws back his fist and punches Nate in the face.

The two wrap their arms around each other, tussling like they’re in a wrestling match.

“Stop it!” I shout from the sidelines. “Don’t fight!”

But my pleas fall on deaf ears.

Nicholas and his son grapple back and forth ’til they’re dropping to the ground. Neither one wants to give up as they try to throttle the other.

I hurry over to pry their arms off, but their grips are too persistent and strong.

The horrifying reality of what I’ve done stares me in the face—this father and son are fighting over me. Their relationship is so fractured and it’s my fault.

I caused all of this.

I made a terrible mistake by sleeping with Nicholas not only once, but several times. My heart splits into two inside my chest, the twinging pain unbearable. How could I be so stupid to think this situation would somehow end up being okay?

“PLEASE STOP IT!” I yell over their grunts. “I don’t want either of you!”

Nicholas and Nate slowly stop grappling, going still as they look up at me.

Shuddering out a breath, I can barely repeat myself. “I don’t want to ruin your holiday more than I already have. I definitely don’t want to destroy your family either. So I don’t want either of you. Happy?”

“Kendall—” Nicholas starts.

“This is how it has to be, Nick. Please… please just focus on your family. Forget about me. I’ll… I’ll be fine. I’ll be out of your hair by tomorrow morning. Flight or no flight. I’ll get a rental if I have to and drive home by myself. Anything to not ruin your family.”

Both men are getting up off the floor when I spin on my heel and rush toward the bedroom. The instant the door slams shut, I twist the lock and tune out any protests that come from the other side. No matter what they say—or how Nicholas pleads with me to open the door—I don’t give in.

This is what’s for the best.