Fear of Falling(95)

“What the hell does he want from you? Shit, hasn’t he done enough?” I asked through a clenched jaw. Those weren’t the words I really wanted to use. If I had my way, I would have been busting a U-turn and hunting down that prick myself.

“Money.”

“Money? Why would he hit you up for money?”

“Because…” she sighed with resignation. “I have his money.”

My head snapped to her solemn expression before I forced myself to look back at the asphalt stretched out in front of us.

Kami pulled her hand away, and her fingers deftly began to work over an old receipt from my cup holder. “About five or six years ago, my paternal grandmother died in an accident involving a bus. Since it was the city’s fault, her family was left a hefty settlement. Being the eldest, and her administrator, most of the money went to my father. But, since he owed so much money in back child support, the state went after him and seized the funds, giving them to my mother.”

“As they should have,” I added. I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. If there was one thing that made me shake with anger, it was a deadbeat dad. I had never known mine, but considering what Kami was still going through with hers, I was relieved I never had the displeasure of knowing the spineless sonofabitch.

“My mom moved back to the Philippines with her family, as soon as I graduated high school. She didn’t even care where I ended up. Hell, she didn’t even ask what my plans for college were. She just gave me the money and left.”

I shook my head, feeling helpless. I wanted to erase all the bad that had ever happened to her. I wanted to give Kami the life she deserved. I wanted to love all the hurt away.

“Kam…baby…” was all I could coherently form.

“It’s ok. I’m over it.” She continued mindlessly folding, her glazed-over eyes hardly looking at the paper.

“So…he wants it back?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “And I would give it to him if it meant he would be out of my life for good. Dom said that wouldn’t work. He’ll just keep coming back. It’s not really the money he wants; it’s the control. He knows that I still fear him, and once he knows where I am, he’ll never leave me alone. He’ll just keep tormenting me.”

I contemplated her words before nodding my agreement. “He’s right. Shit, Kam, he’s right. You need to get the police involved.”

“They already know. He’s violated every restraining order, but no one can pinpoint his whereabouts.” Kami sat the tiny paper heart on the dash before looking to me with misted green eyes. “There’s not much I can do, Blaine. Other than leave.”

“No,” I was growling before I could stop myself. “No. You’re not going anywhere. Fuck him, Kam. He doesn’t control you.”

“But he does!” she shrieked. “He absolutely does. Do you know how small and disgusting I felt when I read the words in that email? Him calling me a whore? A slut? A stupid little thieving bitch? I wanted to run away, Blaine. I wanted to hide and never be found.”

“Babe…” I responded, my tone softer. “That’s a natural response. He hurt you deeply, and he’s still finding ways to hurt you. You can’t let him. You’re here…with me. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“He found me in Atlanta,” she deadpanned.

“What?”

“He found me. It started with emails. Then text messages and phone calls. Then he sent a letter to my address. My address, Blaine! He found me! That’s why Dom and I moved here.”

I ran a free hand over my face and cursed under my breath. “Shit, Kam, I…”

“Blaine, I failed my last semester of college two months from graduation. I was too afraid to go to class. I moved in with Dom and never left. For fucking months, I hid in my bedroom, too terrified to even walk outside.”

I fought the urge to punch a hole through my own windshield. “I’m so sorry, Kam. Fuck! I am so fucking sorry.”

Her small, delicate hand grasped the taut tendons in my forearm, squeezing away the rage coursing through my veins. “Hey…don’t be. It’s not your fault. I’m sorry for ruining the mood. I feel like such a jackass. You had something planned, and here I am being Debbie Downer again with all my bullshit.”

Glass and steel enclosed the heat of our combined tension as I sucked in a breath through clenched teeth. Beyond being pissed, I hurt for her. This girl had lived through so much, yet here she was, trying to soothe me. I wanted to pull over on the damn freeway, pull her into my lap, and kiss her senseless. Kiss away the anger, kiss away the pain. Kiss every part of her that that bastard had ever touched.