Love Always, Kate by D.nichole King Read Free Book Online Page B

alcohol?”
    Damian squinted at the floor and scoffed. He shifted in his seat before meeting my eye again.
    “I get it.”
    “Get what?” he snapped.
    “Losing everything in an instant. Wanting to run away from the emptiness inside.”
    Damian didn’t say anything for a while. He stared at our entwined fingers. “I live on Lincoln Place Drive. I’ll show you.”
    We drove in silence, except for Damian giving me directions. I turned into the long driveway to a huge three-story brick house. I gaped at the size of it. It was beautiful, with white trimmed windows and evergreen shutters.
    I drove up to the first garage door and shifted into park. Damian grabbed his bag and reached for the handle. The door swung open, and he swiveled. “You coming?”
    “Oh, uh, sure.” The invitation caught me off guard. I guess I’d assumed he’d rather be alone.
    The foyer was bigger than my bedroom. My mouth dropped. No way could my parents ever afford even a fraction of the place. Damian must hav e noticed my awe as he was halfway down the hallway before coming back for me.
    “It’s just a stupid house. Come on.” He grabbed my hand and yanked me into the massive kitchen. My eyes bugged out. It was Martha Stewart’s dream kitchen , aka my mother’s dream kitchen. Stainless steel appliances accented the black marble countertops and cream-colored cabinetry.
    The grip he had on my wrist almost hurt. I tried to tear away, but he held on even tighter. “Damian, let go. You’re hurting me!”
    He dragged me over to one of the stools under the breakfast counter. I rubbed my wrist when he let go and plopped down on one of the stools. Glancing over, I saw Damian rummaging through the refrigerator. He yanked out two bottles of beer and started walking over to me.
    “Oh no,” I said, sliding down. I swiped them before Damian had a chance to protest. “I’ll make you coffee.”
    Damian’s eyes shot daggers into me. I ignored him and put the alcohol back in the colossal refrigerator. The Keurig sat at the opposite side of the kitchen. I took a gander and opened the cabinet above the machine. Bingo: K-cups.
    I faced him. “What do you want?”
    He narrowed his eyes. “A beer.”
    I spun on my heel, rolling my eyes. “You’re getting coffee. What kind?” The sternness of my voice surprised me.
    “I don’t care,” he mumbled, slouching lower in the chair.
    I grabbed a random cup and stuck it in the machine. “Coffee mugs?”
    Damian scowled and pointed one cabinet over. He lowered his head to rest on his arms. I took two mugs, filling mine with hot chocolate and his with coffee. When both cups were full, I sat Damian’s in front of him. He glared at it, glanced at me and took a sip.
    We drank our beverages in silence. Every so often, Damian would eye the refrigerator, probably wishing he hadn’t invited me in so he could be drinking his way to oblivion by now. He finished his coffee first and watched as I took a slow drink. When I put the mug back down on the counter, he reached for my hand.
    “Come on,” he drawled.
    “Where?” I considered pulling away, but didn’t.
    “Upstairs.” He stood up and tripped over the leg of the stool. I tried to let go of his hand, but he held on too tight. With a grunt, I toppled to the floor and landed on top of him. He started laughing.
    “Couldn’t wait, huh?” He licked his lips seductively and slapped my butt. “The floor might be a little cold, but I’m game.”
    Ugh…
    He was drunk; I ignored him. He pushed my head down to kiss me. I ducked out from under his grip. Sure, I wanted him to kiss me, but I wanted him to remember it.
    I crawled to my feet. Damian scoffed, swearing under his breath as he rolled onto his stomach, dragging himself onto his hands and knees. I offered my hand ; he batted it away.
    “I’m not a fucking child,” he stammered.
    If it hadn’t been for the wonderful moments we’d shared, I would’ve been hurt. Instead, I blamed the alcohol and