Chapter 202: Before the door closes

Chapter 202: Before the door closes

Rhys

"Here," Soren said softly, pressing a cold glass of water into my shaking hands the moment I finished pouring out the entire chaotic story.

I looked up at him, confusion flickering across my face. He just tilted his head toward the glass, silently urging me to drink. I took it and drained the whole thing in several long gulps, the cool liquid easing the dryness in my throat and the tightness in my chest.

When I lowered the empty glass, I let out a long, exhausted sigh. "I didn’t even realize how thirsty I was. Thank you."

Soren took the glass back without another word and carried it to the kitchen. When he returned, his expression was heavy with concern. "I know you have a couple of free days before the next game, but you really need to rest. You look completely drained, Rhys. Like you’ve been running on empty since the shootout."

I shook my head immediately, the movement making my tired muscles protest. "Not without seeing Kayden first. He’s not picking up any of our calls, and I know it’s because of what happened tonight. But trust me, Soren — I would never do anything to hurt him on purpose. I love him. What would I possibly gain by messing that up?" I ran a hand through my still-damp hair, the strands sticking up in every direction from the stress and the game.

"I only followed Damian because I was worried about Kayden. I wanted to know what secret he was talking about, and that was stupid of me. I should have told Kayden about Damian from the very beginning. He deserved to know the truth. Instead, I hid it, and now there’s this huge misunderstanding hanging between us. I don’t even know how to fix it anymore. I’m just... too much right now. Everything feels like it’s spinning out of control."

" Breathe, Rhys," Soren said calmly, his voice steady and surprisingly grounding. "I know it feels overwhelming. And you might be shocked to hear this coming from someone who’s been suicidal, but trust me — explaining everything to Kayden will help more than you think. He’s soft-hearted. Kind. He’ll listen if you give him the chance to hear your side." He placed a gentle, reassuring hand on my shoulder, the touch light but firm. "Your mistake was not telling him about Damian Fernandez earlier. His mistake was jumping to conclusions without hearing you out. Both of you messed up tonight, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end."

I stared at him for a long moment, genuinely surprised by the wisdom in his words.

During the time Soren had been staying with us, something had quietly shifted in him. He smiled more easily now. He spoke with a quiet confidence I hadn’t seen before. He felt steadier, more present in the world around him. It was a small change, but it mattered.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Soren asked after the silence stretched a little too long. He glanced down at himself and sniffed his shirt. "Did Starlight pee on me or something? I’m pretty sure I still smell fine."

I shook my head quickly and stood up, the movement sending a fresh wave of exhaustion through my body. "No, it’s nothing like that. Thank you for saying all of that, Soren. I really needed to hear it tonight. That’s why I’m going to make this right. I’m going to find Kayden and explain everything — the parking lot, the blackmail, the kiss, all of it."

Soren nodded and rose to his feet as well. "Do you know where he is right now?"

I nodded.

"Then let’s go."

I gave him a questioning look, surprised by his offer. "I can handle this on my own. Besides, it’s late. You should go back to sleep."

Soren slapped me playfully on the back — hard enough that I winced from the lingering soreness of the game and the hits I had taken on the ice. "See? That’s exactly why I’m coming with you. You don’t have a driver on call right now, and after that long game plus everything that happened tonight, you don’t have the stamina to drive safely. The last thing we need is you making headlines tomorrow for crashing your car because you’re running on fumes. I’ll drive."

I couldn’t argue with that logic. My body felt heavy, my mind even heavier. "Thank you, Soren. I really appreciate you helping me out like this." I scratched the back of my neck, searching for the right words. "I’ll... go take a quick shower and change. I’ll be ready in a minute."

"Take your time," he replied. "I’ll get Starlight settled for bed."

A few minutes later we were on the road. I had changed into a simple black hoodie and grey sweatpants, and Soren was behind the wheel of my black G-Wagon.

The city lights blurred past the windows as I leaned my head against the cool glass, trying to steal a few moments of rest. Exhaustion pulled me under almost immediately, but even in sleep my mind wouldn’t let go.

I dreamed of Kayden turning away from me, refusing to listen, his eyes full of hurt and disappointment, the kind of pain I had caused.

I woke with a sharp gasp, bolting upright in the seat.

Soren glanced over at me, worry clear on his face.

"Are you alright? I was just about to wake you — we’re here — but you shot up like that."

I rubbed my eyes and looked out the window at Kayden’s sleek modern house. The lights were still on inside. He was home.

"Yeah... we’re really here." I yawned and unbuckled my seatbelt with trembling fingers. "Thank you for driving me."

I reached for the door handle, but Soren caught my wrist gently. "Wait. I asked if you were alright. You haven’t answered me yet."

"I..." The words stuck in my throat. The truth was I wouldn’t be alright until I saw Kayden and fixed this mess I had made. "I don’t know."

Soren sighed softly. "I’ll come with you to the door, but I won’t get in the way. I promise."

I nodded, too drained to argue.

We stepped out of the car together and walked up the path to Kayden’s new place. The lights glowing through the windows told me he was probably still awake.

Had he seen all my missed calls and deliberately ignored them? The thought made my stomach twist painfully.

I ruffled a hand through my hair while the other pressed against my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. I had no idea what to expect when that door opened. I had messed up badly tonight, and I could only hope showing up like this would be enough to start repairing the damage.

Soren pressed the doorbell when I couldn’t stop pacing. "Can you calm down?" he muttered, glancing back at me. "Just breathe and—"

The door swung open before he could finish.

"Soren? What the hell are you doing here so late? You—" Kayden’s voice cut off the moment his eyes lifted and landed on me.

My heart slammed against my ribs. His eyes were swollen and red, like he had been crying for a while. Because of me. All of this pain was because of me.

"I don’t want to see you," Kayden said, his voice thick and rough with emotion. He turned and hurried back into the empty apartment, the door starting to swing shut behind him.

I didn’t hesitate. I rushed after him, catching up in the hallway and wrapping my arms around him from behind in a tight, warm hug. "Kayden... please listen to me. I’m sorry."