Taming a Brat Pt. 22

*Kane's POV*

Street lights flashed by in a blur as I ran down the street as fast as I could, searching in every direction for where she could have disappeared too. I ran out right behind her, there's no way she could have gotten far.

Yet... She was nowhere to be found.

"Just stop for a second!" Claire yelled behind me as I continued to try and put as much distance between us as possible.

I didn't care about her. I didn't care what she had to say anymore. All I was focused on was finding Alias. I had to find her and explain everything. I knew something like this would happen, but I never knew just how well thought out of a plan Claire had mustered up. Part of me believed Claire couldn't possibly do this on her own, but I was fighting away the thoughts in my mind telling me Alias had some part in all of this. No way she would stage all of this, but how could I be sure? The only person I needed to talk to was completely unreachable.

I tried calling repeatedly, knowing her phone was off. I searched for her in every taxi I could see, probably looking like a madman or a crazed stalker. As minutes seemingly turned to hours, I realized I wouldn't find her anywhere nearby. I sat down on a bench hopelessly. Claire eventually caught up to me, I spotted her walking towards me. All my anger inside me raged, ready to be released on the person responsible for every problem Alias and I have had thus far.

"Can't you take a fucking hint?" I growled at her before standing abruptly.

"This is for the best, Kane! You're forcing her into a lifestyle she doesn't belong too! Let her go back to Ashton!" Claire tried defending herself.

"Let me make this perfectly clear for you. You don't get to tell me what's best for me anymore. Alias is what's best for me. Why can't you leave us alone!?" I yelled at her, "Tell whatever bullshit lie you want, but I know the truth. She is everything to me!" I was making a scene in the street, but I didn't care.

Claire's face fell, "She doesn't love you!"

"I fucking love her," I admitted angrily.

"Kane, I didn't know-.."

"It doesn't matter now, does it?" I scoffed, cutting her off.

"I thought maybe she was just a fling, Kane. I never meant to hurt you again," She admitted.

"Claire, all you ever mean to do is hurt people to get your way. I put up with your shit for years. You owe me for all the shit you've put me through. I'm calling in the favor now," I glared at her, "Disappear. I never want to see you again," I dropped my head in my hands.

I listened to hear heels clack away on the sidewalk and hoped it'd be the last time I'd ever see her. This was mostly all my fault. I should have done more to stop this as soon I realized Claire's intentions. As much as I'd like to drown my sorrows in a bottle of bourbon, I had to find my girl.

I scrolled through my phone, aimlessly really. If she checked into a hotel, I wouldn't be able to find out which one. God knows Sarah would never tell me where she was. A million thoughts were running through my mind. I had no clue where to even begin, this whole situation was almost surreal to me. Just then, my phone rang.

Damion: Kane, you really did it this time, man. What the hell happened?

Kane: Damion, please. You know me better than anyone-...

Damion: Which is why I can't figure out why you didn't kick her out as soon as she stepped of the elevator.

Kane: It's complicated. I-..

Damion: Save it. Alias deserves an explanation, not me. I talked to Sarah, she's going to send you the hotel Alias is in.

Kane: Fuck, thank god.

Damion: She's only giving it to you so you can go explain yourself, so don't fuck this up any worse than it is.

Kane: Thank you, Damion. I'm going to fix this.

Damion: For everyone's sake, I sure hope so, Rhodes. I'm rooting for you.

With that, we hung up and I was on my feet flagging down a taxi. I'd chase her to the ends of the earth just to make things right again. My emotions were raging from sadness to anger. I was mad at her, but I wanted nothing more than to wrap her in my arms.

A cab finally stopped almost in sync with the hotel address arriving to my phone. I instructed him where to go, my heart thudding in my chest. My mind raced the entire ride over. Before we even came to a complete stop, I threw a hundred dollar bill to the driver and ran out the car door, through the lobby and to the elevator. I ran in a mad dash through the hallways, reading each room number in a flash.

1917... 1918... 1919...

I stopped in front of her door... 1920.

I froze momentarily, realizing I'd have to be more honest with Alias than ever before. For this to work, it was finally time to define our relationship for what it truly is. I had to tell her what happened tonight and how I really feel about her. Hesitantly, I knocked on the door. I listened, waiting to hear her move on the other side.

The door unlocked and opened slowly. There stood my beautiful girl, eyes puffy, hair a mess. Her arms were crossed defensively as if she were protecting herself from me. My heart shattered as I looked at her. I desperately wanted to scoop her up in my arms and console her, but I knew she wouldn't let me.

"May I come in?" I asked softly.

She shook her head no.

"Alias, please. Just let me talk to you," I tried persuading her.

"I don't want to talk," Her face fell.

"Please," I pleaded with my eyes, hoping they would show my sincerity.

"Kane, please, just go," She shook her head, starting to close the door between us.

For a moment, I almost let her. I almost let her go. I never fought for anyone before, but I couldn't let myself walk away from her without a fight. I stopped the door with my hand, pushing it open slightly. Her sad face curled into frustration as she tried to resist me opening the door.

"I said you can't come in!" She yelled as she pushed forward, using all of her might to close it.

I held my arm out firmly and dropped my head so we were eye level, "Alias, open the door."

She gasped for a moment, recognizing the dominance in my tone. She didn't move, only locked her eyes on mine in a challenging glare.

"Open the door," I repeated my command. I could tell it pissed her off to obey me, but I had to get into her room one way or another.

"I don't feel like talking to you!" She yelled at me, tears swelling in her eyes as she angrily opened the door. I shoved away my emotions briefly so I could explain myself.

"So don't. Sit down right there and listen to me," I demanded firmly, "Though you owe me as much explanation as I do you."

"I owe you an explanation!" She shouted, "How do I owe you an explanation!?"

"Oh, I don't know, Alias," Anger bubbled up in my throat, "Maybe how conveniently timed everything was."

"What exactly are you implying?" She glared at me.

"You leave out of nowhere, and then everything goes to shit," I tried not to yell, "I'd love to know exactly what happened before Claire got into my fucking house."

"You don't think you should lead with why I witnessed her kneeling for you or better yet, how she got in there in the first place!?" She threw her hands up angrily.

"She wasn't," I growled, "If you spent ten seconds thinking about it, you'd know damn well she wasn't."

"I left for thirty minutes, Kane!" She shouted, "You're telling me honestly in that time you didn't try and kick her out?!"

"Why don't we fucking start from the beginning, hm?" I glared at her, "Where did you go?"

"Why?" She scoffed, "Think it will make this any better?"

"Alias, you don't know her. I do," I exhaled loudly, calming myself, "I'm almost certain of what happened, but you have to tell me where you were."

"I was with Ashton," She said quietly, yet bitterly. My heart sank a little as I realized Claire was actually telling the truth.

"Of all the bullshit she said, that was the one thing I knew for a fact was a lie," I shook my head sadly, not sure if I even wanted to finish this conversation anymore. My heart shattered. How could she possibly still be seeing him after everything?

"I went to meet her, Kane," She rolled her eyes, "I was waiting for her when Ashton showed up."

"Then I guess I could ask the same thing you asked me," I glared at her, "In all that time, why didn't you call me? Better yet, why did you lie to me?"

"I-..." She trailed off, and I was only getting angrier by the minute.

"You what, Alias? You shouldn't have?" I scoffed angrily, "No, you shouldn't have. You should have marched your ass right back in the living room and told me your were going to meet her. I would have seen some bullshit like this from a mile away."

"She was going to send a picture of us at the club out to the whole staff," Alias dropped her head sadly.

"And for what fucking reason did you think it would be a good idea to keep something like that from me, Alias?!" I was yelling by now, "That's a threat to both of us, but a fucking stupid one at that. You have your own company, Alias! You know she can't get access to the staff's emails."

"I didn't think about it, Kane!" She yelled back, tears started pooling in her eyes.

"No, you didn't! You didn't stop for one second and think about anything at all. You made a choice without me and look where it got you," I spat, "You walked right into her fucking trap."

"Did you seriously come here just to make me feel twice as shitty as I already did?" She scoffed through her tears.

"I came to clear things up, Alias," I huffed loudly, "I came to tell you that what you saw is not what actually happened."

"Right," She rolled her eyes, "Please enlighten me on how you did nothing wrong."

"Alias, this whole situation could have been avoided if you would have told me the truth," I shook my head, "How am I supposed to trust you?"

"That's fucking rich coming from the guy whose ex was kneeled at his fucking feet not even an hour ago," She scoffed angrily.

"Someone told her you were on your way up, Alias. She fell to her knees in perfect sync of the elevator opening," I corrected her.

"Sure, and for thirty minutes you didn't say anything to each other," She scoffed in disbelief.

"You want to know every detail? Fine," I took a step towards her, "She came in gloating about how I forgot to ever take away her access. Before I could even say anything, she showed me a picture of you and Ashton in a diner. My heart broke, Alias, but then I noticed you weren't wearing your collar. From there, it was pretty fucking easy to figure out what was happening. She went on to tell me how you've been talking to Ashton, telling him you're not cut out for this. That you miss what you had."

"You know that isn't true," She shook her head.

"Just like you knew there was no chance in hell I'd do anything to hurt you, especially not with her!" I yelled exasperatedly.

"How would I know that?" She crossed her arms.

"Do any of my actions since the first day you met me lead you to believe I have any interest left in her?" I glared at her.

"No-..."

"No," I cut her off, "Do any of my actions lead you to believe that I want anyone other than you?"

"No-..."

"No," I cut her off again, "Tell me, Alias, are you really that fucking oblivious that you'd let yourself believe that?"

"I-.."

"Don't," I scoffed, "I know the answer."

"Kane, let me talk please!" She yelled, "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry doesn't do shit, Alias," I shook my head, "I wanted this to work, but it never will as long as you lie to me, or make decisions without telling me about them."

"Kane, we keep having problems all because of her!" She sobbed, "I didn't know what to think. I just wanted to get her to back off!"

"The only problem we have is not communicating better than we do," I felt myself calm down slightly.

"I'll never do it again," She looked up at me, tears rolling down her cheeks. It pained me to see her so sad, but I knew we had to figure this out now. All of it.

"The only way this will work is if we're honest with each other," I sighed.

"I'll never lie to you again, Kane," She looked at me sadly. I believed her, but that isn't what I meant.

"How do you feel about me?" I asked bluntly, only half prepared for the response.

"I-..." She trailed off, "I really enjoy being your sub, I enjoy spending time with you. I enjoy-..."

"That's enough," I cut her off, pain spread through me, "That's all I needed to know."

I spun on my heels, turning to leave before my emotions came bursting out of me. Claire was right about yet another thing. Alias didn't love me. I should have known, all this was to her was a good time. I was almost to the door when she ran up and wedged herself between me and the door handle.

"Move, Alias," I said sadly, refusing to look her in her eyes.

"Kane, you came here because you want to make this work. Don't walk away," She said softly.

"Perhaps I should run the way you did?" I shouldn't have said that, but I was angry.

"I shouldn't have," She dropped her head, "I shouldn't have done anything the way I did it."

"Well, at least you can figure that much out. Now, move," I demanded.

"No," She crossed her arms, "Let me fix this."

"You can't," I shook my head, "There's nothing left to fix."

"That's not true and you know it," She scoffed in disbelief.

"Goddamn it, Alias," I grabbed her by the waist, unable to contain myself any longer. She flinched back, almost afraid of my anger, and I remembered everyone hadn't always been so kind to her.

"I'm sorry," I loosened my grip, "I need you to move out of the way. Now."

"Why are you leaving, Kane?" A tear fell from her eyes as she spoke.

"Because even if Claire disappeared, you don't feel the same way I do," I sighed, "You can't fix that."

"How do you feel?" She raised an eyebrow curiously as tears trickled down her flushed cheeks.

"I don't just enjoy our time together," I looked into her eyes, feeling hot tears stinging mine as I refused to let them fall, "It was always more than that to me, Alias."

I opened the door, slipping out of it, and speed walking my way back to the elevator. It was taking all of my strength to walk away from her. I heard her calling for me, but I refused to turn around until I made into the elevator. I knew I couldn't keep doing this if she didn't love me back. She was running towards me when I decided to something that very well could end up being either the dumbest or wisest choice I'd ever make.

I pressed the button, closing the doors before she could make it inside. My last glimpse of her was tear filled eyes and panic as the doors closed between us, literally.

An ironically painful goodbye to the girl I loved with every inch of me.