Monster in My Bed

Chapter Twenty-Seven | Death By Shower

My strategy for the night was 'if we don't talk about, then it didn't happen'.

I knew in the back of my head that it was a terrible strategy considering there were more than enough witnesses, but a girl can dream.

"Checkmate," I stated victoriously.

"Kai, for the last time, there are no 'checkmates' in checkers," Matteo repeated for the twelfth time trying to sound like he wasn't as obviously irritated as he was while placing a red checker on top of my own to make it a king.

As much as I would love to say that we're home, I can't. Socius' territory covers much of northern Canada while Caedes ranges from the Northern-Central United States to the Eastern US, excluding a few southern states that belong to a few smaller packs and a small part of Apsens' territory. Flights back home wouldn't be leaving until the morning, so we were stuck in a hotel room for the night unless we drove home in the rental car. Neither Matteo or I wanted a repeat of our trip to Manitoba (which was a shorter drive), so we both agreed to just stay the night in Socius' territory.

"That's what you think," I muttered as he moved one of his ten checkers toward one of my remaining two. "Um, let's not," I chided, pushing his checker back to where it had been. "Try a different one. Preferably, one of these." I motioned to about five that were on the opposite side of the board from mine. With an eye roll and a very audible sigh, he moved one of the checkers that was irrelevant to the game at that point.

I think Matteo was trying to avoid what had occurred between my dad and I just as much as I was. I'm not sure if he was doing it because he knew it made me upset or because it pissed him off, but, either way, he wasn't bringing it up. He was also letting me get away with cheating about every five minutes, so I knew he was obviously just trying to make me happy. Although, he wasn't letting me actually win.

I guess that was one thing he and my dad had in common—never letting me win. In some sick, twisted future where I actually want my dad to be a part of my life outside of Socius' cellars, maybe the two of them could bond over that.

Right now, I don't want anything to do with him.

I thought that after all this time that I would feel stronger than him. I thought that seeing him helplessly trapped behind thick bars would make me feel like, for once, I had the upper-hand.

But, it didn't because as soon as I saw him, it was my fault. It was my fault that he was behind those bars. It was my fault that I could never find him. It was all my fault in that moment. It always was. He never failed to make that very clear. I could have always done something.

"Kaia. Kaia," Matteo repeated, pulling me out of my intense staring competition with the checker board.

"Oh, uh, yeah," I mumbled just above a whisper as I moved my king out of its safe place on the edge of the board. I didn't have to look up to know that Matteo's worried stare was beating down on me. I could feel it burning holes through me.

I wished he would just stop looking at me. I wished he would just stop acting like I'm the victim. I'm not a victim. I was never a victim. I don't need pity. I don't want pity. I never had it before, and I don't want it now.

"Kaia—"

"It's your turn," I interrupted him feeling sick to my stomach thanks to the never-ending stream of thoughts flooding my mind of my dad.

"We can talk—"

"It's your turn."

"Your dad—"