Chapter 149:: Love, a liar and dangerously in love

Chapter 149:: Love, a liar and dangerously in love

The plane touched down amid the crisp, shimmering air of Colorado, where the Rocky Mountains loomed like sentinel giants against the deep blue sky. As Todd stepped off the aircraft, he felt the weight of the world lift slightly from his shoulders. Despite the chaos swirling around him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something awaited him—an unsought reckoning.
Kia's sporty sedan pulled up to the curb just as he emerged, the engine humming a soft tune of welcome. She leaned against the window, her smile radiant enough to light up the shadows of his doubt.
“Hey lover…” she called out, warmth lacing her tone.
Todd chuckled, his heart lightening. “Mamacita…” he responded, mirroring her playful energy, but the kiss of worry remained just under the surface.
As she stepped out of the car, Kia’s demeanor shifted subtly, her eyes narrowing as if assessing the world around her. “When you threatened me, what did you mean?” she asked, her voice steady but tinged with disbelief.
He hesitated, recalling the events that had led him to this moment. “A guy came to my hotel room the last time I was here. He warned me to stay away from you. It seemed like he didn’t know you and Aldwin were back together.”
“Describe the guy,” she pressed, her curiosity piqued.
Todd’s mind raced back, forming an image. “He was a white guy, curly blond hair, about Aldwin’s height.”
Kia’s expression shifted from disbelief to stark recognition. Her fingers danced into her purse, retrieving her phone. “Is he the one?” she asked, displaying a photo of a man with a confident smirk and a strong jaw.
“Yeah, that’s him. Kia, what mess did you get yourself into this time?” Todd’s anxiety burst forth like a dam giving way.
Kia’s eyes flickered with determination. “That’s Arce’s biological dad. Looks like it’s time I find out exactly what he wants from me.”
The room grew tense as Todd absorbed the implications, dread pooling in his stomach. “Do you want to come to my party?” she asked, a cheerful tone clashing with the weight of her revelation.
“With this guy around?” Todd’s fear seeped through.
“Yeah, that’s kind of the idea.” Her candor took him aback.
“Do you want that guy to put a bullet in my brains?” Todd squirmed in his seat, wrestling with the absurdity of the suggestion.
“Don’t be scared, I’ll be your date. You just have to really be into me today.” She leaned closer, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
“Wait, did Aldwin agree to this? The last time he almost killed me.” Todd’s voice dropped to a whisper, worried about the escalating stakes.
“Yeah, and I’m trying to use this very judiciously. I told Aldwin we had sex.”
Todd’s face drained of color. “Wow, Kia, you are trying to get me killed. I know you love it when Aldwin acts all crazy like that, but that’s red flag behavior.”
A nonchalant shrug accompanied her chuckle. “Would you kill for me, Todd?”
Her question hung between them, a pressing weight. He paused, searching his soul for an answer that evaded him.
“I knew you were a psychopath, but I just didn’t think you got joy from watching your man inflict pain.”
Kia pulled into the restaurant garage, cutting the tangle of tension with ease. “Yeah, neither did I, but I love a man who will defend me.” Her words were a mix of affection and something more primal.
“Okay, at least I know,” Todd replied, trying to navigate the emotional labyrinth they were creating. As if drawn by some magnetic force, Kia’s hand found its way onto his lap, igniting a spark of confusion alongside concern.
“What is this about?” Todd’s body tensed at the unexpected touch, conflicting emotions coursing through him.
“Just feel the moment, Todd. We might be pitted against the world out there, but in here, right now, it’s just us.”
Despite the chaos swirling in both their lives, in that moment, with her hand on his lap and uncertainty looming ahead, Todd understood. As reckless as Kia’s decisions may seem, she stood fiercely by her choices—unwavering, bold, and unrepentant. And somehow, that frightened him more than the looming threat of the man they’d just identified.
“I think I’m in way over my head,” he muttered, half in jest, but the weight of truth saturated his words.
Kia simply smiled, an enigmatic mix of mischief and resolve illuminating her face. “Welcome to my world, Todd.” Unbuckles his seat belt.The Choice Between Hearts
Todd sat in his car, the sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead, casting playful shadows on the leather seats. His heart raced as he locked eyes with Kia, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him. Did she really just say that?
The air between them crackled with unspoken tension, deepening with every second.
“Do you not want to know what I told Aldwin about that time we had sex?” Kia’s voice broke through the lingering silence. She had a playful smile, one that often disarmed him, and today was no exception.
Todd held his breath, waiting for her to divulge what felt like a secret on the edge of a knife. “I told Aldwin I had fallen for you.” There it was, the bold declaration that sent a surge of mixed feelings through him. Hope. Despair. Confusion.
Had she really said what he thought she had? “Yeah, I mean you told him that just to make him jealous, right?” The question slipped from his lips, the hope inside him desperately flickering like a candle fighting the wind.
“Because it’s the truth, Todd. I like you, and I know you like me too. All those late-night kisses and the way you’ve always been there for me made me fall for you.”
Suddenly, the breath left Todd’s lungs as if Kia had slipped a hand in and snatched it away. Her words wrapped around him like a warm embrace, but the chill of reality nipped at his heels. “Kia, can you stop joking and playing with my feelings?”
She scooted closer, her hand moving up his leg just enough to ignite a fire beneath his skin. Was this real?
“Does it feel like a joke, Todd?”
He swallowed hard, instinctively leaning back in his seat as doubt resurfaced. “You just got back with Aldwin. What do you want from me?”
Kia chuckled softly, shaking her head as if she found the whole situation amusing. “I like how we flirt all the time, and I know that you, Todd, would kill for me if I asked.” There was confidence in her tone, a kind of charm that made her irresistible.
Todd felt a pang of guilt, mingled with a strange sense of joy. Someone is going to get hurt, and I know who that person is going to be.
Kia undid her seatbelt slowly, her movements deliberate. “Well, will that stop you from exploring what this is?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
In an impulsive flurry of thoughts, Todd flung open the door and bolted for the restaurant ahead, his heart pounding as he tried to escape the weight of the decision. As he raced away, he heard Kia’s laughter trail behind him. “He’s so cute,” she murmured to herself, and despite his turmoil, the sound ignited a flicker of joy.