Chapter 44 The Point of No Return

Chapter 44 The Point of No Return
## Tate

I leaned back in the car seat, closing my eyes as tears continued to stream down my face.

The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror but said nothing, for which I was grateful.

My lips still tingled from Kade's kiss. My body still remembered the feel of him pressed against me, the wall at my back, his hands in my hair.

I don't care. Let them see.

But he did care. That was the problem.

He cared about appearances, about what people would think, about maintaining the perfect Sinclair image.

He cared about everything except what actually mattered—how we felt about each other.

My phone buzzed.

Taylor: Did you get home okay? You left so suddenly.

Me: I'm fine. Just tired. I'll call you tomorrow.

Taylor: Okay. Love you.

I didn't respond, just stared out the window at the passing streetlights.

What was I going to do?

I couldn't keep working for the Sinclairs. Not after this. Not when every time I saw Kade, I'd remember his kisses, his touch, the way he looked at me like I was something precious and terrifying all at once.

But I couldn't leave Leo either. That little boy needed me. He'd already lost so much—his parents' attention, his sense of security. I couldn't abandon him too.

I was trapped.

Trapped between what I wanted and what was right.

Trapped between my feelings for Kade and my responsibility to Leo.

Trapped in a situation with no good solution.

When the car pulled up to the Sinclair mansion, I thanked the driver and walked slowly to the entrance.

The house was quiet. Most of the staff had gone home for the night.

I climbed the stairs, exhausted in every possible way.

But when I reached the second floor, I heard a sound.

Crying.

It was coming from Leo's room.

I immediately rushed over, pushing open the door.

Leo was sitting up in bed, tears streaming down his face, looking small and scared.

"Leo," I said softly, hurrying to his side, "Baby, what's wrong?"

He looked up at me, and the relief on his face broke my heart.

"Tate," he sobbed, reaching for me, "I had a nightmare."

I sat on the bed and pulled him into my arms, holding him close.

"It's okay," I murmured, rocking him gently, "It was just a dream. You're safe."

"It felt so real," he said against my shoulder, "I dreamed that you left. That you and Kade both left and I was all alone."

My chest tightened painfully.

"Oh, Leo," I whispered, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"Really?" he asked, pulling back to look at me with red, swollen eyes, "Because Kade said he'd be back soon but he's been gone for a long time and I thought maybe he left again and you weren't answering your phone and I got scared—"

"Shh," I soothed, wiping his tears, "I'm here now. And Kade will be back soon. He probably just got held up with something."

"Do you promise you won't leave?" Leo asked, gripping my hand tightly, "Even if... even if things get hard?"

I looked into his earnest, frightened face and felt my resolve solidify.

I couldn't leave. No matter what happened with Kade, I couldn't abandon this child.

"I promise," I said firmly, "I'm not going anywhere."

Leo nodded, seeming to relax slightly.

"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" he asked.

"Of course," I said, helping him lie back down and pulling the covers up.

I sat beside him, holding his hand, humming softly.

Gradually, his breathing evened out, his grip on my hand loosening as sleep claimed him.

I sat there for a few more minutes, watching him sleep, thinking about the promise I'd just made.

I couldn't leave Leo.

Which meant I had to find a way to deal with my feelings for Kade.

I had to find a way to work with him, live in the same house as him, see him every day, without falling apart.

I had to be stronger than this.

For Leo's sake.

I gently extracted my hand from Leo's and stood up, tiptoeing toward the door.

But when I opened it, I froze.

Kade was standing in the hallway.

Our eyes met.

He looked wrecked—hair disheveled, eyes haunted, jaw tight.

"Is he okay?" he asked quietly.

I nodded, stepping out and closing the door softly behind me.

"He had a nightmare," I said, keeping my voice low, "He dreamed we both left him."

Kade's face crumpled with guilt.

"Fuck," he breathed, running a hand through his hair, "This is my fault. I shouldn't have left him alone. I shouldn't have—"

"He's fine now," I interrupted, "He's sleeping."

We stood there in the dimly lit hallway, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us.

"Tatum," Kade began, "About earlier—"

"Don't," I said, holding up a hand, "Please. Not tonight."

"But I need to—"

"Kade," I said, and I was so tired, so emotionally drained, that I couldn't keep the exhaustion out of my voice, "I just made a promise to your brother that I wouldn't leave him. Which means you and I need to figure out how to coexist. But I can't do that tonight. I can't have another conversation about what we can't have, what shouldn't happen. I just... I can't."

He stared at me, and I saw my own exhaustion reflected in his eyes.

"Okay," he said finally, "Okay. We'll talk later."

"Later," I agreed.

I turned to walk to my room, but his voice stopped me.

"Tatum."

I paused but didn't turn around.

"Thank you," he said quietly, "For being there for him. For... for staying."

I didn't respond, just continued to my room and closed the door.

I leaned against it, finally allowing myself to break down.

Silent tears streamed down my face as I slid to the floor.

I'd fallen in love with Kade Sinclair.

And it was going to destroy me.

But I'd made a promise to Leo. A promise I intended to keep.

Which meant I had to find a way to survive this.

I pulled out my phone and texted Julie.

Me: Are you awake?

Julie: Yeah. What's wrong?

Me: I think I made a huge mistake.

Julie: What kind of mistake?

I stared at the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard.

Me: The kind that's going to break my heart.

Julie: I'm coming over.

Me: No, you can't. I'm at work. I just... I needed to tell someone.

Julie: Tate, what happened?

Me: I fell for someone I shouldn't have. Someone who's all wrong for me. Someone who keeps pushing me away and then pulling me back.

Julie: The Sinclair guy?

My breath caught. Was I that obvious?

Me: How did you know?

Julie: I'm your sister. I know you. And I've seen the way you talk about that family. About him.

Me: It doesn't matter. It can't happen.

Julie: Why not?

Me: Because he's my employer. Because he has a girlfriend. Because his little brother needs me and I can't risk losing this job. Because we're from completely different worlds.

Julie: Those are all excuses.

Me: They're reasons.

Julie: No. They're obstacles. There's a difference.

Me: Jules, I can't do this. I can't be the girl who falls for the rich guy and thinks it's going to work out. That's not real life.

Julie: Maybe not. But you're already in love with him, aren't you?

I stared at her message, unable to deny it.

Me: Yes.

Julie: Then it's too late to protect yourself. You're already in it. The only question is whether you're going to fight for it or walk away.

Me: I can't walk away. I promised Leo.

Julie: Then I guess you're going to have to figure out how to fight.

I didn't know how to respond to that.

Julie: Get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow. Love you.

Me: Love you too.

I put my phone down and finally changed into my pajamas.

Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, I thought about Julie's words.

Fight or walk away.

But what if there was nothing to fight for? What if Kade didn't want this as much as I did?

What if I was just setting myself up for heartbreak?

My phone buzzed one more time.

I grabbed it, expecting another message from Julie.

But it was from an unknown number.

Unknown: You should stay away from him. He's not who you think he is. And you're going to get hurt.

My blood ran cold.

Who was this? Isabella? One of Kade's friends?

I stared at the message, heart pounding.

But I didn't respond.

Instead, I deleted it and turned off my phone.

Tomorrow I would deal with mysterious warnings and impossible situations.

Tonight, I just needed to sleep.

But as I closed my eyes, one thought kept circling through my mind:

I'd reached the point of no return.

And I had no idea what came next.