The cell phone was still lighting up, meaning her father was still calling her."You"re not going to answer?" Ethan asked, murmuring into her hair.
Kylie popped her chin against his chest and smiled faintly. She wanted her father to suffer the torment of anxiety as she had done all these years before because of him and his decisions. Kylie simply shook her head and cuddled in further, tracing her hands on his bare chest before slowing trailing them down.
"If you keep going, you"re not going to let me finish this work…" Ethan slyly said as he eyed her. Kylie smiled and replied, "Before this goes any further, can you come with me to a place?"
"Hmm…" Ethan responded simply as he always did. Placing his papers on the side, he stood and walked to the bathroom, getting dressed, picking up his coat. Ethan did not ask where they were going or why. He unreservedly trusted Kylie, making her feel she had made the correct decision in marrying this jewel of a man.
Driving his Tesla Model S, Ethan turned to Kylie as he drove out of their complex.
"Where to?"
"To my special place," Kylie replied back softly.
Ethan nodded in understanding and drove to a small park near the Finch House, where Kylie"s mother used to take her to play when she had been a child.
Ethan parked at the side and glanced over to Kylie, who had a faraway look in her eyes. Ethan"s soft-touch jolted her out of her thoughts. She smiled softly at her husband and took out her cell, seeing there were fourteen missed calls in total, all from her father. Dialing his number, Kylie was not surprised when her father picked up the phone on the first ring.
Without giving him a chance to speak, Kylie spoke up, "If you want to see me, come to my park near your home."
Her father was quiet but quickly responded, "Stay there! I"m coming!" Kylie smiled as she heard his rage and helplessness in his voice.
Kylie was quiet as she sat in the car, looking up at the endless blue sky. The same sky she and her mother used to look at when she was a child. Kylie sighed deeply and thought about how things could be different if her mother was still alive. She was nudged out of her thoughts by Ethan"s arms wrapping around her, and she relaxed in his familiar touch.
"You know, when I was a child, I would ask my father to come with me to this park. But every time, he just refused with all kinds of excuses. I"m busy with this… I"m busy with that. And look at him now, he"s so eager to meet me at this park but not for the same reason I wanted as a little girl," Kylie trailed off while looking around the park.
Ethan frowned but did not speak, and he simply held his wife"s small hands in his. Kylie squeezed back so thankful for Ethan and his understanding of ways. She wanted to hold onto these two hands for her whole life and never let go. She wanted to grow old with this man beside her.
Less than ten minutes later, a familiar figure walked into the park, looking around anxiously; it was her father, Laurence Finch. Oh, how many times Kylie had walked into this park-like her father was doing now, feeling anxious and enraged how he treated her. How many times had she cried while sitting on the swing, she could not even count! All her hopes and expectations of her father had turned into a sense of endless loss, right here in this park. In Kylie"s eyes, he was no longer the father she had once respected and adored.
Ethan lifted up Kylie"s chin with his long slender fingers, turning her head toward himself. A woman who had always been treated unfairly would naturally lash out. Kylie might not have been brought to this point if Khloe had not forced her into a corner. Kylie had her own bottom line and knew what she wanted; once she made up her mind for revenge, no one could escape her hands.
"How"s the foie gras?"
Kylie looked up in surprise at her husband. "How do you know I like foie gras? I don"t remember telling you..."
"Then who did you tell?" Ethan responded seductively while leaning closer, his deep eyes smoldering into Kylie as if she was his salvation.
"..." Kylie subconsciously licked her lips, and the question was not easy to answer. Ethan looked at her tender tongue, his eyes darkening. "You...make me want to taste you..."
The air in the car grew hotter, thick with tension. Kylie grabbed his shirt, feeling the compact and powerful chest muscles hidden inside, muscles that she had touched so many times before.
Ethan"s overbearing kiss announced his possessiveness and l.u.s.t for Kylie. He would never get tired of tasting her, never! Her lips tasted like soft petals with just a hint of coconut, probably because of her lip balm. Her unique musky scent floated towards him, awakening his senses, and something else.
***
More than half an hour later, after walking uneasily in the park for several rounds, Laurence was at the end of his patience. Several times he took out his cell phone to check, then stuffed it back into his pocket, frowning. He tried to dial Kylie"s number again, but the system kept repeating that her phone was not in the service area. Finally, Laurence gave up and started to walk back.
Khloe hurried home and frowned when she did not find her father in his office. Quickly dialing his number, she shrieked out, "Daddy, I"m home, where are you? How should we deal with the post on Instagram? Will my career be ruined? WHY ARE YOU NOT HOME!?"
"I"m coming home, sweet pea," Laurence replied as he quickened his pace. His "true" daughter needed him now most of all.
"I"ll not allow Kylie to ruin your career nor Garcia Entertainment!" Laurence told Khloe when he came home. His daughter was distraught at the allegations thrown on her.
"How dad? How? Aiden already knows that I arranged the video, what should I do now?" She burst out sobbing.