"I'm all out of hope. One more bad dream could bring a fall? When I'm far from home, don't call me on the phone." Billy Idol, Eyes Without A Face

Drastic Decisions.

The tires of the truck skidded briefly across the highway when we hit a small patch of forming ice. Kai elegantly corrected the wheel, causing the fear in the pit of my stomach to briefly subside. It left ample room for all the trepidation to brew about what he had secretly decided in those early morning hours after his mother had gone to bed and we stayed up and talked.

We talked about everything and anything. I learned about the first time Kai speared a fish when he was a young boy, and the old boat that he helped build before his grandfather died. By the light of the dwindling fireplace, I had traced the lines of the traditional tattoos on his forearms that he had done a few years back, as he told me the story about the man with the sharpened turtle shell that made the cuts.

"Are you sure you're ok with this, gorgeous girl?" he softly asked from the driver's seat.

I steered my gaze away from the white landscape that surrounded us, as the truck took the next exit. "Yeah, I think I am. I'm not sure if there's another solution." I reverted back to watching the landscape open up. The thick mounds of trees opened up in the distance, the further we got to Coral Cove.

Commanding green pines, lined with thick coatings of snow peeked the top of their heads out from the imposing winter, and I shivered at the feelings of betrayal that plagued me, settling on my skin with a chill. Kai reached over and took my hand, cradling it in his. The heater of the truck pumped out generous gusts of warmth that tried in vain to soothe the chills that had settled all around me.

I was nervous. I didn't think that I had ever been this nervous in my lifetime and I had spells when I was younger, when the slightest things brought about a sense of dread. I blamed Mrs. Niedermeyer for casting me in that second grade Christmas production that caused me to sweat straight through my golden star costume. That then lead to a ferocious round of dry heaves and other unmentionable body evacuations. Thank God that my parents switched me to another school shortly after, because I wasn't sure if Princess Poopy Pants, would have been a great nickname to have held onto throughout my young school existence.

Thankfully, I had long ago grown out of having nervous bowls; or had I? My stomach churned the further we went and I doubled over slightly, quickly wiping the terrified sweat that had beaded on my brow.

"You ok?" Kai asked and I nodded, sitting upright and silently willing my body to just make it through the day. "There really isn't a reason to be scared, Queenie, Downey is good peoples." He tried to reassure me with words, yet all I wanted at that moment was a dark hole to crawl into.

Before long, the lane we turned down opened up to an old paved road lined with pine trees. You almost couldn't tell that there was a road underneath all the layers of snow, but every so often, the damp pavement would peek out like tiny eyes surveying the scene unfolding up above. The truck crunched to a stop, as it connected with a small mound of shoveled snow near a small white home with a billowing chimney. As Kai was exiting, the front door opened a crack and an older man in a black baseball cap stepped out onto the porch. The butt of a cigar poked out of the side of his mouth and he pulled it out, in order to tap it twice on the nearby wooden railing.

"Been a long time, asshole," the man stated coldly and for a moment, I wondered if I could swiftly turn and rush back to the warmth of the truck. We could leave and try to piece back together the failure my life had become over a cup of hot cocoa at a rundown diner off the highway. Cocoa and killer cockroaches were more inviting than the man who stood looking down on us from his long porch. In that moment of silence, I wanted nothing more than to have my face chewed off by alien radioactive cockroaches as I tried to enjoy a pepperminty treat more than anything. It would have put me out of the possible misery being at that man's home signaled.

"Sure has. I try to avoid grumpy ass men like you any day, Corporal," Kai bit back and both men stared at each other pointedly, as the silence descended around us like a thick veil of dread.

Then, it happened... No guns were drawn. No killer cockroaches sprang from the depths of hell to devour our souls. No punches were thrown. Just laughter. Rounds of ear deafening, joyfully amused laughter sprang from both men and my body relaxed slightly in confusion.

The man that Kai had called Corporal, extended his arms and wrapped them around Kai, embracing him in a warm and caring manner. Kai affectionately patted Corporal on the back, before they both looked over at where I was standing, probably with my mouth hanging wide open.

"Corporal Downey, this is my girl Rachel. Rachel, this is an old friend of the family."

"Old friend my ass!" Downey specified, "He likes to act like he doesn't worship the ground I walk on. His dad and I were stationed together, both in Hawaii and here, and I taught this gigantic beast how to wipe his own ass practically. He loves me!"

"He calls you Beast too?" I asked and Kai smiled warmly.

"I gave him the nickname!" Downey started as he ushered us into the small living room to warm up. "It was a funny story actually, boy had a huge growth spurt around ten or so; he was taller than the boys in their late teens. Used to walk into a room all slouched over, looking miserable. Finally told him one day to stop dragging his body like a beast in boy's clothes." Downey chuckled at the memory with a fondness in his eyes.

"It really isn't a funny story, but when you're as old and crotchety as Downey, everythin's funny," Kai joked, "I was just an awkward kid for a while. Had to grow into my sexiness." Kai's smile lit up the room.

"Yeah, yeah," Downey joked, "We get it. You didn't get your looks from your favorite not related uncle. So, why the old home week, Kai?"

"I'm not sure why we're here either," I admitted.

"We're here, because Downey here is goin' to solve your dad's problems."

I looked at him with pursed lips and confused eyes. The man who stood in a pair of old grey sweats was a lot of things. Grumpy, imposing, humorous— but a man who looked as if he could solve all my problems? That I wasn't so sure about.

Sensing my reluctance to believe anything further, Kai continued, "Downey here works for the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

"You brought me to a Fed's house?" I whispered and Kai winked.

"Not just any Fed, but the one man who can make your dad's issue go away," Kai admitted, "And Downey once told me if I ever needed a favor... Well, I'm cashing in my one favor on you, gorgeous girl. I'm going to step outside and let you two talk. Saw a diner a few miles back, so I'll grab us all some pancakes." Kai stood and walked towards the door, leaving me alone in the poorly lit living room with a man who could both crush my world or save it; and that man was currently not batting a grey eyelash in my direction.

"So tell me, Rachel, who is your dad and what can I do for you? Within reason that is." Downey cupped his hands in his lap, over his crossed leg, and stared at me as if I was sitting across from him in a stark interrogation room.

After about an hour, I had explained everything that I knew about the Knights of Tyr, the men who had been incarcerated, and the information that I had stumbled across that first night when I was navigating the new house and overheard my father talking to someone on the phone. Downey was familiar with the case and the prosecutions that had happened, and after a quick phone call, he also knew that the Feds were still looking into things where my father was concerned. Apparently, they were closing in on enough evidence to indict my father along with the several remaining men that had escaped the first round of prosecution.

My father was going to prison soon, and I was desperate to change that. Even if it meant still having to abide by my father's rules and marry someone I didn't care about, I didn't want to see him rot away behind a set of steel bars. I wanted more for the man I admired and loved. I might not have liked him at that moment, for a lot of reasons, but he was my dad.

"Kai really cares about you. Never thought I'd see the day he'd cash in his one favor for a woman. I know my opinion might not mean shit to you, but hold onto that one. He's a good boy and he will always do right by you." Downey picked up the receiver of his old telephone, the spiraled cord was all tangled into a horrific ball. "I'll help you, Rachel. Throw the Bureau off your father's tracks. Can't promise that I can do anything for the remaining guys, but I'll give you your dad."

"Thank you," I timidly stated, just as the front door opened up and Kai stepped in with a couple of paper bags that smelled like angels descending from heaven with chocolate wings.

"We're square, Beast. I hope she's worth it," Downey stated as he uncurled the phone cord and stepped into the adjacent room, the cord stretching between the phone base near his recliner and his hushed whispers.

Kai turned and took my hand in his. "She is," he affectionately stated to a room with only one set of ears. Mine. "So, I guess since we aren't doing drastic shit like getting married after only knowin' each other for a few days, we should discuss how you're gonna keep me from gettin' shot when I take you home to your dad's. I think it's time that he and I discuss what's gonna happen with you, now that you're mine."

"What makes you think I can keep you from getting shot?" I lovingly joked.

"I just used my one get outta jail free card on the girl I love. I think the least she can do is keep my ass from bein' gutted."

"I guess if she loves you back then she will." My heart fluttered in my chest, like rapid butterflies trying to claw their way out of my skin. Kai loved me.

And I loved Kai.

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A/N: Hey!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment.

Go ahead and swoon. Kai is pretty perfect.

Last 2 chapters to follow next week and then their little mini journey is finished.

<3 Amina