Chapter 38

• Kai tensed his arms straight out, gripping the steering wheel, and sat up straighter to try to shake the internal chaos inside him. He didn’t know how he ended up here as he had just gotten in his car and driven. He had seen this address on the background check for Yue, and his heart had brought him here. He had no plan or purpose; he just needed to find some kind of answer to calm his unsettled soul.
• The squeals of kids playing in the nearby fenced-off secure area behind the school had him look over and watch with fixed attention for a moment before he spotted her. Glued to the tiny little girl dressed in a pink dungaree set today that made her seem younger. A striped t-shirt underneath, but what stood out was her fuschia glitter sneakers as she paraded around waving her doll in the air in a game of chase with her little friends. The girl always had to have sparkle, and it softened Kai’s rigid features into the ghost of a smile.
• Kai couldn’t breathe. He watched in silence. His mind blanked as he focused on her delicate features and smiling bright face. He couldn’t deny she was probably the cutest kid he had ever seen. Happy and oblivious to the mess growing around her, he wondered if he was doing the right thing for a second. Invading her life, ripping it apart, and changing everything she knew. Guilt gnawed at him even though he wasn't even sure she could be his.