Kaylee was still on Kay's lap when he suddenly set her down.
"Sorry… I had to touch you. But this… this will be the last time," he said softly.
"What are you saying right now?" she asked, chuckling nervously.
"He's trying to say that we have to end this whole thing here," Kaden interjected.
"You must be joking," she said with a grin—but it faded quickly when she noticed the serious looks on all their faces. "Wait… what's wrong with you guys? What's up with this stupid prank?"
"Do we look like we're joking? What prank? Do we look like toddlers to you?" Kadeem snapped.
"Take it easy, Deem. It'll be a little difficult to register," Kayden said calmly.
"Register what? What are you guys saying?" she asked, growing frustrated.
"We found the perfect one," Kadin said.
"Perfect what?" Kaylee asked.
"Perfect girl for us. Love at first sight," he replied.
"Then… then what? Hold on… you're seriously funny," she said, trying to laugh it off, but the brothers didn't smile. "What about me? Your little princess? What do you mean, love? But… you love me, so…"
"Who told you that?" Kaden cut her off sharply. "We've never said anything like that. You're the one singing and ringing the bell of love to everyone. We just wanted you… on our bed."
"What?" she whispered, shock washing over her, tears welling up.
"Why are you crying?" Kadeem asked, voice hard but tinged with frustration. "It was lust at first sight, not love. We just wanted to fuck you and leave—but we couldn't. You're a virgin. You weren't ready. You don't expect us to wait forever."
"Who's she?" Kaylee demanded, voice cracking. "Who's the first love that you're abandoning me for?"
"Why do you want to know her?" Kadin asked coldly.
"I'll kill her!" she shouted, tears streaming down her face. "I'll destroy her! You should know what I'm capable of!"
"Exactly why we don't have to say anything," Kaden said, expression unreadable.
"So… this is it? You saw me as some kind of toy? Fooled me… made me believe you all had feelings for me… made me feel special… and now this? For you to abandon me?"
"Ohhh… goodness. I can't believe this," she whispered, wiping at her tears, but they kept coming no matter how hard she tried to stop.
When she saw that they didn't respond, she nodded slowly. "Ok… fine. Guess this is it. Have a blissful life. Let's never cross paths again." She turned to leave.
Before she could take a step, Kayden pulled her back, wrapping her in a firm, possessive hug.
"Leave me alone, you motherfucking bastard! Let me go!" she cried, struggling against him.
"Careful, siren… there's no other girl but you. We were only joking," Kayden murmured softly.
Furious, she turned and delivered a sharp slap across his cheek. The sound made the other brothers gasp in shock.
Kaylee bent down, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, sobs shaking her body like a lost child.
Immediately, the four brothers closed in, surrounding her. Their hands hovered, unsure whether to touch, afraid to make it worse, their voices a desperate chorus.
"Kaylee, please… don't cry like this," Kadeem pleaded.
"Stop… please stop…" Kadin added, crouching closer, his fingers itching to brush her hair back.
"It hurts… it hurts!" she screamed, hitting her chest with trembling fists. "How could you do this to me? How could you do this to me and call it a joke?"
Kaden gently reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to anchor her. "Princess… we didn't mean to hurt you like this. Please… just listen to us."
"She… she doesn't understand," Kadeem muttered under his breath, frustration and worry battling in his tone. "We were just… trying to tease her, not—"
"No," Kaden cut in softly, "this isn't a joke. She's hurting, and it's on us. We need to make it right."
Kaylee's sobs only grew louder, each one a sharp stab to their hearts. Her body shook, and the room filled with the sound of her anguish, a raw echo of betrayal and confusion.
The brothers closed in tighter, their faces etched with worry and frustration. Kadeem gently lifted her chin with one hand, brushing damp strands of hair from her face. "Kaylee… please, look at us. We didn't mean to hurt you. We were only… teasing. It wasn't real."
Her chest heaved as sobs wracked her body. "Teasing? You call this a joke? You made me feel… special… and now…" Her words broke into muffled cries.
The brothers watched in silence, unsure how to reach her further. Her red eyes met Kayden's one last time, filled with disappointment and hurt. Trembling but resolute, she pushed past them.
"I… I need some air," she whispered, voice breaking, before turning and walking out of the room.
The four brothers froze, stunned into silence. For the first time, they realized that their teasing, their obsession, and their attempts to show her how much they cared had crossed a line. The room was suddenly heavy with guilt, regret, and unspoken understanding: they needed to make her believe in them again—without forcing her, without words alone.
Kayden's hand twitched, as if he wanted to reach for her, but he stayed rooted in place, calm on the outside, a storm of possessiveness and guilt churning within.
Kadeem finally broke the silence, muttering under his breath, "We… we have to fix this. Before she hates us for real."
The four brothers sank onto the couches and chairs in silence, each lost in thought, their minds replaying every word, every tear, every sob. Regret weighed heavily on them, gnawing at their pride. They knew they had crossed a line.
Kaylee sat on a seesaw chair in the garden, her legs swinging gently as her mind drifted. The afternoon sun filtered through the trees, casting warm, dappled light across her face, but she hardly noticed.
Deep down, a pang of regret gnawed at her. She hated that she had slapped Kayden—her calm, composed, infuriatingly perfect Kayden. Her chest still ached as she replayed the argument.
"I shouldn't have… slapped him," she whispered.
Her gaze lingered on the garden, but she sensed them before she even turned. The pull in her chest strengthened, her mind teetering between pride, frustration, and longing.
"K–Kaylee…" Kadeem's voice broke the silence.
She looked up. Four brothers, no teasing. Just concern and regret.
"We never meant to hurt you," Kadin said softly. "It was a stupid joke. A terrible joke. But nothing we feel for you is fake."
"I… I don't know if I can just… forgive this," she admitted, voice shaking.
Kayden stayed slightly back, his calm composure masking the storm inside him. He was the one she trusted most—the one whose silence usually anchored her—but now, as her eyes met his, she couldn't help but notice the faint red marks on his cheek, the impact of her slap.
Her chest tightened. Truth be told, he hadn't lied—he had only said a few things in the heat of the moment. He didn't deserve the slap. And yet, part of her couldn't stop feeling guilty. He could have protected me… like he always does. Or maybe told the others to stop… The thought gnawed at her, mixing remorse with frustration at her own impulsive actions.
Kayden's eyes softened as he looked at her, understanding the look of guilt and conflict on her face. The faint redness on his cheek—a reminder of her slap—didn't bring anger to his expression, only a quiet acknowledgment of her remorse. He took a small step closer, careful not to overwhelm her, letting her see that he wasn't blaming her.
"Kaylee…" he began, his voice low and steady, "you don't need to feel guilty. This… this wasn't your fault. And you didn't deserve… this," he nodded toward his cheek, his calm gaze meeting hers.
She swallowed hard, her throat tight. "But… I hit you. I should have trusted you. You always protect me, and I… I just—" Her voice cracked, and she looked down, ashamed.
Kadin stepped closer, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Princess, listen. We all made mistakes here. But Kayden… he doesn't blame you. He never does. And he won't let this come between us."
Kadeem added, his tone soft but firm, "We were reckless too, okay? We pushed too far. We didn't mean to hurt you, and we're here now to make sure we fix it."
Kaylee's eyes welled up again, not from anger this time, but from the overwhelming mix of guilt, relief, and the undeniable pull in her chest toward them. She wanted to run her hands along his face, to apologize properly, but she remained frozen, caught between pride and longing.
Kayden stepped slightly closer, his calm presence anchoring her. "I've always been here for you, Kaylee. And I'll always be. No slap, no words, nothing… will change that. You don't have to apologize for feeling hurt. That's natural."
Her gaze softened, lingering on his red-marked cheek, guilt twisting with gratitude. She almost whispered, "I'm sorry… for hitting you."
Kayden shook his head gently, a faint, reassuring smile brushing his lips. "Don't… really. Just stay with me. We'll fix this… together."
The other brothers closed in slightly, forming a quiet circle around her, their presence protective, unyielding, and patient. For the first time since she walked out, Kaylee felt the raw sincerity of their words—and the pull to let down her walls grew stronger.
Her gaze lingered on the red mark on Kayden's cheek. Guilt twisted with gratitude. He didn't deserve the slap… and yet, he's here for me, like always. Her hands trembled slightly as she leaned a bit toward him, the tension slowly melting under the quiet strength of their presence.