Page 117 of Kings Don't Break
“That was a misunderstanding. Kenny didn’t mean to,” she says. “But she’s tried ruining his life. She cost him his promotion, his career. She had the nerve to leave him for you.”
I can barely speak up for myself. The deep pain in my abdomen makes it almost impossible. The smallest movement, the slightest shift, causes an intense ache of pain. For all I know it could be my insides swelling up.
A weak cough leaves me as I roll onto my side and try to speak more than a few words.
“You’re fucking crazy,” Blake says, “if you can see Kori bound on the ground, fucking bruised, and still believe a word he says! Janessa, drop the fucking gun… NOW!”
She flinches at the aggressive volume of his voice, then shakes her head. “No… no… Kenny’s done what he’s had to. You’re the one who’s lying! It’s what you’ve always done. You used me and she used him! You come any closer and I’m going to put a bullet in you, Blake Cash!”
“I don’t give a fuck what you or your piece of shit boyfriend do to me! But Kori needs medical attention?—”
“Stay where you are!” Janessa yells. She leans to the left for a look at Ken, who’s gradually coming to after his brawl with Blake. “Kenny, I need you. These two are playing dirty.”
“Please,” I croak. “Please, don’t. Just… let… us… go…”
“Make him sit down,” Ken says. He sounds almost as winded as I am, but he’s managed to push himself up on all fours. He huffs out another difficult breath and wipes the blood from his mouth. “Make him sit. Don’t take the gun off him for a second.”
“You heard him.” Janessa jerks the barrel of her gun in the direction of the accent chair nearest Blake. “Sit down and shut up. You’ll do as we say.”
For the briefest second, Blake looks tempted to take a chance—he’s on the verge of bum-rushing Janessa, overwhelming her enough to snatch the gun right from her. He seems to change his mind before finally he obliges and backs up to the accent chair.
“Keep your hands where we can see them!”
Blake’s jaw clenches. “You’re making a mistake. You’ll regret this.”
“The lady said stop talking.” Ken’s climbed to his feet, still woozy from the many brutal hits he’s taken. Bruises have begun purpling on his skin, making for an unsettling contrast against his pale complexion. But what’s even worse are his darkly rimmed eyes and the madness that lives in them. He spits out more blood and staggers over to steal the gun from a shaky Janessa. “You thought you were going to play the hero, did you? You were going to ride up here on that bike of yours and take my wife from me?”
“Kori needs a doctor. Let her go. Then deal with me one on one like a real man. That’s what you’d do if you weren’t afraid. But you only seem to want to fight when it’s a woman. Isn’t that right?”
Ken bares his teeth, his gums shining bright red with blood. “You’re not going to trash talk your way into buying her freedom, if that’s what you think you’re doing. I don’t need to beat you at some fistfight, Mr. Cash. I’ve already won. You’re both in for some real punishment. I’m about to make you wish you never disobeyed the law.”
He delivers the verdict as though it brings him great pleasure. His tone’s measured and authoritative like any other moment he’s acting as a police officer, except there’s an added layer of enthusiasm. He’s been looking forward to this moment.
The chance he gets to make me hurt. Even better that Blake’s here too.
If I wasn’t nauseous with pain before, it’s undeniable now. Between the sore shudder of my lungs and stabbing ache in my side, I’m left feeling like I’ll spew sickness on the floor. It can’t all be from my injuries.
On some level, it’s nausea that a man who once claimed to love me could come to hate me this much. Could hurt me this much.
He could see me practically incapacitated on the floor, bruised and broken and defeated in every way, and speak gleefully about more punishment. Familiar feelings of heartbreak return at full force.
Not because I’m mourning my relationship with him out of a desire to be together again.
It’s a mourning that I could have ever given my heart to this man. That I could’ve made such a foolhardy, monumental, soul-destroying mistake as giving him my love.
He never deserved it. Not for a single second.
Instead, my watery gaze meets the eyes of the man who has always deserved my heart, who’s always loved me no matter what, and who has always been there all along.
Blake’s already watching. He’s acutely tuned into every move I make and breath I take.
Because he loves me.
He always has and always will.
When our eyes meet, he blinks twice. His jaw clenched, his throat tight, his expression tells me everything I need to know.
It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe. I love you.
