Page 29 of Love and War

“Wh–what?”

“You stupid? What is your fucking name!”

“John, John Walker.”

“Well,John Walker,” Killian spat his name out. “Go.”

John rushed away. Never looking back, before he disappeared around the corner. Killian stared after him, his shoulders moving up and down with his breathing. It didn’t take a genius to know he was angry.

Holding the cat I have yet to name closer to my chest, I waited for Killian to calm down enough before speaking.

“Kill-Killian.” I hated the way I stuttered when I got nervous. Killian was never someone I got like this around. I had been comfortable with him, I trusted him with anything. My feelings, my life. Everything. Because no matter what he was there for me, to fight off my demons, to ease my mind. So as much as I didn’t want to trust him. I needed to. I had to trust him not to hurt me.

Slowly Killian turned, his eyes burning into me, conflicting between complete and total rage to something I couldn’t place. I couldn’t read what that feeling was, but I’m not entirely sure if I liked it either.

“We sh-should go-go.”Fuck.

“Why are you stuttering?” he asked, stepping towards me. I took a step back. “Moya Printsessa,” he said, stepping closer. “Don’t be afraid of me.”

“I’m not.”

I found myself not being afraid of him truly. Killian would never hurt me. I knew he wouldn’t. He would rather shove a hot poker up his ass than hurt me.

“Come on, let’s grab what we need.” Grabbing the cart I hadn’t even realized he had until now he began loading up supplies. More than we needed. I doubted she needed fifty-pounds of cat food, or two things of cat litter. But I wasn’t going to say anything to him, not when he was murdering everything in the cart with his killer face.

***

Aziza - 8

Killian - 12

“Your friends aren’t around here to protect you this time!”

Rolling my eyes, I continued kicking my legs on the swing. It was the same bullies from before, the ones who never seemed to learn that even if Killian and Z weren’t here right now, they would be. Killian never left me alone long enough. For the past two years, Killian knew I was going to be here every Saturday. Most of the time he waited for me on the swings. He always had juice and snacks waiting for me.

“You hear me, you stupid b—”

“Yes, I heard you,” I snapped. “I’m not deaf, nor am I stupid. Maybe you should have yourself checked out since you’re the one who's bullying an eight-year-old. So shoo, go away!”

You’d think after all this time they’d just leave me alone. Killian always threatened them, yet the boys never learned. Or they didn’t care. I bet they didn’t think Killian would follow through on any of the things he said.

No one understands that Killian felt very protective over me. He even got into arguments with his best friend over me. Not that I was bragging. I hated when he fought with Zander. Z was his best friend, the one he stayed with when his father was being a bigger piece of shit than his normal self. They were always with each other. But Zander was the friend who lived across the street from the park we always met at.

“You really think I’m scared of him?” One of the boys laughed. “Killian is nothing but a pun—”

He never got to finish his sentence before he was shoved to the ground. Killian stood above the blond, fuming. His fist clutched at his side, ready to pummel the kids to the ground from the looks of it. I wouldn’t stop him if he did.

Instead, he towered over them, glaring. If looks could kill, they would be dead. I smiled just thinking about it. Killian would destroy all of them for hurting me.

“I’ve told you before,” Killian started, placing his hands on his knee, bending down. “I’ve told you both, I’ve warned you to leave her alone.” Glancing between the two, his head cocked to the side, and though I couldn’t see his face, I knew what it looked like. It was one he never gave me, but one he gave those who hurt me. “I told you.”

It was the last warning before he punched both of them directly in the face. I could hear the crunch of their noses. I flinched on impact, not that I was scared of Killian. I could never be scared of him.

***

“Aziza!” he snapped at me, breaking me from my thoughts. Snapping my gaze up to him, Killian’s eyes bored into me. Concern written all over him, his entire focus set on me. My arms were tight around the cat, holding her against my chest.

“Sorry,” I muttered. Breaking eye contact, I sucked in a breath trying to calm myself. I don’t know why I was starting to panic. There was nothing wrong. Killian was my safe space, and he wouldn’t let anything happen to me. But something in my head told me everything was wrong. Everything was wrong here. It was like he wasn’t truly here. He was just a figure that I used to imagine. It was like I conjured him up.

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