Page 15 of Deceit

Chapter Nine

King

TWO FUCKING WEEKS.That’s how long it’s been since I last saw or heard from Brynn. I’ve been fucking miserable and everyone knows it. Jinx and Hope are the only ones who know what the fuck is going on. They know Brynn is who I want to see and talk to more than anything in the world and I can’t do that. I’m still not blocked but she’s not taking any of my calls and hasn’t read any of the messages I’ve sent her. My days are spent wondering where the fuck she is and what she’s doing. I don’t know if she’s okay or if she’s been hurt by more than Hope and Savannah’s words about the bet. I want to make sure she knows she means more to me than any stupid fucking bet and that I want to get to know her and see where a relationship between the two of us could go. That’s what I want and I’ve been fucking iced out. This is the first time I’ve ever had this happen to me and I don’t fucking like it.

I’ve been to physical therapy today and Jinx is taking me back to the clubhouse so I can get in bed and take a pain pill. The sessions are becoming harder and I’m hurting more than I have since I was in the hospital. There is no choice but to take a pain pill and sleep the day away because that’s the only solution to the fierce pain filling me.

“Hope’s got soup ready for you and water so you can eat somethin’ before you take your pain medicine,” Jinx says as I look out the window of his truck toward the strip where the bookstore is.

I watch on as a motorcycle pulls into the parking lot and a woman gets off. She removes her helmet and I watch as the long, red hair spills out in a braid down her back. Excitement fills me and I know without a doubt I’m looking at Brynn. She’s fucking here and this is the first time I’ve laid eyes on her in two of the longest fucking weeks of my life.

“Pull in here,” I bark out, my voice little more than a growl as I wait for Jinx to turn into the small strip mall where Turn the Page is. “Jinx, pull in here now. Please.”

“What the fuck is goin’ on, King? Why do you wanna pull in here when you just got out of physical therapy,” Jinx questions me, his voice filled with concern.

“Please, Jinx. Pull the fuck in here and get me to Turn the Page?” I tell him, my voice begging him and not even fucking caring right now.

Jinx pulls his truck in the parking lot and drives right up to the front of the bookstore. He doesn’t shut the engine off, but he gets out after putting it in park. Jinx makes his way over to the passenger side of his truck and helps me get out. I grab my cane and try to stand on my own. When I stumble, Jinx holds me up and makes sure I’m steady before I take slow steps to the front door of the store. Heading inside, I make my way upstairs with my cane and know I’m in rough fucking shape. My entire body is trembling from the pain and sweat is dripping down my back along with covering my face.

By the time I reach the second floor of the store, I can barely stand. It doesn’t matter to me though. I see Brynn sitting in her chair and she looks fucking stunning. It’s like taking a breath of fresh air after being under water for years. My entire world lights up with just one look in her direction.

“Kingston,” she gasps as I waver and stumble at the top of the stairs. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I just had physical therapy. This is the end result,” I tell her, my words barely coming out from the pain coursing through me. “It hurts.”

The confession is ripped from me. I hate being vulnerable in front of anyone and this is one of those times where I’m giving Brynn all of me. The very worst of who I am and what it means to be with a person like me. Someone who’s haunted by the ghosts of my accident and my limitations.

“Let’s get you in a seat,” Brynn says, her soft, melodic voice washing over me and easing some of the pain I feel.

Brynn helps me over to the seat at her table and gets me on my ass just before I fall to the floor at her feet. She runs her hands over me and my entire body lights up with the feeling of her hands running over my body. Even though it’s not meant in a sexual way, Brynn has a way of bringing out my basic instincts of sex and protection.

“I don’t know what to do. My cousin Hope told me you overheard her and another woman from the club talkin’ about the bet. Yes, that’s why I originally came here. I was fulfillin’ the loss of a bet. Then I saw you sittin’ here and all thoughts of the fuckin’ bet flew right outta my mind. You weren’t payin’ attention to anyone around you but yet you still knew of anyone close to you. Every single day you come in here, you get a coffee and your muffin then you come up here and get set up with your laptop and a book to read when you’re not workin’. You captured my attention and I knew in that moment I’d do anythin’ to talk to you. That I’d bust my ass to get you to go out on a date with me. Now, I’m about to lose you over somethin’ I was plannin’ on tellin’ you about once we were on solid ground.

“I’ve got demons that haunt me, Brynn. And I have a feelin’ that you have your own monsters you battle on a daily basis. We might not know one another like I want us to, but I know deep in my soul that you’re the one I want to get to know and spend my time with. So, I’m givin’ you a piece of me that only my best friend and cousin get to see. No one in the club sees me this vulnerable because I can’t stand for them to know how weak I am,” I tell Brynn as she remains crouched down in front of me and stares at me to see the truth of my words.

“Kingston, it hurt to hear you asked me out on a date when I thought we had a real connection. I’ve been hurt all my life and hearing that made me sink back to the past and I can’t reside there any longer. When I heard that shit, I took off and went home. It wasn’t good there, Kingston. I got into a fight with my sister and took off on my family because I knew at the end of the day my family would take her side over mine. I’m the ‘oops’ baby and no one’s ever stepped up for me so I’ve learned to internalize everything. My family didn’t know a damn thing I’ve been through at all until I lost my shit. I have to think about this, Kingston. This is a big step for me to take. I’ve never dated or had a boyfriend. I’ve had sex one time in my life and it wasn’t a good experience at all. I need time and space,” Brynn says, a hitch in her voice with the emotions flooding her as she makes herself vulnerable for me.

“I don’t care about that shit, Brynn. The only thing I want is to get to know you and be there when you need me. I want you to let me in, Kitten. I’m tellin’ you now that bet didn’t mean a fuckin’ thing to me. If I had asked any other girl, it would’ve been the only reason. Askin’ you out was because I couldn’t stand to not talk to you or get to know you. Everyone else faded into nothin’. You’re the only one I see and that’s the fuckin’ truth. My truth. Please, Brynn, give me a chance to prove to you that I want you for you and there’s no way in hell I’m gonna give you up without a fight,” I plead with her as my vision starts to fade with the pain.

“We gotta get you outta here, Kingston. The pain is too much and you need to get back to the clubhouse. Let me help you downstairs so you can get home and in bed. I’ll start talkin’ to you again, Kingston. But this shit has to be at my pace and my pace only. Can you accept that?” Brynn asks me, her voice full of pain as she looks at me with tear-filled eyes.

“I’ll do whatever you need me to, Kitten. This was always gonna be at your pace,” I promise her as Jinx makes his way up to the second floor without me having to call or message him.

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