Page 87 of Keep Me Safe

What kind of father would do something like this to his kid? That sweet little boy who loved working with his dad in the shop is gone. The look he gave me was far from the admiration he used to have.

I failed him.

“Hey,” Kira whispers, her hand touching my cheek. “He’s going to be okay.” Her arms wrap around my torso, and I pull her into me, resting my chin on her hair. The scent that is so uniquely her fills my nostrils. We’re going to get through this. Jared will come around. He has to.

We stand like that until Kira stops shaking. I may be worried about Jared, but she had to face her rapist tonight. Anger simmers below the surface, but I force it down. I can plot his murder later. Right now, I need to be here for her.

“Come on, let’s get you inside,” I say, my voice soft.

She nods, letting me lead her to the door. She still doesn’t speak when we reach the bathroom, jumping at the sound of the rushing water as I fill the bathtub. Instinctively, I go for her, kneeling to meet her gaze. It takes a moment for her red-rimmed eyes to focus on me.

“It’s okay, you’re safe now,” I reassure her, my hands restingon her thighs. She looks more like herself when she nods again, and relief creeps into my chest.

“I’m so proud of you, you know that?” I tell her, my thumb grazing over her cheek. The touch is light, but she leans into it.

“Why?” she asks, her eyebrows scrunching together.

Of course, she doesn’t get it. She doesn’t realize how strong she is. “You stood up to that piece of shit. That was a good punch, by the way,” I tell her, trying to lighten the mood. It works, a small smile gracing her lips.

I turn the faucet off on the tub and gesture for Kira to stand.

“Do you want me to stay?” I ask, glancing between her and the water. I don’t want to leave her alone here, but I don’t want to push this either. There is a real possibility that she doesn’t want anything to do with me after what happened, and I would completely understand if she told me to leave. I single-handedly ruined her relationship with her best friend. They both should hate me.

“Stay, please,” she says, reaching for her shirt and pulling it above her head. I suck in a breath at the sight. I’ve seen her naked before, but this feels different, more vulnerable. As the rest of her clothes drop to the floor, she slides her hands to the hem of my shirt, pushing it up my body.

“What are you doing?” I ask, barely disguising the heat in my voice. The sensation of her hands on me is like a drug.

“I want you in with me.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her there is no way we’re both fitting in that tub, but her eyes inform me she isn’t taking no for an answer. I pull my shirt off by the collar before moving to the top of my jeans. Kira’s hand stops me, her fingers unbuttoning them with ease.

If the situation were any different, I would be hauling her into my bed, the bathwater forgotten. But it’s not, and we aren’t doing that tonight. She needs time to process all of this.

I climb into the water first, heat spreading over my lower body as I sit at the back. Without guidance, she steps in, nestling herself into me. Her hips fit perfectly between my thighs, and she rests her head on my chest, the water sitting right below her breasts, framing them. I glide my fingers up her stomach, stopping before reaching where I want to touch her.

“Hand me the soap,” I tell her.

She listens. Squeezing some out, I lather it in my hands. I wash her body, massaging her tight muscles.

When we get out of the bath, I get Kira tucked in bed and draft a text to Jared. It takes me four revisions to figure out what to say.

Noah:I know this is fucked up, and I’m sorry for not telling you. You don’t have to forgive me, but please let me know you’re safe somewhere?

Noah:I promise this wasn’t intentional. It kind of just happened. I never wanted to hurt you.

He doesn’t respond right away, and I try not to worry. He’s angry, I get it. By the time I get to bed, Kira is already asleep, so I climb in behind her and pull her warm body into mine. My phone lights up, and I hurry to unlock it.

Jared:I’m fine. I’m at a friend’s.

I breathe a sigh of relief as I type out my response.

Noah:Thank you. I love you.

The bubble pops up to show that he’s typing, but it disappears without a response.

It’s been a few days since Jared found out, and I’ve receivedvery little communication from him. I didn’t expect much, but his lack of response forces me to realize the gravity of the situation. We might never be as close as we were, which devastates me. It was always him and I, our little family unit. He’s a part of me, and I’m not sure I can handle the thought of him hating me forever.

But all that fades when she looks up at me from the kitchen island, and I set a mug full of coffee beside her. Her face has been buried in her laptop all morning. She’s signing up for her classes for this fall. It seems like it would be a simple process, but it isnot.

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