Page 16 of Reconciling the Consequences

Both men looked resigned but nodded. They had known Kara her whole life too. They’d been Marcos’s best friends since first grade. They only wanted what was best for her, and they both knew that keeping her far away from this lifestyle was the best thing for her.

No, Marcos thought,let her live her life away from the danger that surrounds me.

Thesmellofsmokefilled her nose and choked her lungs. She couldn’t breathe. Pain stabbed through her chest. She felt like she was drowning. She tried to yell for help, but it felt like she was underwater.

Randall Diggins stalked down her basement steps toward her, gun in his hand.

She tried to scream, tried to fight back. She couldn’t breathe.

He loomed closer.

“Kara!” A deep voice jolted her out of her nightmare.

A scream tore out of her throat, and she lurched upright in bed.

“Kara.” The voice was softer this time. “It’s me, Princess,” Johnny said from her right before he reached out and turned on the bedside light.

Kara let out a shaky breath that broke on a sob, as she glanced around Johnny’s bedroom.It’s not real. It’s just a dream.

“Hey, hey, baby.” He wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her sideways, into his chest. “I’ve got you, Kara.” Johnny’s voice rumbled. “You’re safe now.”

She turned in his arms and wrapped her stitch-covered arm around him. He turned toward her and pulled her with him. He lay down slowly, pulling her with him so they were side by side. She buried her face in his chest as the sob overcame her.

He held her tightly and rubbed her back soothingly.

“You were so strong, baby. So strong. You fought him and you beat him. You saved yourself,” Johnny whispered. “You didn’t let him win.”

She pressed herself closer to him. His chest was bare and warm. A sprinkling of chest hair tickled her face. His abs were unreal and covered in ink, disappearing under the waistband of his boxers.

She wedged her bad knee between his legs. He carefully maneuvered their bare legs, being mindful of the stitches in her knee, so they were both comfortable.

Her good hand wrapped around his back and held on tight.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and continued to whisper words of encouragement.

Her heart hurt. Her chest and ribs ached, and her knee throbbed. Even with the pills at dinner, she was sore.

She overdid it today at her house; she’d gone too soon. She hadn’t been emotionally ready for the turmoil that would be stirred up in her mind. She imagined the nightmare tonight was probably just the beginning.

Her breathing calmed and the tears slowed.

Johnny was her fucking rock, though. He rescued her that night, and he was her salvation yesterday at the house. He saved her tonight and pulled her out of the nightmare.

She loved him. She had known for awhile. She loved him and she couldn’t tell him; she wasn’t ready. She was still hurting, his words had cut deep even though every damn action he’d ever done had only ever showed he cared about her.

Even that night—he had come for her. A thought struck her, and she pulled away slightly, letting the fan cool her face. “Whywereyou at my house that night?”

Johnny sighed and rolled onto his back. He kept his arm around her, but he tucked her into his side, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

She waited while he gathered his thoughts.

“I was coming to talk to you,” he muttered. “Kevin and Derrick had yelled at me all day for the shit I said. They had seen things clearly, while my temper had gotten in the way. I lashed out before I could reallyseewhat was going on even though I could read it all over your face when you walked in the clubhouse that night.” He sighed.

“You could?” She frowned.

“Yeah, babe. You looked like someone had run over your cat. You were barely holding it together.”

Kara felt the tears welling in her eyes as she thought about that night and how she had forced herself to go through with breaking all of their hearts.

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