Page 21 of Marriage Ever After
I stopped walking,
“what? Graham, look at me. Say that again?”
When Graham turned around, I took him in. His demeanor, the bags under his eyes, the tired look he had on his face.
“Not now, Mils. Later. I promise we’ll talk.”
Before Graham could shut down about Savannah, I moved closer, wrapping my arms around his waist. At first, Graham didn’t do anything, and I smiled when he wrapped his arms around me too. He kissed the top of my head.
“Thank you.” He said.
“Anytime.”
When we got ourselves in order, we walked into the holding cell that Kash had been sitting in for the past two hours. Kash was laying down on the small bench with one leg bent. He had his arm over his face as he played with his wedding ring. Kash liked to do that sometimes when he was in deep thought. They didn’t even let him wash the blood off his knuckles.
I missed him. I really did.
“Kash? Baby?”
I called out to him. When he heard my voice, he removed his arm and turned to face me.
“Bunny, you okay?” His voice was gentle. Full of worry.
I nodded as I got closer standing at the bars gripping them tight because I wanted to touch him.
“Can you come here, Kash? Please.” I asked him.
“I’ll give you two a minute,” Graham said as he stepped out.
Kash sat up, he didn’t come near me, but he gazed at me. He clasped his hands together as he looked down. His hair was wild, untamed yet it didn’t take away his attractiveness. His hazel eyes glinted with an emotion I couldn’t place but before I could ask, Kash spoke up.
“I almost killed that man, bunny.”
“I know.”
Kash shook his head as he ran his fingers through his hair then clasped his hands again placing them near his knees with him a bit hunched over.
“no, bunny. Listen to me. I almost killed that man and I don’t mean it in the sense of me being scared to do so.” He peered up at me. “If anyone ever touches you or takes advantage of you like that ever again, I don’t know what I’ll do. You are my world and if I can’t protect you from predators like Manny, what the fuck am I good for? Yes, we’re going through a rough patch but you’re the love of my life and seeing that look of fear in your eyes from that Manny dude, no. Bunny, there will be no next man that ever-fucking disrespects you like that, you fucking hear me?”
The fury in Kash’s eyes was palpable and I nodded. He tsked.
“No, I need your word, sweetness. Please, the next time anyone so much as grabs your wrist the wrong way, you come to me. I know you can handle yourself. You are a strong woman. You don’t take shit from anyone, not even me so baby, I need just one thing from you?”
The way that Kash was talking to me, made me feel something I hadn’t in a while, like myself.
“What do you need, Kash?”
He finally stood making his way towards me. When he stood in front of me, he began reaching out, to touch me but he stopped himself. There was a faraway look in his eyes, and I wanted to wipe it away. I didn’t want my husband to feel like he couldn’t connect with me.
“Please touch me, Kash.”
He didn’t hesitate with my request. I felt his thumbs caress my cheeks as he cupped my face in his hands through the bars. I didn’t have to open my eyes to know that Kash was in my face. I felt his breath on my lips. I opened my eyes, my browns to his hazels intensely staring at each other as though this was the very first time we have ever met.
“What is it that you need, Kash? I’d give you anything.”
He shook his head.
“I don’t want you to give me anything, baby. I just need you to come back to me. To get better, to let me love you again in the way I know how. I can’t lose you, Mila. I can’t be without you and I hope you understand that I’m not joking when I say that. Not being able to see you smile or laugh caused me some crazy pain. When I heard you laughing in the restaurant, I was envious because I couldn’t do that.”
