The Scars of Us (34 page)

“Kam, I’m home,” I announced as I kicked my shoes off by the front door, trying to sound like everything was okay, even though it really wasn’t. I was upset with Ryker, and I didn’t know where things were going to end up between us after our fight.
I knew things were too good to be true.

Kamden didn’t answer—usually he replied back to me, even if it was just a grunt or single word. His door was closed, so he might have already been asleep, but I decided to check after changing out of my constricting dress.

After slipping into my sleep shorts and a comfy muscle shirt, I walked to Kamden’s bedroom. As I knocked, the door crept open, and I caught a glimpse of him unmoving on the floor. “Oh my God, Kamden!”

He was so still—
no, no, no. What happened?
Pushing open the door, I rushed to his side, laying my head on his chest, searching for a sign of life.
Please don’t be dead.
I heard nothing; just overwhelming silence so ironically loud that it deafened my ears.

My cheeks were soaked with moisture as I wrapped my arms around Kamden. Pressing my head against his chest, I sobbed into him. Then, I heard it—one of the most beautiful sounds I’d ever heard. It was faint, but it was there—his heartbeat.
Thank God.

I noticed the small amount of blood pooling under his head as I was yanked away and trapped against a larger body.

“Miss me, love?” The words brushed against my ear, causing me to instinctively cringe. I hadn’t heard that voice in so long, but I’d never be able to forget it. It haunted my dreams and tainted my memories. Kaleb. Pure and utter fear seized my body, choking the air from my lungs and clenching my muscles.
No.

I couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything as Kaleb dragged his nose across my neck, inhaling my skin before repeating the path with his tongue. “God, I’ve missed you. You know how much I’ve thought about you over the years? About touching your skin? Tasting your sweetness? I haven’t been able to think about anything else.”

“How’d you get out?” My voice shook weakly as I spoke, my body petrified with fear.

A sinister chuckle vibrated against my neck. “Do you really think I could stay away from you?” He nipped my neck as he ran his hands along my arms. The familiar touch made bile build in the back of my throat. One hand traveled up my arm and wrapped around my neck, squeezing firmly before his fingers laced in my hair and tugged my head back. “You’re mine,” he growled.

He kept one hand in my hair as the other released my throat, venturing down my breasts and stomach to the juncture of my thighs. The violating action snapped me out of my fear-induced paralysis. Using what Ryker had taught me, I stomped on Kaleb’s instep before slamming my elbow directly into his stomach, freeing myself from his grasp.

As he stumbled back, I threw a side-kick to his groin before taking up a defensive stance. I didn’t fully connect, but I could tell the impact still hurt him because he hunched over and grunted in pain. “You’ve learned to fight back, huh? This is going to be fun.”

I should’ve run the second I was free, like Ryker always told us, but I couldn’t leave Kamden. I didn’t know what Kaleb would do to him without me there to focus on. Kaleb charged at me, but I ducked and threw a back-fist into his shoulder. Each time I connected with his body empowered me, making me feel less weak and helpless. I was not a frail, little girl anymore. I was a strong, powerful woman.

Kaleb angrily whirled around with a snarl before coming at me again. I landed a roundhouse to his ribs, but he caught my leg, caging it against him as he backed me toward Kamden’s bed.
I can’t let him get me on the bed.
My training flew out the window, suddenly forgotten as panic took hold. I swung my arms wildly, trying to hit Kaleb anywhere to get him to let me go.

I made the biggest mistake—I left my face open. Kaleb took advantage, backhanding me in the jaw. The hit stunned me, sending me falling onto the bed. Kaleb had me pinned instantly, crushing me with his weight as his legs opened my thighs. My sense of power began to fade as Kaleb turned the tables.
Keep fighting. Don’t give up.

Struggling against him, I pounded against his arms as he tugged at my clothing. My shirt tore from the shoulder down across my chest, exposing my bra. I started to scream, hoping someone would hear me and call the cops, but Kaleb slapped me across the face, silencing me as the sound of the smack echoed in Kamden’s bedroom.

Bringing my arms up to cover my face, I blocked his next hit, but I didn’t expect the punch to my ribs. The air was sucked from my lungs as pain assaulted my body, the intensity of it making my eyes blur.

Kaleb pushed my arms out of the way, the movement causing more pain to slice up my side. He pulled down my bra, revealing my breasts before grabbing one in each hand and slowly kneading them with his fingers.

Don’t let him do this to you. You have to fight! Don’t be weak!
Kaleb was focused on my breasts, the vacant look in his eyes telling me he was lost to his darker side. Shoving my arms forward, breaking his loose hold on me, I braced my hands against his shoulders as I readied to execute the rest of the first technique Ryker had ever taught me.

One foot pressed against his hip, then two, as I fluidly performed the move. My hands slid down to his wrists as he pulled back, just as Ryker said an attacker would. Immediately, I began kicking upwards, landing a few kicks to Kaleb’s face before he fell off of me, landing on the floor with a thud.

Springing off the bed, I headed for the door as a hand wrapped around my ankle. Losing my balance, I fell to the floor, breaking my fall with my forearms. I struggled to free myself, but Kaleb was much stronger than me, always had been.

Kaleb climbed up my body, grasping at my shorts and pulling at them.
No!
I repeatedly began kicking him in the face, causing more blood to surface from the wounds I was inflicting.
Take that, asshole. I hope it hurts as much as you hurt me.

Instead of slowing him down, everything seemed to amp up his rage and power as he yanked my bottoms off with ease. I tried to crawl away, but Kaleb latched his hand around my ankle and dragged me back to him.

My body went into survival mode, ignoring the pain spiraling outward from my ribs through me as my arms and legs struck out, hoping to hit anything and stop him.

Then, he was on me again, in between my legs despite my efforts. My chest heaved raggedly for breath as exhaustion began to weigh me down. I forced my thighs shut, but he pried them apart, digging his nails into my flesh and drawing blood as he opened them again.

As he reached for my underwear, wanting to remove the last barrier I had protecting me from him, I thrust a palm strike right to his nose, causing him to grab it instinctively as blood began to stream from it.

Squirming out from under him, I flipped over and pushed up on my knees in preparation to run for the front door. Kaleb swept my legs out from under me just as I stood, sending me back to the hardwood floor. Reacting too late, my face slammed into the unyielding ground before I could brace myself. Stars shot into my vision as the iron tang of my blood filled my mouth.

Kaleb rolled me over and mounted me. I weakly tried to push him off me, but he reared back and slapped me with so much force that my ears rang. My eyes began to shut on their own accord as he pulled his shirt off. I just lay there, practically defeated, unable to find the strength to fight back anymore as pain smothered everything else.
I’m not strong enough.

“I finally get to finish what I started all those years ago,” he mumbled in a lust-laden voice.

Never give up, Warrior. Always fight back.
Ryker’s voice played in my mind.

I weakly brought my knee up, connecting with his crotch, but it barely affected him.
I have no fight left. He always wins.
Tears began to trickle down my face before I began to numb myself, hoping to withdraw internally enough so I wouldn’t feel anything that Kaleb was going to do to me.

Then, pounding on the door startled both Kaleb and me. He stilled with his hands on the button of his jeans, then snapped his gaze up to mine. His eyes gave a silent threat, but I opened my mouth to scream anyway before his hand slammed down and muffled my cries.

A dull voice yelled through the door. “Kaiya, it’s me. Please come talk to me, baby.”

Ryker! Oh, thank God!
My brief happiness was extinguished as Kaleb leaned over me, whispering in my ear. “Don’t make a sound.”

As I was about to ignore him and scream for Ryker, I felt cold, hard metal digging into my side.
Where did he get a gun? Oh my God, did he shoot Kamden?

Fear penetrated my being, instantly silencing any form of protest as I froze in place.

Ryker continued to bang on the door. “I know you’re in there. I’m not leaving until you come talk to me—I’ll stand out here all night if I have to.”

Tears watered in my eyes at the thought of Kaleb hurting Ryker.
Please leave.

“I mean it, Ky. I’m not going anywhere,” Ryker yelled as he knocked harder.

Kaleb cursed under his breath as he stood, pulling me up with him as he kept the gun pressed to my side. He walked us to the door as he quietly threatened, “Make him leave or I’ll kill him.”

My heart clenched at the thought of Ryker dying, especially because of me. I never should’ve gotten involved with him, never should’ve entangled him in my web of issues.

When we reached the door, Kaleb dug the gun deeper into my injured side. A small yelp of pain burst from me, but I smashed my lips together to stop it so Ryker wouldn’t hear. I wasn’t sure if Kaleb would kill me, at least not until he had raped me, but I knew without a doubt he would kill Ryker. I needed to protect him, even if it meant breaking my heart by pushing him away.

“What do you want, Ryker?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

“Baby, let me in. I want to talk to you,” he pleaded. The pain in his voice tightened my chest.

“That’s not a good idea. You should just leave,” I snapped as I fought back tears.

“I’m not leaving until you talk to me.” His tone was firm, the one he used when his mind was made up.

Damn it, he’s so stubborn.

“I’m talking to you, now go!” I yelled as my tears broke through.
Please just leave.

“Why are you acting like this, Warrior?”

I set my forehead against the door, wondering if Ryker was doing the same on the other side. Kaleb twisted the gun, reminding me of my task. I hissed loudly in pain as I gritted the lie. “I don’t want to see you anymore.”

“Don’t do this, Warrior. I can’t lose you. Tell me what to do to fix this.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks. My vision blurred from a combination of the moisture in my eyes and pain from the barrel digging into my ribs. “I can’t be fixed. Some demons just don’t leave you alone. They haunt you forever,” I eluded, hoping Ryker would understand what I meant and get help once he left. But even if he did, they probably wouldn’t make it in time.

He didn’t respond for several seconds, and I thought he had left. Then the silence broke when he said, “I understand. I’ll give you some space tonight, but I’m coming back over here tomorrow to straighten everything out. We can face those demons together.”

I heard his footsteps going down the stairs as Kaleb pulled me away from the door, leading me to my bedroom instead of Kamden’s. He tucked the gun in the back of his pants as he tightened his hold on my arm, driving his nails into my skin.

Then, chaos erupted as Ryker burst through the front door. Kaleb reached for his gun, but I threw my weight into him, sending both of us crashing into the wall as Ryker neared us.

“He has a gun!” I warned.

The impact caused Kaleb to lose his grip on me, but also made me lose my balance, sending me stumbling back into the opposite wall. Ryker slammed into Kaleb, tackling him to the ground. They rolled on the floor several times before Ryker finally pinned him, and started elbowing him in the face.

The gun flew backwards from Kaleb’s hand and went off as it hit the floor. Ryker stilled, then snapped his eyes to me, making sure I hadn’t been shot, which gave Kaleb the opportunity to punch him square in the jaw.

Stunned, Ryker wobbled slightly before Kaleb hit him twice more, causing him to fall to the floor. Kaleb darted for the gun on the ground a few feet away from me, but Ryker grabbed his leg, making him stumble and crash to the floor. Kaleb used his other foot to kick Ryker in the face several times. Blood streamed down his face as he let go and lay dazed against the floor.
No.

Kaleb rushed for the gun again, and I knew I couldn’t let him get a hold of it. I couldn’t let him shoot Ryker. I threw myself at the weapon, causing it to skid away from me when I hit it. Frantically crawling, I stretched my arm out to grab the handle, but Kaleb’s foot came stomping down, crushing my hand beneath his boot.

Yelping, I pulled my hand back, clutching it to my chest as I watched Kaleb reach the gun.
Shit.
I scooted back, desperate to get to Ryker, to protect him.

Ryker groaned when my hand brushed against him. Tugging on his bicep, I helped him sit up as Kaleb picked up the gun. I draped his arm around my shoulder before struggling to pull him to his feet.

Kaleb pointed the gun at Ryker, so I stepped in front of him, blocking as much of Ryker’s bulky body with my much smaller one. All I cared about was him—Kaleb could do whatever he wanted to me if it meant that Ryker would be safe.

Kaleb’s eyes blazed in anger at my action, obviously pissed that I was protecting Ryker. “Move, Kaiya,” he growled.

I silently shook my head, fearing my voice would waver if I spoke. Kaleb cursed and threatened, “Don’t make me do this.”

I didn’t respond—inside I was screaming, the frail, weak part of me begging me to move out of the way. But, something else was keeping me there, something stronger than fear—love.

Tears burned my eyes—we were probably going to die and Ryker didn’t know how I felt, that I loved him.
Oh my God, I love him.
There was no doubt or question anymore. The reality of it had finally sunk in. I knew with every fiber of my being that I was in love with Ryker.