“It’s a good job I had the damn thing because after three years of off and on harassment, of having my best friend comfort me every time something went wrong, I figured out it was her. I was moving out, goingto a different area across town to see if that helped. I’d already made arrangements.”
If she says she was moving in with this Kane motherfucker…
“It was another friend from college,” she scowls, reading my expression.
No surprise there, I’m holding on to this couch for dear life.
“She didn’t like the thought of that, so she decided if I was going to leave her, then she was going to stop me. I’m not getting into the details. All I’ll say is I fought for my fucking life and she ended up getting arrested.”
“What did she do?” I ask, my voice sounds soft, low, nothing compared to the rage swarming through me. “Tell me.”
Kinsley lifts her head. She’s breathing hard but I don't regret asking.
“Almost drowned me.” At my confused expression she blows out a breath. “In the tub, she’d set it all up before I got home from work. She didn’t expect me to fight back as hard as I did, figured I’d be too scared.
“She got off by pleading insanity. She is a psychopath who knew exactly what she was doing. Her family had the best lawyers so she’s locked up in a secure mental health institution and I’m here.”
“You don’t want to be here?”
Kinsley is surprised I haven’t asked for more. I don’t need to do that when I have Blaze.
“I was… not handling it, and when Colt realized, he came up with this idea to commission me to do some work for the church. It was his way of getting me home. He’s been working on convincing me to stay ever since.”
“Good.”
She sighs and finishes her coffee. “So, now you know my story, are you happy?”
“No, I’m fucking angry. What is this cop doing?”
“It was a courtesy call, Rebel. It will take months for her to lodge an appeal and get a court date.”
“What if she gets out?”
Kinsley shrugs. “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
Who would have thought I’d side with a priest and make damn sure she never goes back to LA? And if that bitch gets released, and so much as sets a foot in Baltimore, she’ll be signing her deathwarrant.
Kinsley looks at the clock on the wall. It's almost dawn, I should leave. She is putting on a brave face, but she’s upset.
One thing I’ve learned about Kinsley, she’ll never admit she’s afraid, always fighting, always convincing everyone she doesn’t need them.
I will not force her to give me any more details about what happened with this bitch, Eloise. I am going to make sure Blaze does what he can to keep her in the fucking psych ward though.
I walk over and take her mug, then put a hand on her lower back and gently push her.
“What are you…” she trails off when I guide her to the bedroom.
I expect an argument, but she doesn’t fight me when I strip off everything but my underwear and walk to the bed, giving her a challenging look. It’s the only thing Kinsley responds to. She doesn’t want softness or pity. She wants a fight. Even if it’s a silent eye battle across her messy bed.
There is no doubt in my mind she knows exactly what I’m doing, but she doesn’t show it. And she doesn’t push me away when I drag her toward me and press close into her back.
It takes an age for us both to fall asleep, and when we do, it’s doing something I’ve never experienced before, holding tight to a woman, knowing I want to protect her, keep her safe from her own demons. And mine.
At least with Kinsley there will not be a fucking puppy in any future we have. There’ll be angry fucking, spilled blood, arguments and a lot of denial about what is growing between us.
I’ve got bridges to mend with Nero, a fucking traitorous asshole to find and break, and a shit ton of other problems to deal with.
Lying here, holding her is settling me like nothing I've known before.
