Keegan
THE FIRST NIGHT THAT RAGE and Kasey stayed for dinner was an event that changed everything. Or maybe it was just the kiss that changed everything. I’m not sure what it was, but things definitely changed in that moment. Rage has been here almost daily on top of when he’s guarding the house. I’m not sure exactly why they’re guarding the house, but there’s at least three men here every day around the clock.
Before I head out today I need to check the mail. It’s been a few days and, Riley, a friend from one of the towns I stayed in, was supposed to be sending me some stuff. She found a few things that I had left behind and knew I wanted them. To some it might not seem like much, but to me they’re priceless. Pictures of Whitney and I when we were younger, a few that she managed to sneak out to me when Sami was younger, and three bracelets that Whit had given me shortly before she got sold. These items became my only connection to my cousin.
“Where are you headin’ Keegan?” Rage asks me, standing up from his chair on the porch.
“Just to check the mail. My friend is supposed to be sending me some stuff I forgot a few months ago.”
“You want me to check it for you?”
“No. Kasey is washing up before we head over to Whitney and Irish’s house. I’ll be right back.”
The mail box is still in view considering the house doesn’t sit that far from the road. I pull out the few pieces of mail I have and head back up to the house. As I’m flipping through the small stack, I see handwriting that has my blood running cold. Rage is at my side in a heartbeat, but I need to read this by myself.
“What’s wrong Keegan?” he asks, trying to take the mail from me.
“Nothing. The package isn’t here and it’s upsetting is all,” I lie. Usually I don’t lie to anyone and this feels sour on my tongue. I need to know what this asshole wants before I let anyone else in on what’s going on.
As soon as I’m back in the house and Rage is sitting back in his usual chair, I head into the bedroom I’ve been sleeping in. Sitting down on the bed, I put the rest of the mail to the side. Holding the letter, I don’t want to open it, but I know I must. Even if it’s just to find out what he wants and how he found me. So, I take a deep breath and then rip open the letter.
Keegan,
I don’t know what you were thinking when you thought you could escape your fate. For the past sixteen years I have been trailing you all over the country. Now, I’ve found you in the same area as your slut of a cousin. I don’t know what you are thinking, but you WILL be coming home. I owe you to Sam and you are going to him. He’s been waiting a very long time for you.
So, you have three months to make your decision. That’s Sam’s time frame. At the end of three months, you can either make this easy or hard. If we have to come get you, you won’t like what happens. This is your only warning!
Sincerely,
Your loving father
The paper falls out of my hand and lands on the floor. I was so into reading the letter that I didn’t know that Rage had entered my room. Before I can react, he scoops up the letter and starts to read it. This is not what I need today. I don’t need him to try to fight my battles for me and have something happen to him.
“What the fuck is this Keegan?” he asks. Even though he’s yelling, I know that he’s not angry with me. I can see the concern written all over his face.
“I don’t want you to get involved Rage,” I tell him. “This is my problem to deal with. And if you knew the things that I’ve had to do since I’ve been gone, you’d be running far away from me.”
“And what do you think that you’ve done so wrong that would scare me away?”
“I had one person try to pimp me out. Before I could get away, he did make me go to two people. It was the worst night of my life. I’ve been beaten to the point that I lost my baby and then turned to drinking to forget it. When I lost my baby, I was upset, but then again, I was relieved. I didn’t want my child to grow up living in a house with Sam if he ever found me. That’s just a few things. I can give you a whole list of things I’ve had to do to survive.”
“Baby, those are things that happened to you. You didn’t choose to do those things. If you think that shit is goin’ to scare me away, you have another thing comin’. I’ve learned to go after what I want and that’s what I’m gonna do. You better get used to it!”
I stare at Rage in astonishment. How a man like him could want someone like me is completely beyond me. I’ve never seen myself as anything special. I’m just me and that’s good enough for me. Rage could have anyone he wants, and I know this. I see women throwing themselves at him constantly if we go out anywhere. For the most part, he ignores them. But, that’s just what I see. And, there’s the club girls that he can go to at any point in time. So, he’s definitely not lacking company.
“But, what if I don’t know if I’m even going to stay in Clifton Falls? I might be leaving here soon,” I tell him, trying to convince myself.
“I think you know already that you’re goin’ to be stayin’ here. There’s too much here for you to want to leave. If Whitney, Sami, Cassidy, and Austin aren’t enough of a reason to stay, then Kasey and I will become your reason,” Rage tells me, leaning down and placing a kiss on my temple.
I can’t respond to that. No matter how much I want Rage, today showed me that there can’t be a relationship between us. My dad and Sam aren’t ever going to leave me alone. I’m not going to bring anyone into that shit show. Kasey needs Rage around and I’m not going to risk his life for the two men looking for me. He doesn’t know what they’re like and what they’re willing to do.