Sonia is at my mom’s for now. Safe.
My father is on his way out of her life.
What happened to Sonia is a motherfucking tragedy. The only positive thing I can say is that my father will be gone soon. One way or the other, we’ll all be free of him.
As soon as we are, I can finally move forward with what I’ve been planning.
What I’ve been planning for weeks.
Actually, I’ve been leading up to this my whole life. I just didn’t know it.
My mom helped me out, and I threw all the money I’ve managed to save into it.
Worth it.
I can’t wait to finally ask Kira that question. Make it clear to her and the whole world what this means to me.
First, that divorce has to be finalized. I know that.
So, for now, I’ll wait.
I walk up to my front door, keys in hand—
What the fuck?
It’s night out, and lately, my contacts haven’t been helping as much. It’s time for me to go get a new prescription. That’s the main reason I stand here, on the porch, blinking at the open door and making sure I’m not seeing shit.
I’m not.
The lock to the door leading to my apartment is all scratched up.
Busted open.
Someone either broke into one of my neighbor’s apartment downstairs—
Or they broke into mine on the second floor.
I drop my shit on the porch and take a cautious step inside.
Kira’s supposed to meet me here in a few minutes. I should call her. Tell her not to come.
I should call the fucking cops.
I don’t do any of those things. A weird, powerful autopilot takes over, luring me deeper inside. I hear no signs of movement, downstairs or upstairs.
See no signs of a theft in progress.
Instinct calls me toward my stairs, a cold premonition that I don’t understand at first.
My neighbor’s door is firmly closed. So is the one of the other side of the entry.
But there’s a light coming from the second floor.
From my open doorway.
I creep up the stairs, palming my phone. As if it’s a weapon or some shit. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. There’s nothing I can use to defend myself. What if whoever is there has a gun?
My mind yells at me to turn around, head back outside, and call the police.
My body and gut take me the rest of the way up the stairs.
The door to my apartment is open.
And that isn’t regular light coming through the slightly ajar door.
Is that . . . is that fucking candlelight?
First thought: Kira is in there waiting to surprise me.
Second thought: she has a set of the fucking keys to my place. There’s no way she would’ve busted the lock.
On the second floor landing, I pause and take a deep breath.
Scented candles.
Whoever is in there lit my entire house up with some sickly sweet smelling shit.
If it’s not Kira inside . . .
God no. Please don’t let her be that dumb.
I’ve flirted with no one here. Barely talk to the female population. I’ve given none of them any inclination that some shit like this would be welcome.
There’s only one person—woman—I know that would think this shit is okay.
And Kira is on her way here any moment.
I push the door open, not sure if I’m praying I’m right, or if I’m praying that it’s actually a very weird thief awaiting me in my apartment.
The door swings all the way and I hiss out a curse.
“I know. I look amazing, don’t I?”
I’m too busy gawking at this woman’s audacity to pay much mind to her outfit, but I do see enough of it to know her nipples are out, and her panties are crotchless.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I ask in a disgusted tone.
Jennifer doesn’t even pretend to hear me. Her eyes . . . there’s something odd about her eyes. They’re too focused on my body. Too unhinged. She twirls in a circle, showing me her ass in that crotchless thong. “Remember when you used to use this body all you wanted?” She turns back around and smiles at me, this fucking happy smile that makes no sense. “Remember the night you fucked me for like six hours straight without stopping?”
No. I honestly don’t. “Do yourself a favor. Get dressed and get the fuck out. Now.”
“Your little bitch isn’t here, Brayden. You don’t need to pretend.”
I take a single step into the apartment. “Watch your fucking mouth.”
Jennifer’s eyes flash with malice, the first crack in her cheery facade. “I know it was her, you know? I know she sent that video to my parents to get rid of me once and for all.”
I punch the door frame, fighting the urge to drag her out by her hair. “No, you fucking idiot. It was me.” Shit, I don’t know why I’m admitting that. Fine, I do. No one accuses or talks shit about Kira.
Jennifer shakes her head sweetly and approaches me with that tender, loving smile that honestly scares the hell out of me. “You would never do that to me, Brayden. You care about me.”
“I did. Once. As a friend. And that’s the only reason I’m warning you one last time, get the fuck out before I call the cops.”
She doesn’t listen.
Of course she doesn’t listen.
For the first time I realize just how crazy she’s gone.
Jennifer stops in front of me and reaches down to grab my crotch before I react.
It’s an instant explosion of movement.
None of it from me.
Time slows down as I feel myself being pushed aside. I hit the door frame and out of the corner of my eye see an auburn blur.
It all happens too fast for me to track it.
I hear what sounds like a crack—the impact of a fist colliding with flesh, I realize.
Jennifer screams.
Then she’s yanked out of the apartment.
I push off the door frame, the world returning to regular speed.
And see my girl.
Pulling Jennifer’s hair.
Leading her toward the stairs.
“Kira, no!”
Too late.
Kira practically flings Jennifer down to the first floor.
Jennifer screams again.
Oh God. Oh God. Kira just threw her down the stairs.
And she isn’t done. She flies down those stairs like a hell-bent demoness.
I don’t know how bad that fall hurt Jennifer, but I do know Kira isn’t going to stop until she kills her. I fly down the stairs, jumping down two at a time like Kira did.
Jennifer is on her feet, facing off against Kira. Both girls are locked in a struggle, but all I see is the blood pouring down the side of Jennifer’s face.
She grabs the side of Kira’s face and slams my girl’s head into the open door.
Right where the busted hinge is.
When Kira jerks away, there’s a trail of blood sliding down the door.
I hit the first floor and lunge for the both of them.
Kira growls a frightening, inhuman sound, and yanks Jennifer out onto the porch. Then, she kicks her out onto the walkway, jumps behind her, and starts dragging her out toward the parking lot by her hair.
I run after her. “Kira, baby, stop!”
Jennifer is kicking the air, clawing at Kira’s hands, leaving bleeding welts on my girl’s skin.
Kira feels none of it. The expression on her face, the look in her eyes . . .
“I’ve. Fucking. Had. Enough. Of. You!” she yells, throwing Jennifer out onto the asphalt of the parking lot.
People have come out of their homes. A few have stopped around the periphery of the parking lot.
More are joining every second.
I already see phone’s in their hands.
Jennifer scrambles to her feet, seeming oblivious to the fact that there’s a group of people staring at her almost naked ass. It’s cold as hell outside, but she doesn’t seem to notice that either. Her eyes are unhinged.
Kira faces off against her, uncaring, her chest heaving.
There’s a small trail of blood on the fur fringes of her coat.
I run to her.
“You stupid bitch! I’ll have you arrested!” Jennifer shrieks.
“For what, you dumb cunt? For defending myself when you broke into Brayden’s apartment?” Kira asks calmly.
Jennifer’s mouth falls open as she realizes Kira’s intent.
My girl is going to claim self-defense.
As fucked up as it is, I plan on backing whatever version of the story she goes with.
“You lying, dirty bitch!” Jennifer starts running at Kira.
I grab Kira, trying to move her aside, but she digs her heels in and shrugs me off. “You have enough problems,” is all she tells me before ducking and running head-first into Jennifer’s midsection.
Linebacker style.
I can almost hear Jennifer’s back scraping against the cement as they land.
Kira jumps off her and tries to back away. “Lay off, Jennifer. It’s over. Just get your naked, disgusting ass home.”
It isn’t over. Jennifer’s glare makes it clear. “You fuck your stepbrother behind everyone’s back and are still a jealous, possessive bitch over him. He can’t ever be yours! Don’t you get it? He’s your stepbrother, and you call me disgusting?”
“Shut the fuck up already!” I growl, torn between calling the cops on her or just getting her to leave.
Kira is an equal participant in this fight.
Actually, she’s schooled Jennifer so far.
People no doubt saw her drag Jennifer out. The only part that is in question is what happened in the house before she did so. Jennifer definitely broke in. It’ll be mine and Kira’s word against hers.
I see some people with their phones in their hands and realize it’s too late. Someone has probably already called the cops.
“You broke into my house, Jennifer. That’s not normal,” I say in the calmest tone I can muster. Shrugging off my coat, I throw it to her. “Now you’re out here almost naked—”
“Because your bitch dragged me out here!”
I hold up a hand when Kira takes a step back in her direction. “Watch how you talk about her. This is the last time I’m warning you. And cover up for Christ’s sake. Like I said, what you’re doing right now isn’t normal.”
“But fucking your stepsister is?” she yells, wrapping my coat around herself before turning to face all the people gathered behind her. “Because he is! He’s fucking her, and they’re stepsiblings!”
Kira laughs.
It’s a hollow laugh.
A deadened laugh.
A bitter sound that makes me turn in her direction just in time to see her storming back to Jenn.
“Is it your fucking business?” she growls.
Jennifer scrambles to her feet again, shrugging into my coat, and faces off against Kira.
I move to them.
“Stop Brayden! You can’t do anything about this!” Kira snaps, still glaring at Jenn.
They’re face to face now, a ticking time bomb of female aggression.
Both bleeding.
Both still blood thirsty for more.
And I can’t jump in. I can’t jump in for legal reasons, but also because Kira is right. There’s nothing I can do about this. Short of slamming my fist into Jennifer’s face—something I can only do if she threatens Kira’s life—nothing I say gets through to that psycho.
I try one last time. “I don’t want you, Jenn. I’m sorry I somehow built some fantasy up in your head. I don’t know how the fuck I did it, but I’m sorry, okay? I thought I made it clear that it was only sex between us. We haven’t fucked in years, man. Almost four years to be exact.”
“I was the only one!” Jennifer cries, teary eyes locking with mine. “All the other girls came and went, none lasting more than a night. But me? Me you kept coming back to—”
“For two years only,” I grit out, my patience dwindling. This level of self-delusion is more than I can bare.
“But I was still the only one you came back to! Until this little slut—”
Kira shoves her back. “I’m not the one fucking every guy and girl I can get between my legs. And it’s none of your business what happens between us!”
It takes me a few seconds to assimilate what just happened.
What my girl just did.
“You don’t own him, Jennifer,” Kira says in a low menacing tone.
Jennifer shrieks with outrage and backhands my girl across the face. “Yes I do! You’re just in the way!”
Kira takes the hit, her head turning slightly to the side. When Jennifer tries to aim for her again, Kira grabs her hand in hers and squeezes down tight. Then, with a well-placed knee to the gut, she brings Jennifer down to her knees.
Jennifer is on her knees, struggling to breathe, when Kira backhands her onto her back. “Enough. You don’t own him. I do. And you can let that eat at you for the rest of your miserable life. I don’t give a fuck. But back off my man, and back off our lives, you psychotic piece of shit!”
Holy. Shit.
Did Kira just . . .
She did. Kira just announced to the entire world that she owns me.
Our parents aren’t officially divorced yet, but she did it anyway.
Now everyone’s going to know that Jennifer’s rumors were true.
They’ll know we’ve been with each other on the down-low.
Cop cars come skidding into the parking lot, their sirens blasting.
Kira takes one look at them and runs to me, cupping my neck in her cold hands.
“You were defending yourself. She broke in. You came up behind me and she attacked. You had no choice but to throw her down the stairs in self-defense,” I mumble hurriedly, desperate for her to get the story right so our accounts match up.
“I love you,” is all she says in response, and it doesn’t matter that the sirens are drowning out most of the noise around us, I have a feeling that the people closest to us hear her anyway. “It’s going to be okay, okay? Just make sure you stay out of it.”
I know what she means: in our account of the story, I was an innocent bystander. I had nothing to do with this.
Not that far from the truth, actually.
Kira pulls me down to her and kisses the breath out of me in front of everyone.
Everyone.
“Miss, step away from him. Now.”
She doesn’t listen.
I finally break out of my shock, and with a groan, crush her to me, kissing her like it’s the last time I’m going to see her.
It’s not. I’ll move heaven and hell to make sure she serves no jail time.
The cops come up behind Kira. I let her go before they can think of manhandling her. It’s the last thing I need to see. My life will be over because I’ll kill a motherfucker, cop or not.
Kira holds her hands up and allows one of them to grab her wrists and twist her arms behind her back.
Fuck. Watching them handcuff her is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
“I’m calling Ryan, Dana, everyone. A lawyer.”
Jennifer is screaming from beside one of the cop cars, hurling accusations.
“She broke into my house and attacked first,” I tell the cop nearest me.
He holds up a hand impatiently. “Relax. We need to get an ambulance here first. They’re both bleeding pretty bad from their heads. Then we’ll get your statement.”
I want to demand that they let Kira go but I can’t, of course. Pulling out my cell, I dial Ryan.
Of course, he flips out in my ear. “What the fuck do you mean she’s in cuffs?”
“I know. I know, man.” Running my hand through my hair, I stare at where Kira’s sitting inside one of the police cars. Our eyes meet and I bet she can see how frantic I am.
“Why didn’t you stop the fight?” Ryan asks. I can hear him slam into his car and peel away.
“At first? Because it happened too fast. Then I thought it was over—but Kira was furious, and Jennifer kept flipping out—and fuck, man. You’re right, I should’ve done more to stop it.”
“Calm down. I know my sister. You probably couldn’t have stopped her if you tried, and you have enough shit on your plate without someone accusing you of manhandling one of the girls.”
I look around at the growing crowd of people and all the pictures being taken. The videos being recorded.
This shit is already up on social media. I’ll stake my life on it.
That and the kiss Kira and I shared, the words exchanged.
Fuck them.
Fuck them all.
I can’t stand any of them.
“People are here. Recording and shit,” I tell Ryan just as two ambulances come speeding into our parking lot. “Fuck. Thank God. The ambulance is here.”
“Ambulance?” Ryan shouts. “What the fuck did Jennifer do to Kira?”
“It’s more like what they did to each other. It’s not bad. Fuck, I hope it’s not bad.” What if my girl has a concussion brewing? Or a blood clot builds from the hit?
I’m panicking, my mind flooded with the worst case scenarios, but I can’t control it.
Kira is escorted out of the cop car so she can sit inside the ambulance while they check her head.
I rush to get as close as the cops will let me. “I have to call my mom. Get a lawyer ready. Just get over here.”
“You can’t get close to her,” a cop says, stepping between me and the ambulance.
I’m so fucking feral that I almost bare my teeth at him. “That’s the girl I love.”
“Listen, I get that, but she’s currently under arrest. Do her a favor and calm down.”
His sympathy eases me a bit. He isn’t trying to be a dick, he’s just doing his job.
I call my mom and give her a quick run through of what happened, my eyes never straying from Kira.
“And who is this girl that broke into your apartment?”
I was dreading that question. Dreading it, and the honest answer I have to give. “Jennifer, mom. Jennifer Henrichs. Remember her?”
“That little blond that always followed you around when you were younger?”
“Yeah.”
“Brayden, why on Earth would she break into your—” My mother stops abruptly and I can practically hear the conclusion she came to.
“It’s not like that, Mom. It was a long time ago. I swear, I haven’t been with her like that in years. She’s just mentally unstable.” And I probably made it much, much worse by sending that picture and video to her family. The stress of her father’s judgement and subsequent punishment most likely pushed her over the edge further.
Fuck.
“Mom, can you just call Dan? Please?”
“Honey, it’s ten o’clock. But I’ll do my best to reach him. If not, we’ll definitely get him tomorrow.”
Kira spending a whole night in lock up? Every male, protective instinct in my body flares up. “Give me his number. I’ll try reaching him, too.”
She agrees to text it to me and we hang up.
I hear what sounds like Ryan speaking loudly and spot him at the edge of the parking lot. The cops are refusing to let him in.
I want to go up to him and calm him down, but I’m not leaving Kira’s side. This is as close as they’re letting me and I’m staying here until they tell me she’s all right.
Thirty minutes later, Kira is escorted out of the ambulance and back into the cop car. Seeing her like that breaks my fucking heart.
My girl just gives me this small smile, though, as if trying to tell me it’s all going to be all right.
I run to Ryan as the cops get into the car to take her to the station. “Go, go. We need to follow them.”
He and Dana run with me to his car and we all jump in.
By the time we get to the station, I have confirmation from my mom that the lawyer actually agreed to come at this time. He’s on his way to meet us here.
Some relief.
We all rush inside.
Kira and Jennifer are already in holding. Paperwork has just been started, so they refuse to let me in.
Now it’s all a waiting game.
I’m going to lose my fucking mind.
All three of us trudge to the sitting area, the air between us heavy with hopelessness.
Two hours.
That’s how long it takes for Jennifer’s parents to arrive, their lawyer in tow.
My lawyer, Dan, walks in through the door right after.
The Henrich’s lawyer pulls Dan aside almost immediately. We’re too far for me to hear anything they’re saying, but it’s still obvious that they’re speaking in hushed tones.
I’m out of my seat in an instant.
Ryan and Dana follow me and I realize that’s what our little unit has become—a small family that follows each other no matter how fucked up things are.
My lawyer meets me halfway. “They don’t wish to press charges.”
“What?” Ryan and I ask.
“If Ms. Roth agrees not to pursue this, the Henrichs have no problem letting this drop.”
“Why?” I’m finding it hard to believe Jennifer’s parents would ignore this humiliation to their daughter.
For fuck’s sake, the pictures and videos of them fighting must be all over social media by now.
“Ms. Henrich’s parents are pulling their daughter out of the school. There’s enough scandal surrounding this, as is. They wish to avoid more.”
Plus, there’s still the breaking and entering charge which isn’t in the deal.
“Yes,” Ryan says when it becomes obvious I’m still too shocked to respond. “My sister will take the deal.”
My lawyer smirks with what seems like amusement. “That’s up to Ms. Roth to decide. She’s legally an adult.”
I finally snap out of my apathy. “Of course she will. Just . . . Just get me in there and let me talk to her.”
My lawyer nods. “Let me see what I can do. I’ll have to talk to her first, of course.”
Another half hour later, I’m escorted to the back near the holding cells.
Kira’s already at the bars waiting for me.
Shit. We’ve changed places. This time it’s me looking in from the outside.
It’s sobering. This is what she must have felt seeing me all beat up and bloody, caged like an animal.
“Is it true that her parents don’t want to press charges?”
I wrap my hands around hers, which are wrapped around the cell. “Come closer.” She does. The bars make it impossible but I lean in as much as I can and kiss her forehead. “This is all my fucking fault.”
“No, baby. It’s mine. I had enough of her shit and couldn’t control myself.”
I’m shaking my head, silently denying her claim. “Her parents are taking her out of the school. I don’t know for how long but if you agree to drop it, they will too.”
“Why?”
“I think they’ve realized how out of control she is and they’re worried about any more family embarrassment.”
“Fine.”
I blink in surprise. “What? Just like that?” I expected more of a fight from my enraged hellcat.
“I don’t care about her anymore. If she’s going to be out of our lives, good.”
I reach through the bars and caress the side of her head. There’s a bandage wrapped around, down to the bottom where her head meets her neck.
Where Jennifer slammed her into the broken hinge on the door.
“How bad is it?”
Kira turns her head and kisses my palm. “The EMTs said it’s just a bad bump and cut. I’ll be fine.”
Heart heavy, I tilt her head to look into her eyes. This isn’t the place to talk about this, but I want her prepared for what’s awaiting us once she’s out of here. “Kira, in the heat of the moment, you—”
“It wasn’t the heat of the moment. I made a decision to stop hiding, Brayden. I’m sorry if that’s not what you wanted.”
My knees feel fucking weak. “What? You . . . You let the world know about us on purpose?”
Kira nods, expression somber. “Yeah. And I’m sorry if it’s not what you wanted, but I don’t care what they do to us anymore. I love you and that’s all that matters to me.”
Knees are definitely useless. Legs are, too. Shaking, I lean against the bars, eyes closed, my mind reeling.
She’s choosing me.
Over the censure.
Over the chaos that’s heading our way.
Her brother, mother, my mother, our friends . . . No one is going to be safe from this. People are malicious bullies. In some way or form, everyone in our lives will deal with some negative backlash from this.
But Kira doesn’t care anymore. She just wants to be with me out in the open. “I fucking love you. I love you. I love you.”
I don’t know how many times I chant it to her, but the entire time, my mind is on the little secret I’ve been hiding for weeks now.
The small box hiding in my apartment.
Fuck everything. She’s choosing me, and I’m choosing her.
Soon, I’m making that clear to everyone.
Everyone.
Including her.