.
When we pull up outside the apartment blocks, Cole’s truck is already parked in the nearest space outside the wide open door. I don’t say anything as I release my seatbelt and reach for the handle. I feel a heavy hand on my arm as it pulls me to a complete stop. I fleet my eyes from his hand and up to his face, sadness plagues his eyes as he takes deep breaths. I sense he’s trying to pluck up the courage to speak.
“I’m sorry,” he muffles, before clearing his throat. “I didn’t mean for it to be this way.”
I smile wholeheartedly; something about his demeanor tells me he means what he says.
“I just wish it was me,” he murmurs, releasing his hold, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
I inhale sharply, my nostrils flaring before reaching out and taking his hand.
“It is always going to be Cole. I love Cole,” I say, dropping his hand and racing out of the car and toward the apartment with a feeling of finality, like this really is the end of anything between me and Pete. I snap my head at the sound of his tires screeching as he races off with speed.
I stare at Cole’s truck with its door still wide open, as I make my way up the steps. It’s strange he hasn’t been back out for the last few boxes. I reach the door, which is still ajar, and begin calling out his name. I feel panic rise in me as I call out as his name again. I listen intently for a reply, but there’s nothing. I take small steps through the entrance hall and into the living area. My eyes dart from side to side, trying to locate him. I quickly scan the kitchen but he’s not there. I walk over to the patio, checking the outside area. Nothing. As I make my way back through the apartment, toward the staircase, I stop in my tracks.
Cole is sitting there, his head resting in his hands, clutching his cell phone. I feel the heat course through my veins as my chest tightens, the panic rising intently.
“What is it, Cole? What’s wrong?” He doesn’t lift his head. Instead, he just reaches his arms out, pulling me toward him until his head rests against my waist.
“I’m sorry, Kennedy. I’m so sorry,” he whispers, gripping the back of my top tightly.
“Cole, you’re frightening me.” I place both of my hands on the side of his head, pushing it back until his face meets my own.
“That was mom on the phone.”
“And? Is everything okay?” I snap.
“She’s found out some info on Dennis.”
My heart is in my throat, beating rapidly, as my adrenaline spikes. I take deep breaths to calm myself.
“I’m so sorry, baby. It looks like he was telling the truth after all.”
I drop to my knees before wiping away the single tear that falls over my heated cheek. I look into Cole’s eyes, the vivid color no longer there. They are softer, as if all the color has drained from them. It makes me sad to see him like this. I have to do something, say something, to make this better. I reach out my hands, running them through his messy, sweat coated hair. “I’m okay. Honestly, I’m fine with this.”
“How can you be? Fuck!” he growls out. “This is so messed up!”
“No!” I shout. “This changes nothing.”
“Oh come on, this changes everything. This means that the baby you’re carrying is blood related to Dennis fucking Jeffries.”
“Don’t you think I know that, Cole!” I roar. “But there’s no way he’ll ever be involved in our lives or in this baby’s life.”
“You know it won’t be like that.” He shakes his head. “He’ll use it as an excuse to make our lives miserable for as long as he wants, and there isn’t a single fucking thing we can do about it.”
“Once we are finished with school, we don’t have to do shit, Cole. We just keep our distance, wait it out. It will get better, I promise.”
“How can you be so sure, Kennedy? Are you seriously telling me this doesn’t bother you?”
“Of course it bothers me, but there’s nothing I can do to change it. I guess I had prepared myself for the worst, you know?”
He looks up at me with sad eyes, nodding in agreement. He pulls me closer, squeezing me tightly.
“How the fuck do you do it, baby? How do you stay so strong, despite everything? I understand if you need to scream or shout, just do it. Let it all out.”
“I’m okay. Really I am.”
He reaches up, cupping the back of my head. “Fuck, you’re amazing. What did I do to deserve you?”
He drags my head toward his, kissing me softly. I cling to his every touch, kissing him back. The intensity grows between us – as if he’s my lifeline. Our breaths quicken, as does the pace of our kiss, going from tender to heated in a matter of seconds. His hands caress my neck and move down my back, bringing me so close that our bodies mold together as one. His hands roam from my back until he grabs my ass with just the right amount of force, pulling me onto his lap.
“Dammit, baby. I want you so bad,” he gasps between kisses.
He tugs on my pants, removing them easily. I feel his hand move between my legs, a twinge of excitement hitting my sweet spot. He rubs his fingers over my panties and I start to move against him, wanting and needing to feel more.
“You like that?” he whispers, his breaths becoming labored and uneven. I reach down, rubbing my hand over his erect cock. He slips his fingers below the seam of my panties as he starts to caress my sweet spot.
“Argh, so good,” I cry out in pure pleasure.
“Good?”
“Yes, don’t stop. Please don’t stop,” I plead as electricity and heat spreads through every inch of my body, the hair on my neck standing on end. My pulse thunders as pressure builds inside, desperate to feel all of him. His fingers enter me slickly and I start to buck against his hand, the rhythm increasing with intensity. Our eyes meet momentarily; his sincere gaze tells me all I need to know; that he owns a piece of my heart. Despite all my confusion over Pete, Cole will always be the only guy I ever truly love. Cole’s free hand moves toward mine. Our fingers entangle as he continues to work me with the other. Our kisses are intense, each contact of his swollen, supple lips is better than the one before.
“I love you,” I muffle between kisses.
“And that’s all I’ll ever need,” he gasps.
I smile against his lips, my heart galloping so fast it feels like it’s going to break out of my chest. I let out a small moan as Cole removes his hand from between my legs and cups my breast, pulling my shirt down to expose my nipple. He licks it in a circular motion, my bud hardening sweetly in response. I run my hands through his hair again, grasping on tightly as he continues to work his skillful tongue across my swollen breasts. The pressure builds, a dead weight in my stomach as my excitement grows.
One hand roams gently from my breast, down my side, and back between my legs. The slickness of my arousal grows as his fingers enter me again. He caresses his thumb across my clit, the touch and rhythm a heady mix. I can’t deny the way my insides tighten as he works me relentlessly. His mouth continues licking and sucking one breast while his hand works between my legs.
I thrust myself against his fingers, our tempo’s matching with every movement. My stomach tightens, the pleasure rippling through me as my sex begins to pulse. I know I’m close. I let out a yelp of excitement.
Cole’s mouth moves from my breast. I glance down to see why and his head is resting against the steps. His hands grab my butt as he pulls me up, my knees resting on the step, on either side of his head. I hold on tightly as his face touches my sex. Small puffs of air blow against my clit causing me to buck against him; needing to feel him. His tongue licks over my swollen bud and I close my eyes in ecstasy, knowing I’m about to lose control.
His tongue darts from my clit, down to my sex, and back to my clit again. Each touch more sensual than the last. He sucks and teases my clit until I feel my insides tighten and begin to pulsate. My body becomes limp and my legs begin to shake. Cole moves beneath me, swiftly moving me and placing me on his lap. His cock nudges at my entrance. I kneel up just a fraction, allowing him access to my opening.
I slide down, the aftermath of my orgasm allowing a smooth entry. I cry out in pleasure as he fills me entirely. Despite my limbs feeling weak and barely functional, Cole drives into me deep with his cock. It is almost too much to take; too intense as he plunges into me desperately, his warm mouth once again kissing and caressing my nipple. Cole starts to move faster, thrusting into me harshly, but I can’t deny how much I love it. I feel the build again before my sex starts pulsating around his cock. I almost collapse on top of Cole, but with a few more strokes, I feel the swell of his cock inside me as he lets out a loud moan, pulling me tightly against his chest.
We lay there, just holding each other in our post euphoric state. I love the way his hand feels as he draws circles softly over the skin on my back. I push myself up, kissing his head gently before getting up to redress myself. I look at Cole and a sudden expression of panic crosses his face.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, studying his face for the answers.
“Shit, the truck! I left the truck door open.”
I gasp, remembering that the truck was open when I arrived. Cole hops toward the door, trying to pull up his shorts as he goes. I chuckle to myself as he dances toward the entrance.
I make my way upstairs to get cleaned up, maneuvering around the boxes in the hall. I look around, trying to find my few belongings. I scan the rooms, noticing my bags on the bed in the largest bedroom. I dig out some clean clothes and toiletries before heading over to the bathroom.
I quickly clean up, throwing on a clean set of clothes, before heading back downstairs. As I head down, I hear faint voices, and I try to tune in, concentrating on the voices. I can’t make out who all is here. I head through the family room and across to the sliding doors, spotting Ash and Cole looking cozy out on the veranda. I rush out to greet Ash. He has this really, kind of weird smile on his face. Either way, it’s nice to see him smile again.
“What’s all this?” I tease. “Come to help us unpack?”
“Likely, Barbie!” he chuckles. “If you think I’m going to ruin my nails, then you’re sadly mistaken. I just came to give you the super awesome news.”
“What’s that?” I question.
“Abbey’s coming home!” he squeals, lunging forward and hugging me so tightly my feet practically leave the ground. I push back on his shoulders, eager to find out exactly what he means.
“You mean…”
“She’s being transferred to the hospital here in Newport,” he interrupts. “I know she’s not out of the woods yet, but at least we can visit. I’m pretty sure if she hears familiar voices, it will help, you know? She will start to remember and wake up.”
“Possibly,” I say, trying to sound optimistic, but my mind fleets back to seeing her in the hospital, all hooked up and lifeless.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, hooking his arm around my neck. “This is good news, Ken. Why you look so glum?”
“No, I’m happy. Of course I’m happy. This is great news. We should celebrate.”
“Tomorrow we celebrate. Today we unpack.” Cole laughs, walking back inside the apartment.
“This is such an awesome place, I’m happy for you and Cole. It’s about time things worked out for the two of you!”
Cole
The sunlight streams through the window, waking me. I throw my arm over my head, trying to stop the light from fucking blinding me. I turn to the side, noticing Kennedy’s side of the bed is empty. I bolt upright, blinking rapidly, trying to get my eyes to adjust. I scan the room quickly, but see nothing. I throw off the sheets and head out of the bedroom and down the stairs, calling out for her as I go. As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I see her on her tiptoes, reaching in the cupboards, aimlessly searching through them. I stand there for a second just watching the beauty dressed in nothing but my sweater. That round ass shows every time she stands tall to reach the top cupboard. I lean against the wall, my feet crossed, as I lazily clear my throat.
Ken spins, her long hair flowing freely as she turns to look at me. I can’t help the grin that spreads across my lips. I try to fight it, but the look on her face is just too damn amusing.
“Cole!” she yells.
“Yes, Kennedy,” I chuckle, slowly walking toward her.
“We need food,” she snaps, thrusting her hands beside her.
“Of course there’s no food. The house didn’t come with all of the cupboards stocked,” I mock, but her face doesn’t change. I reach out and grab her limp arms, pulling her into my chest, her head lying perfectly against my shoulder.
“What’s wrong, baby? What’s this really about?”
“Nothing,” she whispers, her head moving slightly against my neck. “I just didn’t sleep well and I’m damn hungry,” she chuckles. “We really need to go grocery shopping,” she sighs.
“Well, let’s go!”
“What? Now?” she asks surprised.
“Now!” I answer, pulling back and looking at her face. A small smile curls at the corner of her lips as she dances past me. My heart feels a little lighter at the sight of her smiling again. I push myself away from the counter and follow her up the stairs.
We wander around the grocery store picking up everything we possibly can to fill every inch of space in the damn kitchen. I pick up the necessary cold drinks, beers, and snacks for tomorrow’s house warming slash birthday party. Thankfully, I have my fake ID on me. Ken grabs all the sensible shit I hadn’t even thought about. I check the time on my watch. Fuck. I don’t think I’ve ever dragged my ass out of bed on a Saturday morning this damn early.
We pay for our things and start to head out toward the truck. I walk to the back, loading the bags from the cart. Suddenly, I hear the screech of a car approaching. I swing around and look at the vehicle parked inches away from my door. I recognize it immediately.
“Shit,” I grate out, rushing to get the rest of the stuff in the truck.
“So, where’s my baby sister’s momma at?” he drawls. The blood rises in me almost instantly.
“Fuck off, Dennis,” I growl. “Just go back to the cesspool you came from. Nobody is concerned about a damn thing you have to say.”
“Oh really? Looks like the police were pretty interested in what I had to say.”
“Police?” I glare at him questioningly. “They’ll soon see through your bullshit lies.”
I slam the door shut, ignoring him as I push the shopping cart back to the bay outside the store. I turn quickly, eager to get back to the truck knowing that Ken is probably freaking the fuck out right now.
Shit this guy has a massive fucking chip on his shoulder. I wish I’d finished him when I had the chance. Yeah, I know what I did was wrong, but this fucking jerk has put us through hell for no good reason. I walk around the truck, smiling at Kennedy. I see the dread written all over her face.
Desperate to get inside, I reach for the door handle, but it’s locked. I walk around the car and see Dennis is tugging on the Kennedy’s door, trying to get in. I grab the collar of his shirt, spin him around, and push him back against the truck.
“Seriously, Dennis. I’m fucking sick of this bullshit.” I thrust him back against the truck again, before turning and pushing him as hard as I can. I watch him stumble backward and land on his ass with a thud.
“This isn’t over, Peterson,” he yells out.
“Oh, I think it is,” I growl in warning. I grind my teeth together, letting out a huge breath as I jump in the truck and drive out of the parking lot.
“Shit, Cole. Is this what it’s going to be like, hmm?” Kennedy asks, annoyance dripping from every word. “Every time we leave the house? Every time we go to the grocery store?” She slaps her hands down against her lap in an act of defeat, her head turns away from me as she stares out of the window.
“It won’t always be like this, baby. He’ll soon get bored and move his attention to someone else. He obviously has his own, deep rooted issues he has to deal with. You know, I think he’s pretty fucked up.”
“All my life I’ve been scared, living in fear. And now this. I’m sick of living in fear, Cole.” I watch as a solitary tear slides down her face, staining its path before dripping down on her arm.
“He can’t hurt you, Kennedy. I won’t ever let him hurt you.” I try and reassure her, but my words don’t seem to register. She shakes her head, refusing to accept what I’ve said.
“Listen,” I raise my voice a little. “Don’t give up, Kennedy. I see you’re shutting down on me. Don’t do this! I have never once given up on you. It’s time you don’t give up on yourself or on us.”
Her swollen, tear stained eyes lock on mine. “You’re right.” She sniffles. “I can’t let every encounter with him bring me down, bring us down,” she rushes out, reaching and taking hold of my hand.
I smile widely at her. “Wipe those eyes, baby. I got a surprise for you!” She sniffles some more before sitting upright, her eyes widen as she turns to face me.
“What kind of surprise, Cole?”
“A good surprise.”
“Hmm, I’m not sure how I feel about this,” she says nervously.
I look at her and simply smile, not wanting to give away anything else. I’ve worked hard on keeping this a secret and I’m not about to give it up now.