Page 17 of Unbroken

When she starts to climb off, my eyes pop open. I’m not done with her just yet. I could use another round, maybe even a few more. I’ve been deprived for so long and my dick doesn’t seem to want to settle. He’s not even trying to deflate. “Where’s your little pussy runnin’ to, baby. I’m not done with you yet.”

She reaches over to the nightstand, and then I’m suddenly staring down the end of her gun again. Her eyes are giving me one hell of a glare. The fuck? Thought the orgasm was supposed to cool her off.

“We’re done, Kayden. Now, get dressed and get the fuck out of my life. If you don’t leave, I’ll be calling Sheriff Lewis and will let him know I have an intruder. You’ll be serving more time in the state pen.”

I don’t know what the fuck just happened. One minute she’s riding my dick like she’s going for gold in the rodeo, and the next, she’s as cold as dry ice, smoke practically fuming from her ears. She clicks the safety back on the gun before she reaches for her cell phone. The hell?

“You mind putting that thing down and explaining what the hell just happened to set you off?” If I hurt her, I’ll grovel for forgiveness, but I need to understand what just flipped her switch.

She narrows her eyes further and locks her finger tighter on the trigger. “You want me to explain what happened, Kayden? Let’s start with the fact that you figured a simple explanation as to why you broke my heart would be enough to win me back. What happened is you showed up with the fucking audacity, thinking that I’d happily forget about all the fucking pain I’ve lived through. You thought I’d just put a smile on my face because you’re back.” Her jaw clenches tighter. “You never once stopped to think that I’ve woken up in tears every day for the last five years. That I spent my days wondering why I wasn’t enough, wondering how I could’ve been so blinded to the truth. I could barely think past the pain. Could barely breathe past the misery. If it weren’t for my grandmother, and the good people of this town, I wouldn’t still be here.” Shit, that fucking hurts. “Now, I want you to get in that car of yours and drive the fuck away from me. I don’t want you to ever come back, Kayden. You hurt me once, but I sure as hell won’t let it happen again.”

A tear slips down her cheek, and it hits me right in the chest. I thought the hardest moment of my life was having to walk away from her in that courtroom. Seeing her crushed with sadness nearly broke me. But the pain I see now, the pain she felt these last five years, that was all my doing. I ripped out her heart and took all her hopes and dreams along with it.

If I could go back in time, I never would’ve written that letter. I would’ve sent her my truth instead. I would’ve poured out my heart and told her how I was so fucking in love with her it consumed me. That her letters were the only thing keeping me alive in there. But I can’t take back my mistake, and I sure as hell don’t know how to fix it.

But I do know that if I don’t leave now, I’m going to be finding my ass back in jail, and that’s certainly not going to help me win back my girl. The only thing I can do right now is walkaway. As much as it fucking kills me to have to walk out that door, it’s my only choice.

CHAPTER 13

Kayden

Day 2,252

Wisdom at the bottom of a bottle.

“What’ll it be?” the bartender asks as I take a seat at the bar. Whatever will give me clarity as to how to fix things with my girl is what I need right now.

“I’ll take a double shot of Crown.” I tip my head in thanks, though no amount of alcohol is going to erase my mistake.

Damn, I fucked up. She’s been living in hell, tortured by my hurtful lies. When all I had to do was let her know how much I loved her. All I had to do was tell her how much she fucking meant to me. I could’ve told her how I wanted her to write me from her new job, to tell me all the things she’s getting to cook. I could’ve begged her to share all the exciting news with me to keep me smiling on the inside. But instead…I told her I never fucking loved her.

I hang my head, and a generous glass of whiskey is slid in front of my line of vision. “Thanks,” I grunt, then take a long swig, feeling the burn slide down my throat and settling into my rotted gut.

“Take it from an old fogey like me, that shit ain’t gonna take the pain away, son.” I turn my head and see the old man from Wren’s diner taking the seat next to me. “You can’t outrun your burdens. Now, how about you tell me what’s got you trying to kill your liver.”

I smirk at the old man. He sure as hell is a nosy one. But have to say, there’s something about him that makes me want to loosen my lips and share the weight that’s bearing down.

“I made a mistake five years ago. Thought I was doing right by my girl but ended up causing more harm than good. Now, I’m trying to make amends, but I’m not exactly sure where to start. Especially since she wants to run my ass out of town.”

He lets out a chuckle, which has me raising a brow. Not sure why that shit’s funny. Here I am drowning in my broken heart, and he finds it amusing.

“Well…” He shakes his head. “I’ll tell you this. For as long as I’ve known the girl you’re referring to, I’ve never seen a spark of life in her eyes until you showed up to town yesterday. So, I’d say that’s a definite indication that you need to keep on fighting for her. May take Wren a moment to come around, but you shouldn’t give up on her.”

“Yeah, but she threatened to call the Sheriff on my ass, so that’s a definite indication that I’m not wanted in this town.”

He lets out another chuckle, and I’m happy my pain is so damn funny. The hell?

“Let me tell you a little story, son.” I’m gathering the man tells a lot of stories. But I’ll gladly listen, happy for whatever wisdom he has to offer because I’m at a total loss right now.

“When I was sent off to the war, I’d thought it was the right decision to end things with my Lorna. Thought she’d be better off without having to worry about me and my safety. I hated the idea of her crying over me and wondering whether I’d been shot or not. So, I broke up with her before I got deployed. Hell, I was young and scared shitless, and I didn’t want her to bear that burden.”

My ears are wide open, feeling like he may have the answers I’m looking for. His situation may have been wrapped around different circumstances, but it’s not too off the mark.

“Well,” he continues. “Four years later, my time was served, and I was honorably discharged. I came home to find out that my girl was still single. Turned out she hadn’t taken up with anyone while I’d been gone, and so, I decided it was time to get her back. But let me tell you…” He lets out a low whistle, shaking his head. “She wanted to have nothing to do with my ass. She told me I’d broken her heart once, and she wasn’t gonna let it happen again.” Yep, heard that. This story is getting closer and closer to home.

“So, what’d you do?” I ask, wanting to know the secret to getting him his happy ending.

“I drove her bonkers.” He chuckles as he drifts back into his memories. “I followed her around, showing up at her work daily, stalking her on her dates and running the guys off.” He smirks. “And boy did she give me hell for that.”