Page 53 of Kane

“Stay here,” Jasper says, his voice stern. Commanding.

“Jasper…” My mother’s voice is full of worry, but something else too. Something I can’t describe, something unknown.

A second later, the bedroom door opens, and though it’s dark, I can see Jasper, gun in his hand. Pointed at me. Like usual, he’s shirtless, but he’s not usually in his underwear, and something about that makes me feel weird.

“What the—”

I blink, fear overtaking me, and the tears come fast.

Jasper slides his gun into his back pocket and sighs.

“It’s just Kane,” he says, looking down at me.

Mama appears next to him, in her nightgown. Her cheeks are red and so are her eyes.

“Baby, what are you doing up at this hour?” she asks. “You should be sleeping.”

“I can’t sleep. It’s dark,” I say, feeling like I’m in trouble, even though no one’s yelling at me.

The words fall out of my mouth. “Can I sleep with you?”

Mama’s eyes are red and tired, but she gives me the softest smile and nods.

“‘Course’ you can, baby. Come here.”

I don’t hesitate to go to her, needing to feel her touch, her warmth.

Her love.

I wrap my arms around her legs and close my eyes.

Jasper lets out a low sigh. “I should go.”

When I open my eyes, I look up, noting how he looks at her. It’s different from how Daddy looks at her. Mama looks at me, then at Jasper and nods.

“When will I see you again?” she asks, her voice low, a whisper almost.

Jasper reaches one hand out, his knuckles grazing her cheek.

“Soon,” he whispers, settling his other hand on her stomach.

“Promise?” Mama asks, looking up at him with equal fear.

Maybe she’s afraid of the hockey-mask-man with the machete, too.

“Promise,” Jasper says, as the darkness swallows me whole once more.

I wake up with a pounding headache and groan. Glancing at the clock, I note that it’s nearing ten. I reach for my phone, and when I see the call log, noting the call I made last night, it all comes flooding back to me.

Ryder.

The elevator.

My guilty masturbation session.

His sweet, smooth voice lulling me to sleep.

I liked it more than I should have. But I don’t have time to contemplate such things because I am headbutted by a small orange menace who starts meowing incessantly.