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I don’t care what happens today, tomorrow, next fucking month. In the end, it’s h...
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“She’s gonna be my fucking wife. She’s my family just as much, if not more now.”
“Watch yourself, little girl, or I’ll take what you treasure most. It’s my strong suit.”
“You come within a state of him, and I’ll flip your life upside down without thinking twice. You wanna play with no rules, lady? Fine. I’m game.”
I owe her huge for this, for everything really. She’s not only saved me now, but she’s also saved my baby sister. “Family, Parker,” she whispers. “You’re my family.”
I’m tied to a man I hate and can’t leave. I slept with a man I love but can’t have.
“What? Why are you stopping?” “Why do you want me in there?” He frowns. “Because, man, I know she’ll open her eyes for you. She won’t be able to help herself.”
“I see it now, Parker. You and her. I get it. And I need your fucking help,”
“I don’t know what happened when you guys left or why she went with Kellan when he showed up. I have no fucking clue, and to be honest, I’m kinda pissed at her, which has made this whole thing harder for me. I know seeing her won’t be easy on you, and it’s probably a real fucking bad idea for it to be in front of my parents, but … I need you, man. Please.”
“I want to. More than fucking anything, I want to go in there and see for myself that she’s okay, that she’s alive. But you gotta know … they won’t understand, Nate. It might be worse for them.” “She’ll open her eyes, Baylor, and they’ll be able to breathe.” “I’m no...
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I carefully lower myself onto her hospital bed, sitting so I’m facing her as she lies there. I watch her closely, not saying a word, and the crinkles at the edges of her eyes grow more defined. She is awake.
I turn back to Kenra, leaning forward a little. The closer I get, the more my pulse spikes, and her chest rises. She feels me.
“Open up, baby …” Sara gasps lightly, so I pull back to look at Kenra’s face. Her eyes are clenched tight now, a tear slipping from the corner, but before it hits the pillow, I wipe it away, and her eyes pop open, locking with mine.
It’s only me, desperate to save her, and her, wishing I would.
I’m broken down. Out of options and out of time. Out of fucking hope. And completely gutted.
I wish he hadn’t made it out. That he’d never wake up.
“That boy is something special,” she whispers. “That was a beautiful thing he did, shielding you and your family like that.” My eyes fly to hers, and she gives a small smile.
“What are you talking about?” She points to my arms. “The wraps,” she whispers. “I put them on myself. It’s not something we would have considered, not even something that we’d have thought about in that manner, but the second your family was informed they’d be able to see you … that boy asked us to cover them for you. He said your parents didn’t know, and he wanted to make it easier for all of you since so much had happened already.”
“Blue eyes?” I whisper. The woman grins. “Like no blue I’ve ever seen,” she tease...
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Happiness is a choice.
There’s only one answer. It’s a question I don’t even have to process, but it still saddens me to admit it. “In a heartbeat,” I tell him in a whisper.
“Open your eyes, you piece of shit.”
“Name your price, Baylor.” He lifts his chin. “Everything has a number.” “She’s my number.”
I have nothing, if all is gone and all that’s left is her, I’ll still have everything. She is everything. All I could ever hope for, all I could ever wish for.
if you have someone to love, someone who loves you just as much, together, you can handle anything that comes your way.”
“I’ve never felt like more of a failure as a father than I do right now. That’s my baby girl in there. Crying by herself in the corner. Tell me, why would she do that when the man she’s supposed to love, who’s supposed to love and worship her, is not ten feet from where she’s at? Why would she cry, alone, when she could have his arms around her, protecting her? Why would she not be in there, letting him take her pain as his own?”
“What type of answer are you looking for, Mr. Monroe?” I...
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“I need an honest one...
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Give me something to help me feel like my baby is gonna be okay ’cause, right now, I feel like we’re losing her.”
“I love her,” I blurt out.
“I’ve loved her for years. Can’t stop and don’t want to. She’s the most selfless, big-hearted, beautiful woman I have ever known. She’s more than I deserve but all I want. She was there for me when no one else cared to be, heard me when no one else would. She gave me hope. Made me believe there was more when all I felt was emptiness.
“For years, we’ve been goin’ round and round with each other. The thing about that is, there’s no way out. We’re sealed together, running in circles with no end zone. She comes to me, I love her while I have her, comfort her as long as she lets me, and when she feels her strength is back, she leaves. I’ve tried not to let her back in ’cause, every time she goes, she takes more of me with her, but my heart’s defenseless when it comes to her. I can’t shake her. Can’t deny her. She’s inside me, and she ain’t going anywhere. Ever.”
“Will you fight for her?” “I might have just lost everything trying.”
“You don’t need to ask me, sir.” My eyes bounce between his. “The answer is yes. I’m sure about her and I. She has all of me.”
Two weeks, and still, not a word from her.
Well, I’m not okay with that. I’ve waited years for this. I’m fucking ready now. I want to hold her now. Love her now.
Right there, mid-page, in bold-ass print, it shows the bill of ownership. Fifty percent belongs to Kalani Lee Embers. Fifty percent belongs to Parker James Baylor.
“He didn’t do this, Parker,” Al tells me. “She did.”
“Kenra did this?” He nods, standing tall and proud.
Kenra did this. She fought him back, pushed his hand with her own tiny one. And she won.
“Lolli Bear …” “Don’t, Hero.” She gives a small smile. “This is my fault. Should have never happened. Shouldn’t be like this.”
“You did what you were meant to do; you saved her. You gave her back the hope she’d lost, gave her a reason to be strong.”
“You’re my family, Parker,” she whispers, tears filling her blue eyes as she squeezes my hands, letting me know she’s got me. “And, now … you’re her hero.”
I didn’t deserve it. Never deserved him, but I want to.
I wanna be what he sees, the tough, beautiful girl he makes me feel I already am. I wanna be his, have him as mine.
“I’m so sorry, Parker, for everything. For all the hurt and pain and confusion I caused over the years. For allowing you to ever think I’d choose anyone over you and walking away when all you ever did was love me. I’ll never forgive myself for all the wrong choices I’ve made.”
“I won’t, and that’s a weight I’ll happily carry. I’m okay with it because I know for a fact that I will never allow anyone or anything to get in our way ever again.”
“I’ve failed you, Parker, in so many ways, so many times, but no more. Never again. I promise you.”
“They said you needed time,” he rasps, his eyes dipping to my red-stained lips and back. “Yeah,” I breathe, moving into him even more. “Yeah.” He dips his head into my neck, softly kissing me.
“Way I see it … you had four years. ’Bout ready yet?” he teases, nipping at my skin.
