Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 65552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 328(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 219(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 328(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 219(@300wpm)
Closing my eyes, I wonder if Kennedy would let me buy her a new, more comfortable couch. Or maybe I could get her to move into my apartment, where we’d have more space. Yeah right.
I’m about to fall asleep when my phone buzzes on the coffee table. I grab it and see Talon’s name flashing on the screen. What does he want now? I push the green answer button and hold the phone to my ear.
“What’s up?”
“Hey, loser. You’re not in bed, are you? You sound like you’re half asleep.”
“I’m trying to go to sleep, but some asshole called me.”
“Dude, it’s not even ten.”
“Kennedy goes to bed early, and I don’t want to keep her up while I watch TV,” I explain, not caring about how much I sound like a pussy.
“Okay, Grandpa. I’m really only calling to tell you that your friend is still at the hospital. He’s awake, but he hasn’t said anything. Told the cops, he was mugged by two guys in an alley. Didn’t see their faces, of course. I don’t think you have to worry about him.”
“I wasn’t worried about him. He should be worried about me since when he gets out of the hospital, I’ll be planning on putting him right back in it. Or maybe I’ll kill him this time. He deserves it for what he did to Kennedy.”
“I know, man… I know.” I told Talon what Tylor did when Kennedy was in the hospital. I had to tell someone, and I needed Talon to understand. “I’ll keep you updated on the situation. If anything changes, you’ll be the first one to know.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Night, night, Grandpa,” Talon says, chuckling before the line goes dead.
I place my phone back on the table and hear movement at the bedroom door. Craning my neck, I look up and see Kennedy standing there, leaning against the door jamb like she’s been standing there for a while.
“What did you do to Tylor?” she asks, confirming my suspicions of her standing there for a bit.
“What I should have done a long time ago. He fought me in the pit. When he was losing, he thought telling me what he did to you would throw me off. Distract me enough to give him a chance to win. Instead, it did the opposite, and I almost beat him to death. He’s still in the hospital recovering.”
Her hazel eyes go wide, and she stands up a little straighter. “You did what? Why? What if he tells the police?”
Feeling smug, I almost laugh. It’s like she actually cares about me.
“Don’t worry, bug. He won’t say shit. He already talked to the police. Told them he got mugged. Case closed.”
“Why would you do something like that?”
“He hurt you. That’s reason enough. I would gladly kill him. Matter of fact, I would go to the hospital right now and end his life if you asked me to. If his death would help you get rid of your demons, then I would make it happen.” I would do all of it, consequences be damned. If I had to spend the rest of my life in prison just so he wouldn’t take another breath, I would.
I mean every single word I say, and Kennedy knows it too. I can see it in her eyes, she believes me. Even if she doesn’t want to believe that I’m changing, that I’m not going anywhere, that I’m in this for the long haul, she sees it.
“Why are you on the floor?” she asks, changing the subject.
“Your couch is comfortable to sit on, but there isn’t enough room for me to lie flat, so I moved to the carpet. It’s fine though, don’t worry about me.” I almost slap myself in the face after I say it. My back is killing me.
“Oh, okay.” She turns around and starts walking back into her bedroom. She only takes one step before twisting back around. “If you swear not to touch me, I’ll let you sleep in my bed with me.”
I have to bite the inside of my cheek, so I don’t grin like a fool. “Okay. I swear. No touching, only sleeping.”
“I’m serious, Jackson, touch me, and I’ll murder you in your sleep.”
Her threat makes me smile, and I climb up off the floor. Grabbing my blanket and pillow, I follow her into her room. I watch her climb into the bed and curl up on one side. I get in on the other, making sure there is a good amount of space between us while I get comfortable, stretching my aching limbs. My back is already thanking me for accepting her offer.
She turns off the light, drowning the room into darkness.
“Good night, Kennedy,” I whisper, pulling the blanket up to my shoulders.
“Good night,” she whispers back.
It takes me some time to fall asleep, but when I do, it’s with her floral scent deep in my nose and the warmth of her body close to mine.