Keeping Hope (Broken Girl Series) (23 page)

“Hmm, maybe,” she pauses, her eyes locking on mine. “But I need to know for sure, to be one hundred percent certain.”

“Then let’s do it. Let’s find out whether there’s any truth to that bastard’s tales.”

“I’ve already messaged your mom. I’m going to see if she can help me out. If there’s a way to find out, she can do it. For sure.”

“You know my dad is heavily involved in this case. If Christopher is Dennis’ real dad, then he will find out. He can search the records. Together mom and dad will find you the truth, Kennedy. If anyone can, my parents can,” I say, my voice upbeat, trying to reassure her.

She smiles sincerely. Her inner strength knocks the fucking wind out of me once again.

“I will do anything I can to help you find the truth, baby. You know that, right?”

She nods, a sparkle of something in her eye, like there is still some fight left in her.

“We’ll find the truth,” she says positively, before glancing over to the clock on the wall. “I need to find Ash. He’ll be worried about me,” she shrieks in a panic, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward the hall. I shake my head, laughing a little at her erratic behavior.

She searches the halls, looking for Ash. I tug harshly on her arm, bringing her to a total stop. I can tell she’s freaking out and I need to do something. “Kennedy,” I bellow. “Stop.”

She looks at me and the pain in her eyes would be enough to devastate even the most heartless of people. She doesn’t say anything; she doesn’t need to. One look into her dark eyes tells me everything I need to know. I can see the hurt and confusion in her eyes, as if she’s speaking her emotions out loud. I so desperately want to be the one to fix it, but I’m not sure I can do it this time. This motherfucker of a situation is totally out of my control. Fuck, I don’t want it to be true, because if it is, that would mean Dennis and Kennedy’s baby are siblings.

I lean my forehead against hers, wrapping her arms around my body. “Baby, everything will be okay.”

“I just need to find Ash.” She tries to break apart from my hold, but I resist it, holding her tighter.

“Then let’s call or shoot him a text,” I whisper, hoping to calm her down. Ash would have a fucking fit if he saw her in this state. “Let’s go grab a coffee, take five, and give him a call. He’ll understand.”

I feel her head moving against my chest as she nods. She exhales deeply as I take her under my arm and walk toward the lunchroom.

We grab a coffee and I pull out my cell to call Ash, but before I get chance, I hear the shrill of his camp voice. I swing my head to the left and see him approaching with Pete and Jake in tow. I tap her lightly on the arm. She looks and pushes her chair back, jumping up and embracing Ash.

“Oh, Ash,” she cries.

“What? What is it, my little Barbie? What’s wrong?” He looks over to me, his eyes glaring and waiting for an answer.

‘Long story,’ I mouth over to him, not wanting to discuss it here in front of everyone.

“Hey, bro.” Jake pats me on the back before sitting down beside me. “Everything okay?” He nods his head in Kennedy’s direction.

“Hmmm,” I answer, “Not really, man, but not here, yeah? I’ll fill you in later, okay?”

“Sure.” He nods.

“So, any news on Abbey?” I ask, looking over at Ash and Kennedy talking quietly in the corner.

“She’s stable. The best we can hope for at this stage, I guess.”

I rest my arm over his shoulder, giving it a squeeze with my hand. “You know we’re all hoping and praying she makes a full recovery. This place has never been so damn quiet.” I let out a nervous chuckle. This fucking comforting thing doesn’t come easily for me.

“True story, bro,” he says with a flash of a smile.

“All ready for the move on Friday, dude?” Pete blurts over the table, his eyes dancing with excitement. “I seriously cannot wait for the house warming party!”

“We’re not going wild, bro. We don’t want to piss of the neighbors on our first weekend there!” I warn.

This guy was totally out of control sometimes, especially where drink is involved. He has no self-control.

“Well I might have to bring my own fucking entertainment then.” He wiggles his eyebrows and I sigh loudly.

“Bring who you want, man. As long as it stays quiet. I don’t want anything to happen that could spoil Kennedy’s birthday. I want to make this special for her.”

“Oh man! Stop being such a fucking pussy!” He laughs and Jake chuckles a little too.

“What’s wrong, Pete? Jealous?” I ask smugly, knowing he’s never had anything like the sort of relationship I have with Ken. And deep down the guy’s a big softy. I know he’s desperate to find his ‘Miss Right’. He just needs to stop thinking with his goddamn dick.

“Ha! As if, man. I have no shortage of pussy wanting a piece of this.” He gestures with his hand. Jake and I laugh in unison, shaking our heads

“You’re such a dick, Pete.” I laugh loudly, noticing Ash and Kennedy approaching the table. She rests against my side, as I wrap my arm around her thighs, my head resting against her waist. She kisses the top of my head softly. “I’m gonna make my way to class now.” She pushes herself away and looks back over to Ash.

“Ready?” she asks him. He nods in acceptance. “I’ll catch you at lunch, yeah?”

“Of course, baby,” I answer, watching her link arms with Ash and walk out of the lunchroom.

I study her as she leaves my sight, a strange calm about her. I’m not sure whether I should be concerned. I’m snapped from my thoughts by Pete clicking his fingers, leaning over the table to speak to me. I lean into him, waiting for him to say something. I look over his shoulder, checking to his left, then his right before he speaks.

“So, have you seen that fucking prick, Dennis?” he asks with venom oozing through every word. I’m glad he hates Dennis just as much as I do.

“Not since class, but I’m doing everything I can to stop myself from hunting the bastard down and beating his fucking ass!”

“That dude, is fucked up!”

“Ain’t that a fucking understatement?” I huff.

“Some of the shit he was saying to Kennedy was un-fucking-believable.”

“Thanks for being there, man. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it,” he rushes out. “Let’s get our asses to calculus. That fucking exam is going to be a killer.”

Kennedy

I never thought I’d make it to the end of the day, but thankfully, I did. I’ve got so much shit to catch up on before the start of summer school. I can’t quite shake the memories of earlier today. Whether there’s any truth to what Dennis said, I don’t know, but I’m desperate to find out the truth.

However devastating. But forewarned is forearmed, right?

The last thing I want is to have someone like him related to my baby. Just when I’ve managed to get away from the one person that threatened her safety.

Christopher.

I shudder at the simple thought of my abuser. I close my eyes and memories flash through my mind of him and some of the things he did to me. I shake my head, clearing the fleeting memories. I look over at Cole, the one person who is nothing like Christopher. They are polar opposites. I grab his hand, desperate to rid my mind of the evil. I kiss the back of his hand and he looks down at me. I can’t help but fall into his beautiful green gaze. His eyes are mesmerizing and his face lightens as his smile spreads. I can tell he’s smiling from his heart.

“What?” he asks, obviously intrigued by my eye gawping.

I shrug. “I dunno. I needed to take my mind off what I was thinking and I kinda know that I can lose myself just by looking in your eyes. It’s like the thunderstorm in my mind disappears when I look into the window of your soul. It takes me to a good place, away from my demons, you know?”

He nods, squeezing my hand tightly. “If I wasn’t driving right now, I would be totally giving you lots of good things to think about.” He winks at me.

I smile, my body tingling in response to his suggestion. The contact between me and Cole has always been an escape for me. A way of feeling. A way of being alive.

And I know after years of abuse this might seem weird, but it’s different, so very different from what I had to endure before. Everything about being with Cole feels right.

He leans in as close as he can, kissing me lightly.

A short drive later and we pull up in the huge driveway, my nerves of seeing Jocelyn and having to tell her what happened today puts me on edge. Sweat beads at the back of my neck and my hands start to shake a little, but I know I have to do this. Cole helps me out of the car and we head straight into the house. As soon as we step in, I hear Jocelyn calling out my name. I walk into the lounge, and as soon as she sees me, she lunges forward, embracing me tightly. Before releasing me she searches my face for the answers I know she’s desperate to hear.

“What’s happened, Ken?”

I look at her, trying to steady my breathing, hoping the right words will come out, and this won’t just be an awful jumble of nonsense.

“Speak to me, sweetie,” she hums. “I’ve been so worried about you all day!”

“I’m sorry,” I sigh. “The last thing I wanted was to worry you.”

“Never mind that.” She waves her hand at me. “I just need to know you’re okay.”

I smile sadly before beginning. “I need your help,” I start, taking a deep breath, clutching my hands together. “Please… You’re the only one I can trust to get me the answers I need.”

She takes me by the elbow, leading me to the couch, gently guiding me until I’m sitting closely beside her. “Tell me everything, my dear.”

I spend the next twenty minutes re-telling the whole, painful story of my run in with Dennis. I nearly vomit in my hand when I tell her what happened between us in the bathroom at school that day months back. It wasn’t something I ever wanted to share with anyone, but she has to know why I so desperately want to find the truth about this.

Working in child protective services, I know this isn’t the first time she’s heard stories like this, stories like mine, but it still doesn’t make it any easier. I know she’s trying to not react to what I’m saying, but some expressions you just can’t hide. I know I’ve shocked her. She’s trying her damnedest to act like none of this is getting to her, but I see straight through the act, the shield she puts up.

“Of course I will help you,” she says, her voice shaky as she continues to talk. “I will do everything I can to get you those answers, Kennedy. But you have to remain realistic. Prepare yourself that the answers may not be the ones you want to hear.”

I nod, acknowledging that I understand. “Something inside tells me he’s not lying about this,” I say solemnly.

She smiles sadly. “Whatever happens, I’m here for you, okay?”

“Thank you, Jocelyn. It means so much to me that you’re always there,” I say honestly.

She stands and leans down to kiss the top of my head. “I always will be,” she says in the sweetest, heartwarming voice.

I’m so fortunate to have her, and despite every messed up piece of bad luck I’ve ever had, she’s one more bit of good luck I know I couldn’t live without. She is my strength, my normal when everything is far from normal. I watch her as she walks over to the staircase, my eyes following her every step.

“Come on, we have packing to do.” She smiles.

I jump to my feet, holding my hand to my chest, feeling the beat of my heart. I realize that even though things have been so bad, I’m alive, still breathing, and I have so much to look forward to. It’s difficult to see the light when you feel like you are constantly in the dark, but I truly feel like the light is now shining brightly. I jump to my feet, a spring in my step as I follow her up the steps and toward Cole’s room.

I walk into the room and a drastic change of temperature hits me, but not as much as the sight of Cole moving the boxes, sweat glistening over his amazing body. I blow out slowly, an unsteady breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Damn, he’s a feast to my hungry eyes.

His every move is effortless, yet each of his defined muscles ripples with every movement he makes. My eyes travel naturally to the V muscle just above the top of his shorts. I purse my lips together as I take him in. In that instant, he turns, catching my eye. Before I can turn and act like I wasn’t eye fucking him, that slow sexy smile appears, turning him from handsome to divine. My body is flooded with a rush of warmth, and I know he’s everything I will ever want.

He turns to me, his mouth turning from a smile to smirk as he watches me biting the corner of my lip. “You helping or just watching?” he teases.

I stick out my tongue, trying to step over the mountains of stuff piled on the floor. I scan the room, taking in all of the boxes he’s already packed.

“Damn, Cole, you have so much stuff!” Who knew men could stock pile junk like this.

He lets out a loud chuckle as he lifts the boxes, one by one, piling them up.

“Looks like you pretty much got this sorted,” Jocelyn sings on her way out. “I’m going to leave you love birds to it. Give me a shout if you need anything.”

“Will do,” Cole huffs, resting back onto the bed.