me, her scent,
Kat . . .
that didn’t scare me at all.
“The only thing I need is you.”
As selfish as it was to hold on to her, I couldn’t let her go. In that moment I truly believed my words. But my problems were bigger than us. I just didn’t know it yet.
I was blissfully unaware that yes, I made it out alive—but a part of me died in that hallway. If I didn’t find a way to infuse life back into it, the shooter would win and I . . . I would be lost to the black cloud of fear and regret.
Chapter 7
I woke up to four more messages on my phone and another text from Eli. Two messages were clients, one was Coach, and the other one was from some girl named Rebecca who I supposedly met at a party and never called, even though I promised to. I had no idea who she was.
I pulled up the first text.
Eli:
A simple fucking “I’m still alive” would be nice.
Guilt seeped through me, but I ignored it, along with the text. I rolled my head towards the alarm clock on my nightstand. Nine a.m. and still no Kat. Weird. I was getting used to waking up to the sounds of her puttering around in the kitchen.
Maybe she was here, just not in the kitchen. I stretched, and cringed when pain shot through my thigh. The mornings were the worst. Everything was stiff. It wasn’t like a stiffness you get after overdoing it at the gym either. There was no satisfaction in it.
I pushed myself to the edge of the bed and grabbed my crutches from their spot against the wall. I didn’t bother putting a shirt on. Kat was used to seeing me without one anyway. I knew she secretly enjoyed the view.
After a struggle with the stairs, I made it to the kitchen, but no Kat. She wasn’t in the living room either. I didn’t remember her or Mom telling me she had the day off. I pulled out my phone, about to call her, when the front door opened and closed.
I hobbled out of the kitchen and found Kat putting down her bag on the couch.
“I was wondering where you were. I was afraid I might have to make my own breakfast.”
She spun around, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. Red circled her eyes, and her face was on the verge of shattering. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Kit Kat, what’s going on?” I stumbled forward and reached out, taking her hand. “What is it?” My heart raced at all the awful possibilities that popped into my head.
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
I placed my hand under her chin. “Really? You’re going to use my own line on me? Try again.”
Her lip quivered. She took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes. When she reopened them, all the emotion that was previously there was gone.
“I don’t want to talk about it. It’s not a big deal anyway.”
“No offense, but you look like hell.”
She gave me a dirty look, and damn if hell really looked like that I’d be more than happy to go.
“I’m just going to keep annoying you until you tell me. You know how persistent I am.”
Kat rubbed at her temple, her shoulders slumped and her gaze filled with defeat. “They shut my water off. Okay? I brushed my teeth with a glass of water I had on my nightstand from last night. I couldn’t shower. I was on the phone with the water company. That’s why I’m late. I had a shitty morning. Please don’t tell your mom. If my boss finds out . . .”
“Shh.” I rested my finger on her lip. “Tell my mom what?”
“Thank you.”
“Why don’t you go upstairs and use our shower.”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t.”
“Afraid I might sneak in?” And man, would it be tempting as hell. Kat naked with suds dripping down her curves was right out of a fantasy.
Her lip lifted at the corner. “That’d definitely be up there on my list.”
“There’s a lock on the door. Next excuse.”
“I couldn’t impose. Plus I work for you. I can’t go taking showers like that.”
“No one needs to know.”
“But I have to fix you breakfast. And . . .” I placed my hand on her shoulder and when she didn’t look at me, I
Kat . . .
that didn’t scare me at all.
“The only thing I need is you.”
As selfish as it was to hold on to her, I couldn’t let her go. In that moment I truly believed my words. But my problems were bigger than us. I just didn’t know it yet.
I was blissfully unaware that yes, I made it out alive—but a part of me died in that hallway. If I didn’t find a way to infuse life back into it, the shooter would win and I . . . I would be lost to the black cloud of fear and regret.
Chapter 7
I woke up to four more messages on my phone and another text from Eli. Two messages were clients, one was Coach, and the other one was from some girl named Rebecca who I supposedly met at a party and never called, even though I promised to. I had no idea who she was.
I pulled up the first text.
Eli:
A simple fucking “I’m still alive” would be nice.
Guilt seeped through me, but I ignored it, along with the text. I rolled my head towards the alarm clock on my nightstand. Nine a.m. and still no Kat. Weird. I was getting used to waking up to the sounds of her puttering around in the kitchen.
Maybe she was here, just not in the kitchen. I stretched, and cringed when pain shot through my thigh. The mornings were the worst. Everything was stiff. It wasn’t like a stiffness you get after overdoing it at the gym either. There was no satisfaction in it.
I pushed myself to the edge of the bed and grabbed my crutches from their spot against the wall. I didn’t bother putting a shirt on. Kat was used to seeing me without one anyway. I knew she secretly enjoyed the view.
After a struggle with the stairs, I made it to the kitchen, but no Kat. She wasn’t in the living room either. I didn’t remember her or Mom telling me she had the day off. I pulled out my phone, about to call her, when the front door opened and closed.
I hobbled out of the kitchen and found Kat putting down her bag on the couch.
“I was wondering where you were. I was afraid I might have to make my own breakfast.”
She spun around, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. Red circled her eyes, and her face was on the verge of shattering. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Kit Kat, what’s going on?” I stumbled forward and reached out, taking her hand. “What is it?” My heart raced at all the awful possibilities that popped into my head.
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
I placed my hand under her chin. “Really? You’re going to use my own line on me? Try again.”
Her lip quivered. She took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes. When she reopened them, all the emotion that was previously there was gone.
“I don’t want to talk about it. It’s not a big deal anyway.”
“No offense, but you look like hell.”
She gave me a dirty look, and damn if hell really looked like that I’d be more than happy to go.
“I’m just going to keep annoying you until you tell me. You know how persistent I am.”
Kat rubbed at her temple, her shoulders slumped and her gaze filled with defeat. “They shut my water off. Okay? I brushed my teeth with a glass of water I had on my nightstand from last night. I couldn’t shower. I was on the phone with the water company. That’s why I’m late. I had a shitty morning. Please don’t tell your mom. If my boss finds out . . .”
“Shh.” I rested my finger on her lip. “Tell my mom what?”
“Thank you.”
“Why don’t you go upstairs and use our shower.”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t.”
“Afraid I might sneak in?” And man, would it be tempting as hell. Kat naked with suds dripping down her curves was right out of a fantasy.
Her lip lifted at the corner. “That’d definitely be up there on my list.”
“There’s a lock on the door. Next excuse.”
“I couldn’t impose. Plus I work for you. I can’t go taking showers like that.”
“No one needs to know.”
“But I have to fix you breakfast. And . . .” I placed my hand on her shoulder and when she didn’t look at me, I
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