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2024-10-29 19:42:56Curled in bed, Colton’s tattooed arm wrapped tightly around her waist, Kate let out a contented sigh. They’d been talking for hours about anything and everything. Colton had told her about how he met Austin, how he’d played football in school but sucked so he moved to boxing. He’d told her about how he started underground fighting to make money but had been able to escape that life due to his father’s connections. Kate had asked about his family but Colton changed the subject. It wasn’t subtle by any means and she knew it was best to leave it alone. His body tensed and his hair prickled beneath her touch. It was clearly a sore subject.
His breath was deep now, his chest rising and falling slowly. Kate’s eyes traveled to his chest tattoo; a black and grey skull with a snake constricting it covering the majority of his left pectoral muscle. It continued across his shoulder and down his left bicep. She wondered if it had any significance, deciding to ask him when he awoke.
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Rude Awakenings N I N E T E E N
Spending time away from the flat, away from Colton would do Kate good. She dawdled to the bedroom, changing into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She grabbed some pajamas and underwear, some workout clothes, and a few outfits for work, before packing some toiletries and slinging her bag over her shoulder. She glanced at her pillow, the one Colton had been resting on and debated taking it with her. Her head and her heart argued but, in the end, her heart won and she snatched it up, tucking it beneath her arm. She grabbed her work bag and her essentials before slipping out of the apartment. She locked the door and jumped when she heard a silky voice ring out behind her.“You look like you need some help.”Kate glanced at the man before her. He was average height with black hair neatly gelled into a quiff atop his head. Hazel, almond-shaped eyes glinted in the sunlight of the hallway and he smiled at her through thin lips.“Oh, I’m right. I’ve just phoned an Uber. Shoul
Rude Awakenings T W E N T Y
It’d been three days since Kate had been home. She’d not heard from Colton once and she was resigned to the fact that he had used her. However, she had heard from her landlord, telling her that if she broke the lease, she’d need to pay up until he could find a new tenant. There was no way she could afford both her apartment and her share of Paloma’s so she decided to wait a few more days before returning. She’d need time to prepare herself for the onslaught of women she’d be hearing again.Paloma had bought her some earplugs which made Kate laugh.She was sitting with a small blonde, going through the papers for her stay in a home accommodating women leaving domestic violence houses. Her mind was focused on the task at hand, and she ignored the buzzing of her phone as she typed in the last few details.“Okay, Molly. I’ll send this through. Do you have your stuff with you?” The blonde nodded and Kate continued, “I can drive you there. It’s not far.”Molly sque
Rude Awakenings T W E N T Y - O N E
Avoiding Colton hadn’t been easy. Kate returned to her apartment for good after coming to a compromise with her landlord. He agreed to let her out of the lease after six months, rather than the twelve she’d signed up for, if she still wanted to go ahead by the end of the month. Kate thanked him profusely. It was a relief, to say the least.Colton seemed to come out for a smoke whenever she was leaving her apartment. They had conversations here and there, but Kate always made sure to keep her distance. She didn’t think she could handle anything more. Her chest ached every night, waiting for the inevitable moans perforating her walls, but they never came.She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, her laptop laid out in front of her along with some papers for work. She’d put some music on, hoping to give herself an escape from imagining Colton. She had heard his bed creak, his soft grunts echoing through the wall. Thankfully, he was keeping his lady friend quiet, although he
Rude Awakenings T W E N T Y - T W O
Keeping Florence entertained until dinner time seemed effortless for Colton. Kate had sat on the lounge, watching with adoring eyes. He hadn’t been lying when he said he had a knack with kids. He read her stories in funny voices that had her squealing with laughter, played with the trucks and dolls and balls she thrust in his direction without so much as a grumble. When Kate had heated the chicken and rice medley Paloma had prepared, Colton scooped Florence up and rested her against his knee. Dimpled fingers shoveled as much food into her mouth as her little hands would let her. She disregarded the spoon, waving it away when Colton had tried to feed her, content with the mess she was creating.Rice pooled on the floor, a pile of white grains growing on Colton’s dark jeans. As she coughed, he lifted her cup to her mouth, helping her take a sip. It dribbled down her chin as she insisted on eating with a mouth full of water, dripping onto his t-shirt as Florence giggled.Ka
Rude Awakenings T W E N T Y - T H R E E
The warmth of Colton’s lips on hers had Kate’s knees buckling beneath her. Strong arms slid around her waist, keeping her steady and pressing against his firm chest. One arm stayed secure around her hips, the other moving to the back of her neck, his thumb brushing against the soft hairs.Kate moaned, Colton’s mouth swallowing it as his tongue caressed hers. The cool sensation of his tongue ring made her dampen in anticipation. She let out a breathy sigh as they broke away, a heat blossoming in her chest as his eyes trailed over her face and down to her breasts. He groaned, the sight of her hardened nipples poking through the flimsy material of her bra. It did nothing to flatter her, and she silently scolded herself for not wearing something nicer.Colton’s hands cupped her soft ass cheeks, his palms kneading into the flesh as he hoisted her against his waist, encouraging her legs to slip around him. She obliged, burying her head in the curve of his neck and kissed. Gent
Rude Awakenings T W E N T Y - F O U R
With his mouth covering hers, Colton pushed himself into her, swallowing the moans that hummed in her throat. Her legs twitched beneath him, as he slid out and thrust into her once again. Her back arched, the velvety skin that covered her breasts pressing up against the hard planes of his chest. Colton grunted, her hips bucking up with each passionate thrust, making him throb inside her. The sensation was overwhelming and Kate didn’t know how much longer she could take before coming undone all over again.Sitting on his knees, Colton grabbed her legs, securing them around his waist as he sunk into her relentlessly. His teeth bit down on his lower lip, his eyes rolling back. “Shit,” he hissed, pulling himself out of her and clamping his hand around the base of his dick.Kate watched in confusion, before Colton’s fingers plunged into her, his thumb tracing circles around the sensitive nub. She cried, her legs clenching against his sides as he leaned down to kiss her.
Rude Awakenings T W E N T Y - F I V E
Colton fell into his own bed, tugging up the crumpled sheets and flinging them over his body. His hair was damp from the shower, his torso still beaded with water. He didn’t know why he had left. The sight of Kate tucked between the pillows, naked and flushed, seared in his mind. It was barely past nine, but all he wanted to do was sleep, to forget about how good she felt in his arms, her warm breath and soft lips against his chest.He didn’t know who the fuck he was anymore. Missing a goddamn woman.The truth was, after spending the night with her while she was drunk, he'd felt things he hadn't felt in... well, ever really. Watching the soft rise and fall of her chest, the small parting of her lips, her nose nuzzling against the hard planes of his chest; he’d enjoyed it more than he wanted to admit.Usually spending the night with a woman was a means to an end. He slept as far from them as possible, using a pillow to block their wandering arms and legs, with the g
Rude Awakenings T W E N T Y - S I X
The aroma of freshly-brewed coffee wafted through the apartment, awakening Kate from the deep slumber she had found herself in. Colton's imprint lingered on her sheets and the smell of his cologne mingled with the coffee perforating her sleepy senses. Yawning lazily, Kate stretched out her sore muscles, watching the handsome figure sweep into her bedroom.Holding a steaming mug in his intricately-decorated fingers, Colton grinned, "Good morning."Sitting up, Kate rubbed her eyes before gratefully accepting the cup and taking a sip, "I didn't picture you to be an early riser.""Have you learned nothing? I'm full of surprises," he smirked, pressing a sweet kiss against her warmed lips."That you are," she murmured against his mouth, smiling as he exhaled softly. Her lips were swollen from last night, reddened and tender, but the sting was nothing compared to the feeling that erupted throughout her as he kissed her.“Do you have plans today?”Enjoyin
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Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T W E N T Y
The hot water beat down on Kate’s tired body, doing little to ease the aches and pains of her exhausted muscles and absolutely nothing to diffuse the mental depletion she felt. Perpetually fatigued was now her permanent state of being, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She hurried to work the shampoo through her now shoulder-length brown hair, keeping one eye on the baby monitor that flashed on the vanity. She closed her eyes momentarily, silently praying that everyone stayed asleep for just five more minutes. Bubbles tingled across her pink chipped toenails - a reminder from her and Paloma’s last day out alone, sans kids. She stifled a giggle, remembering how Colton had phoned her, asking her a million questions while squeals echoed in the background. Upon her return, he had met her at the door, black tee covered in spit-up and mashed banana while exhausted eyes stared at her gratefully. The click of the bathroom door dragged her from her thoughts, squinting eye
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & N I N E T E E N
Colton’s wide eyes stared back at Kate, as she panted through yet another excruciating contraction; her entire pelvis spreading apart to allow their baby to enter the world. The floral tones of Bernadette’s perfume wafted through the room as she returned, snapping on a pair of blue latex gloves, a stack of blue sheets tucked under her arm. Another woman trudged behind, not clearly as enthused as Bernadette, sanitizing her hands before sliding on her own pair of gloves. Snapping her gum, she made her way over to the machine beside Kate’s bed, mature hazel eyes peering over square glasses to scan the paper slowly rolling from the machine.“Okay, Kate,” Bernadette chirped from the end of the bed, her short hair curled eloquently atop her head. Kate took in the swirls of brown, ebbing and flowing across her crown as she pushed through another surge of pain. “Kate,” Bernadette smiled, patting Kate’s bare leg to garner her atten
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & E I G H T E E N
Shivering as she swept the blankets off her bloated body, Kate groaned, awkwardly clambering from the bed, one hand attempting to massage her lower back as she waddled to the bathroom. The sun had begun to rise, its rays just starting to seep through the small crack of their curtain. It bounced off Colton’s watch face, illuminating a soft glowy spot on the roof. She cast a glance over her shoulder, unable to help the smile that grew across her face at Colton’s muffled snores, his bare torso exposed with one inked hand resting atop it. His wedding ring glistened ever so slightly in the dewy dawn light. She’d always assumed married life would feel no different and for the first few weeks, aside from the bubbling excitement that they’d actually gone through with it, it hadn’t, but as the weeks turned to months, Kate grew to understand exactly why people did it. Knowing that Colton had wholeheartedly committed himself to her for the rest of his life was an
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & S E V E N T E E N
The car jounced down the dirt road, wheels spinning stray flecks of gravel through the air. The sky was almost pitch black now, a thick blanket filled with tiny stars that glinted brightly against the navy backdrop. The woods, still filled with the unsettling presence of flashlights, seemed eerier in the rearview, the few police cars that remained at the cottage shining from the glow of the kitchen light emanating from the window. Kate tugged at the threads of Colton’s sweatshirt, pulling the fabric over her mouth as she buried herself into the passenger seat. The radio announcer's voice drifted through the otherwise silent interior, talking about a new song being released by a popular female artist. Kate tried to focus on what he was saying, to push away the intrusive thoughts that were swirling through her mind, but his words turned into a mish-mash of nonsense, garbled sounds that made no sense to her. From her peripheral, she caught Colton m’s hand resting gently aga
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & S I X T E E N
“Colton!”Her own voice rang in her ears, the sharp whistle of a gunshot pulsing deep in the chambers of her mind as all other noises diffused, dulling down to an almost non-existent whine. Colton’s body crumpled to the floor, the rifle discharging as it hit the scuffed floorboards; another loud pop burrowing into her eardrums. Attempting to stand, she clutched her stomach, huffing as she brought herself to her feet, watching in horror as a small team of officers, dressed in dark S.W.A.T vests, approached, their movements slow and controlled, methodically assessing the scene before them.“Kate!”Sandy’s voice cut through the mind-numbing noise, the warmth of her hand resting on Kate’s shoulder, preventing her from moving forward. Tearing away from her grasp, Kate stumbled forward, tripping over Preston’s extended leg and careening to the floor. She stuck out her hands, her wrists taking the brunt of the impact as s
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & F I F T E E N
Tucking her knees into her chest - as far as her pregnant stomach would allow - Kate covered her ears, consciously inhaling and exhaling through pursed lips in an attempt to steady her erratic heart. Somewhere in the lounge room, she heard Colton shuffling about, the harsh rake of the curtain rings sliding along the thick wooden rods, shading them from the view of the outside. He continued grumbling over the phone, the string of expletives showing no signs of easing as his heavy footsteps clunked past her, growing muffled in the weathered carpet as he retreated into the bedroom. Cabinet doors banged open, the clang and clatter of objects dispersing as he rifled through them before forcefully slamming them shut with an irritated grunt. The anxiety coursing through her triggered the baby, its tiny limbs poking and prodding her stomach as she strove to calm herself down.“You better have someone here soon, Sandy,” Colton spat in the background, the sound of ano
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & F O U R T E E N
Stepping out onto the expansive back deck, Kate huddled into one of the wicker chairs, stretching out her legs to allow the tiny glimmer of sunlight to spatter across her sweats. Keeping the knitted blanket wrapped loosely around her shoulders, she clasped the hot cup between her palms, inhaling the sweet nuttiness of her almond cappuccino, lovingly brought back by Colton from his morning stroll into town. The fresh air, thick with the scent of pine needles and earthy rain, consumed her, allowing her to breathe deeply for the first time in weeks, if not months. Casting a gaze out at the dense woodlands before her, she smiled. Even though she’d denied him multiple times, Colton’s insistence on bringing her out to Rhys’ reclusive cabin had been the best idea he’d had in a long time. They’d been there only two days and already she was feeling like a whole new person. Her gaze flittered to the back door as it swung open, Colton’s broad shoulders unclothed, his shirt being used t
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T H I R T E E N
Three months laterPuffing out the influx of air she’d sucked in, Kate smoothed her white blouse over her stomach nervously, the silky material oddly comforting beneath her palm. The musky scent of the courthouse irritated her nostrils, old wood and leather mingled with thick clouds of cologne, emanating from the men dressed in stiff suits as they walked past her, their shoes click-clacking against the linoleum floor. Leaning back, she rested her back against the pastel yellow concrete wall, a chill radiating through her spine, as she tugged her phone from her purse. She smiled at the presence of Colton’s name on the screen and the black love heart nestled beside it.Good luck, baby. I’ll be there as soon as I can. This fucking dick is taking his sweet ass time.The memory of his crestfallen face flashed through her mind, the way his fingers had curled around the neck of his beer bottle as he jotted down the time and date for
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T W E L V E
“How the hell do you have boxes – plural – of stuff? Paloma left with two trash bags,” Colton huffed, sliding the final box from their car across the bedroom floor, watching with a wince as it skidded into Kate’s leg. “Sorry.”“Ow.” She dropped the shirt she was folding, rubbing her leg before frowning up at him. “She forgot a lot of things, and it was easier to pre-fold my clothes and put them into boxes, rather than chuck them into trash bags again.”Knowing it was best not to argue while her sweet features housed a scowl, Colton sunk onto the bed. “D’ya want help?”After spending the first twenty minutes tidying the chaos that was Colton’s clothes, his shirts and shorts scrunched and stuffed into the spaces her absence had left, the remainder of her task was relatively simple. “I’ve just got the rest of this box and the one you just brought in left,&
