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N I N E T Y - S I X
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The engine purred, filling the silence that consumed the car interior. Since the night at Austin’s bar, it was like Kate had relapsed – back to being afraid of every bump in the night and unable to be left on her own for longer than a few minutes. The vivid nightmares returned; cool blue eyes piercing through her flailing disposition as strong hands squeezed the delicate cartilage of her throat. Colton’s husky voice derailed her train of destructive thoughts, concerned eyes narrowing in on her. “You okay?”
She hummed in acknowledgment, her teeth picking at the shredded cuticles. Colton’s hand lifted, tugging her into his chest as he stroked her hair, lips tenderly brushing against the top of her head.
“I’ll always be right here. He has to get through me first and I’ll fight to the death for you, Kate. I fucking swear it.”
The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach expanded, her heart cinching at the
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This was not the way it was supposed to turn out.Every single thing she’d done so far had only served to infuriate Preston, to elicit yet another condescending berating about all the things she’d managed to fuck up in their short span of working together. The police being called to the gym had somehow been her fault. Her stay at Colton’s being cut short had earned her an earful, regardless of the fact that Kate worked for a goddamn domestic violence organization – and one that found accommodation for victims at that. She did admit that destroying Colton’s mother’s dress had been a grave error, one triggered by her jealousy listening to the breathy moans traveling from their bedroom, Kate’s needy whimpers and Colton’s erotic grunts. She’d started looking for a distraction and lo and behold, the dress had been right there, perfectly positioned beneath her bed as if it were waiting for her. As she unboxed it, realizing exact
Rude Awakenings N I N E T Y - E I G H T
Kate sat at the counter, tapping her foot lightly against the metal base of the stool, black-painted nails drumming on the reactive glaze of her mug, glasses fogging up as she took a long sip of coffee. Soft music trickled from Colton’s ancient boom box, stashed precariously in the narrow corner of the countertop; his first port of call every morning. It had quickly become Kate’s favourite part of the day, hearing the hard click of the switch, followed by the grainy tunes dancing through the quiet apartment, Colton’s raspy morning voice joining in on the symphony. She smiled at the thought, flipping over the page of the newspaper as she mouthed along to the old school rock filtering through the kitchen.The front door creaked as it opened, Kate’s gaze traversing over her shoulder and smiling at the sweaty figure slipping through the entrance. His wifebeater was bunched in his fist, basketball shorts sitting low on the deep v crease of his hips, his thi
Rude Awakenings N I N E T Y - N I N E
The bed squeaked as Kate shifted, one arm sleepily reaching out for the solid mass that was Colton. Her palm hit cool linen, the empty space beside her in Paloma’s small spare bed feeling gigantic. There was no lingering scent of cigarettes, no woody leather or mint from his toothpaste drifting in her direction, no soothing touch from his callused fingertips… It always took her being away from him to realize just how prominent his presence was in her life. The memories of yesterday morning came flooding back; the envelope, the photograph, Colton kicking her out again.From beside her, her cell vibrated – almost off the nightstand where she’d precariously balanced it before she fell asleep – and she jolted upright, scrambling to answer the call. She’d planned to be furious at Colton, but the lack of his presence had made her far too forgiving… already.“Hello?”“Hey, sorry I missed your
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D
Boots thumped up the staircase, a harsh clomp that resounded in Colton’s ears – yet another set of feet that weren’t Kate’s. He’d called fuck knows how many times, each time the phone ringing out, her sweet lilt echoing through the speaker, requesting he leave a message. He had. Too many to count, desperation sinking in as he reverted from casually wanting to talk to pleading for her to return his calls. Just as his thoughts wandered to the image of Harry’s hand against her forearm burned in his mind, the door handle twisted, Colton’s eyes snapping across to watch. It turned one way and then the other, before a hard fist collided with the wood, a loud knock echoing through the apartment. Dark brows knitted together, the realization that it wasn’t Kate returning only making way for more questions.Pushing himself off the kitchen stool, he padded to the front door, bare feet scuffing against the floor. As his hand hit the co
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & O N E
“Yeah… okay, if you think it’s the best idea,” Paloma sighed, picking at the chipped edge of her teacup, brown eyes rolling as she glanced toward Kate. “Uh-huh. Well, it makes no sense to me, but if you insist… okay, see you tomorrow. Yeah, I love you too. Bye. Bye. Yes, Heath, buh-bye.” Clicking off her phone, she laughed, rubbing the corners of her eyes as she shook her head. “I willneverunderstand how men’s friendships work.”“Why? What happened?” She nibbled on one of the cookies Paloma had laid out before her, hoping her interest in Colton’s reaction came off nonchalant and casual.Paloma didn’t buy it, one eyebrow rising smugly as she sipped her tea. “Colton didn’t take it too well, but did you really think it’d go any differently?” She waited for Kate’s solemn head shake before continuing. “Heath told me to leave be
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T W O
“Hey Katie baby, you miss me?”Her heart dropped, stomach slowly swirling down into the depths of the drain beneath her feet; terrified eyes glazed with a sheet of tears stared up at the man before her, horror embedded in her ashen features. Shaking fingers tugged at the too-short hem of her dress, desperately attempting to cover the vast amount of skin Paloma insisted on her showing. Hesitantly, she tore her gaze from his, rapidly scanning the cubicles in the hopes of finding a locked door, an indication that someone was here to help her… or die with her. The thought slithered through her veins, an icy snake that turned her blood cold.“Wh-what are you d-doing here?” she stammered, scuffling backward just enough to give her room to breathe. She sucked in a hefty breath, the rancid air of the bathroom penetrated by the insufferable blanket of his cologne.Unnaturally straight teeth swept into a wide grin, the suaveness of his voice
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T H R E E
“You…” his words trailed off, his smooth voice of disbelief reminding her for a millisecond of Colton; of the way he struggled so often to believe she loved him, to believe she wouldn’t run away. He was messed up, but she knew that when she met him, when she fell in love with him. Her heart sank at the thought of him sitting in their apartment, wondering how the hell they could make this work… wondering if it was possible for him to ever be in a healthy, functioning relationship. It sank lower at the thought that maybe it wasn’t.“You love me?” Preston’s voice banged through her ears, drawing her back to the rancid bathroom, to the preened man before her with his baby blue eyes wide in disbelief. “I - I didn’t think you’d admit it.”Kate wondered if he knew what she was playing at, that her declaration was nothing more than a farce to help her escape this situation alive, but the genu
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & F O U R
Preston’s dapper suit, tightly wrapped around his muscular body, stood out in the crowd, a drink in each hand as he maneuvered effortlessly through the throngs of dancing people, ignoring any and all attempts from the scantily-clad women who aimed to distract him from his task. Without knowing his psychotic personality, he could be easily mistaken for a catch - handsome, charming, oozing an air of wealthy superiority - and given the slim pickings currently grinding their way through the dance floor, Kate could understand why he had garnered so much female attention.Azure eyes honed in on her, his dismissive glare transforming into a warm smile as he slipped between the last few lingerers on the outskirts of the floor, sliding the drinks onto the table.“Thank you for getting them for us,” Kate strained a smile, the nauseating pulsing of her stomach revving up as she realized he was waiting for some form of affection from her. She stood st
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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,&
