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2024-10-29 19:42:56“Sorry,” she breathed, trying to avoid his gaze. “I… I was coming to get my stuff.”
Raising his eyebrows, disbelief etched on his stern features, Colton shook his head, “You look scared shitless. What’s going on, Kate?”
“Nothing.”
“Do I look fucking stupid to you?” he snapped, irritation biting every word. “You’re so fucking frustrating. I’m offering to help you and instead of taking it, you just keep pushing every fucking button I have.”
Running her fingers through her hair, Kate let out a shaky breath, “The note. It’s just freaked me out. What if he’s…” she cut herself off, glancing back to the ajar door and restarting, “What if someone’s in there?”
“I can check.”
The sincerity of his tone forced Kate to take a step back. In the three months that she’d had the displeasure of living beside Colton, the only person he had ever considered was himself. She couldn’t reconcile the honest help he was offering with the prick she knew he was. Slowly noddi
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Rude Awakenings E L E V E N
“Did he… Did you call because of Colton? Did he do something to you?” Paloma asked, dark brows knitting together as she glanced between the front door and her friend’s flushed cheeks.“No. No, not at all. He was making sure no one was here. I got this note on my door,” Kate murmured, scooping up the note and her remaining belongings from the hallway. Caramel eyes trailed to Colton’s door, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of him, but it was shut. Kate’s heart sunk.Passing Paloma the note, Kate took in her friend’s concerned features and murmured, “Do you think…. Do you think it could be...”“Harry? No,” Paloma shook her head adamantly, her silky black hair waving from side to side. “Someone should have called you to tell you he’s been released, considering everything he put you through. I’ll stay here tonight, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it, Kate,” she strained a smile, rubbing Kate’s arms soothingly; “It’s probably someone playing a sick joke.”Kate n
Rude Awakenings T W E L V E
Paloma had offered to stay with Kate, make sure she was safe during the night, but Kate could sense her desperation to spend more time with Heath, and had convinced her to spend the night there instead. They would be right next door, Kate had assured her, and the walls were thin. If she needed them, she’d yell. She walked them out to the hallway, regretting it the minute her eyes caught the gaze of Colton, smoke billowing from his reddened mouth. She averted her gaze, closing the door with a gentle thud and locking it. She drifted around her apartment, ensuring all the windows were secured before falling into bed, emotionally and physically drained.Sleep evaded her. She tossed and turned, feeling too hot and then too cold. She was scared and angry and fucking confused. Her mind ticked, thoughts of Colton in her hands, his fingers against her, flashing in front of her eyes. She couldn’t think through the haze of how good he made her feel.She groaned, her fingers gliding
Rude Awakenings T H I R T E E N
Closing her eyes, Kate tried to relish in the feel of Austin’s relentless strokes, the sound of his body clapping against hers, his fingers gripping at her hips, pulling her onto him over and over again.But it was all wrong.His fingers were too smooth, his grunts not guttural enough. She bit her lower lip, twisting her body beneath him. The confusion in his eyes turned to lust as he watched her clamber to all fours. Resting on her forearms, Kate heard Austin’s sharp intake of breath as her hips lifted in the air.He wasted no time slamming back into her, his fingers tangling in her hair, lifting her head back to accentuate the arch of her spine. His groans filled the room, echoing in her ears and Kate wished it was enough. But it wasn’t. It felt like she was just falling short.As Austin relaxed his grip on her hair, Kate buried her head in the pillow, imagining Colton behind her, imagining it was Colton rolling his hips into her, his fingers lightly tuggin
Rude Awakenings F O U R T E E N
“Come on, Kate,” Paloma whined, her voice perforating through the speaker. “It’ll be fun. You haven’t left the house, other than for work, since last weekend! You even skipped out on yoga.”“I just don’t feel like it,” Kate mumbled. “Austin’s been staying here with me, so it’s not like I’ve been alone.”“Heath’s already organized it with Austin. He’s coming too. Come on, it’ll be fun. We’ll have a few drinks and just have a good time.” Sensing her friend’s hesitation, Paloma trilled, “Pleeeeease.”Kate let out a hearty laugh, “Fine. Text me the details.”“Yay!” Paloma squealed. “We’re going to the club on Fifth so wear something slutty.”Shaking her head, Kate ended the call. Paloma was so comfortable with her sexuality. It had been the downfall of her relationship with Dylan. She needed more than he could give and when she confronted him about it, he had made her feel unattractive after having Florence. Kate was happy for her, happy that she was enjoyi
Rude Awakenings F I F T E E N
Austin rolled his eyes, choosing not to react as he downed the last of his beer and turned back to his conversation with Heath.Narrowing her eyes at Colton, Kate took in his dark features, tinged with something she couldn’t put her finger on. The tension between them only broke when a soft cough tore Kate’s gaze away from him and onto the stunning redhead who was seated next to him. Colton’s wide palm rested on her bare thigh, her fingers brushing over the ink of his arm.“Hi, I’m Sophia,” she murmured, smiling nervously as she took in Kate’s dark eyes. The jealousy must’ve been evident.“Kate. Nice to meet you,” she responded, managing to tear her attention away from the pair and leaning into Austin. Her lips brushed against his ear, “Why is he here?”Austin shook his head, indicating he wasn’t happy about it either, “Heath invited him.”Colton groaned beside her, and even though her mind screamed at her not to look, she had to. They were tangled in a
Rude Awakenings S I X T E E N
“What the fuck were you thinking?!” Colton barked, slamming the door behind him. His muscular biceps folded across his chest, dark eyes trailing her weary body.“I... I had to get out of there,” she sighed. Her head had started to throb, the room spinning. “I don’t feel well.”His arms scooped her up, her face nuzzling in the soft material of his shirt. She moaned, the scent of his cologne permeating her senses. She was wet already and he hadn’t done a single thing.“Don’t fucking moan like that,” he snapped.Kate felt herself drop on the bed, her clothes being yanked from her body. She was unable to stifle her moan, anticipation already heating the junction of her thighs, “Why not?”“You’re drunk as shit and I can’t fuck you. It’s just a fucking tease.”Furrowing her brows, Kate glanced down as Colton pulled a pair of shorts over her thighs, “What are you doing?”“Dressing you.”His smirk was back and Kate felt the heat from her thigh
Rude Awakenings S E V E N T E E N
Kate awoke with a dull headache. It was actually tolerable considering the amount of alcohol she consumed last night. Yawning softly, she made to thank Colton. The aspirin, his tattooed arms cradling her during the night, the way he made her body tremble as she came. She had no doubt it all combined together to fight off her usual hangover.Caramel-colored eyes trailed over to where Colton had laid during the night, and her heart sank. The bed was empty, void of the almost-naked man with his dark, tempting eyes and his dimpled smile. Of course it was too good to be true.Groaning, Kate rolled from the bed, her bare legs being nipped at by the morning chill. She grabbed a pair of clean panties and headed into the bathroom. The apartment was silent aside from the squeak of the faucets. Knowing that the water would take a minute or two to heat up, she slipped to the sink to brush her teeth.Staring in the mirror, Kate breathed out a frustrated sigh. Her hair was a mes
Rude Awakenings E I G H T E E N
Curled 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 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,&
