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T H I R T Y - T W O
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The sounds of Colton’s gym cranked through the stairwell. Kate sympathized with the couple in the apartment below. The man had gotten the confidence to talk to Colton about it but his presence was intimidating and after blasting through a bunch of expletives, the poor guy had hurried down the stairs, probably to buy a pair of earplugs.
But the couple from downstairs faded from her memory at the hard grunt that escaped Colton’s apartment. Fluttering her eyes shut, Kate envisioned the sight that would behold her upon entering the apartment. There were few things better than the bare, sweaty torso of Colton, his flexed muscles glistening between his beautiful patterned skin. She licked her lips and skipped the stairs two at a time to get to him faster.
Dark eyes flickered towards her as she threw open the door, a smirk growing at the flush in her cheeks, “Fuck, you took those stairs fast.”
Kate grinned, setting her work-bag down delicately and kicking off her shoes. C
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The knock on the door sent Colton racing. Skidding over the broken glass and splintered chair leg, he flung open the door, praying to whatever it was he believed in that Kate would be on the other side.He knew better though. For all her kindness and compassion, she was stubborn as fuck. Just like him.A sharp stab seared through his foot and as he looked up at his guest, he let out an aggressive “Shit.”“Lovely to see you too, Colton,” Paloma scowled, her eyes traveling over his shoulder and to the mess that he’d created. “Fucking hell, what happened?”Waving her in, Colton sagged to the sofa, analyzing the damage the shard of glass had done to the sole of his foot, “Kate’s not here if that’s who you’re here for.”“She’s not answering the door or her phone, for that matter. Do you know where she is?”Narrowing her gaze to Colton, his brows furrowed as his thick fingers and clipped nails tried to burrow out the glass. He shrugged nonchalantly, “Sh
Rude Awakenings T H I R T Y - F O U R
The stiffening of Colton’s muscles was evident as Kate slipped from the bathroom, the dusty pink material of her floral dress swishing around her calves as she walked. She’d added more waves to her hair, allowing them to cascade over one shoulder. Colton gripped her waist, settling her against his lap while she slid on a pair of nude heels.His breath was hot against her neck, his nose burying into her soft curls, “Couldn’t you have worn jeans and like, a band tee? You look way too good to be having dinner with Wanker.”Kate laughed, the sound trailing around the room as she turned to face Colton, brushing her glossed lips against his, “His name is Wade, and it’s a nice restaurant. I don’t want to look like a slob. You do realize there will be a lot of people there? It won’t just be Wade and I.”“Still, I don’t like it,” he said gruffly. “I’m sure his grandma has some matchmaking plan ready to go.”“And if she does, I will very politely tell her that I’m alre
Rude Awakenings T H I R T Y - F I V E
The restaurant was small and intimate. Kate had passed it on her daily runs but had never actually been inside. At the front of the restaurant, behind the hostess station, were huge wood-fired ovens where talented chefs prepared pizzas for the already crowded room. The heat from the ovens, along with the large fireplace at the back of the restaurant, flushed her cheeks. She shrugged off her jacket, glancing around the space in hopes of spotting Mrs. Huang or Wade.A long table by the back of the room was filled with people and balloons erupted from the center with the words ’we’ll miss you’ scrawled across them. It seemed a bit much considering he’d be back soon, but Kate shrugged. At the end of the table, Mrs. Huang was seated, deep in conversation with the man next to her.Her matured gray eyes twinkled as she caught sight of Kate, waving her over to the table. She rose on shaky legs, wrapping her arms around Kate in a warm hug, “Oh, I’m so glad you came! Wade said he
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“You were right,” she puffed, desperately wiping her mouth in revulsion. She dropped her shoes and purse, scooting past him to the bathroom. She couldn’t get the toothbrush in her mouth fast enough, making sure to scrub the surrounds of her lips until they were raw.“Right about what? Did he fucking try something?”Kate nodded, rinsing her mouth and turning to face Colton’s enraged frame, “He kissed me.”“For fuck’s sake,” Colton barked, his fists clenched by his sides as his shoulders rolled in fury. “I told you!”“Yes, you did,” Kate sighed remorsefully, running her fingers through her hair. “And I should’ve listened. I’m sorry.”Aggravation shook Colton’s tense body, his fist involuntarily rising to strike the delicate plaster of Kate’s bedroom wall. In a sprite movement, Kate’s dainty fingers curled around his wrist, intercepting just in time.Shaking her head, she rose on her toes to cup his stubbled cheeks. He flinched beneath her, and her c
Rude Awakenings T H I R T Y - S E V E N
Muffled voices rang through the stairwell, slurred words and stumbling footsteps. Colton’s eyes shot open. He’d been unable to sleep for the past four hours, his mind racing from Kate’s declaration of love while his body pulsated at the thought of that fucking piece of shit daring to lay a fucking finger on her. Watching Kate doze peacefully against his chest had calmed him, and he thought maybe sleep would come to him at some point during the night. But as he listened to Wade’s incoherent mumbling and laughter, Colton knew that the only way to overcome his fury was to pummel the shit out of Wade’s fucking stupid face.Rolling Kate smoothly onto the pillow, he slipped silently from the bed, shrugging on a pair of sweats and trying to keep quiet as he raced to the front door. With his heart pounding in his throat, ready to pounce the minute he saw that prick, he turned the knob and widened the door. Wade’s drunken frame floundered up the stairs, a few of his equally drunk frien
Rude Awakenings T H I R T Y - E I G H T
A cup of coffee rested on the laminate countertop, still slightly steaming, as Kate dawdled from the bedroom. The sun streamed through the curtains in full force and she wondered just how long she’d slept in for. Stifling a yawn, she sunk into the barstool, taking a long, appreciative sip of caffeine. Colton always made the best coffee. Her eyes trailed over the kitchen; washed dishes sat on the sink, the counters wiped down and a torn piece of paper resting by her mug. Kate smiled at Colton’s scrawl.Gone out for a bit. Shouldn’t be too long. Love you xCuriosity awakened her sleepy state. Taking another gulp of coffee, she sighed, flicking open her laptop and hoping to get stuck into some work emails. She would wait until Colton returned before bombarding him with questions.Her optimism for using her free time productively was shattered when a feeble knock rang through the apartment. Kate frowned, cradling her warm mug between her palms as she traipsed to the fr
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“Is the blindfold really necessary?” Kate whined, tightening her grip on Colton’s forearms as he led her into a darkened, musty room that she assumed was the garage. “Seriously, is this the part where you kill me?”“You’re a dick,” Colton snorted. Guiding her a few more steps, his hands fumbled to untie the makeshift blindfold before hovering beside her. His head bowed towards the grimy, concrete floor although obsidian eyes stayed on her, awaiting her reaction.Sitting before her was a very un-Colton-like car. Kate would’ve expected a sleek, black classic car or a powerful, bulky motorcycle, not the red SUV that nuzzled between the two white lines of his car-space.Clearing his throat, Colton rubbed the back of his neck nervously, “It’s for you… well us, but for you mainly. Do you… do you like it?” Kate’s mouth opened and closed, floundering for a response, and Colton’s wide palm brushed against the furrows of his brows, “You hate it. I knew I should’ve-”Th
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Tapping a button on the keys, the rear door of the SUV glided open, revealing a slightly-skewiff makeshift bead. A thick plaid quilt sprawled over the fuzzy carpet of the trunk while an abundance of cushions were layered against the back of the rear seats. Wedged in the corner, a basket was stacked with bottles of water and cans of soda, along with a variety of snacks.“When did you have the time to set this all up?” Kate gaped, stumbling slightly as Colton hoisted her into the car. Her eyes trickled over to his as he used the fender to jump in after her.Shrugging casually, he strained a smile, “When you were in the shower. I’ve never run those fucking stairs so fast in my life.”Kicking off his boots, Colton clambered beneath the quilt, resting his broad back against the cushions, outstretching his arms for Kate to follow. She obliged, tossing off her shoes and tucking herself under the nook of his arm. There was a slight dampness on the fabric beneath his arms.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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“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,&
