Page 30 of Kings Don't Break

“You fucking bitch, why the fuck do I put up with you? All you’ve done is ruin my life!”

“I’m sorry!” I scream out desperately. “I’m so sorry. Please… I’m sorry, Ken!”

I apologize a dozen times even though I don’t know what it’s for this time. But I hadn’t last time either. Maybe this time will be the time he finally believes me.

It stopped mattering why I was apologizing years ago. All that matters is that I get him to stop.

It only makes him madder. His fist slams into my face as he roars at me to shut up and stop talking.

“You’re useless—you and your senile cow of a mother! You think anybody else would want you? You’ve failed at every fucking thing in life, and yet I still wanted you! I still married you and gave you everything you ever asked for! And this is how you repay me?”

Another desperate cry of pain leaves me as he hits me over and over again. Tiny stars flash in and out in front of me, my consciousness almost slipping away. His hand clenches around my neck, squeezing to cut off my airway.

“Ken!” I sputter in immediate panic. My hands scrabble at his, trying to pry them away from my throat. “Please, Ken!”

My pleas fall on deaf ears. He’s blacked out. Completely lost in the red-tinged fury of his violence. The hatred clenched onto his face and burning in his gaze breaks what little remains of my heart. I’m left gasping for air, looking up at the man who’s supposed to love me. Yet the only thing staring back at me is raw contempt and loathing.

How can he hate me when I’ve only ever tried to love him? What did I do wrong? What mistake did I make?

In my hysterics, as tears pour out of me and pain radiates through my body and the air leaves my lungs, I’m begging for another chance. Telling him I can do better. Try harder.

Please don’t throw me away…

“Get off my daughter!”

Mama comes out of nowhere, swinging a frying pan at Ken’s head. She’s up from her hard fall and managed to grab the first thing she could find. Her swing connects, hitting Ken across the side of his face. His hands disappear from my throat. His body’s no longer holding me down. He’s fallen sideways from the impact of Mama’s blow.

I’m coughing as I scramble up onto unsteady feet. One of my eyes is swelling shut and the room continues to spin, but one thing becomes clear in this moment.

From the sadness on Mama’s face to the blood I’m dripping.

We can’t stay here. If we want to survive the night, we have to go.

Ken won’t be on the floor clutching his head in pain for long.

“We’ve got to go. Mama…”

We scurry from the kitchen in a breathless panic, grabbing coats and purses and running out into the night’s cold in socks and slippers.

“KORINE!” Ken bellows from inside the house.

But we don’t stop. I buckle Mama in and then throw myself behind the wheel. My barely alive Geo Metro lurches from the driveway and bumbles down the street.

I don’t even know where I’m taking us. Just that it has to be somewhere far away from here.

7

BLAKE

“You got a minute?”

I’m on the garage floor of the Chop Shop, lying on my side as I twist some lug nuts onto my bike. The rest of the shop’s dead considering it’s early morning. Chaz and the guys won’t be in for at least another two hours.

I don’t look up to see who’s approaching. My attention remains on the lug nuts I’m tightening. Why bother when the sound of his voice tells me who it is?

Mace stands off to the side, his arms folded across his chest. “Cash… you heard me.”

“Speak whenever you want, Mace. Nobody’s stopping you. I damn sure won’t.”