Page 39 of Kings Don't Break

Korine’s seeking company. She’s seeking to take her mind off what’s happened. I can tell by how she glances over at me. Her fingers are busy fussing with a loose string on the blanket I’ve given her. A tell-tale sign she’s stressed.

So I give her the distraction. I tell her about the Steel Kings and everything I can about the club and the Chop Shop. She hums along in interest ’til her head’s drooping onto my shoulder and her eyes are closing.

She drifts off to sleep while I’m telling her about Ozzie and his thirty-six tattoos.

It’s a good thing she does—midnight has come and gone.

I ease her into a lying position on the sofa and then cover her with the blanket.

I won’t be getting any sleep tonight, but at least Kori will…

9

BLAKE

Come dawn, I’m already awake. I get no sleep except for a fitful two hour period where I drift off in the recliner by the living room window. The rest of the time, I’m caught between pacing the trailer as stealthily as possible to allow Korine and Sunny rest and glaring hatefully out the window.

My hand curls around my keys more times than I want to admit, my head filled with violent thoughts of taking off to her house. I’d break in and drag his ass out of bed. There’s no telling what I’d do next, but I wouldn’t leave ’til I was covered in his blood…

Only the peaceful sight of Korine asleep on the sofa stops me. I take a moment to watch her.

She’s curled up in a ball, hugging the pillow close. Her expression vacant and relaxed.

My lungs expand with pride knowing I’ve provided a place where she feels safe enough to sleep so soundly.

But watching her also takes me into another loop of confusion.

What’s happened scrambles up my brain. She’s a good person—a good woman—who doesn’t deserve a mean word spoken to her, much less somebody putting their hands on her.

The ugly reality that somebody has—her fucking husband has—for so long Korine’s used to the violence, makes my head hurt. It makes my fucking heart ache in the worst way, thinking about how he must’ve broken her down. How could he fucking hurt this woman?

My girl.

Korine stirs. It’s a slow process. She twists under the blanket, her brows joining together, like she’s trying to fight out of a dream. A throaty hum leaves her as she rubs her eyes open.

I watch the magic unfold live. The way her beautiful face gradually lights up the more awake she becomes. Her gaze meets mine and her soft lips quirk in a silent, slightly drowsy good-morning smile.

The bruises can never take away that pretty smile of hers.

I go from wanting to murder a man to wanting to kiss a woman in two-point-five seconds. Only Korine could bring a change so immediately. My murder plot slides to the back of my brain for the moment as I run my fingers through my hair and smile back at her.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey.” She sits up, glancing around as if surprised to find herself in my home, tucked under a blanket on my sofa. Last night’s turmoil comes rushing in and chases away the momentary light on her bruised face. “Blake… damn. I’m sorry for coming here. Me and Mama, we’ll go.”

“You’ll stay.”

“I’ve told you. I don’t want to get you involved in my mess. Ken… he will come looking for me. The more trouble I make…”

…the more she’ll be punished. She doesn’t need to say it. It’s more than implied.

My fists curl at my sides. “You’re not going back, Kori. I can’t let you return to that.”

“He’s my husband.”

“Who beats the shit out of you for looking at him the wrong way.”

Her face shifts into a deep, almost ashamed frown. “Blake, you don’t get it. He just… he has a temper. Sometimes it gets out of control… but he’s under a lot of stress at work. He was up for a promotion and… and…” she stammers, emotion suddenly swelling in her voice. Pain waters her good eye. “I ruined it for him. I promised I wouldn’t, but I did. He didn’t get the job because I keep messing up.”