Page 56 of Kings Don't Break

“He’s certainly manipulative, that husband of yours,” Mama sighs. “Who does he think he is sending you flowers like this?”

“He wants Blake to see them.” I step forward almost numbly, my walk more of a trudge than anything. “I’m throwing them out.”

“Good girl.”

Blake shows up only a few minutes later. The flowers have been disposed of and I’ve helped Mama into the shower. I draw the door to the bathroom closed to find myself on the opposite end of a glaring, jaw-clenched Blake.

“What kinda games are you playing, Kori? You disappear for two hours and barely answer my texts!”

My hand rubs my brow as if plagued by a headache. “It wasn’t on purpose. I lost track of time.”

“Then what happened?” He flicks his gaze over me in search of imaginary injuries like only a best friend would. He seems to read it off me, taking a step closer and grabbing me by the elbow to bring me over into the living room. “Kori, tell me. You saw him, didn’t you?”

“Not on purpose. I was driving back to the shop and then… then he came out of nowhere and pulled me over.”

Watching the change in Blake’s facial expression is borderline terrifying—his brows draw together over blue eyes darkening with rage and a jaw that hardens into steel. His hands clench and unclench, and his breathing goes ragged.

I haven’t even told him everything yet and already he looks tempted to spiral into a rampage. At any second he’ll tear off, heading straight for the home I shared with Ken, where he’d proceed to do things I don’t even want to think about…

I blow out a troubled breath and plop down on the sofa. “I don’t even want to deal with him anymore, Blake. But it seems like he’s not going to let go.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“No. You’re not?—”

“Kori, I’m handling it. He’s not going to come around you and fucking terrorize you like that ever again. If he doesn’t understand words, then I’ll make him understand in other ways. The whole fucking club will.”

“He’s a cop. He has the entire Pulsboro PD on his side.”

“So the fuck what?” Blake spits. His face twists into more fury. The veins protrude in his thick forearms and his fingers twitch like they’re desperate to ball up into fists again. “Whatever the fuck he thinks he’s doing is going to end.”

My gaze drops to the floor. “I need to file. Do you think… would you want to go with me?”

His anger fades for tenderness often reserved for me. He reaches a hand out and caresses my short hair as if he can’t help himself. “Yeah, of course. I’ll go with you. Tomorrow.”

“Sydney was saying I should consider a restraining order too. I took some pictures of my injuries.”

“That would be smart. It’ll create a paper trail of his abuse.”

“That’s what Sydney said.”

“We also need to get your things. It’s time, Kori. So long as you’ve got all your things there, it’s another door left open,” he says firmly. When I begin shaking my head, he cuts me off. “You won’t be alone. I’ll be with you. The MC will. We roll in ten, fifteen deep with your permission to enter the premises and grab your things. Under the law, he won’t be able to do shit. You’re legally a resident there. He’ll have to let you in to do it.”

“Blake…” I trail off. Nerves churn in my stomach just thinking about it. “I don’t know if I can…”

He crouches down so that we’re eye level. His hands reach for mine, tucking them inside his. “Look at me, Kori. We’ll be with you. I’m going to be at your side. Let him try anything. Let him raise his voice… look at you the wrong way…”

His temper takes over and he can only clench his jaw even harder at the thought. I don’t need to be a mind reader to know his head’s full of violent imaginings of all the things he wants to do to Ken.

It’s only been my pleas that’ve held him off.

“Okay,” I say softly. “If you’ll be with me.”

Blake reaches for my face, cupping my cheek and then rising up to drop a kiss on my brow. “Always, Kori.”

* * *

“Is it strange this feels… like a relief?” I ask in the passenger seat of Blake’s truck. We’re outside the courthouse where I’ve just filed for divorce in the clerk’s office. “It feels like a burden’s been lifted. We’re officially separated… and soon we’ll be divorced.”