Page 9 of Kings Don't Break

It’s in this moment that I metaphorically step back and reassess the situation—a diamond-encrusted gold ring glints from the fourth finger of Korine’s left hand. Inside her car, dangling from the backseat overhead handle, is a man’s suit wrapped up in a layer of plastic. I look into her eyes and suddenly I get it.

I understand what’s going on.

Korine’s married.

Of course she would be. Girls like Korine don’t stay on the market for long…

“Who is he?” I husk out, my voice gravelly, sounding almost primitive. I try to be the opposite—the usual levelheaded, mild-mannered Blake Cash most know me as. Mace’s the hothead. Not me.

But damn if I don’t become one in this moment. I don’t even know the guy and yet I already want to bash his face in. A deep-rooted, irrational hatred scorches through me at the thought another man married Korine.

My Kori.

“No one you’d know,” she answers vaguely. “We moved here for a promotion.”

“Kids?”

She shakes her head. “You should get going, Blake. Don’t stop on my account.”

“Your car broke down?” I ignore her comment and walk around to stand beside her in front of her engine. Peering down at the rusting guts of the car, I cast her a glance. “I’m surprised you didn’t fix it on the spot. You’ve always been a pro at this.”

“No tools.”

I raise a brow. “You? No tools? You practically carried ’em wherever you went!”

“You should get going.”

“I don’t got much on me. But the Chop Shop’s not far. I can give you a ride. We’ll have one of the guys tow the car back there?—”

“No, Blake, really… it’s okay.”

“It’s no trouble. It’s what we do at the Chop Shop. You know. You worked a summer there.”

“It’s not a good idea. You should be on your way.”

“I’m not leaving you on the side of the road?—”

“Please,” she snaps, irritated. “Just go!”

I take half a step back and survey her up and down. Now that I think about it, now that we’ve interacted, something’s off about her.

There’s a restraint she possesses that wasn’t ever there before. Almost as if she’s holding back. Her true personality’s bottled up inside. Trapped for some reason.

I cock my head to the side. “You okay?”

“I just need to get home. Without your help.”

“Alright,” I say slowly, taking another step away from her. An awkward beat passes between us where we don’t speak but our eyes remain on each other. I can’t put my finger on it, on what’s off about the moment. So I play along. I do as she asks. “It was cool seeing you again, Kori. Come by the Steel Saloon sometime if you get the chance.”

She gives a stiff nod in answer. Restrained and noncommittal.

Eyes dark and mysterious.

I turn and walk away, feeling like my teenage fantasy has been crushed. The many what ifs and somedays that always lingered in the back of my mind about Korine go up in smoke. Not only is she married to some asshole she’s bought a house with, she wants nothing to do with me. She doesn’t even want to be friends.

…she won’t even let me give her a ride.

We hadn’t left off on the best of terms, but shit. I thought we were still friendly enough.