Page 24 of Ruined Vows

“First week in the sandbox, food disagreed with me. I couldn’t get to the shitter in time and took a dump in my trunks.”

She barks out a shocked laugh.

“It’s better than the guy they called Shitcheeks his whole tour.”

Now she’s really laughing, it catches me a little off guard how fucking beautiful she is. She looks all woman when she laughs, deep and hearty. The sunlight catches her bright orange-red ringlets, making it look like a halo of fire around her pale, freckled face.

She’s still smiling when a ping on her phone has her tugging it out of her purse a moment later. Her laughter abruptly cuts off as she looks down, her eyes tracking a text. Her mouth gets tight, and it’s a look I’m unfortunately becoming familiar with. She looks afraid, all the blood draining from her pretty cheeks.

“What?” I snatch the phone out of her hands as she spins to look around the crowded plaza.

I look down at the phone.

UNKNOWN: You won’t be laughing so pretty

UNKNOWN: when I shove my cock down your throat, slut.

When I glance back down at her, her head’s craned back, searching the windows of what I assume are dorm rooms.

“He’s watching,” she rasps, wrapping her arms around herself like she’s cold in spite of the warm fall air. “Right now. He’s watching me.”

Then she takes off, all but sprinting across the quad. I immediately follow. I catch up but still, she’s fast.

“Kira. Kira!”

She only stops when she gets to the parking lot, searching around and looking lost.

“Dammit, Kira, don’t go running off like that again!”

“I know, I know.” She puts up a hand. “Horror movie rules. I’m sorry.” She’s still shivering. She shakes out her hands but still can’t stop. “It’s just like I couldfeelhis eyes crawling over my skin. I’ve always felt safe here. It’s been my home away from home. My refuge when I needed to escape the prison of my parents’ house. But now they’ve stolen it. I have nowhere. Nowhere that’s safe. That’smine.”

I want to pull her into my arms. I want to promise her that I’ll keep her safe. That nothing will ever harm her. But it’s an irrational thought.

Just like you promised Elmer’s you’d keep him safe?Brothers for life, my ass.

I blink hard against the memory. This is nothing like that. Fuck. Why am I thinking about that right now?

This is just a job.

It’s just a fucking job.

She turns around and sees me standing there awkwardly and swears under her breath. “I’m sorry. I’ll get my shit together. Just give me a minute.” She bends over with her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. A little too heavy and really short.

Everything in me is drawn toward her like a magnet, but I fight the pull.

Just a job. Nothing more.

“Kira?” I check in, still holding myself back from reaching toward her.

“I’m fine.” She turns her body away from me but holds a hand back toward me as if to both hold me off and assure me she’s fine. I can’t see her face, though, so I can’t tell.

A moment later, she’s standing up and smiling. “See? Just fine.” But I’d swear her eyes are wet, and I think of the lecture she gave.A persona is the acceptable mask you show to the world. The shadow hides all the trauma beneath.

Fuck.

She was giving me a glimpse of all of her, but I made her feel like she had to hide it all away again. How do I let her know I don’t mind her shadow? I’ve sure as fuck got plenty of my own.

“Red,” I say, softer.

---