Page 67 of Ink & Ambition

Before I can get another word in, Kai rounds a right hook directly to my cheek. I didn’t see it coming so it made contact with a sickening crunch. Devon’s got Kai’s arms held behind his back before I’m able to even blink my vision back into focus.

“This is all your fucking fault!” Kai spits as Devon drags him upstairs.

Kai’s sputtering quiets when his bedroom door closes, leaving the room with an eerie silence. All eyes are on me as I try to piecetogether what just happened. Kai hit me. He hit me hard. He hit me like he wants to hit Ryan.

Keith groans from the couch, breaking me from my trance. I don’t have time to deal with Kai, I need to take care of this brother before I deal with that one.

Two other brothers are standing around Keith. “You guys help me get Keith into the car, I’m taking him to the hospital.” The guys jump into action, gently pulling him from the couch as I hold the door open for them. No shot in hell did I imagine my night would turn out this way. I should be cuddled up with Margot right now, not nursing an aching face, a broken brother, and a wounded heart.

Seven hours, two broken ribs, two black eyes, one concussion, and one bruised jaw later, Keith and I collapse onto our own beds to finally get some sleep. Even though it’s morning and I’ve got class in about an hour, I can’t see myself going anywhere else today. Especially with this shiner on my face.

I know I need to talk to Kai and sort this out but I just can’t deal with it right now. I have no idea where his head is at, he’s been out of it for weeks.

Margot has called a few times and texted even more. I know it’s not fair of me to leave her in the dark, especially after what transpired between us last night but I need to get to the bottom of the whole situation before I tell her anything. I need to know exactly what happened and how to take care of it and I would like to do it without bringing her into it at all.

I look at my phone and see her latest text.

Not that I care but can you just throw a flag to let me know you're not dead

Chuckling, I send her a white flag emoji before turning my phone on “Do not disturb” and promptly passing out for six hours.

The midday sun crests through the window when I wake up again and I know it’s past noon. Checking my phone, I see that Margot has “liked” my emoji message but sent no more after. She’s probably pissed about my leaving and then sudden disappearing act, and I’ll explain it all to her once I get it sorted out in my own head.

In the meantime, I need to find Kai.

Taking a deep breath, I open my bedroom door and walk smack into Keith, who grunts in pain.

“Hey, you just waking up too?” He asks, his face in a grimace.

I nod. “How are you doing?”

Keith lets out a breath. “Sore but mostly okay. Confused.”

“Yeah, I think it’s time we sort it all out.” Clapping Keith on the back, he winces and I apologize quickly as we make our way downstairs. Just as I’d hoped, Kai is sitting on the couch, a basketball highlights reel on the TV and his nose buried in his laptop. He does a double-take when he sees us both coming down the stairs but doesn’t move from the couch.

Slowly, Kai closes his laptop as we approach. “You good, Keithy?” He says the nickname with a gentle smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

It doesn’t wound me that he asks after his brother first. They are twins, after all. But, from the way he hasn’t yet been able to meet my eyes, I can tell this is going to be a longer recovery for him and me.

“Yeah, I’ll live,” Keith replies, gently sitting down on the other end of the couch. There’s a space left open in the middle, butthere’s not enough money in the world that would encourage me to sit there right now. I opt instead for leaning against the mantle across from the couch.

“I remember more of what happened,” Keith says, his voice small. Neither one of us speak, giving him the floor and as much time as he needs.

“I was walking from campus, lost track of time in the library…” His code for hanging out with that football player he’s into. Again, we both allow him to take his time telling the story. “I was just at the corner when a car pulled up next to me. It all happened so fast. I was knocked in the back of the head and then hit in the face so hard, I saw stars.”

Keith takes a deep breath and looks over toward Kai whose face is scrunched up in anger. “I fell to the ground. They kicked me a few times in the stomach then once more in the face and that’s all I remember. I woke up on the couch when you came in.” Keith nods his head toward me.

“Fucking Delta scum,” Kai spits.

“And you definitely know Ryan did it?”

“Of course he fucking does. You think he’s gonna lie about it?” Kai puts his laptop on the table but doesn’t stand from the couch.

“I definitely saw Ryan’s face. It was the last face I saw,” Keith adds. “There was a lot of taunting and yelling. No idea what they were saying, but it was loud and only got louder before I passed out.”

Pinching the top of my nose with my fingers, I sigh deeply.

“How did I get to the house?” Keith asks.

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