Page 23 of Kingston

His face softened.“You don’t have to explain a damned thing to me.Max was just being his normal asshole self, hearing someone talking about Delaney.He’s sorry.Right, Max?You sorry, boy?Tell Demi you’re sorry.”

A large body shifted to my left, and I couldn’t help but try to shrink behind the man still holding me.“I am so sorry, Demi.I didn’t mean to spook you.Shit, don’t be afraid of me.I wouldn’t hurt you.”

“I… Um, I don’t… I-I’m not…” Pressing my lips together, I stopped myself from stuttering another word, realizing I probably sounded like an idiot.My heart rate was gradually beginning to slow, and as the pounding in my ears started to ease, I realized that the entire diner had gone silent.

Heat began to climb into my face, embarrassment scalding my cheeks.All eyes were on me.Making a public spectacle of myself was not conducive to keeping a low profile, which was exactly what I needed to do in order to make sure Charlie and his family didn’t find me.

“I’m gonna hug you now, Demi.Are you okay with that, honey?”

Raider gave me a moment to think about that, and when I nodded, he folded his arms around me.I pressed my face to his chest, realizing he was wearing his leather MC cut.It reminded me so much of Kingston’s, my fingers clutched at it, holding on to the older man a little tighter.

A little more of my panic began to recede, but my tears flowed faster.Embarrassment mixed heavily with the adrenaline still racing through my veins.Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on the man holding me.Kingston’s father.

“Demi, I really am sorry,” Max’s voice had completely lost its menacing quality.

The change from mean and growly to gentle felt like one of the tricks Charlie used to play on me.How he’d go from screaming and shouting in my face, slapping me across the cheek with his heavy, open palms and leaving huge handprints behind, to apologizing and begging me to forgive him in a matter of minutes.

Other than having been told Max was Kingston’s cousin once or twice, I didn’t know anything about him.If I’d been thinking clearly, I would have been able to differentiate Max from Charlie, but my brain was still in flight mode.His softer, quieter tone terrified me on the same level as the harshness that had been in his voice moments before.

Trembling, I shifted away from Max’s voice and released my hold on Raider.Scrubbing my fingers over my wet face, I dipped my head and ran for the door.

“Demi!”

ChapterFourteen

Demi

Ignoringthe voices calling after me, I climbed into Kingston’s truck.Thankfully, there weren’t any bystanders in the parking lot as I hit reverse and stomped on the gas.I wasn’t sure how I got out of that parking lot without crashing into other vehicles, but as soon as I was on the road again, I didn’t pause for anything.

Not even the stop sign a mile down the road.

Every inch of my body felt like it had been dropped into ice, but sweat soaked through my clothes, making them cling to me.The scent of fear was suffocating inside the cab of the truck, causing me to gag at the stench of my weakness.I fumbled with buttons on the door until all the windows were down.

I’d gone three years without freaking out like I just had.I’d had a few moments when I’d frozen up from some random incident that would send me spiraling with memories.I’d relive the fear and the pain.But Iris was always with me, and some sixth sense would engage.Having her in my arms, being able to see, touch, and smell my little one, always pulled me out of the PTSD.

None of those occasions had been as bad as what had just happened at Aggie’s.There had been no baby within reach to bundle into my arms and reassure myself that we were both safe and unharmed.

It barely felt like I’d left the diner when I pulled into Kingston’s driveway.The truck lurched when I came to a sudden stop, tossing me forward before whipping me back, and I realized I hadn’t put on my seat belt.I couldn’t remember anything from the drive across town.The windows were still down.I was shaking, shivering so hard my teeth chattered together.I had my hands clenched around the steering wheel so hard my fingers were numb.

I stared down at my hands.“You are so fucking weak, Demi.And useless.You can’t protect yourself.You can’t protect Iris.”

A sob bubbled out of me.“Weak and useless and nothing.”

Suddenly, the driver’s door was ripped open, but I was too far gone in my own self-loathing to even scream.Kingston reached for me, but instead of shrinking back from his touch, I threw myself into his arms.My arms and legs wrapped around him as I buried my face in his neck.

“I don’t want to be weak and useless and nothing anymore,” I choked out.“I’m so tired of being afraid.I’m so fucking tired, Kingston.”

His hold on me was tight.“I’m sorry you’re tired, baby.But you are not weak.Or useless.And you sure as hell aren’t nothing.”

“I am,” I cried, soaking him with more tears.

“No, you’re not, Demi,” he argued, using that commanding tone he had to resort to when Iris was being stubborn and he needed to be firm with her.

“Th-then what am I?”

“Mine,” he breathed against my ear.Pressing me against the side of the truck, he tipped my head back with one hand under my chin.Sunlight was barely peeking through the clouds, shining down on us, allowing me to see the conviction in his green eyes.“You are mine, baby.”

I wanted to be his so badly, but no one like him would want someone like me.

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