Page 36 of Breaking the Limits

I growl in frustration. “You know none of this would have happened if you would have just stayed out of it. Why did you have to request me then choose me for the video after I specifically asked you not to?”

“Because believe it or not I just wanted to help you. You are my friend and this is what I do for them.”

A harsh, sarcastic laugh bubbles out of me. “Good to know. It’s really good to know that you purposefully go against the wishes of your friends.”

“Damn it Kynlee! I messed up but at least I’m trying to fix it! Just come over and meet this guy, Mr. Olden, he’s been in the business for a while and he might can help,” Enzo pauses but when I don’t answer he continues. “Please,” he pleads on the other end of the phone.

I’m exasperated and as much as I tell myself I don’t need Enzo’s help; I could definitely use it; especially if I’m not going to take the job at Red Hott. Sighing I get up from the sand. “Okay, send me the address.” I end the call and stare at the screen for a moment, considering calling Ace just to tell him I’m sorry but then the text from Enzo comes through and I push Ace from my mind. I can deal with that after I get this new agent. I jog toward my Jeep and punch the address into my GPS. As I’m backing out the idea of calling Ace crosses my mind again. I push it to the back of my brain but there’s an uneasy feeling in my stomach.

****

Ace

I stand frozen in the spot where I had stopped pacing before Kynlee left. The slam of the front door is still echoing in my ears, my lungs struggle to pull the air they require and the feeling of needing to scream is overwhelming, but I can’t find my voice. How had things turned so quickly? I shiver as a cold breeze coats my skin. I know the answer to that…me. Things always get messed up because of me. I just want to protect Kynlee but she doesn’t want that.

Music is coming from the table and my first thought is Kynlee. I somehow manage to move my feet toward the table but when I get to my phone my heart drops to my stomach. It’s not Kynlee it’s just Pierce. I turn around and punch the wall as mytemper flares. What the hell was I thinking? Why did I think that I could be different with Kynlee? Why do I feel this ridiculous need to protect her?

My heart is screaming the words but my head refuses to acknowledge them. The only thing my head is saying to me is to go after Kynlee. So, I grab my keys, storm out of the apartment, and run toward my Hellcat. Maybe if I tell Kynlee I don’t care that she goes to work at Red Hott she won’t want to work there. Some of that reverse psychology shit that Sadie is always talking about. A thought occurs to me and I look for my phone in the car but it’s not here. Then I remember it lying on the dining room table and curse out loud. Why didn’t I get the damn phone? I could have called Kynlee. Damn it!

Pressing on the accelerator I feel the adrenaline kick in, almost like I’m racing. As I pull into the parking lot of Red Hott the back end of my Hell Cat fishtails like crazy. I’m in such a hurry that I don’t even look to see if I spot Kynlee’s Jeep anywhere. I just throw the car in park, jump out and run for the door. The bouncer makes me pay the admission but once I’m inside I feel my stomach roll. This is no place for Kynlee. I don’t care what she thinks, it’s just not. The air is thicker than the smog the coats L.A. in the morning commuting traffic. The smell of cigarette smoke clings to everything.

Quickly, I scan the room but there’s no sign of Kynlee. I make my way to the bartender. “What can I get you?”

I shake my head. “Have you seen Kynlee Adams in here?”

“Who?” I go on to explain Kynlee to him but eventually he shakes his head. “There was a girl in here earlier today looking for a job but haven’t seen her since, didn’t reckon I would though. She stuck out in here like a sore thumb.”

I nod and mumble my thanks. I’m almost to my car when I feel the hit. The searing pain at the back of my head that makes my vision a little blurry. I wobble but manage to stay on my feet.However, the second hit on the back of my neck sends me to my knees. Ryce walks around into my line of blurred vision with a smirk on his face. “Well, well, well not the brother I wanted but I’ll take it. You know all the James brothers are really the same.”

I go to get up from my spot on the ground but a swift foot to the back knocks me back down. “What the hell do you want?” I gasp out since my air has been knocked out of my lungs.

“What I want is for your brother to crawl back under that rock he’s been living under the past five years. What I want is to have my life back in order. What I want is for Londynn to get off her crazy train and back on path,” Ryce drawls on.

With each word he says my head gets a little clearer and my lungs get a little more air. I need to keep him talking for a few more minutes. I’ll be good to go then. It’ll still be four against one but I can take them. “From what I’ve heard you cheated on Londynn with Alivia so what is so important about her now?”

Ryce stops then laughs but it’s a fake laugh like my question was dumb. “Well, you see Londynn is my key to everything. I marry Londynn then her inheritance becomes our inheritance, her successful father becomes successful father-in-law and let’s face it when the local media sees us, my picture will be all over the paper which will also get me more women.”

“What? One isn’t enough for you?”

“Hardly, besides Londynn is a bit of a prude. I actually feel sorry for your brother. Well, to an extent but regardless, this is a message to him.” He steps toward me but I spring back up to my feet faster than I thought I could. I throw my fists in every direction, not caring who or what I hit. My fists connect with random parts of the body. Groans and cries of pain fill the night air and the smell of blood is potent. Then I feel it, the slicing heated pain in my lower back, I feel the sticky liquid as it gushes from the wound. I’ve been stabbed. The first stab is followed by a second.

I fall back to my knees again, the pain too much to bear. One of the four kicks my ribs repeatedly until I collapse on the ground, gasping for air. Ryce straddles my abdomen as he begins to wale on my face. It’s almost as if I can hear my skin busting open. Blood feels my mouth and I can only see out of one eye now.

Ryce grabs me by the collar of my shirt pulling me up when his hands grip the necklace I always wear tucked beneath. It’s a black and white diamond ace playing card dog tag. Kynlee got it for me as, “something to remember her by”. We were coming up on six months and I guess I had been pulling away from her. She thought I was going to end things so she had showed up unexpectedly at my door in the late-night hours. I could see her trying to keep her composure, trying to keep her tears from spilling over and then she handed me the small box and told me it’d been fun. She turned away from me and walked back out. I stood for a moment before opening the box and there it was, the dog tag was lying inside and I chased Kynlee down to her Jeep. I had worn the dog tag every day since.

Ryce pulls the chain so he can see what’s at the end and when he sees it, he laughs. I’d give anything to let my rage go right now and beat him senseless but I can’t. My body feels heavy, tired, and weak. “Just for good measure,” Ryce whispers in my ear before stabbing me two more times in the abdomen. He lets my body fall back onto the pavement but not before ripping the dog tag from my neck. My protest falls dead on my lips.

I hear their footsteps as they run to their cars. The rumble of their engines causing vibrations on the ground below me. The sound of squealing tires is the last thing I hear before my eyes fall shut. I welcome the cold wrapping itself around me right now. I’m so tired but then I remember Kynlee and how I never got to apologize so I fight to open my eyes back up. I canactually see a few stars sparkling in the night sky above. Trying to breathe is a task and I want to give up but I can’t…not yet.

Finally, I hear people talking and laughing then a scream as I am discovered, and, in that moment, I know I can finally let go.

Chapter 24

Kynlee

I pulled up to the pristine looking house that Enzo had given me the address of. I park along the street and walk up the paved circle drive which was filled with expensive cars. The large water fountain in the middle of the drive is almost unnoticeable with all of these cars. My stomach churns as I think of what Ace would give to be here right now, surrounded by all these cars.

I climb the steps and ring the doorbell but I doubt anyone will hear it. The music from inside the party can clearly be heard from the outside. Finally, I give up and open the door. The grand staircase and large chandelier hanging in the middle of the foyer are the first things I notice. The black and white tiled floor is the next, everything together is absolutely breathtaking.

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