Page 20 of Remnants
“Kaitlin.” Using my name, her voice is a little firmer this time. “I want you. But I cannot have you like this, sweetheart.”
“Like what?” I whisper against her lips, brushing mine over them softly. I hear her small whimper as she forces herself to back away.
“It is taking everything I have, to not hurt your husband. I can be your friend. But, Junebug—please, baby, don’t force me to look at what he does to you and tell me I can’t stop him. It will kill me.” I stare at her in confusion for a moment–then it hits me.
While the bruising on my face is light enough now that I can cover it with makeup easily, my cracked ribs are still noticeable.If she moved my shirt, she would see them. If she touched me wrong, it would hurt. I hang my head and nod.
“Would it be easier to keep my distance from you?”
“No,” she says desperately as she grabs my face. It occurs to me that I don’t flinch when she touches me. I feel tears fill my eyes and I try to blink them away, but they fall. I feel Nora’s soft lips kiss my tears. “Don’t cry, Junebug.” Her voice is as soft and tender as her kisses. I reach forward and kiss her mouth again. I run my hand through her short, damp hair and grip it. Nora groans but pushes back.
“No,” she says firmly. “I am doing this not only to protect my feelings, but to protect you, Junebug. You won’t get hurt—” Sam starts snarling and barking at the window. “It’s your husband.”
I sigh and stand up, walking toward the kitchen to busy myself, and to get the tears out of my eyes. James doesn’t knock, he just opens the door. Sam lunges but sits back when Nora’s command is yelled from the back room.
I watch James walk in, holding a bat in his hands and my heart drops.
“J-James?”
“What are you still doing here, Kaitlin?” I show him the large metal bowl that I am mixing Sam’s food into.
“I was giving Sam his food and then coming back home,” I say as I place Sam’s bowl onto his tray.
“What’s the bat for, Jimbo?” I flinch at Nora’s nickname as she walks out with her prosthetic visible and her cane.
“Mynameis James.” The fact that his teeth aren’t breaking with how tight his jaw is astonishes me.
“Didn’t answer my question, bud.” She smirks as she walks behind the island in her kitchen. “You taking up batting practice?”
“Something like that,” he mutters and I hear his hand tighten on the grip of the bat. Nora nods, feigning amusement.
“That’s awesome, it’s a great stress reliever. I remember.” She shakes her head while releasing a light chuckle that feels so dark it makes me nervous. “It’s so funny to think about now. But you know I was a Captain in the army, right? Surely Katie here has mentioned that to you?” I feel James’ cold stare on me but I’m too chicken to return it as Nora continues, “I remember being overseas on active duty, right? And as you can imagine, it’s a stressful situation. You’re in an active war zone, humanity is a luxury you can’t afford. So a lot of us found different ways to blow off steam, you know? My way was to see how small of a target I could hit with my rifle. There was just something so calming about laying there and waiting for the absolute perfect moment. Just focusing on that small little insignificant spot before releasing the trigger and…poof.” Nora takes a drink from the water bottle she had gotten from the fridge before smiling at him, never breaking eye contact.
I watch James work his jaw before turning his stare to me. “Are you ready?” I look to Nora then back at him and nod softly.
“Text me later, Katie,” Nora calls before we head out of her home.
The walk home is silent. All I can do is hyperfocus on his hand on the bat. James isn’t an idiot, he wouldn’t hit me or Nora with a bat, I know what it was for—Sam.
James hates dogs, mainly because they all hate him. I was told by Becky once that you always knew who was up to no good by the way dogs acted around them. With James, dogs always either cower, or growl and bark. James was going to try to hurt Sam and Nora, and I had to come up with a way to protect them.
“You’re done with whatever secret shit you’re doing with her,” James says while slamming the door shut after we walk in. “Don’t think I don’t notice how she looks at you.” His lip curls as he shoves past me. “First I’m killing that mutt, and then if you continue to sneak around, she’s going to disappear as well.”
“J-James! What? You… No!” I shout in a voice I don’t recognize as my own. He freezes before spinning around to stare at me.
“What did you just say?”
Squaring my shoulders, I stare him directly in the eyes. “I said no. You hurt her, you hurt Sam, and I will go to the cops. I will tell everyone everything.” James raises a brow as he walks closer to me.
“No one will believe you,” he challenges while backing me against a wall.
“Most may not,” I whisper despite my trembling breath. “But it only takes one in your practice. Just one who may think I’m telling the truth. Once the seeds have been planted—it’s ov—ah!” I cry out as his hand grips my throat, cutting off my air supply.
“You fucking her?” he grinds out while gripping my neck tighter. His hand goes under my dress and I let out a silent cry as he roughly shoves his fingers inside me. His eyes widen when he pulls them out. “You’re wet. Your underwear are fucking wet!”
“James, I—” He snatches me by the back of my hair, dragging me to the kitchen and shoving me face down on the granite countertop.
“Time to remind the pig who she belongs to. You’re in for a long fucking night.”
