Page 106 of Fighting For Light
“My face is far too pretty for jail,” Liam quips. It doesn’t reach his eyes, but that’s how he is. He cracks jokes and tries to make light of difficult things. We all have to cope somehow. Without another word, Emerson spins around and goes back down the stairs. “I’m going to go help him. And Two?”
“Yeah?”
“We’ve got this. Cordi is more important right now. Take care of my sister,” he says gently.
“I know, but…” A fresh flood of white-hot anger floods through my body. “They came after me and mine. I won’t be sitting this one out, Three,” I grit out. He dips his head once and goes back down the stairs.
I bring our bags into the bedroom and sit them by the chair in front of the window. I have no idea how long we will be here. Cordi and Mom might have to go shopping for a few things. Walking back into the bathroom, my wife is still standing there, dazed.
“Cordi, let’s get you a bath.” I reach for her, waiting for permission.
She grabs my hand and puts it on the fabric of her shirt. I take that as approval and pull her shirt over her head, then kneel down to push her sweatpants and underwear over her hips. She holds onto my shoulders as she steps out of them. I stay on my knee for a second and press my lips to her belly. Thankful and grateful are far too simple of words to explain the way I feel right now. She’s safe,theyare safe. That’s all that matters.
Her hands come to my hair and drag through it while my lips linger on her body. I have no idea what time it is, but it’s late. Or maybe it’s early. I get to my feet, and Cordi’s eyes droop. “Would you rather take a shower?” I ask her. She shrugs, and I lean in to kiss her cheek.
“Just be with me,” she rasps. I nod and undress myself before flipping on the water to the shower. I’d be happy to get her into a bath, but a shower would be quicker right now, and she needs rest. Once it’s warm, I step in first and then offer both of my hands for her to step in. I need to keep touching her. I need her to ground me right now because all I want to do is run down those stairs and make that man wish he never laid eyes on mywoman. I want to make him scream so loudly his vocal chords refuse to work anymore. I want my face to be the last thing he sees before he meets his maker. I want to exact vengeance on him so clearly that he will die in agony. I’ve never felt that about anyone that has come into contact with my family. Usually, I am the more level-headed one. But not tonight. Tonight, Emerson may have to hold me back.
Cordi’s hand slides up my arm, bringing me back to what’s going on around me. She stops at the side of my neck and pulls my attention to her. I don’t know if it’s the time, but I hardly care as our heads tilt together, meeting in a soul-shaking kiss. She pulls back. Her eyes are full of sadness and something else I can’t name as her tears mix with water falling down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry. I love you,” I whisper. She blinks as I grip her head between my hands. Her chin is tilted back as she looks up at me while the water rinses through her hair. She turns her head to rinse her face, and I spot blood behind her ear. I swipe my thumb over it and quickly wash it away before she sees it. When she’s done, I wash up quickly, then get us both out and dressed. I swear she sways on her feet as I find her grandma pajamas to pull over her head.
She slowly lays down on her side of the bed, and I pull the covers up over her. Crawling into bed next to her, I’m not sure if she wants space or not.
Then she reaches for my hand and loops her fingers through mine. “You’re going to go downstairs when I fall asleep, aren’t you?” My tongue darts out over my lips, and she watches the motion. “Will you let me come with?” she asks. I freeze and look her in the eyes, even if it hurts.
“Absolutely not,” I tell her, resolute.
“Why?” she asks unevenly.
I sigh and lean forward to kiss her forehead. She smells like my soap, but her honey scent still warms my blood. “You havealready seen a side of me that I never wanted you to come into contact with. There is no going back now, but I can keep you from this. I don’t want you to see this side of me again, Cordi. It’s already hard enough knowing that you are aware of…what I am capable of.”
She sighs and scoots closer to me, tucking her head under my jaw. “I never want you to be afraid to show me all of you, Kai. I loveallof you, even the parts you think are too dark. I’m right here. My hands are just as stained.”
I sigh and rub her back. “No, gem, they aren’t.”
She doesn’t respond and goes quiet. I lay there for so long I start to drift off, then hot-blooded adrenaline pumps through my veins, reminding me of my task.My duty. Cordi’s breaths are even as I slide out from under her and silently leave our bedroom.
49
Cordelia
The door shuts quietlybehind Kai, and I open my eyes, looking at the blind-covered window as the moonlight tries to peek its way through. I’m exhausted, but the thought of sleeping scares me. The nightmares feel like they are already creeping in around me.
Closing my eyes again, this baby has been through a lot just like his mama, and sleep will help. But I can’t get it out of my head: where he went, what he’s doing down there. I feel like I should be there for … I don’t know, moral support?
Don’t be naïve, Cordelia. You know he’s done this before, and you know he’s done this without you. He has his brothers. He’s fine. But I’m not fine. I want to skewer the man who came after me and my child. Also, I don’t like being told no.
“Screw it,” I mutter and roll myself out of bed. I toss my night dress, grab one of Kai’s giant hoodies, and slip on yoga pants. My hand hovers over the knob, shaking. This could upset Kai, but I don’t particularly care. Those men came for my husband, too. I take a deep breath and leave our room. I’m his wife, for better or worse, good or morally grey. If he’s in it, then so am I.
I’m not familiar with the house, so it takes me a minute to find the stairs to the lower level. Refusing to think more about it, I take the stairs down slowly, watching my feet, then freeze when I hear a scream. It’s muffled and probably not nearly as loud as it should be. Which means they have stuff down here that absorbs sound. That’s…smart.
My foot hits the bottom step. The lights are on, and there’s a couch, a large TV, and a small bathroom with a shower off to the side. It’s the perfect man cave where I imagine the boys spent a lot of time when they were younger. Lightning flashes off in the distance of the mountains, and it feels like some kind of sign.
A muffled groan comes from behind one of the closed doors, and I make my way towards the hall, forcing air into my lungs as my heart pounds against my ribcage. Leaning my ear against the first door on my right, I don’t hear anything. I do the same thing to the next door. Nothing. Then there’s a third where I hear a muffled cry, then a grunt, like a fist hitting a face.
The knob turns in my hand, and I step into the room with a concrete floor and no window. This must be one of the rooms directly into the rock. Liam glances at me, and his mouth tips up. He winks at me while he stands in the corner, leaning against a stainless steel table. Kai is focused on the bloodied man tied to a chair, so he doesn’t know I’m here.
Emerson stands over him with blood dripping from his split knuckles. Kai looks up at me, and his eyes widen. He steps towards me, and I stare at the man who came for us.
