Forehead Kisses: Uncrushable Part 17

"I don't care about it." I took her hand and walked into the locker room. The silence was welcoming.

The guys followed a moment later.

"That guy is a f.u.c.king a.s.shole," Scotty snapped. "We should have all jumped him right then and there."

"At least you won't see him again," Bran said. "He'll be out of the ring for months, maybe even permanently."

I sat down on the bench and wiped the sweat and blood from my face. Keira got a wet towel and cleaned my wounds. My lip was b.l.o.o.d.y and she wiped the fluid away.

"He's not even worth mentioning," I said. "Let's move on."

"What?" Scotty asked incredulously. "That guy practically tried to strangle you."

"And he made himself look like a p.r.i.c.k," I said calmly. "Who cares?"

Keira ran her hand down my back and stayed beside me. I preferred her silence over the redundant words my friends were saying. He was such a lowlife that he wasn't even worth mentioning.

"I'm heading home." I stood up and grabbed my bag.

"You don't want to go out and party tonight?" Bran asked.

"No." I shut my locker and grabbed my bag.

"Do you want us to come over...?" Scotty asked.

"No." I grabbed Keira's hand. "We'll see you later."

When we got home, I immediately headed to the shower. Once I was underneath the water, I felt a little better. When I slept with Crow's girl, I had no idea she had a man. She was such a s.l.u.t that I couldn't imagine the possibility that she was in a relations.h.i.+p. But that meant nothing to Crow, so I didn't feel bad about it.

The savage way he tried to take me out made my blood boil. It was such a lame thing to do. I didn't deserve to be treated that way, with my back turned and exposed. It disgusted me that cowards like him existed. He seemed to be the type that wouldn't mind slapping a girl once in a while. Where were all the men? The real men? I felt like I was holding down the fort on my own.

Keira joined me in the shower, catching me by surprise. Her naked body didn't get me hard like it usually did. I was in a bad mood and nothing could pull me out of it. Wordlessly, she squirted soap into her hands then ma.s.saged my body, wiping all the stress away.

She stood behind me and used her fingertips to lather the soap with the hot water. I stood still, closing my eyes while she attended to me. She barely reached my shoulder but she managed to rub my torso and back. When she came to my front, she kissed the skin over my heart then stood in front of me.

I looked down at her then placed my hand around her neck. She didn't flinch or blink. I gently pulled her lips to mine and gave her a kiss. Then I shut off the water and stepped out. After I dried myself with a towel, I sat at the edge of my bed and stared at the floor.

Keira got dressed then sat beside me. "Do you want to be alone?"

I didn't like being in a bad mood around her. She sheathed my anger, but I didn't want her to sacrifice her patience on me. There was nothing she could do to help me. The sour mood would pa.s.s in time. "That would probably be best."

She seemed disappointed. "Okay."

"I just don't want to bring you down with me. I'll be back to normal tomorrow."

She didn't argue with me. "Okay. Call me when you're feeling better."

"Okay."

"And for what it's worth, I liked watching you kick his a.s.s."

A slight smile formed on my lips. "Thanks."

I walked her to her car and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay." She got inside then drove away. I stayed in my driveway and stared at her taillights until they disappeared around the corner. Then with a heavy heart and a bad att.i.tude, I walked inside and sat in the dark.

I sat in front of the TV even though I wasn't really watching it. My mind was elsewhere, thinking about the way Crow tried to snap my neck. Everyone thought he was just flailing, jerking me to get a better hold. But that wasn't the case.

He was trying to kill me.

When people were upset, they lashed out and did things they regretted. But Crow wasn't like that. He had no remorse. He hated me for the way I ravaged his girl, and he was livid that I beat him in the ring. Hate couldn't begin to describe what he felt for me.

I tried not to let it bother me, but it did. And his comment about Keira p.i.s.sed me off. If he came anywhere near her, I would rip his throat out without hesitation. She was off limits. If he had any sinister intention toward her, I'd extinguish his life like a burned out candle. That was the reason I was so upset, not the way he choked me and tried to kill me. It was his threat against my girl. I wasn't even sure what he meant, but I didn't take ill words lightly.

My mind wandered in dark thoughts until my phone rang. Hoping it was Keira, I pulled it out and looked at the screen.

It was Adrianna.

Why was she calling me? Did she change her mind about telling me the truth? I took the call. "What's up?"

She sobbed over the phone, her wails burning into my ear. "Liam?"

Alarm shot through my body. I was on my feet without thinking. "What's wrong? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm in the bathroom...he's trying to get in."

"Call the cops."

"I can't. If I do...he'll kill me."

I was running out the door with my keys in my hand. I jumped into my truck, started the engine, and then hauled a.s.s. "Stay on the phone with me."

She continued to cry, her voice cracking. "Please hurry."

I ran three lights and sprinted through a stop sign. If I didn't get there in time, I was afraid he would kill her. I couldn't let another girl die because a guy couldn't control his anger. I couldn't let the abuse continue. My sister didn't die in vain. Maybe she lost her life, but I would make sure no one else did.

I slammed on my brakes when I reached her apartment. "I'm coming in." I hung up then ran up the steps until I got to her floor. The door was unlocked so I walked in, my muscles tensed and ready for battle. I'd kill him because it was self-defense. If I didn't take him out now, he would just do this to someone else.

I turned toward the hallway and I saw Adrianna raise a skillet. Then she hit me hard in the head, making me stumble back. "What the f.u.c.k...?" When I was on the ground, she hit me again. All I saw was darkness.

My body was on something soft. I was facing upright and I had a huge migraine. I was still asleep, but slightly awake. I heard voices in the background, two girl voices.

"Take a picture with me on top," Adrianna said.

What the h.e.l.l was going on? I felt a small body move on top of me. I suddenly realized I was completely naked. There were no clothes covering my skin. Even my boxers were gone.

I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't. My body was unresponsive. Pain shot through my head. I must have a concussion.

"Did you get them all?" Adrianna asked.

"Yep," a girl said.

I used all my energy to stir my body. I flashed my eyes open and saw Adrianna sitting on top of me, completely naked. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were in my face and her bottom was right on my d.i.c.k.

A girl stood next to the bed with her phone, snapping pictures of us.

Everything became clear.

"You f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h." I shoved Adrianna off me so hard she hit the floor.

"s.h.i.+t, he's awake," she mumbled.

I jumped out of the bed, my muscles tense and murder in my eyes. I was about to become the violent abuser I attested I hated. I wanted to grab her by the throat and strangle the life out of her. Her screams and cries of help would do nothing but make me smile.

Adrianna flinched and crawled away from me, the fear in her eyes.

She should be afraid of me.

"You played me." My hands shook because I was furious. She preyed on my past and used it against me. "I couldn't believe I actually tried to help you. Of all the dirt I've met, you've got to be the s.h.i.+ttiest person in the world. Maybe you haven't killed anyone, but you're worse than my sister's tormentor."

"Send it," Adrianna said to the girl.

I turned my body to her and watched her hit the b.u.t.ton on her phone.

s.h.i.+t.

"Sent," she said.

Adrianna smiled. "Good luck explaining that to Keira."

I s.n.a.t.c.hed her phone away but it was too late. The message was already sent out. My fists clenched then I shattered the phone on the ground, breaking it into indistinguishable pieces. I clutched my head, afraid of what I might do to both of them. I've never wanted to hurt a girl before, but I knew I wanted to then. I took a deep breath then s.n.a.t.c.hed my clothes and stormed out of the room. If I didn't leave now, I'd commit murder.

I didn't know what kind of pictures Adrianna took, but I could imagine how incriminating they would be. Since I was unconscious, she probably violated my body in ways that would make me hurl. Keira would be devastated when she saw them, and I would have no evidence to prove my innocence. We would be done-for good. There was no coming back from this.

When I got to my truck, I smashed my fist into the door over and over, denting it further inside. My fist was b.l.o.o.d.y but I didn't care. I screamed and cursed, wanting to demolish my truck into pieces. Two women walking up the sidewalk stopped when they saw me and immediately turned around, running.

My fist dripped with blood when I got into the truck. Unsure why I was even bothering to do it, I drove to Keira's house, hoping I could explain what happened. Knowing Keira, she wouldn't even answer the door. She'd never speak to me again.

When I parked outside, I ran to the door and pounded my fists against it. I needed to see her. If I could just explain what happened, maybe, just maybe, she would believe me. We both knew Adrianna was psycho. She had to believe me...I couldn't lose her.

Keira opened the door. Her face was unreadable. She stared at me. There was a look in her eyes I couldn't identify. Anger s.h.i.+ned, but it was a million times stronger than any level of ferocity I'd ever seen. She looked like she might kill me, bury me in the garden in her back yard.

Her hands shook by her sides. "I can't believe she did this to you..."

What...?

She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Trying to manipulate you is one thing, but this is just...there are no words." Tears pooled in her eyes. "She violated your rights and raped you. It's a crime. It's a d.a.m.n crime."

The air I had been holding released out of my lungs. "You know I didn't cheat on you...?"

"Of course." More tears bubbled. "I know you would never do that, Liam. She must have drugged you or-"

"Beaten me over the had with a skillet." I was p.i.s.sed just thinking about it.

"G.o.d..." The tears breached the surface then fell down her face. "That's so wrong."

I was just relieved she didn't believe the stupid charade. I thought I was going to lose her again. "It means the world to me that you didn't believe it."

"I learned from my mistakes...and you would never do that, Liam. I know how much you despise her. Actually, you wouldn't do that with anyone. It doesn't make sense. You won't have s.e.x with me, so why would you have s.e.x with someone else?" She wiped her tears away. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

The concern and pain in her eyes moved me. "It's okay...I was unconscious the whole time. I don't even know what pictures she sent you."

"You don't want to see them..." She walked into the house then grabbed the phone. "I'm calling the cops."

"No." I s.n.a.t.c.hed it away.

"No?"

"They are going to investigate it. I'll have to show them pictures and feel my dignity taken away. I destroyed her phone and now all that remains are the ones on yours. I just want to forget about it."

"Liam, you don't know-"

"And I don't want to. This isn't a normal rape. I'm not afraid of her doing it again. She'll never get the chance. But I am afraid I might kill her..."

"This isn't right, Liam. I can't just let this go."

"I never said to let it go. I just don't want to get the police involved."

Keira wrapped her arms around my waist and held me close. "I'm so sorry..."

My hands hooked around her small body. "It's okay. I was only worried I would lose you."

"You could never lose me."

I placed my lips to her forehead and kissed her. She and I had become stronger than we'd ever been before. No one could rip us apart. No one in our pasts could claim our present. No one in our present could claim our future. For the first time, I realize she truly trusted me, took my word over everyone else's. If she believed me despite the pictures sent to her phone, then her trust for me was ironclad. "I love you."

She took a deep breath at my words. "I love you too..."

"Move in with me."

"What...?" She pulled away and looked me in the eyes. "I didn't think you were ready for that."

"I wasn't." I gave her a serious look. "But now I am."

It took a few days for us to move everything back to my house. Scotty helped out and used his truck to haul the rest of her stuff.

"So..." He put his hands in his pockets. "I hope this is the last time Keira will have to move her s.h.i.+t."