Forehead Kisses: Uncrushable Part 25

I wouldn't give him a reprieve. I kneed him in the groin then punched him hard in the stomach.

He moaned then stumbled back. "What the f.u.c.k?"

I didn't stop. I raised my foot and kicked him hard in the knee, trying to break the cap.

He hissed in irritation, and his eyes widened in unbridled rage. "You f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h." He rushed me, the intent to kill made clear. His hand reached for my throat, but my chin was tucked, blocking his hold. I twisted my arm out but he caught it. Then he bent it backwards, trying to break it.

I screamed when I knew it was about to snap. Focusing on the moment, I spun into him then slammed my head against his. His hand dropped my arm while he stepped back.

I aimed a kick at his injured leg but he caught it this time. Then he twisted it, making me fall to the ground.

"I'm going to make you scream." He jumped on top of me and held me down with his weight.

s.h.i.+t. s.h.i.+t. s.h.i.+t.

He gripped my throat and squeezed, choking me. His other hand moved to my jeans, undoing the zipper and b.u.t.tons.

No. I would not let this happen.

My mind was fading from the lack of oxygen.

No. I will not allow this.

What do I do?

"Finn, I missed you so much."

His hand stilled and he looked at me, confusion on his face. "Wait...?" My declaration completely caught him off guard. His attention focused on my face, I lifted my leg and wrapped it around his neck then squeezed like a python. Then I pulled him to the floor.

He gasped then gripped my thigh, trying to get my leg off. I kept squeezing, refusing to let go. Then he reached out and grabbed my hair, yanking on it hard. I screamed and felt the hair rip from my scalp. The distraction was enough for him to evade my hold.

When he got up, he moved to the kitchen.

What was he doing? Was he running?

He pulled a steak knife from out of the rack then came back to me.

Oh s.h.i.+t.

Finn sliced it at me but I dodged out of the way. Liam had never trained me with a knife, but I could do this. I just had to focus. He may be bigger than me, but I was faster. It took more effort for him to move than for me to step out of the way.

He sashed the knife back and forth, trying to knick me whenever possible. I stayed just out of range from the deadly point, protecting myself as much as possible. He would get me eventually unless I took the blade from him. That was the only way.

I kept spinning away from him, making him grow agitated from his continued misses. When he pushed me up against a wall so I was cornered, I waited for him to lash at me one more time. Once his arm was thrown I grabbed his wrist then shoved him into the wall, making him drop the knife.

He kicked me hard in the thigh then shoved me violently, trying to get to the knife first. Unable to reach it with my hand, I kicked it under the dining table, watching it slide across the hard wood floor.

He slapped me hard across the face, just like he used to, and then dove for it.

I jumped on top of the table then slid to the other side, making it tip over. The chairs were knocked over and the cus.h.i.+ons on the seats scattered to the floor.

Finn finally grabbed it then came after me.

He was coming right at me, but as I sprinted out of the way, my foot caught on a cus.h.i.+on and I slid to the ground.

He was almost on me. There was nothing I could do. He would stab me right in the back.

He grabbed my shoulder then forced me to my back. "I want to watch you die. And when you're bleeding to death, I'm going to ram you until I'm satisfied."

f.u.c.king psycho.

He raised the knife to stab me in the chest.

Reaching for my last lifeline, I grabbed a cus.h.i.+on and held it above my chest as he stabbed me. The knife ripped through but his hand didn't make it. The fabric stayed tough.

I yanked it from his grasp then rolled out of the way. I was about to get up when he lunged at me again. At the last second, making the decision without thinking about it, I turned the cus.h.i.+on over and he landed right on top of it.

His breathing hitched when he looked into my eyes. His eyes suddenly widened and then blood seeped from his mouth. He gurgled then gasped, winded. I distantly felt the warm blood move into my clothes and soak the floor. I stared at his face, watching the light leave his eyes.

I didn't kill him. He killed himself accidentally, but I was partially responsible. Despite that fact, I felt no remorse for what I was watching. There was no sympathy and I had no urge to comfort him. I didn't want to help him. Instead, I stayed underneath him as his body tightened and became firm. The last of his breaths came out weak. He tried to speak but nothing came out, just jumbled words.

His eyes finally stopped moving. His body suddenly deflated of oxygen. His heart stopped beating. He was rigid and still.

I looked into his open eyes and remembered all the nights of terror. "I'm free..." I shoved him off of me and stayed on the floor, soaked in blood. The cus.h.i.+on was still attached to him. Unable to move or think, I stayed absolutely still. My heart was beating dangerously slow now that the fight had ended. I listened to the silence, welcoming it. The world was now a much safer place for me.

If Liam hadn't come into my life, I'd be dead right now.

A life for a life. Now he and I were square.

I sat on the steps outside while the police moved in and out of my house. They questioned me repeatedly and then they questioned Finn's parole officer. Based on my testimony and his report, it was pretty clear the whole incident was self-defense. Finn had the motive, and he fell on his own knife. I was just lucky to escape alive.

Scotty came up the driveway, running. "Keira!" He fell to his knees in front of me then looked at me, fear in his eyes. "I just got the call...what happened?"

I was calm. My voice was low. "Finn is dead."

"You killed him?" he whispered.

"Yes...and no. He tried to stab me, but when I turned over, he fell on the knife. It was his own doing, really."

"You seem awfully calm..." His eyes searched my face.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I felt rejuvenated, happy. "The man who ruined my life is gone. He'll never bother me again. He'll never haunt me again. I can move on and be free."

He grabbed both of my hands and held them in his. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm more than okay."

"You don't look beat up."

"Because I kicked his a.s.s, Scotty-thanks to Liam."

"Yeah..." He sat beside me and pulled me into his arms. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too."

He rested his head on mine with his arms tight around me. I closed my eyes, loving the embrace of my only family member in the entire world. He was always on my side, always protecting me. But now I protected myself.

Somehow, inexplicably, I knew Liam was there. He was on the property, just down the driveway. Our souls were synced in an undeniable way. I opened my eyes and saw him heading toward me, the fear heavy in his face.

"I told Liam," Scotty said. "I thought he should know..."

I stood up and left his arms, seeing Liam come closer to me.

His chest rammed into me when he hugged me, almost knocking me over. He gripped my thighs and pulled me off the ground, anchoring my body to his form. He held me close, his face buried in my neck.

He said nothing, just holding me.

I thought his ribs would be in pain, but if they were, he didn't show it. He squeezed me tightly, having no intention of letting me go.

I stayed in his arms, finally feeling safe.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

"Yes."

Scotty excused himself and went inside.

He took a deep breath, and I felt his wide chest expand into me. "You killed him?"

"No...but he's dead."

"Good."

"I wouldn't have survived if it weren't for you..."

He took another deep breath. "Please don't say that. Just thinking about you dying..." He couldn't finish the sentence. I felt his tears emerge on my neck. They were warm.

"Liam, I'm okay."

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here."

"It wasn't your fault. You were in the hospital."

"I shouldn't have told you to go home..."

"Stop, Liam. I'm okay. That's all that matters."

He continued to hold me while people walked in and out of the house. The red and blue lights of the police cars s.h.i.+ned in my eyes. Finn's body was taken away hours ago. I stayed at the house because I was too numb to leave.

"Can I tell you something?" I whispered.

"Yes."

"I'm glad he's dead."

"I am too," he said without hesitation. He finally pulled his face away from my neck, the tears gone. "I love you so much, baby. I couldn't live without you..."

"I couldn't live without you."

He rested his head against mine and closed his eyes. "I'm glad all of this is over-everything."

"We survived-and now we're stronger because of it."

"We're unbreakable."

"Unshakeable."

He pressed his lips to my forehead. "And now uncrushable."

Epilogue.

Liam I hopped on my feet, circling my opponent in the ring. He aimed a few swipes at me, but missed every hit. I was too fast, and he was too big. His muscle ma.s.s was weighing him down.

When he threw his fist at my face, I dodged out of the way.

"Kick his a.s.s!" Keira was on the outside of the rope, screaming at the top of her lungs.

I smirked. Her enthusiasm was adorable.

He lunged at me, trying to finally land a hit.

"Take him out!" Keira pulled on the ropes.

I sidestepped his punch then kneed him from behind. When he was down, I wailed my fists against his face, b.l.o.o.d.ying his lip more than I already had. He tried to cover his face but I wouldn't let him.

The ref blew the whistle. "End of match."

Keira screamed louder than I ever heard her. "Yes! Liam!"

I retreated to my corner and wiped my forehead with a towel. Water was handed to me and I downed it.

Keira crawled through the ropes then wrapped her arms around me despite all the sweat on my chest. "You put him in his place."