The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden (The Coincidence, #1)

A big step and it scares the shit out of me, but he crashes his lips into mine before my thoughts can catch up. I clutch onto his biceps as he unhooks the clasp of my bra and it falls off my arms. I barely breathe at the feel of his bare skin touching mine. It feels good. And bad. It feels like everything I’ve wanted, but didn’t think I could have.

His lips leave my mouth and move downward across the hollow of my neck, pausing at the top of my chest. My eyes roll shut at the first touch of his mouth against my nipple. I fist my hands, unsure where to channel the helpless energy as he slides his tongue along the curve of my breast. A pleading cry flees my lips as my knees start to give out. He grips at my waist, his palms scorching with heat as he steadies me, and makes a path of kisses across my chest. A tingly sensation spreads between my thighs and I cry out, grabbing handfuls of his hair as my heart throbs inside my chest.

“You’re so beautiful,” Kayden murmurs as I struggle to stay on my feet.

“You’re so beautiful,” he mutters as he pins me down. I struggle to break free, but his knees press down on my shins and his fingers wrap around my wrists, trapping my arms above my head.

It all comes crashing down like the rain and the lightning outside. My eyes snap open and I jerk away, folding my arms across my chest. “I-I’m sorry. I-I can’t do this.”

He blinks his eyes, shocked. “What’s wrong?”

I turn in a circle, searching the floor. “It’s nothing. I just need my shirt.” I kick some of the clothes on the floor out of the way, my lungs squeezing tightly, constricting my oxygen flow. “I just need my shirt.”

His fingers graze my arm and I flinch, sucking in a deep breath, forcing back the tears. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he begs.

“It’s nothing.” I shrug off his hand as tears spill from my eyes. “I just need to go.”

His hands come down on my shoulders and he forces me to face him. I keep my eyes locked on the floor, refusing to look at him. He hooks his finger under my chin and elevates my face upward.

He scans the tears and his eyes widen. “Oh my god, I thought you were okay with going that far. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not you or that.” I wrench my face away from him and back toward the door with my arms still covering my chest.

“Then, what is it?” He steps toward me, searching my eyes desperately for an answer. “Callie, you’re really freaking me out right now. Please tell me what’s wrong.”

I shake my head, backing away, my shoulders curling inward in humiliation. “I can’t tell you. I just need to go.”

As the foul feeling in my stomach begins to build, owning me, controlling me, I reel for the door, ready to run out without a shirt on. He hurries in front of me, blocking my way with his body.

“You can’t walk out there like that,” he says, his eyes skimming my bare chest.

“I need to get out of here,” I choke, clutching at my stomach.

“I feel like I did something wrong… did I hurt you or something?”

My shoulders lurch as I choke through the sobs. “You didn’t do anything. He did.”

“Who did?” He steps toward me and I’m verging on shoving my finger down my throat right there in front of him because I can’t hold it in.

I skitter to the side, trying to dodge around him, the walls closing in on me. I need air. “I need to get out of here.”

His fingers snag my waist. “I can’t let you go out like that. Just trust me enough to tell me.”

“No! You can’t handle it.”

“Callie.” He’s freaking out. I’m freaking out. The entire situation is a mess. “I can handle anything you tell me.”

I shake my head as my knees buckle and his arms hold me up. “No, you can’t.” The vomit burns at the back of my throat as my ears ring and my eyes blur over with more tears. I’m hyperventilating and dizziness floods through my body. “No one wants to handle hearing about a twelve-year-old being raped… I have to keep it locked away. I have to…” I trail off, knowing I’ll never get it back.

I jerk from his arms, feeling ashamed, but he grabs my hand and yanks on my arm, crashing me against him. He cradles my head, smoothing my hair as my shoulders shake and my tears soak his scarred chest.

Chapter 14
#34 Let Someone Kayden Get Close to You

Kayden

If I could hold her forever, I would. I wasn’t expecting that to come out of her mouth. I knew she had something dark hidden inside her, but not that. It hurts deep inside my chest and I have a hard time not busting my fist against the headboard again. The only thing that stops me is I don’t want to take my arms off her.

She cried forever and each sob nearly ripped me in two. It was like stitches coming apart. Eventually she fell asleep curled up against me with her head tucked against my chest. I trace lines on her bare back, staring off into empty space, wondering how anyone could have done that to her.

I don’t know if I can handle it. The longer I lay there, the more worked up I get as feelings of anger consume me. I flex my hands, stab my nails into my skin, fight to stay still.

Callie begins to stir and peers up at me with her swollen, bloodshot eyes.

“Are you okay?” I ask, brushing her hair back from her forehead.

“I’m fine.” Her voice is hoarse, her cheeks red, and her pupils are dilated.

I pause, not sure what question is the right question, or if one even exists. “Callie, what you told me… who else knows about this?”

“No one.” Her bare shoulders rise and fall as she fights to breathe. “Except for Seth.”

I hesitate, my fingers still in her hair. “Not even your mom?”

The sadness in her eyes nearly kills me. “Only you and Seth.” She tucks her head down, hiding her face.

I want to ask her who it was, so I can hunt them down and fucking beat him to death. Thousands of ideas flood my mind, but I never knew her well enough to make assumptions. I could ask her, but at the moment she might break if I do. I know because I’ve been at that point most of my life.

“I think we should get you dressed.” I lift my head and glance over her shoulder at the clock on the nightstand.

“I’m sorry. You probably have stuff to do and I’m sitting here, holding you up.” She slants her head to the side to slip out from my arm, but I flex my arms and hug her against me.

“I only said that because Luke’s going to be home soon,” I explain, inching her face closer to mine. “Not because I want you to get dressed and leave.”

“Oh.” She relaxes a little, the locks of her hair spreading across my chest as she lowers her face down.

I sweep some of her hair to the side, which smells faintly of rain, and kiss her gently on the lips. When I pull away, she seems surprised.

“Kayden… I-I…” She struggles for words. “You don’t have to be with me because you feel sorry for me. I didn’t even mean to tell you that. I just got caught up in the moment.”

I gaze down at her, astounded. “I’m with you because I want to be with you.”

She swallows hard. “Even after what I told you?”

I brush my finger along her cheekbone. “Callie, I feel the exact same way about you now as I did an hour ago. Nothing’s different.”

She fights back tears as she blinks her eyes. “Are you sure? Because sometimes… sometimes I’m a mess. What happened just barely wasn’t a one-time thing. I get that way when I remember things.”

I nod, scared as hell. I want to be with her, more than anything at the moment. I just hope I can handle it, for her sake.

Callie

I didn’t mean to drop it on him like a giant bomb, but the need to get away from him so I could rid the vile feeling in my body was too overpowering. I let it slip out, hoping he’d freak out and let me go, but he did the opposite. He held on, allowing me to cry, letting me break apart, and giving me more than he’ll ever know.