The Scars of Us(Scars Series)

“Kam, I’m home,” I announced as I kicked my shoes off by the front door, trying to sound like everything was okay, even though it really wasn’t. I was upset with Ryker, and I didn’t know where things were going to end up between us after our fight. I knew things were too good to be true.

Kamden didn’t answer—usually he replied back to me, even if it was just a grunt or single word. His door was closed, so he might have already been asleep, but I decided to check after changing out of my constricting dress.

After slipping into my sleep shorts and a comfy muscle shirt, I walked to Kamden’s bedroom. As I knocked, the door crept open, and I caught a glimpse of him unmoving on the floor. “Oh my God, Kamden!”

He was so still—no, no, no. What happened? Pushing open the door, I rushed to his side, laying my head on his chest, searching for a sign of life. Please don’t be dead. I heard nothing; just overwhelming silence so ironically loud that it deafened my ears.

My cheeks were soaked with moisture as I wrapped my arms around Kamden. Pressing my head against his chest, I sobbed into him. Then, I heard it—one of the most beautiful sounds I’d ever heard. It was faint, but it was there—his heartbeat. Thank God.

I noticed the small amount of blood pooling under his head as I was yanked away and trapped against a larger body.

“Miss me, love?” The words brushed against my ear, causing me to instinctively cringe. I hadn’t heard that voice in so long, but I’d never be able to forget it. It haunted my dreams and tainted my memories. Kaleb. Pure and utter fear seized my body, choking the air from my lungs and clenching my muscles. No.

I couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything as Kaleb dragged his nose across my neck, inhaling my skin before repeating the path with his tongue. “God, I’ve missed you. You know how much I’ve thought about you over the years? About touching your skin? Tasting your sweetness? I haven’t been able to think about anything else.”

“How’d you get out?” My voice shook weakly as I spoke, my body petrified with fear.

A sinister chuckle vibrated against my neck. “Do you really think I could stay away from you?” He nipped my neck as he ran his hands along my arms. The familiar touch made bile build in the back of my throat. One hand traveled up my arm and wrapped around my neck, squeezing firmly before his fingers laced in my hair and tugged my head back. “You’re mine,” he growled.

He kept one hand in my hair as the other released my throat, venturing down my breasts and stomach to the juncture of my thighs. The violating action snapped me out of my fear-induced paralysis. Using what Ryker had taught me, I stomped on Kaleb’s instep before slamming my elbow directly into his stomach, freeing myself from his grasp.

As he stumbled back, I threw a side-kick to his groin before taking up a defensive stance. I didn’t fully connect, but I could tell the impact still hurt him because he hunched over and grunted in pain. “You’ve learned to fight back, huh? This is going to be fun.”

I should’ve run the second I was free, like Ryker always told us, but I couldn’t leave Kamden. I didn’t know what Kaleb would do to him without me there to focus on. Kaleb charged at me, but I ducked and threw a back-fist into his shoulder. Each time I connected with his body empowered me, making me feel less weak and helpless. I was not a frail, little girl anymore. I was a strong, powerful woman.

Kaleb angrily whirled around with a snarl before coming at me again. I landed a roundhouse to his ribs, but he caught my leg, caging it against him as he backed me toward Kamden’s bed. I can’t let him get me on the bed. My training flew out the window, suddenly forgotten as panic took hold. I swung my arms wildly, trying to hit Kaleb anywhere to get him to let me go.

I made the biggest mistake—I left my face open. Kaleb took advantage, backhanding me in the jaw. The hit stunned me, sending me falling onto the bed. Kaleb had me pinned instantly, crushing me with his weight as his legs opened my thighs. My sense of power began to fade as Kaleb turned the tables. Keep fighting. Don’t give up.

Struggling against him, I pounded against his arms as he tugged at my clothing. My shirt tore from the shoulder down across my chest, exposing my bra. I started to scream, hoping someone would hear me and call the cops, but Kaleb slapped me across the face, silencing me as the sound of the smack echoed in Kamden’s bedroom.

Bringing my arms up to cover my face, I blocked his next hit, but I didn’t expect the punch to my ribs. The air was sucked from my lungs as pain assaulted my body, the intensity of it making my eyes blur.

Kaleb pushed my arms out of the way, the movement causing more pain to slice up my side. He pulled down my bra, revealing my breasts before grabbing one in each hand and slowly kneading them with his fingers.

Don’t let him do this to you. You have to fight! Don’t be weak! Kaleb was focused on my breasts, the vacant look in his eyes telling me he was lost to his darker side. Shoving my arms forward, breaking his loose hold on me, I braced my hands against his shoulders as I readied to execute the rest of the first technique Ryker had ever taught me.

One foot pressed against his hip, then two, as I fluidly performed the move. My hands slid down to his wrists as he pulled back, just as Ryker said an attacker would. Immediately, I began kicking upwards, landing a few kicks to Kaleb’s face before he fell off of me, landing on the floor with a thud.


Springing off the bed, I headed for the door as a hand wrapped around my ankle. Losing my balance, I fell to the floor, breaking my fall with my forearms. I struggled to free myself, but Kaleb was much stronger than me, always had been.

Kaleb climbed up my body, grasping at my shorts and pulling at them. No! I repeatedly began kicking him in the face, causing more blood to surface from the wounds I was inflicting. Take that, a*shole. I hope it hurts as much as you hurt me.

Instead of slowing him down, everything seemed to amp up his rage and power as he yanked my bottoms off with ease. I tried to crawl away, but Kaleb latched his hand around my ankle and dragged me back to him.

My body went into survival mode, ignoring the pain spiraling outward from my ribs through me as my arms and legs struck out, hoping to hit anything and stop him.

Then, he was on me again, in between my legs despite my efforts. My chest heaved raggedly for breath as exhaustion began to weigh me down. I forced my thighs shut, but he pried them apart, digging his nails into my flesh and drawing blood as he opened them again.

As he reached for my underwear, wanting to remove the last barrier I had protecting me from him, I thrust a palm strike right to his nose, causing him to grab it instinctively as blood began to stream from it.

Squirming out from under him, I flipped over and pushed up on my knees in preparation to run for the front door. Kaleb swept my legs out from under me just as I stood, sending me back to the hardwood floor. Reacting too late, my face slammed into the unyielding ground before I could brace myself. Stars shot into my vision as the iron tang of my blood filled my mouth.

Kaleb rolled me over and mounted me. I weakly tried to push him off me, but he reared back and slapped me with so much force that my ears rang. My eyes began to shut on their own accord as he pulled his shirt off. I just lay there, practically defeated, unable to find the strength to fight back anymore as pain smothered everything else. I’m not strong enough.

“I finally get to finish what I started all those years ago,” he mumbled in a lust-laden voice.

Never give up, Warrior. Always fight back. Ryker’s voice played in my mind.

I weakly brought my knee up, connecting with his crotch, but it barely affected him. I have no fight left. He always wins. Tears began to trickle down my face before I began to numb myself, hoping to withdraw internally enough so I wouldn’t feel anything that Kaleb was going to do to me.

Then, pounding on the door startled both Kaleb and me. He stilled with his hands on the button of his jeans, then snapped his gaze up to mine. His eyes gave a silent threat, but I opened my mouth to scream anyway before his hand slammed down and muffled my cries.

A dull voice yelled through the door. “Kaiya, it’s me. Please come talk to me, baby.”

Ryker! Oh, thank God! My brief happiness was extinguished as Kaleb leaned over me, whispering in my ear. “Don’t make a sound.”

As I was about to ignore him and scream for Ryker, I felt cold, hard metal digging into my side. Where did he get a gun? Oh my God, did he shoot Kamden?

Fear penetrated my being, instantly silencing any form of protest as I froze in place.

Ryker continued to bang on the door. “I know you’re in there. I’m not leaving until you come talk to me—I’ll stand out here all night if I have to.”

Tears watered in my eyes at the thought of Kaleb hurting Ryker. Please leave.

“I mean it, Ky. I’m not going anywhere,” Ryker yelled as he knocked harder.

Kaleb cursed under his breath as he stood, pulling me up with him as he kept the gun pressed to my side. He walked us to the door as he quietly threatened, “Make him leave or I’ll kill him.”

My heart clenched at the thought of Ryker dying, especially because of me. I never should’ve gotten involved with him, never should’ve entangled him in my web of issues.

When we reached the door, Kaleb dug the gun deeper into my injured side. A small yelp of pain burst from me, but I smashed my lips together to stop it so Ryker wouldn’t hear. I wasn’t sure if Kaleb would kill me, at least not until he had raped me, but I knew without a doubt he would kill Ryker. I needed to protect him, even if it meant breaking my heart by pushing him away.

“What do you want, Ryker?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

“Baby, let me in. I want to talk to you,” he pleaded. The pain in his voice tightened my chest.

“That’s not a good idea. You should just leave,” I snapped as I fought back tears.

“I’m not leaving until you talk to me.” His tone was firm, the one he used when his mind was made up.

Damn it, he’s so stubborn.

“I’m talking to you, now go!” I yelled as my tears broke through. Please just leave.

“Why are you acting like this, Warrior?”

I set my forehead against the door, wondering if Ryker was doing the same on the other side. Kaleb twisted the gun, reminding me of my task. I hissed loudly in pain as I gritted the lie. “I don’t want to see you anymore.”

“Don’t do this, Warrior. I can’t lose you. Tell me what to do to fix this.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks. My vision blurred from a combination of the moisture in my eyes and pain from the barrel digging into my ribs. “I can’t be fixed. Some demons just don’t leave you alone. They haunt you forever,” I eluded, hoping Ryker would understand what I meant and get help once he left. But even if he did, they probably wouldn’t make it in time.

He didn’t respond for several seconds, and I thought he had left. Then the silence broke when he said, “I understand. I’ll give you some space tonight, but I’m coming back over here tomorrow to straighten everything out. We can face those demons together.”

I heard his footsteps going down the stairs as Kaleb pulled me away from the door, leading me to my bedroom instead of Kamden’s. He tucked the gun in the back of his pants as he tightened his hold on my arm, driving his nails into my skin.

Then, chaos erupted as Ryker burst through the front door. Kaleb reached for his gun, but I threw my weight into him, sending both of us crashing into the wall as Ryker neared us.

“He has a gun!” I warned.

The impact caused Kaleb to lose his grip on me, but also made me lose my balance, sending me stumbling back into the opposite wall. Ryker slammed into Kaleb, tackling him to the ground. They rolled on the floor several times before Ryker finally pinned him, and started elbowing him in the face.

The gun flew backwards from Kaleb’s hand and went off as it hit the floor. Ryker stilled, then snapped his eyes to me, making sure I hadn’t been shot, which gave Kaleb the opportunity to punch him square in the jaw.

Stunned, Ryker wobbled slightly before Kaleb hit him twice more, causing him to fall to the floor. Kaleb darted for the gun on the ground a few feet away from me, but Ryker grabbed his leg, making him stumble and crash to the floor. Kaleb used his other foot to kick Ryker in the face several times. Blood streamed down his face as he let go and lay dazed against the floor. No.

Kaleb rushed for the gun again, and I knew I couldn’t let him get a hold of it. I couldn’t let him shoot Ryker. I threw myself at the weapon, causing it to skid away from me when I hit it. Frantically crawling, I stretched my arm out to grab the handle, but Kaleb’s foot came stomping down, crushing my hand beneath his boot.

Yelping, I pulled my hand back, clutching it to my chest as I watched Kaleb reach the gun. Shit. I scooted back, desperate to get to Ryker, to protect him.


Ryker groaned when my hand brushed against him. Tugging on his bicep, I helped him sit up as Kaleb picked up the gun. I draped his arm around my shoulder before struggling to pull him to his feet.

Kaleb pointed the gun at Ryker, so I stepped in front of him, blocking as much of Ryker’s bulky body with my much smaller one. All I cared about was him—Kaleb could do whatever he wanted to me if it meant that Ryker would be safe.

Kaleb’s eyes blazed in anger at my action, obviously pissed that I was protecting Ryker. “Move, Kaiya,” he growled.

I silently shook my head, fearing my voice would waver if I spoke. Kaleb cursed and threatened, “Don’t make me do this.”

I didn’t respond—inside I was screaming, the frail, weak part of me begging me to move out of the way. But, something else was keeping me there, something stronger than fear—love.

Tears burned my eyes—we were probably going to die and Ryker didn’t know how I felt, that I loved him. Oh my God, I love him. There was no doubt or question anymore. The reality of it had finally sunk in. I knew with every fiber of my being that I was in love with Ryker.

The click of the gun snapped me from my thoughts. Everything happened so fast after that—Ryker pushed me out of the way as Kamden stumbled out of his bedroom and threw himself at Kaleb.

The gun was pointed straight at me when it went off from my brothers fighting over it. My body froze at the sound, the only movement being my eyes shutting tight in fear.

I expected excruciating agony, but the burning that I felt in my chest was not what I anticipated. My eyes snapped open to Ryker’s bloody face; his eyes were scrunched in pain as sweat trailed down his skin. His arms were tightly wrapped around me, his chest pressed against mine.

Looking down, I was utterly unprepared for what I saw. A bullet was sticking out of my blood-splattered chest, right over my heart. But that wasn’t even the worst part.

My breath caught in my throat as I focused on the bloody bullet hole in Ryker’s chest in front of me. Realization clicked at what just occurred. “You saved me,” I whispered in shock.

Wincing, he forced a smile. The pained expression didn’t look right on his beautiful face. “I told you that I always would,” he croaked.

Tears trickled down my cheeks as he slumped against me, forcing me to bear his weight. My legs gave out, unable to hold the both of us up as I fell to my knees.

Shifting Ryker to cradle him in my lap, I pulled off my ripped shirt, balling it up and pressing it against Ryker’s wound. He clenched his eyes shut as he hissed in pain.

“I’m sorry, baby. I have to stop the bleeding,” I choked, my tears now falling like a torrential downpour.

Sounds of a scuffle reached my ears, causing my head to jerk up. Kamden and Kaleb still wrestled over the gun about ten feet away from me. Then, Kamden finally ripped it from Kaleb’s hands before pointing it at him.

Sirens sounded in the distance, probably from a neighbor calling to report the yelling and gunshots. I hope an ambulance is coming with them.

Kaleb stepped closer to Kamden, who threatened, “Don’t come any closer.”

Kaleb curled his lip up before spitting blood on the floor. “We both know you won’t shoot me, brother. You’re too weak, just like you were too weak to protect Kaiya from me all those years.”

Then, Kaleb threw himself at Kamden. Struggling over the gun once again, it fired, the sound making my stomach clench. Both my brothers fell to the floor, and I couldn’t tell who had been shot. Please don’t be Kamden. Please don’t be Kamden.

Neither one moved as my heart pounded wildly in my chest, my adrenaline lacing my veins and making me feel like a charged up live wire. Kamden finally groaned before starting to get up, and I exhaled a huge sigh of relief. He’s alive. He’s okay.

Kaleb didn’t move. Even though he had tormented me for so long, a little piece of my heart still hurt at the thought of him being dead—he was my twin, after all. Even after everything he did to me, I still felt a small part of that special bond that only twins have, which had made all his abuse so emotionally damaging.

Ryker moaned softly, drawing my attention back to him. His hand clutched mine, which was still holding my shirt against his chest. Tears fell from my face onto him as he stared up at me through half-lidded eyes.

His hand reached up to swipe the tears from my face before he rested it there, cupping my cheek. I leaned into his palm as I brought my free hand to rest atop his. Tell him.

Just as I was about to speak, he mumbled, “Kaiya, I—”

His hand went limp, falling from my face as his eyes shut.

No. “Ryker! Ryker, wake up!” I shrieked as I lightly smacked his face, trying to wake him. “Don’t leave me!”

The stomping of multiple pairs of feet sounded behind me, but all I could focus on was waking Ryker up.

“Open your eyes! Damn it, look at me, baby! Please!” I desperately screamed.

I heard voices, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Hands grabbed me and pulled me away from Ryker as two people took my place next to him, sending me into a fit of crazed panic.

“No! Ryker! I need to be with him! Please! Don’t take him away from me!”

Thrashing wildly against whoever was holding me, I screamed until my throat was raw. I didn’t know how I was able to move due to all my injuries, but the only pain I felt was my heart ripping apart as I thought about Ryker being dead.

More hands gripped onto me as another person came into my view, but my eyes were so blurred with tears that I couldn’t see who they were. Despair sucked the air from lungs, suffocating me as I continued to struggle. Other sets of hands grabbed me, holding me still as I felt a sharp sting in my arm.

Still fighting, I kicked and flailed until my body began to feel boneless, my vision swimming as my eyes suddenly became heavy and dizziness swarmed me. I slumped against someone right before blackness blanketed me.





Annoying beeping woke me. I groaned as pain assaulted me everywhere, making me wish I’d stayed in the black void I’d been in. Where am I?

“Sorella?” a tired voice spoke. “Are you awake?”

“Ugh, why are you yelling?” I mumbled groggily.

A sigh of relief followed by a strained chuckle met my ears as a hand squeezed mine. I struggled to open my eyes, which felt like they had been sealed with superglue. I managed to open one as I turned my head toward where I heard the voice.

Kamden gave me a small smile as he stood and kissed my forehead. “Are you thirsty?”

My mouth felt like someone had stuffed it with cotton after buffing my throat with sandpaper. “Yes,” my voice cracked hoarsely.

Kamden handed me a cup with ice chips. When I finished, he set the cup back on the bedside table, I took in my surroundings—I was in a hospital room, which explained the annoying beeping of the machine hooked up to me. Memories of what happened with Kaleb rushed back, and I gripped Kamden’s hand tighter. “Where’s Ryker? Is he okay?” I asked as I fought back tears. Please be alive.

“He’s fine. He’s in the room right next door. They had to sedate him because he kept fighting to get to you—he ripped open his stitches.”

I exhaled a huge sigh of relief. He’s alive. Thank God. “When can I see him?”

“I don’t know. We’ll have to ask your doctor. You have some fractured ribs, as well as some small fractures in your right hand and face. He said your gunshot wound wasn’t that extensive; the bullet came out fairly easily. You were very lucky— Ryker took the brunt of the impact and slowed the trajectory, otherwise, it would’ve…”


Kamden choked, unable to finish his sentence. The tears I’d been holding broke free then, the severity of what happened almost strangling me. “He saved me.”

“He loves you,” Kamden said softly with a knowing smile.

My head snapped up to his, and I winced from the sharp throb that resulted. “He said that?”

“No, but no one takes a bullet for someone unless they love them. I saw how you protected him—you love him, too, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I think I do,” I replied softly.

“You do. I can see it on your face.”

I changed the subject, not completely comfortable with discussing how I felt about Ryker with Kamden yet. I needed to talk to Ryker first, see if what Kamden was saying was true. “How about you?”

“I suffered a small concussion and some bruises, but nothing major like you.”

“Kaleb?” I hesitantly asked.

Kamden’s face tensed as his eyes watered. He shook his head, unable to voice what happened. I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling, but I knew it wasn’t good. My heart became heavy for him. He had to kill our brother for something that should’ve never been an issue between the three of us.

“I’m sorry.” I squeezed his hand.

His eyes met mine as he nodded, sorrow etched into every feature. I wanted to comfort him, to take away his pain, but I knew that look; he wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. I would be there for him when he was, just as he had always been for me.

The door opened, and a man who looked to be in his forties walked in wearing the traditional doctor’s coat, holding an iPad.

“Ah, good, you’re awake. I’m Dr. Wright,” he introduced as he walked to the side of my bed, opposite of Kamden.

I gave him a polite smile, then impatiently asked, “When can I see Ryker Campbell? He’s the patient next door to me.”

The doctor laughed softly. “First things first. Let’s get you checked out before we move on to anything else.”

After he checked my vitals and all the other routine crap they have to do, he lifted the gauze covering my wound to examine it. “No sign of infection, and your stitches look good. But, I still want you to stay a week or so just to be safe.”

“Can I get up and walk around?”

He responded with a knowing smile. “Yes, just don’t exert yourself too much. You just got shot, plus you have multiple fractures and bruising all over your body—you need to take it easy. Give your body time to recuperate.”

“I will.” After I see Ryker.

Dr. Wright nodded as he typed something on his tablet. “I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow.”

Kamden and I both thanked the doctor before he left. “Help me up,” I requested as soon as the door shut. I wasn’t wasting any more time. Being away from Ryker was eating me up inside. I needed to make sure he was okay. I didn’t care how much it would hurt.

Kamden gave me his disapproving big brother look. “Ky, you heard the doctor—you need to take it easy.”

Narrowing my eyes, I threatened, “Help me up, or I’m going to get up without you, and I’ll probably further injure myself.”

Kamden sighed in defeat. “Fine. You’re such a brat.”

In true brat-like fashion, I stuck my tongue out at him. He pulled me up by my arms since one of my hands was in a splint and helped me scoot to the side of the bed. I winced in pain from the movement, and the side where my fractured ribs were seared me in agony, making me squeeze my eyes shut and grit my teeth.

Kamden stopped and let me go. “Ky, this isn’t—”

“I’m fine, now help me stand,” I demanded, my voice leaving no room for argument.

He mumbled something indiscernible under his breath, but I was able to hear a few choice words as he complied with my request. My whole body hurt as I strained to stand, but I fought through the pain, needing to see Ryker.

I hobbled like a ninety year old grandma with arthritis as we made our way from my room to Ryker’s. Kamden used one hand to brace my arm the entire way, keeping me from losing my balance and falling while he pulled my IV stand with us.

It felt like it took hours to get to Ryker’s room. I was about to bust out of my skin when Kamden opened the door and slowly led me in. I had to stop myself from pulling away and running to Ryker’s bed.

“Hurry, Kam,” I urged when Ryker came into view.

He was sleeping when I finally reached him. Kamden steadied me before pulling up a chair behind me for me to sit in, but I stayed standing as I threaded my uninjured hand with his. Tears trailed down my face as I assessed him—he had a black eye, his lip was busted, and multiple bruises and cuts marred his beautiful face.

I squeezed his hand before bringing it up to my lips and gently kissing it. I didn’t know when he would wake up, but I wasn’t leaving until he did.

Letting go of his hand, I awkwardly struggled to push the rail on the side of his bed down, planning to climb in next to him. I needed to be as close to him as possible, to feel his chest rise with breath, hear his heartbeat, and feel the warmth of life in his skin. I didn’t have enough strength to lift myself in, and tears started to rim my eyes.

“Kamden, help me,” I cried softly.

“Kaiya, I—”

Interrupting him, I begged, “Please, Kam. I need to be near him right now.”

Kamden never did well resisting when it came to me. He gingerly helped me get into the small bed with Ryker. All of my efforts had exhausted me so much that as soon as I rested my head against Ryker’s chest, right over his heart, sleep took me away.





When I awoke, the faint smell of strawberries and vanilla filled my nose as I inhaled deeply, causing a smile to spread on my face. Kaiya.

My eyes snapped open before my gaze traveled down, focusing on hair the color of dark chocolate, porcelain skin, and a small, familiar body—Kaiya. How did she get here?

“As soon as she woke up, she made me bring her to you,” a voice answered my unspoken question.

My eyes met Kamden’s, who sat in a chair next to my bed. He looked like he had aged years since I saw him last, and exhaustion laced his face. Deep, purple bags rimmed his eyes, and his skin looked pallid. “Sounds like her. She’s so stubborn,” I chuckled, then winced from the resulting pain in my chest.

“You okay? Do you need me to get a nurse?”

I looked down at Kaiya’s head on my chest, and smiled. “Nah, I’m good now.”

“You love her?” Kamden abruptly questioned.

I looked up at him. After what we had gone through, after what I’d done for her, I didn’t have to even think about my answer. “Yes, I love her.”

He gave me a small, but genuine smile. “Thank you for…” He cleared his throat as his eyes watered. “For saving Kaiya. I don’t know how I can ever repay you, but I’ll find a way.”

“You don’t have to do anything. I have everything I need right here.” I gestured to Kaiya in my arms.

His smile widened as he wordlessly stood and walked to the door. When he grabbed the handle, he looked over his shoulder. “I’ll be outside if she needs me.”

Focusing back on the amazing woman next to me, I softly ran my fingers through her hair as I quietly spoke, “Wake up, my Warrior.”

She began to stir as I continued to run my fingers through her long locks. I probably should’ve let her sleep, but I needed to see her, needed to make sure she was really okay, especially since I hadn’t completely stopped the bullet. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to forget the image of it embedded in her skin.


Her head shifted as she looked up at me. Those gorgeous eyes captivated me as they met mine, making me lose myself in her as I sank into them.

“Hi,” she murmured as her lips tipped up in a soft smile.

“Hi. How are you feeling?”

“Sore, but better now that I’m here.”

“I heard you fought your way over here.”

“Me? What about you? I heard you ripped your stitches open trying to get to me,” she countered as her mouth quirked up playfully.

“They told you that, huh?” I glanced away, slightly embarrassed by my behavior.

“Yep,” she replied, putting extra emphasis on the P as she gave me a teasing grin. “Now, why would you do something crazy like that?”

“When I want something, I have to have it. You know that.”

She scooted up a little, bringing our faces closer together, maybe only inches apart. “So did you get what you wanted?”

Closing the distance between us, I tenderly pressed my lips to hers, ignoring the light pain it caused in mine. “Now, I did.” I set my forehead against hers.

“Don’t ever do something like that again,” Kaiya scolded as she gripped onto my hospital gown, her playfulness from moments before gone. The tone in her voice told me that she was crying, so I pulled back to cradle her face in my hands. The sight of all the cuts and bruises, along with her tears broke my heart—I hated to see her hurt.

“I’d do it again if I had to.” I grazed my thumbs over her cheeks. I’d take a bullet for her no questions asked.

Her watery eyes locked on mine. “Why?”

We’d never talked about love before, both of us afraid of what it signified. Our pasts had made us scared to love, but after almost losing her, I wasn’t going to take what we had for granted anymore. “Because I love you.”

Her lip trembled as more tears flowed from her eyes. “I love you, too,” she sobbed before bringing our mouths back together again. Our lips caressed each other, embracing softly as our tongues lightly laced together. Passion was evident in every movement, present in every breath as we demonstrated the love that we had just spoke.

When we finally broke apart, Kaiya’s lips were swollen and her skin flushed beneath the bruising. Her cheeks were stained with tears as she looked at me.

“So, all I had to do was take a bullet for you to get you to tell me that you love me? Why didn’t I do that sooner?” I joked.

She rolled her eyes at me as she lightheartedly retorted, “I’ve never been in love before—how was I supposed to know what it felt like?” She poked a finger into the uninjured side of my chest. “You, on the other hand, have loved someone before, so why didn’t you tell me?”

“That’s exactly why—I’ve been in love before, and I got hurt because of it. The way I feel for you is so much stronger than I ever felt for her, even when I thought she was pregnant with my kid. So you could hurt me way more than she did—I’d never recover from you.”

More tears trickled down her face as our eyes locked. “Me neither. I’m trusting you with those tiny, broken pieces of my heart, everything that’s left of me. There’d be no way to put them back together after you—you’re the only one who knows how.”

I smiled at her; I’d been waiting for this moment, waiting for Kaiya to fully trust me. I couldn’t even explain how it felt to have the woman I loved love me back, to trust me after everything she’d been through. Spectacular didn’t even come close.

As she settled on her side next to me, I leaned my forehead against hers. From that angle, I could see the gauze covering her injury through the opening in her hospital gown. I slowly pulled it back, wanting to see the damage done by the bullet.

A small, jagged circle sat right over her heart. I couldn’t believe how close I’d come to losing her. Thank God I stopped it. Her skin was bruised around the injury, which was puffy and red, but it wasn’t that deep.

She did the same with mine, pulling the gauze back to look at my wound, which mirrored hers the way we were facing one another. Mine was bigger and more inflamed, probably from ripping out my stitches and the severity of the trauma, but it was almost exactly in the same spot as hers, just on the opposite side.

More tears dripped from her eyes as she looked over my injury. I brought my hands up to wipe them away before lifting her face to look at mine.

“Stop crying, Warrior. We’re both still alive.”

“I don’t like seeing you hurt, especially because of me.” She traced the tattoos around the injury softly, careful not to get to close. “It’s going to scar—it’ll mess up your beautiful tattoos.”

“I’ll bear any scar for you, Ky. Plus, scars are sexy,” I said with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood.

Kaiya wasn’t amused, her face still marred by a frown. “Not on women they’re not.”

“Yours will be incredibly sexy because it matches mine. Both will always remind me of the moment I realized I couldn’t live without you, that I was completely in love with you.”

My words turned her lips up into the beautiful smile that I loved, but also caused more tears to flow. “You’re kinda perfect, you know that,” Kaiya said as she looked at me, her voice full of emotion.

“So are you, baby. Absolutely perfect for me.” I kissed her forehead, letting my lips linger as I breathed in her scent.

When I pulled back, Kaiya settled next to me, laying her head on the uninjured side of my chest. We lay there in peaceful silence, both of us emotionally and physically exhausted. I drifted off to sleep, content with the love of my life in my arms.





People say that time heals all wounds. I still call bullshit. I’ve learned that even the deepest scars can be healed by the right person but not because of time.

The saying should be rephrased to say that love heals all wounds because that’s what’s been healing me over the past few months. I’m not completely healed, but I’m getting there—I make progress every day.

I had to stay in the hospital for a little over a week, but Ryker had to stay almost three because of his injuries. The bullet had gone clean through him before it hit me, so his surgery and recovery were more extensive. I stayed by his side every day until visiting hours ended, and came back first thing the next morning when they opened again.

I took a leave of absence from work to deal with the aftermath. After everything that happened, I changed; we all did. Even though Kaleb is gone, the pain and scars from what he did to me still remain, but Ryker heals them more and more every day.

Kamden has his own scars to deal with following the shooting. Killing Kaleb haunts him, even though it was in self-defense. He’s seeing a therapist regularly to cope with the backlash of the incident. Therapy is definitely not my thing, but it’s working for him, and I hope it helps his healing process.

Ryker started physical therapy because some of the nerves in his chest that connected to his shoulder were damaged by the bullet. I worried that he would never be able to train or work out again, but he’s determined to make a full recovery. And he will—he always loves a challenge.

I don’t know what I’d do without Ryker. It’s amazing how someone can just come into your life, completely flip it upside down, and make you wonder how you ever lived without them before.

Ryker insisted I move in with him, but that was too much, too soon for me. Even though I love him, being in a committed relationship is definitely an adjustment for me. Plus, I couldn’t leave Kamden alone, especially since he’s been having trouble dealing with the repercussions of that night.


We compromised—Kamden and I moved into Ryker’s apartment complex, only one building away. There’s no way we could stay in ours after what had happened there.

I alternate between sleeping at Ryker’s place and mine, but Ryker usually ends up at my apartment on nights that I don’t stay with him. We were both used to sleeping alone, but now I wouldn’t be able to sleep without him.

We’ve been suffering from nightmares for the past several months, waking up in cold sweats and struggling to breathe. But we’re there to pull each other through each one, saving the other from the suffocating darkness. I have no idea how long they’ll last, or if they’ll ever go away, but we’ll get through it. We’ll always save each other.

Every night before we go to sleep, Ryker presses a kiss to the scar on my chest, showing me that not all scars are bad. Some are beautiful despite their ugly appearance, the meaning underneath what’s important. I’ve learned that all my scars, even the ones left by Kaleb, have made me who I am, have taught me valuable lessons. But that one, the one that Ryker and I share, means the most to me. It symbolizes love, a love I’d never thought I would have, a constant reminder to never take it for granted. And I never plan to.