“Later. We have things to discuss.”

“Things?”

He turned his back and walked silently to the window to place his hands on the glass. His head hung low, and when I peered through the dark, I could see his shoulders rise and fall with his deep breaths.

“Why?” The single worded question spoken brokenly would be forever etched in my memory. There were so many answers to that single question, but there was only one I think he needed to know.

“Because you hurt me… for the last time,” I added. This wasn’t like all the other times he’d hurt me, and I took him back.

“So it’s that easy for you, huh?”

“Easy?” I was off the bed in a flash, dragging the sheet with me to ward off the chill and preserve some modesty. “You think this is easy?”

“I really don’t care if it is or not. Discussing our breakup is low on the list of things I want to do to you right now.”

“Then why are you here, Keenan?”

“I want to know why you don’t want me anymore.”

I clenched my hands around the sheets to keep from reaching out to him. I wanted to touch and comfort him, but then I realized this was how he was always able to get me to go back before.

“It’s not you I don’t want,” I whispered before allowing my voice to harden along with my resolve. “It’s the emotional baggage I have to carry by being with you, and the fact that you slept with my teacher along with every girl in Six Forks.”

“Fine.” He whirled around to face me with frustration lining his features. “I fucked her. I fucked her and many other faceless girls. I can’t tell you why when I can’t even remember their names.”

“You need to leave, Keenan. We’re over. Forever.”

It was like a dark shadow clouded his eyes as he stalked closer. I was locked in his possession long before he touched me. My body lifted until I was on my toes as he tightened his hands around my arms. “I’m not going anywhere.” He took my lips in a brutal kiss that was painful in more ways than one. My sheet was ripped from my body and left to float to the floor. “And neither are you.”

* * * * *

PRESENT

“Mama. Up.” I felt the blankets lift from my face and peeked with one eye to see a conspiratorial grin beaming brighter than the morning sun.

“So what is it this morning?” I grumbled as I struggled to awaken fully. “My shoes? The wall?”

“I made bubbles, Mama.”

“What?” She jumped down and ran off into the master bathroom. It was the only door I didn’t keep gated having thought it was safe. “Kennedy Sophia Chambers. If you did what I think you did, you’re in big trouble, little girl.”

When I heard the unmistakable sound of water splashing, I rushed into the bedroom. I tripped twice while attempting to untangle my feet from the sheets. My heart was racing for the few seconds it took me to make it into the bathroom.

“Mama. Look!” Kennedy was standing safe, sound, and proud next to the large garden tub. Amidst the bubbles were various toys and dolls floating. Some had even sunk to the bottom. It wasn’t the toys, however causing the pounding near my temple. Nearly the entire bathroom floor was covered in sudsy water, among other things.

“Kennedy, what did I tell you about the bathroom?”

Her smile slowly faded as she tucked her hands behind her back. She may be young, but she was extremely adept at sensing moods and from the tone of my voice, there was no question that I wasn’t happy.

“But mama, there wasn’t a gate.”

“You know my rules, and you could have been hurt.”

“How?” she placed her hands on her hips. “Bubbles are nice.”

“Oh? Should we call your uncles and ask them?”

Her eyes had widened before she yelled, “You wouldn’t!”

“Oh, I would,” I whispered and winked for good measure. “Now, I want you to go to your room and think about what you did, and maybe I won’t call them.”

She wasted no time stomping off with an attitude. It was pitiful how much better Keiran and Dash were at disciplining her yet she worshiped the ground they walked on.

Dash, unfortunately, had just left for Germany and wasn’t scheduled to fly back for another couple of months. He was learning how to run the family business and so Keiran would pick up the slack in disciplining Kennedy.

I may not have been lacking in the parenting department, but the extra help always came in handy, and Kennedy responded better to her uncles.