Chapter 50
CHAPTER
FIFTY
ISLA
Joe didn’t waver, attacking full force. “You fucking killed her, you little shit! You finally fucking killed her!”
I flinched, stunned by the power of his statement.
Joe slurred, stumbling all around. “You sucked the life out of her! You both did! You and Julius! You did this to her! You’re the reason she’s dead!”
I thought Kraven would fight back.
I thought he’d argue.
Stick up for himself.
Something.
Anything.
Other than how he was reacting. He was frozen in the place he stood.
Coming from a guy who always chose to fight, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
Joe barged right in as if he were invited. Fully aware he wasn’t even welcome. Every last one of his demons emerged, clouding the space around us. The tension was so thick you could choke on it.
The answers he needed.
The truth he was looking for.
The reality of his mistakes and regrets.
None of what I thought I’d see from a father who abandoned his sons was there.
Instead, he was filled with nothing but his wrath.
The room smelled of booze and weed, and it was obvious he was shit-faced. He could barely stand, slurring his words as he held a bottle of whiskey that was almost empty.
I grew anxious and impatient from the mixture of emotions he triggered inside me. The sentiments dwelled in the dark hollow space where fear still lived.
Not for me but for Kraven.
He wouldn’t survive this.
The man who made him was also the man who’d destroy him in the end.
Now if that wasn’t irony, I didn’t know what was.
He was nothing like Melody, making me think physical abuse was involved as well.
It’d make sense why Kraven always chose to fight as his first instinct.
He watched it at home and possibly experienced it himself.
By the way he stood, I could tell this wasn’t their first rodeo in confrontation. I was more surprised by Kraven’s reaction than by their encounter.
Not an inch of my skin didn’t feel their hatred for each other, boiling from both Knightleys.
“You know she hated you,” Joe mercilessly baited. “She hated being a mother! She fucking despised it!”
Kraven swallowed hard, sweat pooling at his temples while his hands fisted at his sides. Finally, a reaction out of him. Though I didn’t know which one was worse, seeing something or seeing nothing.
“I wish she’d never had you! You’re nothing but a mistake! Do you hear me, boy? You’re a fucking mistake!”
Incapable of stopping myself, I ordered, “That’s enough!”
He ignored me, drowning in his temper. “I fucking hate you! Do you hear me? You took her away from me! If it weren’t for you, she’d still be here!” He harshly pointed at him. “You’re a fucking murderer!”
I stepped toward him, but Kraven put his arm over my stomach, holding me in place. Something predatory about the way he was guarding me, one arm wrapped around my torso, reminding me of a lion preparing to attack its prey.
It didn’t deter me from coming to his defense. “That’s not true!”
Still, Joe paid me no mind. “You and your brother are the reason she left me… You made her leave us… You’re so fucking needy… always demanding something! Never letting her relax! Enjoy life! Everything was always about you! You selfish little shit…”
His words were loud and clear.
“Yeah, asshole!” I bit. “That’s what children do! They cry, they whine, they complain! They’re babies! It’s your job to provide for them, to care for them, to love them! You’re lucky you have two sons who turned out better than you!”
“Oh,” he mocked in a condescending tone, suddenly realizing I was there. “Who’s this? Huh? Your new piece of ass? Trust me, sweetheart, you need to stay away from him! He’s poison, and he’ll kill you like he killed his mother!”
My stomach was in knots, churning with each tick of the clock.
“You’re in my house!” Joe spewed. “My fucking house!”
Kraven’s hand never left the side of my stomach while his thumb strummed up and down on my skin from where my tank top lifted, leaving goose bumps in its wake.
At first, I thought it was to ease my worry and provide any comfort he could. Now it seemed like he was trying to calm himself, remaining steady and in control.
“I told her not to come back! I warned her this was going to happen! Her blood is on your hands, Kraven! And I hope you rot in hell for it!” In a frenzy, he demanded, only glaring at me, “Now get the fuck out of my house, you fucking slut—”
“Kraven, no!”
His fist collided with Joe’s jaw, causing his head to whoosh back, taking half of his body with him. I gasped, instantly feeling guilty about getting involved.
Once again, Kraven was defending me. I should have kept my mouth shut. This was all my fault.
“Please!” I begged him, pulling onto his arm. “Please don’t do this!”
Joe spat blood on the floor, growling, “You hit like the pussy you’re fucking!”
“Kraven, no!”
He charged him this time, ramming his shoulder into Joe’s torso and taking him to the ground. Joe’s back skidded across the floor, knocking over the end table. His bottle of whiskey shattered beside him, sending shards of glass to scatter everywhere.
“Please, stop!” I pleaded, knowing it was no use.
Kraven wouldn’t listen to me.
They wrestled around for a few minutes, grunting and groaning. Each one tried to gain the upper hand on the other.
Elbows.
Fists.
Legs flew everywhere, entwining together as they fought.
More tables knocked over.
Blood…
The living room suddenly became a battlefield between father and son.
Kraven positioned himself on top of him, getting a few hits to his face, taking out all the years of pent-up anger and resentment toward him. Each punch meant something to him.
“You fucking piece of shit!” Kraven sneered and punched him in the face.
Every memory.
“I fucking hate you!”
Every emotion.
“It should have been you, you deadbeat!” He hit him in the gut. “You should have died!”
Every nightmare.
It was all there, exploding all around us as he made his father bleed, hurt, die…
“Kraven, stop!” I roughly jerked on his jacket, trying to pull him off. “You’re going to kill him!”
He struck his father again.
“You’re going to fucking kill him!”
Another hit to his face.
“Kraven! He’s fucked up! It’s not going to take much! Please listen to me!”
He didn’t.
Not for a second, punching him over and over again.
“Please, Kraven! You’ll go to jail this time! I can’t lose you too!”
With his fist midair, he abruptly stopped. Both of us were panting profusely. His eyes remained wild and brazen as we took in one another. After a few seconds, he lowered his fist, shoving Joe to the ground before standing. We never took our intense, crazed stares off of each other.
In seconds, a certain understanding that hadn’t been there before this happened unexpectedly made itself known, and that truth was almost too much to handle.
Kraven didn’t put up a fight until Joe offended me.
He wasn’t fighting for revenge; he was fighting himself, believing every accusation Joe threw at him.
I stumbled back, his truths crashing down on me.
Kraven’s stare shifted to Joe, warning, “If you think I killed Melody, what do you think I’ll do to you? If you ever come back to this house, I won’t let her stop me next time. Do you understand me?”
He groaned in response, and it was all Kraven needed to hear. With that, he gripped the collar of his shirt and threw his ass out the front door. I watched through the window as Joe’s body rolled down the driveway.
“Kraven—”
He slammed the door shut and locked it behind him. He didn’t move, resting his forehead on the hard wood to hold himself up.
I never ached to know his thoughts like I did right then. It was painful.
My hand flew to my heart, where it pounded against my chest.
“Kraven, I…”
I stopped myself, unsure of everything. More than ever, I longed to be his comfort.
His relief.
His refuge.
Home.
“Kraven,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry… I should’ve—”
He turned, facing me and rendering me speechless. His back slid down the door until he sat with his knees up and his arms placed over them. He was reluctant to look at me at first.
I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I was afraid my voice would betray me if I spoke, hurting him further.
He was desperately trying not to lose it on me.
Except this time, I wanted him to.
I wanted it all.
His anger too.
I deserved it.
He’d been my only stability for the past month. I’d forgotten what it was like to stand on my own, without the safety he provided. It resided deep in my bones, bringing back the same sense of ease and familiarity with his presence.
His hair had fallen around his face, framing it perfectly. Accentuating the intensity of his Caribbean-blue eyes, boring deep into mine.
When the quiet became too loud, he shared, “I never wanted you to see me like that again. I promised myself I’d never let you witness what you saw with Justin. Fuck… I’m so sorry, Kitty.”
I made my way over to him, dropping to my knees to get close to his face. “It’s alright, Kraven.”
“No, it’s not, Isla. I keep fucking up with you, and it’s the last thing I want to do.” He bowed his head, erupting into a flood of emotions.
He needed me.
Wanted me.
I had to be there for him.
He’d done so much for me. It was the least I could do. I couldn’t imagine what he was going through, hearing his father say all his biggest insecurities. He’d baited Kraven so crudely and with no remorse whatsoever.
He came there to hurt him.
End of story.
It was all too much.
His mom.
Julius.
Running into Mrs. Bates.
Now his dad.
All the emotions poured out of his heart and his soul, bleeding into mine. Tears began to fall down my cheeks. I was unable to hold them back any longer. He didn’t think twice about it. He grabbed me under my arms and carried me over to him, making me straddle his lap.
He caged me in, holding my face between his hands. He kissed all over, wiping my tears away with his lips.
“Please, Kitty…” he pleaded. “Say something…”
I gazed profoundly into his eyes, repeating, “I’m so sorry, Kraven.”
“Just make it go away… Please, Kitty… I’m begging you… just make it all go away…”
I did the only thing I could think of.
The only thing that felt right in a moment that was all wrong.
I gripped the back of his neck…
And kissed him.