The Broken Road (The Broken Series) (28 page)

Kadyn
grinned. “It’s not you I’m worried about.”

Kadyn
changed clothes while I washed my face and brushed my teeth. My breath caught when
I saw he was no longer wearing a shirt. He was wearing loose fitting pajama
bottoms that rode low on his waist. I couldn’t take my eyes off his chest as he
brushed past me with his toothbrush.

I
stumbled into my room in search of something appropriate to wear. I dug a black
camisole and gray sleep shorts out of my drawer and quickly changed. I pulled
all the decorative pillows from my bed and slipped under the covers. Cade
jumped up and settled in next to my chest.

Kadyn
walked back into the room. He paused just inside the doorway. “You sure about
this?”

“Yes,”
I whispered hesitantly. I was nowhere near sure.

Kadyn
flipped the light off and climbed into bed. He wrapped his arm around my waist as
he pulled my back to his chest. He nuzzled my ear, then whispered, “Sweet
dreams, Kri.”

I
rolled over so I could face him. I reached for his face as my eyes adjusted to
the dark. I kissed him softly on the lips, then whispered, “Who needs dreams
with you around?”

Kadyn
chuckled as he rolled onto his back. He pulled me toward him until my head
rested on his chest. His heartbeat thundered in my ear. Clearly, this man
wasn’t a dream. He was very, very real.

I
linked my leg over his and ran my fingers over his finely sculpted chest. I
couldn’t resist touching him, after seeing him like this. I traced my finger
all across his pecs, then over each line that defined his abs. My pale hand
practically glowed against his dark skin. “You’re beautiful,” I whispered in
the dark.

He
laughed as he linked his hand with mine. “You’re crazy.”

I
held our entwined hands up so I could better see them in the thin strands of streetlight
that were shining through my blinds. I loved the way his dark skin contrasted
with my light. I pulled his hand to my lips and kissed his knuckles. “I’m
crazy… about you.”

Kadyn
pulled me on top of him. He fit our hips together so that we were perfectly
aligned. “Say that again,” he demanded in a husky voice.

My
breath caught at the feel of our bodies fit so snugly together. I groaned as
desire pooled along every inch where his body touched mine. “God, Kadyn. No one
should feel this good.”

I
tried to break loose, but Kadyn tightened his hold. He locked me into place. “I
told you this was going to be difficult, Kri,” he warned in a playful tone.
Then he turned serious. “Do you have any idea how much I want to make love to
you right now?”

I
had a pretty good idea. The evidence was very compelling. Every inch of my body
was screaming for the same thing, but I was terrified to take that step. “I… I
think we should wait. I’m still working through some issues when it comes to
that kind of intimacy.”

I
shuddered as memories of Tom snaked through my mind. He had been insatiable,
controlling, and selfish in bed. Whenever I tried to decline, he would dig our
marriage certificate out of the file cabinet and waive it in front of me.
You
signed this. You’re my wife. You don’t get to say no.

Kadyn
sat up. He pulled me with him until my legs straddled his. “Hey,” he said
softly. “What’s going on inside that pretty head of yours?”

I
shook my head. “You don’t want to know, Kadyn. There are some things better
left unsaid.”

Kadyn
settled me more comfortably on his lap, in a position even more intimate than
the last. “No. That’s not true. It’s better to talk about it. We can’t work
through the problem if I don’t even know what it is.”

I
nodded, but I kept my eyes cast low. My voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t
know how to enjoy sex, Kadyn. He called me names, hit me, and then forced me
into bed.
Sex was not
enjoyable for me. It was all about him, and
I didn’t get to say no, Kadyn, not ever. Sex was an obligation… a
responsibility… a chore.”

Kadyn
crooked a finger under my chin as he sought my eyes. His jaw clenched when our
eyes finally met. “It’s not supposed to be like that, Kri. Not even close. It
should be about what both people need. Both people should feel wanted… cherished…
and loved.”

I
burrowed into Kadyn’s chest as tears pooled in my eyes. “I wish I had met you
first, Kadyn.”

His
fingers wound through my hair, forming curls he gently released. “Me too.”

I
clung to Kadyn’s shoulders as if he was a raft in a stormy sea. “Thank you for being
so patient and understanding.”

Kadyn
eased me back under the covers. He turned me in his arms until his body was
spooning mine. He wrapped his arms tightly around my arms and chest, then
kissed me on the shoulder. “You take all the time you need, Kri. I can wait,
but I promise you it will never be like that with me. When you give yourself to
me, you’ll know what it means to be loved.”

I
relaxed into his arms, comforted by his promise and the feel of his body locked
so securely around mine. We fell asleep within minutes, still inextricably
intertwined.

*
* * * * *

I
couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I was flying on a military aircraft.
The inside of the airplane looked like a stripped down version of a commercial jet.
The plane was a little noisy. It was definitely a no-frills way to fly, but I
was so thankful for the opportunity to go back home, I couldn’t have cared
less.

Kadyn
and I slept the first half of the flight since we had gotten so little sleep
the night before. I pulled out my Kindle after I woke up, but I was too keyed
up to read. Kadyn was quiet so I filled the silence with stories about the
people he was about to meet.

We
were about an hour outside of Spokane when Kadyn finally revealed what was on
his mind. “Am I going to be the only black person in Montana?”

I
looked at Kadyn in mock shock. “Oh my God, you’re black?” I couldn’t help but
laugh at the look on his face. I reached for his hand as I offered up a more
serious response. “To be honest, less than half of one percent of the
population registers as African American with the Montana Census Bureau.” The
only reason I knew this little known factoid was because I’d been required to
conduct a demographic analysis based on gender, age, and race for the aging
report I’d worked on for Charlie.

Kadyn’s
brow furrowed. “That’s not very many.”

I
shook my head. “No, it’s not. Montana’s population is primarily white. There’s
a bit more diversity in the university towns and in Great Fall because of the
Air Force base. However, Montana is very much a ‘live and let live’ kind of
place. No one will think twice about you being there. It’s Idaho you need to
worry about. We have to drive through Idaho to get to Montana, and the Aryan
nation has been harassing minorities in Idaho for years.”

Kadyn
sighed. A troubled look settled over his face.

I
tried to ease his concern. “We’ll be in Idaho for less than thirty minutes.”

Kadyn
gazed out the window. “Are your parents going to be okay with me?”

I
captured his eyes from the reflection off the glass. I smiled, knowing that on
this point I could deliver some good news. “Yes. My parents will adore you… and
so will my friends. Not a single one of them is going to care about the color
of your skin.”

Kadyn
visibly relaxed, but I now found myself sharing his concerns. I wanted him to
feel comfortable and safe in the place I still called home.

*
* * * * *

Neither
of us breathed easy until we crossed over the border between Idaho and Montana.
About a half hour outside of Helena, four men on motorcycles fell in behind us.
They had been sitting on the side of the road when we initially drove past them.

I
twisted in my seat as I peered out the rear window of our rental car. I had a sneaking
suspicion that one of the riders was Dan. I picked up my cell phone and called
Kimme.

She
answered on the third ring. “Hi-ya, Krissy. How are you guys coming along?”

I
glanced at Kadyn and smiled. “We’re making good time. Any idea where Dan is?”

She
giggled. “Yes. He’s waiting just outside of Helena for you. He and some of his
Vietnam Vet friends wanted to give you an escort into town.”

I
laughed. “I thought that might be the case. Thanks, Kimme. I’ll touch base
later.” I disconnected the call. Then I turned around and waved out the back
window.

All
four bikers gave a quick salute, in unison.

I
grinned at Kadyn as I turned back around in my seat. “Apparently, we have an
escort.”

Kadyn
nodded. “I noticed.”

“No
worries. It’s my friend, Dan. Do you want to meet him before we drive through
to Great Falls?”

“Sure.”
Kadyn pulled the car into a gas station on Euclid Avenue. All four of the
Vietnam Vets pulled in behind us.

I
jumped out of the car and ran toward Dan. I threw my arms around him before he
could even get off his bike. “Dan, it’s so good to see you! I've missed you so
much!” I buried my face in his shoulder as I began crying.

“Hey,
darlin’. I’ve missed you too.” Dan squeezed me tight. Then he slid off his
bike. His friends fell in behind him as he acknowledged Kadyn. “Sir.”

Kadyn
offered Dan his hand “Please, call me Kadyn.”

Dan
shook Kadyn’s hand. He motioned toward his friends as he continued the
introductions. “I’m Dan. This is Ron, Larry, and Marty. We served in Vietnam
together.”

Kadyn
shook hands with the other three men. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Dan
hooked his arm around my neck affectionately. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir.
Thank you for taking care of our little lady.”

I
shot Kadyn an inquisitive look. I couldn’t understand why Dan kept referring to
Kadyn as “sir” when Kadyn was so much younger than he was.

“It’s
because I’m an officer,” Kadyn explained before turning his attention back to
Dan. “It has been my pleasure, sir.”

I
glanced at Kadyn again, now thoroughly confused by his use of the word “sir.”
It was all entirely too formal for my liking.

“It’s
a sign of respect,” Dan whispered into my ear. He had clearly picked up on my confusion.

The
six of us made small talk while Kadyn fueled up the car. I ran inside the store
to grab some bottled water and load up on snacks. We made plans to spend an
evening with Kimme and Dan on the return trip to Spokane. I gave Dan another
hug in the midst of a whole new round of hand shaking, then Kadyn and I climbed
back inside the car.

Dan
and his friends continued to escort us through Helena. They didn’t fall back
until we reached the edge of Wolf Creek Canyon. By then, we were halfway to
Great Falls.

*
* * * * *

The
five hour flight and the six hour drive caught up with us as we coasted into Great
Falls. We were both exhausted by the time we reached the hospital. I grew
increasingly anxious as we made our way down the hall from the nurse’s station
in search of Lexie’s room.

Her
voice echoed down the hall, just before we reached the room. I froze, then fell
back against the wall as tears pooled in my eyes. I took a deep breath and blew
it out as I tried to rein in the tears.

Kadyn
cupped my face in his warm hands before kissing me gently on the lips. “You can
do this, Kri.”

I
searched his eyes questioningly, then nodded. I reached for the nape of his
neck as I pulled him in for a more thorough kiss.

He
indulged me in the kiss. Then he folded me into his arms. “Ready?” he asked,
gazing down at me.

“Yes,”
I breathed. My hands and eyes lingered on his chest. I marveled at the strength
radiating from his body.

Kadyn
reached for my hand. He squeezed it encouragingly as we walked the rest of the
way to Lexie’s room.

I
stilled in the doorway and soaked in the sight of her.

Lexie
was propped up on a number of pillows drinking water from a pink plastic jug with
a matching straw. “Kri, you’re here! I didn’t think you’d make it before
visiting hours were over.”

I
swallowed against a lump of tears as I closed the distance between us. I eased
onto the bed and gently wrapped her in my arms. I closed my eyes and savored
the feel of her heart beating against mine.

I
grudgingly released her as a nurse walked into the room. I tried to ignore the
tubes in her arms and the machines hovering along the edge of the bed as I
scrambled for a way to make her laugh. “You know, cuz, if you wanted me to come
back for a visit, you could have just said so.”

Lexie
laughed. “I just needed a break from work, and they wouldn’t give me any time
off.”

The
nurse burst out laughing. “I know that’s true!”

“You
must be Kadyn. I’m Nate, Lexie’s better half,” Nate said, extending his hand
toward Kadyn.

Kadyn
pushed off from the door frame. He shook Nate’s hand. “Hi, Nate. It’s nice to
meet you.”