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I try to pull my arm out of his grip, but he doesn’t budge. Then I see it. The cool, candid guy I met earlier has slipped and now something else has come over. It’s eerie to watch. Kohen’s eyes go straight to his parents. “She’s not Dove.”
“Pardon?” I ask, searching his eyes. “What—”
“Yes. She is,” King says, his eyes on Kohen. “I’ve been around her. She is.”
Kohen yanks me into his chest and I throw my hands out, stopping him from coming any farther. “Really, brother? Mind if I test that theory?” Kohen doesn’t wait for King to answer because his lips are on mine. I keep mine closed, along with my eyes and count to ten.
One. A river flashes over my eyes with the same little girl with red hair.
Two. She slightly turns her face, and I try to grasp more of it. Instead, my hand goes to the back of Kohen’s neck, and my head turns, giving him more access.
Three. The girl finally turns around, only it’s not me. She looks like me, exactly like me, only different. My tongue slips into his mouth and he pulls me into his chest tighter.
Four. The girl waves, a big smile on her face. Two dimples pop from her cheeks, only she’s not waving at me.
Five. I slowly turn around to see who it is that she’s waving to, when I see two little boys, a little older than us.
Six. One is wearing a baseball cap backwards and the other is wearing a small fedora.
Seven. Kohen picks me up from my legs and I wrap them around his waist, holding on and deepening the kiss. The boy wearing the cap that’s flipped backwards comes toward me. Closer and closer. He’s familiar. So fucking familiar.
Eight. He smiles, so bright that his straight white teeth gleam against the sun. The one wearing the fedora strolls straight past me and goes for the other redheaded girl who looks like me.
Nine. Who is the girl who looks like me? I don’t know. But this boy is almost right in front of me now. His fingers stretch around my chin as he tilts my head to his.
Ten. “Kohen fucked around and Mom and Dad are fighting again.”
I jump away from Kohen, shoving him off me. “What just happened?” I swipe at my mouth and search for King. “What the fuck was that?”
King is glaring at me, seething, but something else sits behind his eyes. “Told you,” King announces, his face dead and his eyes emotionless. “It’s Dove.”
I turn back to face Kohen, who is searching my eyes.
“How do I know you? And you!” I turn, pointing to King. “I fucking know you!”
“No, you don’t,” King says, picking up a glass of whiskey and shooting it back. He runs his fingers through his hair and points at Kohen. “You know him.” I’ve seen King like this, but not for a while. Even when he was standoffish in the RV, he was never cold. The way he is now is similar to how he was when I first met him in the cage.
I spin around, tears blurring my eyes.
I hear his mom sigh, before she makes her way toward me. When she stands, she towers over my short frame. She has to be over six foot. “You are Dove Noctem, and you, my sweet little witch,” she presses her fingernail underneath my chin, “are not welcome here.”
“I did what you asked,” King says, looking at his dad. “I chased this bitch for the better half of her fucking life, made her fall in love with me enough for her to trust me to bring her here, managed to not let Kyrin kill her.” My eyes flick to Kyrin, who shrugs, as King continues to dig the knife deeper and deeper into my chest. “And let’s not forget about her fucking parents.”
I swipe the stray tears that fall down my cheeks. “This was a setup,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes closed. I want to scream and kick and shout and ask what the fuck is going on. Why I know these boys from my memories and where the rest of my memories have gone. When my parents were killed, I was traumatized for years. My foster career put me into therapy, extensively in order to help me speak. I didn’t talk for years after. “I’ll hear you when you speak, Dovey. I will always be there.” It was enough to silence me at times. When I started working at the bar, I met people. I felt somewhat safe around them. They became my family, which became my security. I still to this day can withdraw my speech under duress, but it hasn’t happened.
“I was sure that you would be triggered with her, son.” King’s father stands from his chair as everyone continues to remain silent. “But you’ve once again proven to be stronger than I give you credit for.”
