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ChapterOne
KATIE
Frowning darkly at the picture Nathan had dropped off, worry rotted my gut, and I rubbed my bump protectively. My lip curled the longer I stared atthat bitch’s face, a hatred boiling my blood in my veins.
Jett.What a stupid name. She wasn’t pretty. She wasn’t a talented fighter or anything. She could barely use a printer properly. The only thing she was good at was spreading her legs and sucking up to Mason. If his network had an ‘insipid office lady everyone hated but couldn’t be fired because she’s banging the boss’, it was Jett.
“How are you feeling, Katie?”
Glancing up through narrowed eyes as Julia slipped into the room, I only frowned deeper. So many emotions waged a war in my chest, and even her assuring, calm smile couldn’t relieve the pressure as she sat down in the chair by my bed.
“I feel like that bomb was a warning, and if we don’t get off this island, we’ll be trapped here like rats. I can’t protect myself pregnant.” Frustration thickened my tone, and Julia reached to gingerly take the photo and set it face down on the nightstand. My heart wouldn’t slow down, my eyes throbbed and stung, and I released a harsh sigh. “How’s the baby?”
“She’s fine. Heart rate’s normal. No signs of distress. Your Braxton-Hicks contractions are gone, which is great. I’m honestly more worried about you than your baby right now, Katie.”
The door cracked open, and my face heated when Brandon stuck his head in before shuffling through the threshold. He lookedawful, but my smile froze on my face when he didn’t even glance at me.
“Oh, Brandon— I was just explaining how the baby’s fine.”
“Good. Leave.” The hairs on the back of my neck stood up at his curtness, and Julia hesitated a moment before standing up. Brandon still wouldn’t look at me even as she shot me an encouraging smile on her way out. The atmosphere was dreary and ominous, and Brandon shuffled over to sit heavily and prop his elbows on his knees. My heart beat painfully, but he reached to grab the photo off the nightstand and rub his face roughly.
“Brandon? Are you okay?” I felt so stupid, asking that question;of course, he wasn’t okay. I wasn’t okay. None of this was okay! Finally, his eyes flickered to mine, and my mouth dried at the roiling emotions his dark orbs held.
“I... I haven’t really caught up with what’s happening, I guess. My best guess is that package wasn’t a mystery prize from one of the sites we ordered from.”
Slowly shaking my head, I fiddled my thumbs and picked at my nails in my lap.
Brandon examined the photo under tightly knit brows, the silence ringing in my ears before he spoke up again. “Who is this woman? Is she dangerous?”
“... She’s an idiot with a gun.” Gulping down the dense lump in my throat, I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth as Brandon nodded lowly. “Brandon, I need to c—”
“Whatever it is, Katie... I really don’t think I can handle it right now, so just... please... don’t.”
I ground my teeth at the thinly veiled snap, and Brandon covered his mouth to hide his frown.
“I’m sorry, Katie.”
“But it’s—”
Once again, Brandon cut me off, this time with a slight glare, and it cut right to my heart. Ducking my head to hide my sad frown, I squeezed my eyes shut tightly as my tears threatened to stream. I could barely breathe under the intense weight on my chest, and I clenched my fists until my nails dug deep crescents in my palms.
“Katie...”
Shivering with the effort not to have a meltdown, I jerked away when Brandon tried to caress my shoulder. His gaze bored holes into my hot face, and I managed a rattling, shallow breath.
I don’t deserve him... or us.That thought stabilized me, and the lump in my throat started to dissolve as I forcefully uncurled my fingers. Clenching and releasing my jaw, I blinked back the thick gloss of tears in my eyes. My lungs were on fire, but that thought raced around and around in my head to distract me from the fact that Icouldn’t breathe.
“It’s fine. It’s okay. You’re right. You don’t need more on your plate. It’s— it’s not that important, anyway.” Hiccupping harshly, I turned away from him as a tear bravely dripped down my cheek. Quickly wiping it away, my hands trembled up to the beds of my nails. “Sp- speaking of plates... I’m okay, now, so... so...”
Like fuck am I okay.A tiny, almost inaudible whimper clogged my throat. Sinking down to cover my head, I rolled onto my side and away from Brandon. Before he could see me crack.
“I’ll go get—” He sighed heavily, his chair scraping harshly against my ears when he stood up. “I’ll go get your food. It should be ready now.”
“Yeah— you go. You may be here, but you abandoned me the moment we got off that plane.” The bitterness in my tone stuck to my tongue like acid, and I sniffled harshly. “You said it yourself. You’re not good at personal frustration. So,go get...”
“I love you, Katie. It should be enough. It should be all that matters. It sucks that that’s not the case, butyousaid it yourself. Maybe,youare the common denominator.”
Shooting up at his slow, rough word declaration, I was off the bed before I even realized which way was up. Storming over to Brandon as his eyes widened, regret flashing on his face. Red seeped into my vision, and blood drummed loudly in my ears, drowning everything else out.
