When Our Worlds Collide (Our Worlds #1)(98)

She let it all soak in before saying anything. You can tell the wheels are turning in her head. This is a big secret to have to keep. I’m not sure she’ll be able to do that for Graham.

“I’m going to go get you some ice and Tylenol, sweetie. You’re going to need it,” she pats him on the leg in a comforting way only a mother is capable of.

Once she walks out of the room I turn to face him. I just need to touch him to make sure he’s alright. I wrap my arms around his waist and cuddle in next to him trying to ease some of his anxiety.

“You’re going to be fine,” I whisper into his chest.

“Can I stay tonight?” Graham whispers.

We hadn’t noticed her standing in the doorway. I don’t know how long she had been standing watching us, but I can’t find it in me to care.

“Graham, you can stay here. We’ll keep it between us. Kennedy’s father wouldn’t be thrilled, but something tells me that you need my daughter right now,” she explains with rather wet eyes.

This is why Graham doesn’t like people to know. He knew people would feel sorry for him. There’s a certain pity that comes along with dark family secrets like Graham’s.

“Thank you, Mrs. Conrad. I really do appreciate it.” Graham stands to walk to my mom hugging her for the first time. She wraps her arms around him holding him for a minute or so. He needs it more from her than he does me. He isn’t used to having adults fussing over him.

My mom cups his face in her hands looking him over once more. “You promise me that if you ever need anything that you’ll come to us.” She looks around him glancing over to me. “Get some sleep.”

Before we can say anything she’s gone. She is going to let him sleep in my bed. This is awkward.

Graham walks to my bathroom without looking back at me. I give him a few minutes to himself before I walk in. We need to talk about what happened tonight. I find him in front of the mirror inspecting his eye hissing out in pain when he touches the bruises and cuts.

“Kennedy, I just need a minute if that’s okay?” Graham turns to face me. There’s emptiness in his eyes. He’s far away. I allow my mind to think for a split second that he could have been easily been taken from me tonight in a blink of an eye.

“I’m not leaving. You can get that out of your thick skull. Tell me what happened,” I demand. I hike myself up onto the vanity countertop pulling him in between my legs. I run my fingers over his head, down his jawline over his neck and down his arms. It’s my way of convincing myself that he’s standing in front of me still in one piece. One battered piece.

“There’s not much to tell. I came home and he wasn’t supposed to be back until tomorrow. He was mad that I didn’t call my mom to tell her I wouldn’t be home for dinner and I sort of snapped back at him. He threw a few punches and slapped my mom. Just a normal day in the Black household,” Graham shrugs his shoulders like it isn’t a big deal. I hate the way he dismisses the severity of it all.

“This is what I’m talking about, Graham. You can’t keep living like this. It’s not fair to you or your mom. He’s going to go too far at some point. I’m going to get a call someday telling me that you’re dead. I don’t want to get that call, do you understand me? I can’t live without you in this world.” I confess in a state of panic. Graham brushes my tears away then kisses the skin where they once were.

“Can we just go to bed please?” Graham asks. I know I should have argued. Should have put up a bigger fight to get what I needed from him. It’s the look in his eyes that have me relenting from my inquisition.

“Yeah, we can go to bed.” I jump from the counter reaching for his hand guiding him back to my room. I pull back the covers just as I had the first night he stayed here waiting for him to climb in. He pulls off his clothes until he was standing in just his boxer briefs. Once we are both comfortably under the comforter, I curl into the nook of his body where I fit perfectly. It’s as if he’s made for me. I just hope he lives long enough to realize it.





Chapter FortySix



-Graham-



Kennedy and I lie in her bed without saying anything to each other for several minutes. Neither of us knows what to say. Nothing seems appropriate. She said her peace about everything. She has every right to be worried after how I showed up at her house tonight. Now her Mom knows everything. It felt nice to have her mom embrace me the way she did. Usually after my father had an episode, my mother was too busy trying to talk him down that she doesn’t have time to check on me. I never knew that was something I needed until Mrs. Conrad held onto me tonight.

Kennedy is running her fingers up and down my arm drawing a pattern that I can’t quite place. I grab her hand to stop her. She scoots over to rest her head on my chest.

“I love you,” she whispers into my skin with such conviction. It’s just loud enough for me to hear.

“I know. I love you, too,” I whisper into her hair. She props herself up on an elbow and plants a kiss on my lips quickly. Neither of us turns off her bedside lamp. I can see the worry all over her face.

“It won’t last forever. I’ll be out of here before we know it,” I say softly playing with her hair that falls down her back.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Kennedy’s voice is apprehensive like she doesn’t quite believe that.