Broken (22 page)

He did his usual ordering for her and acted like there wasn’t a big old elephant in the room. She was itching to bring it up but thought it might be better to leave it for later when they had more privacy. Either way she was going to court his wrath because things couldn’t go on like this with him constantly going off the rails every time she had a thought. She wasn’t a damn robot before he came along after all, and he had to stop treating her like an idiot.

With that finally settled in her head she sat back to enjoy the whole wheat pancakes he’d got her into and her first cup of coffee for the day. She hadn’t written a word in twenty-four hours and was surprised that she didn’t feel that sickening panic that usually followed anytime she took time away from her new hopefully fulfilling career.

She did have a lot of new material for her book though. Kyle would kill her if he knew she was thinking about putting even more of his true character in her novel. What he didn’t know won’t hurt him, and she was sure he would never be caught dead reading her stuff.

“We need to pick up some groceries when we’re done here. And don’t get that look on your face. I’ve told you already, it’s my responsibility to take care of you.” Yes, he kept telling her that but she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. There was so much still up in the air with them, like how much longer was he planning to stay? Was he expecting them to have one of those long distance things and if so was that something she wanted?

“How do you plan on doing that from Chicago?” He opened his mouth to say something but closed it just as quickly. “Kerryanne, what did I tell you last night? Where I go you go. Maybe we should leave this conversation for another time, how’re your pancakes?”

Way to change the subject. She guessed he was right, this was no place to have any kind of serious discussion, especially not when his gramps and his gang showed up and took over.

Chapter 17

***

T
hey spent the next hour shooting the breeze with the older men before heading for the local supermarket chain. It was early still so she wasn’t expecting there to be a crowd. She wasn’t sure about people seeing him buying her groceries, and wished she had half the gumption of her heroine.

He steered her away from the store brand products and headed for the more expensive goods. Things she’d never even bought when she was married and things had changed for them financially. He didn’t even look at prices, just dropped things he thought she’d need or like into the cart.

Before he was done, they needed another one and all her pleas of this is enough, fell on deaf ears. They were almost home free. He was teasing her about something or other while they took the groceries out of the cart and placed them on the belt, the earlier tension long forgotten, when it happened. The last time this happened Kyle had jetted her away pretty quick, but this time they were trapped. Jen and the baby. It was almost as if she’d planned it, but how?

One minute they were laughing and the sexual tension was almost palpable and the next… “Well- well-well fancy seeing you two here. Playing house, I see. Isn’t that against your moral upbringing or some-such crap, Kerryanne?” She was loud enough for anyone within hearing distance to overhear, as they were sure was the point.

Kyle’s face turned to stone, but Kerry’s was transfixed on the little one. It was the first time she’d seen the baby up close and her heart seized as every emotion she’d felt in the last year ran through her. She didn’t know what to feel. She couldn’t hate an innocent little baby, but she couldn’t forget that its mother had used its existence to destroy her life.

She wanted to run and hide as bile rose up in her throat and choked her. Kyle felt the sudden trembling in her body and turned his attention away from the woman he was about to strangle with his bare hands to her. He saw the way she looked at that baby, with longing and hurt and it tore a hole in his gut. Moving in close, he rubbed his hand over her tummy and kissed her ear. “Don’t worry baby, I’ll give you your little girl.”

She turned eyes filled with pain up to him and he turned to the frazzled cashier who was looking like he wished to be anywhere but there at the moment. His first inclination was to get her out of there, but on second thought, this was exactly the kind of thing he’d promised not to do. This was going to be home, his home and hers and there was no way in hell he was going to run from this twit.

The last time he’d held his tongue because the baby had been there. But since she didn’t care about starting shit with her child there why the fuck should he? Besides, her days of tormenting his woman were at an end.

He didn’t miss the others who were pretending not to listen as he took Kerry’s hand and turned to face Jen.

“What would you know about moral fiber? Aren’t you the one who screwed her husband behind her back and got pregnant out of wedlock? Could you finish ringing us up please?” He turned back to the cashier.

Jen wasn’t looking so pleased with herself anymore, and the stares and whispers showed that her little stunt had backfired. She was the one who tucked tail and ran, but Kerryanne still hadn’t said a word and her hand had gone cold and clammy in his.

He loaded up the groceries and pushed the cart with one hand while holding hers in the other. It looked like last night hadn’t sent the message he’d wanted after all, time to play hardball. He put her in the car and she still hadn’t so much as blinked it seemed like. He’d deal with that later, right now his mind was working on ways to deal with those two fucks once and for all.

He played with numerous scenarios as they drove back to her place. He didn’t want to run them out of town, which was his first choice. No, he had something better in store for them. He knew what living in Kerryanne’s shadow would do to that pariah and he couldn’t wait to get the ball rolling.

He talked to her about everything and nothing just to get her mind working and away from what had just happened. He obviously underestimated how deep the other woman’s inferiority complex ran. He’d have to work on that shit, but first he had to get his baby back on track.

Back at the apartment, he took her inside before unloading the truck. She was sitting just where he’d left her when he brought the last bag in. Lost, broken, hurt, fuck. He sat beside her and pulled her into his lap. “Go ahead and cry baby.” They’d been here before and though he could have no idea what she was feeling he knew it wasn’t good.

She didn’t cry though, just clung to him and sighed about a hundred times while he held her close. With his head on the back of the couch and hers on his chest, he let his mind go to work with what he had to do next. It was obvious that Jen’s jealous obsession with her ran too deep for the other woman to leave well enough alone. And last night hadn’t shown Kerryanne what was right in front of her face and he was sure had been there forever, so he was gonna have to come up with another plan.

Kerryanne wasn’t even thinking she was just numb. She felt like a complete fool for falling apart like this. Was she going to react this way every time she saw that little girl? What did she have to look forward to, another eighteen years of running and hiding whenever she saw that face? “Maybe I should just move away.”

“No.” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but his answer jolted her.

“You’re through running from that shit. I get it now, I don’t like it, but I get it. You still have unfinished business that’s why they’re always on your mind. I hope you’ll get to the point where you stop running and start fighting back.”

“You got fucked over no doubt about it, but you did nothing wrong. It’s time you stop paying for their shit.” She didn’t say anything but she did draw a little bit closer and snuggled her face into his neck.

“I’ve been watching and listening a lot in the last few weeks baby. Do you know you’re the only one who holds you responsible for that whole mess? No one else sees you as the villain here, but you gotta stop being a victim babe.” She flinched and tried to pull away but he held on.

“No, you stay where you are, I’m not the enemy. I know I keep telling you not to mention that asshole’s name but maybe you better tell me everything that happened between the three of you so I know what I’m dealing with.”

“Why so you can yell at me again?” He didn’t even acknowledge her shit. He knew what her game was, she needed an outlet and he was it. She huffed and folded her arms when he didn’t have a comeback. She needed to vent her anger. Yes, that’s what she felt this time. Instead of despair and defeat, she felt a roiling anger in her gut “I hate her.”

“That’s good because I hate that bitch too.” He felt the beginnings of a smile touch his lips. She didn’t sound like a little girl lost, she sounded royally pissed. About damn time.

She pulled back and looked at his face.

“You do? She didn’t convince you, didn’t win you with her wiles last night?”

“Don’t be stupid.” Now she was just feeling mean, he could live with that. “She is pretty, and apparently a dynamo in bed.” She gave him the stink eye and he fought not to laugh.

“Uh-huh.” If she were any hotter than his Princess he’d eat his fucking shoe. He didn’t say shit, just let her get it all out and she had a lot to say.

She finally jumped off his lap and he let her. He held his silence as she paced back and forth in front of the couch. That gorgeous face of hers was a mask of pure mad. He’d never seen her like this. He’d seen her hurt, sad, broken, even afraid. But his baby was beautifully pissed. She’d skin his ass alive if she knew she was making his dick hard while she was having her rant, but he couldn’t help it. The woman was amazing.

“I was such an idiot- I trusted her-thought she was my friend. Why did she do it? What have I ever done to her except be a friend and a shoulder to cry on when she needed it? Did you know she screwed half the football team when she went away to college? And who was it who talked her down off the ledge when she was afraid the news would get back here and ruin her reputation? Me.” She thumped her chest with her finger.

“You shoulda let the bitch jump.” She stopped in midstride and looked at him with her mouth open before she did the most unexpected thing. She laughed. Gut deep belly wrenching laughter. It was music to his ears. He grinned at her and opened his arms. She flew back onto his lap and he hugged her, breathing a sigh of relief that it was over. Thank fuck. She might be over it for now but he was a long way from it.

She got a little frisky so he put it away for now. Kerryanne didn’t want to think anymore, she just wanted to feel. She wanted to feel what only he could make her. Straddling his lap she bit his bottom lip while fighting with his zipper. He didn’t try to stop her, just slid down in the seat and let her get to his dick. Her cool hand wrapped around his hot flesh as his hands went to her zipper.

There was now a mad rush on for both of them to get the other out of their clothes. He pulled his shirt off over his head before tearing the four thousand dollar shirt from her body. “Hurry, I want you inside me now-now-now.” He bit her nipple and pushed two fingers up inside her.

She rode his hand hard as he finger fucked her to her first orgasm, but it wasn’t enough. He needed to exorcise the demons that were chasing her in her head. Lifting her off his lap he turned her around so that she hung over the back of the couch. Lifting one leg over the couch back he drove his tongue into her from behind.

“Yes, oh yes.” She reached back with one hand and grabbed his head as he ate her pussy like a starving beast. “I’m cumming Kyle.” He pressed down on her clit as he slid his tongue in and out of her, drawing her juices into his mouth. While her body was still shaking in climax he got up behind her with cock in hand. “Leave your leg there.” He ran the head of his cock up and down her slit before sliding his entire length home.

He was deep in her belly now and her pussy was on fire. “Oooooohhhh…” She moaned through her teeth and held onto her tummy where she could feel the pressure from within. The way he had her spread open with her leg thrown over the couch there wasn’t much she could do but take it.

Kyle fucked into her making sure to hit her spot every time he went in, while squeezing her clit between his fingers. Her ass tightened and her pussy leaked all over his cock as she took him without complaint.

“That’s it baby, just feel that cock, that’s the only thing you have to think about now. Feel how deep I am inside you baby, feel how much I want you.” He kept up a running litany that made her wild. “This pussy is so fucking tight baby, it makes my cock want to stay buried inside you all day.” Oh yeah, her mind was right where it needed to be.

***

Across town, Jen was paying a visit to the doctor’s office. Today, she wasn’t interested in putting on airs for the people in the waiting room or the airhead behind the reception desk, she had bigger fish to fry. “Wait he has an appointment…” One glare was enough to have the ditzy blonde, as Jen was fond of calling her husband’s receptionist piping down.

If the little idiot weren’t careful, she’d find herself fired. Jen was not in the mood today and the way she was feeling right now, she needed a sacrifice. She didn’t know what Paul saw in the idiot anyway.

She pushed the stroller ahead of her and entered the office where Paul was looking over the charts of his next patient. “I’ve never been so humiliated in my life. You have to do something and now. I will not be shamed like this.” She jumped right in without so much as a hello.

“Okay-okay calm down. What happened?” Paul wasn’t sure all these months later if he’d made the right choice. In the beginning things with Jen had been exciting and illicit, which made it all the more fun. She’d brought out a side of him that he never knew existed, shown him things about himself that made him feel like more than the overworked drone he had become.

She’d worked on him he saw that now. The sex, the compliments, the adoration, had all worked to make him see that his life could be so much more than what it was. He’d never given his wife a second thought in those days.

She was just another part of the drudgery that was his life. He’d thought that becoming a doctor would open up doors for him, would afford him all the things his heart desired.

It took Jen to show him what he was missing, and the more she gave him the more he wanted. He’d become obsessed to the point that the very sight of his wife had made him sick. He’d started seeing her through new eyes. Kerry was the one always harping on doing the right thing, being responsible. She’d been the one to carry them true, but now that he had made it, and his practice had taken off, he wanted to live a little. What was so wrong with that? They could pay off their debts later he was good for it wasn’t he?

Jen was right he didn’t owe her anything. It was her choice to give up her life and support them while he went after his dream. He hadn’t asked her had he? Well maybe, but she still had a mind of her own, she could’ve said no. Besides she’d wanted to do it.

He’d convinced himself with the help of his lover that he was in the right every time he snuck into her bed, while his pathetic wife had been sitting at home with one of her boring dinners waiting for him. It was Jen who had taken things to the next level when he’d balked at the mention of divorce.

He wasn’t sure how well that would go over for a small town doctor. He knew Kerryanne was well liked in the town. That it might reflect badly on him. But when Jen had turned up pregnant there was no question.