Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
I stepped toward him, but Kraven put his arm over my stomach, holding me in place. Something predatory about the way he was guarding me, one arm wrapped around my torso, reminding me of a lion preparing to attack its prey.
It didn’t deter me from coming to his defense. “That’s not true!”
Still, Joe paid me no mind. “You and your brother are the reason she left me… You made her leave us… You’re so fucking needy… always demanding something! Never letting her relax! Enjoy life! Everything was always about you! You selfish little shit…”
His words were loud and clear.
“Yeah, asshole!” I bit. “That’s what children do! They cry, they whine, they complain! They’re babies! It’s your job to provide for them, to care for them, to love them! You’re lucky you have two sons who turned out better than you!”
“Oh,” he mocked in a condescending tone, suddenly realizing I was there. “Who’s this? Huh? Your new piece of ass? Trust me, sweetheart, you need to stay away from him! He’s poison, and he’ll kill you like he killed his mother!”
My stomach was in knots, churning with each tick of the clock.
“You’re in my house!” Joe spewed. “My fucking house!”
Kraven’s hand never left the side of my stomach while his thumb strummed up and down on my skin from where my tank top lifted, leaving goose bumps in its wake.
At first, I thought it was to ease my worry and provide any comfort he could. Now it seemed like he was trying to calm himself, remaining steady and in control.
“I told her not to come back! I warned her this was going to happen! Her blood is on your hands, Kraven! And I hope you rot in hell for it!” In a frenzy, he demanded, only glaring at me, “Now get the fuck out of my house, you fucking slut—”
“Kraven, no!”
His fist collided with Joe’s jaw, causing his head to whoosh back, taking half of his body with him. I gasped, instantly feeling guilty about getting involved.
Once again, Kraven was defending me. I should have kept my mouth shut. This was all my fault.
“Please!” I begged him, pulling onto his arm. “Please don’t do this!”
Joe spat blood on the floor, growling, “You hit like the pussy you’re fucking!”
“Kraven, no!”
He charged him this time, ramming his shoulder into Joe’s torso and taking him to the ground. Joe’s back skidded across the floor, knocking over the end table. His bottle of whiskey shattered beside him, sending shards of glass to scatter everywhere.
“Please, stop!” I pleaded, knowing it was no use.
Kraven wouldn’t listen to me.
They wrestled around for a few minutes, grunting and groaning. Each one tried to gain the upper hand on the other.
Elbows.
Fists.
Legs flew everywhere, entwining together as they fought.
More tables knocked over.
Blood…
The living room suddenly became a battlefield between father and son.
Kraven positioned himself on top of him, getting a few hits to his face, taking out all the years of pent-up anger and resentment toward him. Each punch meant something to him.
“You fucking piece of shit!” Kraven sneered and punched him in the face.
Every memory.
“I fucking hate you!”
Every emotion.
“It should have been you, you deadbeat!” He hit him in the gut. “You should have died!”
Every nightmare.
It was all there, exploding all around us as he made his father bleed, hurt, die…
“Kraven, stop!” I roughly jerked on his jacket, trying to pull him off. “You’re going to kill him!”
He struck his father again.
“You’re going to fucking kill him!”
Another hit to his face.
“Kraven! He’s fucked up! It’s not going to take much! Please listen to me!”
He didn’t.
Not for a second, punching him over and over again.
“Please, Kraven! You’ll go to jail this time! I can’t lose you too!”
With his fist midair, he abruptly stopped. Both of us were panting profusely. His eyes remained wild and brazen as we took in one another. After a few seconds, he lowered his fist, shoving Joe to the ground before standing. We never took our intense, crazed stares off of each other.
In seconds, a certain understanding that hadn’t been there before this happened unexpectedly made itself known, and that truth was almost too much to handle.
Kraven didn’t put up a fight until Joe offended me.
He wasn’t fighting for revenge; he was fighting himself, believing every accusation Joe threw at him.
I stumbled back, his truths crashing down on me.
Kraven’s stare shifted to Joe, warning, “If you think I killed Melody, what do you think I’ll do to you? If you ever come back to this house, I won’t let her stop me next time. Do you understand me?”
He groaned in response, and it was all Kraven needed to hear. With that, he gripped the collar of his shirt and threw his ass out the front door. I watched through the window as Joe’s body rolled down the driveway.