The Scars of Us

by Nikki Narvaez

  He didn’t respond for several seconds, and I thought he had left. Then the silence broke when he said, “I understand. I’ll give you some space tonight, but I’m coming back over here tomorrow to straighten everything out. We can face those demons together.”

  I heard his footsteps going down the stairs as Kaleb pulled me away from the door, leading me to my bedroom instead of Kamden’s. He tucked the gun in the back of his pants as he tightened his hold on my arm, driving his nails into my skin.

  Then, chaos erupted as Ryker burst through the front door. Kaleb reached for his gun, but I threw my weight into him, sending both of us crashing into the wall as Ryker neared us.

  “He has a gun!” I warned.

  The impact caused Kaleb to lose his grip on me, but also made me lose my balance, sending me stumbling back into the opposite wall. Ryker slammed into Kaleb, tackling him to the ground. They rolled on the floor several times before Ryker finally pinned him, and started elbowing him in the face.

  The gun flew backwards from Kaleb’s hand and went off as it hit the floor. Ryker stilled, then snapped his eyes to me, making sure I hadn’t been shot, which gave Kaleb the opportunity to punch him square in the jaw.

  Stunned, Ryker wobbled slightly before Kaleb hit him twice more, causing him to fall to the floor. Kaleb darted for the gun on the ground a few feet away from me, but Ryker grabbed his leg, making him stumble and crash to the floor. Kaleb used his other foot to kick Ryker in the face several times. Blood streamed down his face as he let go and lay dazed against the floor. No.

  Kaleb rushed for the gun again, and I knew I couldn’t let him get a hold of it. I couldn’t let him shoot Ryker. I threw myself at the weapon, causing it to skid away from me when I hit it. Frantically crawling, I stretched my arm out to grab the handle, but Kaleb’s foot came stomping down, crushing my hand beneath his boot.

  Yelping, I pulled my hand back, clutching it to my chest as I watched Kaleb reach the gun. Shit. I scooted back, desperate to get to Ryker, to protect him.

  Ryker groaned when my hand brushed against him. Tugging on his bicep, I helped him sit up as Kaleb picked up the gun. I draped his arm around my shoulder before struggling to pull him to his feet.

  Kaleb pointed the gun at Ryker, so I stepped in front of him, blocking as much of Ryker’s bulky body with my much smaller one. All I cared about was him—Kaleb could do whatever he wanted to me if it meant that Ryker would be safe.

  Kaleb’s eyes blazed in anger at my action, obviously pissed that I was protecting Ryker. “Move, Kaiya,” he growled.

  I silently shook my head, fearing my voice would waver if I spoke. Kaleb cursed and threatened, “Don’t make me do this.”

  I didn’t respond—inside I was screaming, the frail, weak part of me begging me to move out of the way. But, something else was keeping me there, something stronger than fear—love.

  Tears burned my eyes—we were probably going to die and Ryker didn’t know how I felt, that I loved him. Oh my God, I love him. There was no doubt or question anymore. The reality of it had finally sunk in. I knew with every fiber of my being that I was in love with Ryker.

  The click of the gun snapped me from my thoughts. Everything happened so fast after that—Ryker pushed me out of the way as Kamden stumbled out of his bedroom and threw himself at Kaleb.

  The gun was pointed straight at me when it went off from my brothers fighting over it. My body froze at the sound, the only movement being my eyes shutting tight in fear.

  I expected excruciating agony, but the burning that I felt in my chest was not what I anticipated. My eyes snapped open to Ryker’s bloody face; his eyes were scrunched in pain as sweat trailed down his skin. His arms were tightly wrapped around me, his chest pressed against mine.

  Looking down, I was utterly unprepared for what I saw. A bullet was sticking out of my blood-splattered chest, right over my heart. But that wasn’t even the worst part.

  My breath caught in my throat as I focused on the bloody bullet hole in Ryker’s chest in front of me. Realization clicked at what just occurred. “You saved me,” I whispered in shock.

  Wincing, he forced a smile. The pained expression didn’t look right on his beautiful face. “I told you that I always would,” he croaked.

  Tears trickled down my cheeks as he slumped against me, forcing me to bear his weight. My legs gave out, unable to hold the both of us up as I fell to my knees.

  Shifting Ryker to cradle him in my lap, I pulled off my ripped shirt, balling it up and pressing it against Ryker’s wound. He clenched his eyes shut as he hissed in pain.

  “I’m sorry, baby. I have to stop the bleeding,” I choked, my tears now falling like a torrential downpour.

  Sounds of a scuffle reached my ears, causing my head to jerk up. Kamden and Kaleb still wrestled over the gun about ten feet away from me. Then, Kamden finally ripped it from Kaleb’s hands before pointing it at him.

  Sirens sounded in the distance, probably from a neighbor calling to report the yelling and gunshots. I hope an ambulance is coming with them.

  Kaleb stepped closer to Kamden, who threatened, “Don’t come any closer.”

  Kaleb curled his lip up before spitting blood on the floor. “We both know you won’t shoot me, brother. You’re too weak, just like you were too weak to protect Kaiya from me all those years.”

  Then, Kaleb threw himself at Kamden. Struggling over the gun once again, it fired, the sound making my stomach clench. Both my brothers fell to the floor, and I couldn’t tell who had been shot. Please don’t be Kamden. Please don’t be Kamden.

  Neither one moved as my heart pounded wildly in my chest, my adrenaline lacing my veins and making me feel like a charged up live wire. Kamden finally groaned before starting to get up, and I exhaled a huge sigh of relief. He’s alive. He’s okay.

  Kaleb didn’t move. Even though he had tormented me for so long, a little piece of my heart still hurt at the thought of him being dead—he was my twin, after all. Even after everything he did to me, I still felt a small part of that special bond that only twins have, which had made all his abuse so emotionally damaging.

  Ryker moaned softly, drawing my attention back to him. His hand clutched mine, which was still holding my shirt against his chest. Tears fell from my face onto him as he stared up at me through half-lidded eyes.

  His hand reached up to swipe the tears from my face before he rested it there, cupping my cheek. I leaned into his palm as I brought my free hand to rest atop his. Tell him.

  Just as I was about to speak, he mumbled, “Kaiya, I—”

  His hand went limp, falling from my face as his eyes shut.

  No. “Ryker! Ryker, wake up!” I shrieked as I lightly smacked his face, trying to wake him. “Don’t leave me!”

  The stomping of multiple pairs of feet sounded behind me, but all I could focus on was waking Ryker up.

  “Open your eyes! Damn it, look at me, baby! Please!” I desperately screamed.

  I heard voices, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Hands grabbed me and pulled me away from Ryker as two people took my place next to him, sending me into a fit of crazed panic.

  “No! Ryker! I need to be with him! Please! Don’t take him away from me!”

  Thrashing wildly against whoever was holding me, I screamed until my throat was raw. I didn’t know how I was able to move due to all my injuries, but the only pain I felt was my heart ripping apart as I thought about Ryker being dead.

  More hands gripped onto me as another person came into my view, but my eyes were so blurred with tears that I couldn’t see who they were. Despair sucked the air from lungs, suffocating me as I continued to struggle. Other sets of hands grabbed me, holding me still as I felt a sharp sting in my arm.

  Still fighting, I kicked and flailed until my body began to feel boneless, my vision swimming as my eyes suddenly became heavy and dizziness swarmed me. I slumped against someone right before blackness blanketed me.

  Annoying beeping woke me. I gr
oaned as pain assaulted me everywhere, making me wish I’d stayed in the black void I’d been in. Where am I?

  “Sorella?” a tired voice spoke. “Are you awake?”

  “Ugh, why are you yelling?” I mumbled groggily.

  A sigh of relief followed by a strained chuckle met my ears as a hand squeezed mine. I struggled to open my eyes, which felt like they had been sealed with superglue. I managed to open one as I turned my head toward where I heard the voice.

  Kamden gave me a small smile as he stood and kissed my forehead. “Are you thirsty?”

  My mouth felt like someone had stuffed it with cotton after buffing my throat with sandpaper. “Yes,” my voice cracked hoarsely.

  Kamden handed me a cup with ice chips. When I finished, he set the cup back on the bedside table, I took in my surroundings—I was in a hospital room, which explained the annoying beeping of the machine hooked up to me. Memories of what happened with Kaleb rushed back, and I gripped Kamden’s hand tighter. “Where’s Ryker? Is he okay?” I asked as I fought back tears. Please be alive.

  “He’s fine. He’s in the room right next door. They had to sedate him because he kept fighting to get to you—he ripped open his stitches.”

  I exhaled a huge sigh of relief. He’s alive. Thank God. “When can I see him?”

  “I don’t know. We’ll have to ask your doctor. You have some fractured ribs, as well as some small fractures in your right hand and face. He said your gunshot wound wasn’t that extensive; the bullet came out fairly easily. You were very lucky— Ryker took the brunt of the impact and slowed the trajectory, otherwise, it would’ve…”

  Kamden choked, unable to finish his sentence. The tears I’d been holding broke free then, the severity of what happened almost strangling me. “He saved me.”

  “He loves you,” Kamden said softly with a knowing smile.

  My head snapped up to his, and I winced from the sharp throb that resulted. “He said that?”

  “No, but no one takes a bullet for someone unless they love them. I saw how you protected him—you love him, too, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I think I do,” I replied softly.

  “You do. I can see it on your face.”

  I changed the subject, not completely comfortable with discussing how I felt about Ryker with Kamden yet. I needed to talk to Ryker first, see if what Kamden was saying was true. “How about you?”

  “I suffered a small concussion and some bruises, but nothing major like you.”

  “Kaleb?” I hesitantly asked.

  Kamden’s face tensed as his eyes watered. He shook his head, unable to voice what happened. I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling, but I knew it wasn’t good. My heart became heavy for him. He had to kill our brother for something that should’ve never been an issue between the three of us.

  “I’m sorry.” I squeezed his hand.

  His eyes met mine as he nodded, sorrow etched into every feature. I wanted to comfort him, to take away his pain, but I knew that look; he wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. I would be there for him when he was, just as he had always been for me.

  The door opened, and a man who looked to be in his forties walked in wearing the traditional doctor’s coat, holding an iPad.

  “Ah, good, you’re awake. I’m Dr. Wright,” he introduced as he walked to the side of my bed, opposite of Kamden.

  I gave him a polite smile, then impatiently asked, “When can I see Ryker Campbell? He’s the patient next door to me.”

  The doctor laughed softly. “First things first. Let’s get you checked out before we move on to anything else.”

  After he checked my vitals and all the other routine crap they have to do, he lifted the gauze covering my wound to examine it. “No sign of infection, and your stitches look good. But, I still want you to stay a week or so just to be safe.”

  “Can I get up and walk around?”

  He responded with a knowing smile. “Yes, just don’t exert yourself too much. You just got shot, plus you have multiple fractures and bruising all over your body—you need to take it easy. Give your body time to recuperate.”

  “I will.” After I see Ryker.

  Dr. Wright nodded as he typed something on his tablet. “I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow.”

  Kamden and I both thanked the doctor before he left. “Help me up,” I requested as soon as the door shut. I wasn’t wasting any more time. Being away from Ryker was eating me up inside. I needed to make sure he was okay. I didn’t care how much it would hurt.

  Kamden gave me his disapproving big brother look. “Ky, you heard the doctor—you need to take it easy.”

  Narrowing my eyes, I threatened, “Help me up, or I’m going to get up without you, and I’ll probably further injure myself.”

  Kamden sighed in defeat. “Fine. You’re such a brat.”

  In true brat-like fashion, I stuck my tongue out at him. He pulled me up by my arms since one of my hands was in a splint and helped me scoot to the side of the bed. I winced in pain from the movement, and the side where my fractured ribs were seared me in agony, making me squeeze my eyes shut and grit my teeth.

  Kamden stopped and let me go. “Ky, this isn’t—”

  “I’m fine, now help me stand,” I demanded, my voice leaving no room for argument.

  He mumbled something indiscernible under his breath, but I was able to hear a few choice words as he complied with my request. My whole body hurt as I strained to stand, but I fought through the pain, needing to see Ryker.

  I hobbled like a ninety year old grandma with arthritis as we made our way from my room to Ryker’s. Kamden used one hand to brace my arm the entire way, keeping me from losing my balance and falling while he pulled my IV stand with us.

  It felt like it took hours to get to Ryker’s room. I was about to bust out of my skin when Kamden opened the door and slowly led me in. I had to stop myself from pulling away and running to Ryker’s bed.

  “Hurry, Kam,” I urged when Ryker came into view.

  He was sleeping when I finally reached him. Kamden steadied me before pulling up a chair behind me for me to sit in, but I stayed standing as I threaded my uninjured hand with his. Tears trailed down my face as I assessed him—he had a black eye, his lip was busted, and multiple bruises and cuts marred his beautiful face.

  I squeezed his hand before bringing it up to my lips and gently kissing it. I didn’t know when he would wake up, but I wasn’t leaving until he did.

  Letting go of his hand, I awkwardly struggled to push the rail on the side of his bed down, planning to climb in next to him. I needed to be as close to him as possible, to feel his chest rise with breath, hear his heartbeat, and feel the warmth of life in his skin. I didn’t have enough strength to lift myself in, and tears started to rim my eyes.

  “Kamden, help me,” I cried softly.

  “Kaiya, I—”

  Interrupting him, I begged, “Please, Kam. I need to be near him right now.”

  Kamden never did well resisting when it came to me. He gingerly helped me get into the small bed with Ryker. All of my efforts had exhausted me so much that as soon as I rested my head against Ryker’s chest, right over his heart, sleep took me away.

  When I awoke, the faint smell of strawberries and vanilla filled my nose as I inhaled deeply, causing a smile to spread on my face. Kaiya.

  My eyes snapped open before my gaze traveled down, focusing on hair the color of dark chocolate, porcelain skin, and a small, familiar body—Kaiya. How did she get here?

  “As soon as she woke up, she made me bring her to you,” a voice answered my unspoken question.

  My eyes met Kamden’s, who sat in a chair next to my bed. He looked like he had aged years since I saw him last, and exhaustion laced his face. Deep, purple bags rimmed his eyes, and his skin looked pallid. “Sounds like her. She’s so stubborn,” I chuckled, then winced from the resulting pain in my chest.

  “You okay? Do you need me to get a nurse?”

  I looked down
at Kaiya’s head on my chest, and smiled. “Nah, I’m good now.”

  “You love her?” Kamden abruptly questioned.

  I looked up at him. After what we had gone through, after what I’d done for her, I didn’t have to even think about my answer. “Yes, I love her.”

  He gave me a small, but genuine smile. “Thank you for…” He cleared his throat as his eyes watered. “For saving Kaiya. I don’t know how I can ever repay you, but I’ll find a way.”

  “You don’t have to do anything. I have everything I need right here.” I gestured to Kaiya in my arms.

  His smile widened as he wordlessly stood and walked to the door. When he grabbed the handle, he looked over his shoulder. “I’ll be outside if she needs me.”

  Focusing back on the amazing woman next to me, I softly ran my fingers through her hair as I quietly spoke, “Wake up, my Warrior.”

  She began to stir as I continued to run my fingers through her long locks. I probably should’ve let her sleep, but I needed to see her, needed to make sure she was really okay, especially since I hadn’t completely stopped the bullet. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to forget the image of it embedded in her skin.

  Her head shifted as she looked up at me. Those gorgeous eyes captivated me as they met mine, making me lose myself in her as I sank into them.

  “Hi,” she murmured as her lips tipped up in a soft smile.

  “Hi. How are you feeling?”

  “Sore, but better now that I’m here.”

  “I heard you fought your way over here.”

  “Me? What about you? I heard you ripped your stitches open trying to get to me,” she countered as her mouth quirked up playfully.

  “They told you that, huh?” I glanced away, slightly embarrassed by my behavior.

  “Yep,” she replied, putting extra emphasis on the P as she gave me a teasing grin. “Now, why would you do something crazy like that?”