Mending Scars

by Nikki Narvaez

  My phone sounded with a text. I swiped my password and the message from Kaiya automatically popped up. My lips curved into a smile as I read her text:

  Warrior: Miss you <3

  As I typed back my response, I felt the majority of my anger lifting from just thinking about Kaiya.

  Me: Miss you too baby

  After sending the text, I went back to my office to ice down my injury—or handicap—as I thought of it. The physical therapists said those muscles might never be the same again, but I was determined to prove them wrong.

  I was still a little irritated for the rest of the day until Kaiya walked into the kickboxing studio for class. The remaining frustration weighing me down evaporated when I saw her beautiful face and bright, blue eyes.

  My Warrior.

  She was the first one there, as usual. It had become a routine for Kaiya to get there early so we could talk about our day and have some time to ourselves before class started. When we reached each other, I wrapped my arms around her waist, lifting her feet off the ground as I kissed her.

  “How was your day?” I asked when I set her back down.

  “Swamped—we have three new projects that we just started working on this week. How about you?”

  I shrugged. “It was okay.”

  She gave me a knowing look, quirking up one eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest. “Okay?”

  I chuckled and shook my head. “Nothing gets past you, huh?”

  “Nope, now tell me,” she demanded, trying to keep a stern, straight face as a smile fought its way through.

  “Nothing big—I just cramped up during my workout. Bothered me for most of the day.”

  Her eyes went to my chest where my scar was, and her forehead creased in concern. “Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe you should go back to the physical therapist.”

  I definitely did not want to go back to therapy. They’d limit my workouts, and I was already going easy to begin with. Well, for me, at least. “I’m fine. It was more annoying than anything.”

  That was a lie—my chest and shoulder hurt from earlier; they always did. The bullet had ripped through muscles around my shoulder blade in the back, as well as nerves in my chest that connected up to the top of my shoulder. There was always a dull, constant pain that never went away.

  She brought her worried eyes up to mine and linked our fingers together. “Please be careful, baby.”

  The look she was giving me, combined with the pleading tone of her voice, made me feel terrible. Kaiya was my weakness.

  Maybe I should take it easy.

  Gently squeezing her hands, I stroked her smooth skin with my thumbs. “I will.”

  It had only been a couple of weeks since physical therapy had ended and I’d started working out again. Kaiya was apprehensive about the idea, afraid I would injure myself more. I told her not to worry, but that was like telling her not to breathe.

  Kaiya’s lips curved up slightly, and that small smile twisted up my insides.

  Damn, the things she does to me.

  I smiled back before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. My nose brushed her silky hair, and I breathed in her scent before pulling away. She always smelt so good. Students began coming in then, so Ky and I got ready for class. I liked that she still came, even though Kaleb wasn’t a threat to her anymore. I wanted her to be able to defend herself in case something happened and I wasn’t around. Anything could happen, especially with all the fucked up people in the world. Plus, getting to touch her during the techniques was an added bonus; I couldn’t get enough of her.

  Once we finished the kickboxing segment, we went straight into self-defense techniques. The students had mentioned in the previous class that they wanted to practice defending against forward punch attacks. “Sometimes, attackers don’t try to grab you or subdue you first. Instead they come out swinging. Today, we’re going to focus on counters to this type of assault.”

  After modeling with one of the other instructors, Mark, I had the class split up into their pairs. Kaiya and I went to our usual spot on the mat to get started. She got in her defensive stance and gave me a playful grin as she awaited my instructions. I smiled as I thought of how much progress she’d made since that very first class, when she’d been so tense and nervous. My warrior had come so far. “Ready, baby?”

  Her grin spread. “You know it.”

  I laughed. “Okay, throw a straight punch while coming toward me.” Once she did as I instructed, I moved closer to her while simultaneously shifting to face the arm she used to punch with, blocking the incoming hit with both of my arms. “Instinct tells us to back away from an attack, but the best thing to do in this situation is to get in close.”

  Kaiya’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She looked so cute when she made that face. “Why?”

  “An attacker isn’t going to throw just one punch—they’ll keep throwing them as they advance on you, and eventually, they will hit you. So you need to disable them before they land one.”

  She nodded. “Okay. What do you do from here?”

  “Grip their forearm with your outside hand, keeping them close to you. Then using your other arm, throw a back elbow to their face and follow it with a forward elbow on the opposite cheek.”

  I softly modeled each move, careful not to hurt Kaiya. “Grip their shoulder and knee them in the groin before throwing a side kick to the knee closest to you. If the groin hit didn’t put them down for the count, the side kick definitely will.”

  After releasing her, I walked Kaiya through the steps and had her practice a few times before moving on to a slight variation for if she was backed into a wall or car.

  “Many attacks happen in parking lots at night. If someone ever pins you to a car and rears back to punch you, you can still use this same technique.”

  Kaiya quirked up a brow in intrigue. “Really?”

  I smiled at her. “Really. I actually think it’s more effective. A car can help you do more damage to the asshole attacking you.”

  I led her to the padded side of the room we used for wall defense techniques. I gently backed her against it as I explained, “Typically, an attacker will push you into a car or wall if one is around, wanting to trap you.” Caging her face between my forearms, I leaned in closer to her. “As in every attack, you can’t panic, which is what most people do when cornered like this.”

  Kaiya wasn’t afraid of me, but I knew my proximity would kick her heart rate up, just like it did mine. Her eyes focused on my lips, which curved up as I closed the distance between us and kissed her.

  Even though I wanted to do more—much more—I broke the kiss and moved back slightly. Kaiya’s face reddened as she glanced around, checking if anyone saw us before she met my eyes and gave me a shy smile. I loved that I made her get flustered like that.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be teaching me something?” she questioned playfully, looking up at me coyly and batting her eyelashes.

  “Yeah, but I can’t when you keep distracting me,” I teased.

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Me? I’m not even doing anything.”

  “Yeah, you are.” My eyes ran up and down her body.

  Damn, she’s so hot. Especially in those tight shorts.

  I leaned to the side and craned my head to get a glimpse of her ass.

  Fuck, that ass.

  Kaiya cleared her throat and stifled a laugh. “Excuse me, but we don’t have all night. I’d really like to learn this routine.”

  This girl.

  I straightened and chuckled. “Fine—let’s get back to business. After the attacker pushes you against the car, they’ll probably hold you there by choking you, pressing down on your chest, or gripping onto your clothes. And they’re going to be all up in your space. Remember, you can’t panic.”

  Flattening my hand over her chest, I softly pushed her back into the wall. Then, I brought my other arm back, readying to punch. “When I throw the punch, do the same thing I taught you earlier—bl
ock it with both arms.”

  I slowly threw the punch, and Kaiya turned to block it with her arms. “Good, now grip my forearm and throw the back elbow. I want you to use the momentum of the strike to force me into the wall, pinning me there with your forearm on my throat.”

  Once Kaiya had me in that position, I continued. My voice was garbled by her arm on my throat. “Now you can throw some elbows, get some knees to the groin, or grab their head and slam it into the car.”

  We practiced a few more times before I brought the group back together. “I hoped you learned something that will be able to help you if you’re ever put in a situation like this. There are several techniques for a straight punch attack, but I felt this was the easiest and most effective. We’ll learn others in the future. Any questions?”

  I scanned over the class—everyone’s faces had a sheen of sweat but held that look of fulfillment from having a good workout. No one raised their hand or commented, so I dismissed the class.

  After Kaiya helped me lock up, we headed back to my apartment. I had gotten stuck at a light on the way, so Kaiya’s car was parked in her normal spot when I pulled in. We both had keys to the other’s apartment, so she was probably already inside.

  When I walked in, I threw my keys on the table and shut the door. “Ky?” I called out as I kicked off my shoes.

  She didn’t answer, but as I went down the hallway towards my room, I could hear water running. A smirk curved over my lips as I thought of Kaiya naked and wet in my shower.

  As I entered the bathroom, my eyes went straight to her. Her back was to me as she rinsed her long, dark hair, and water dripped off every inch of her flawless skin. My gaze roamed lower to her sweet ass as I pulled off my muscle shirt and gym shorts.

  When I opened the shower door, she turned and gasped, placing a hand over her heart. “Oh my God, Ryker! You scared me!”

  Grabbing her hand, I chuckled. “Sorry, baby.” I kissed her palm before pulling her into me, immersing myself in the stream of water and pressing our naked bodies together.

  Her hands glided up to my shoulders as I nuzzled into the curve of her neck. Gripping her ass, I nipped at her collarbone while lifting her up. Her legs wrapped around me automatically as I backed her into the tile wall.

  Kaiya’s fingers knotted in my hair as our mouths crashed together. Her lips parted against mine as my tongue slipped inside, finding hers instantly and tangling together. “Fuck, you taste so good. I’ve wanted to taste you all night.”

  Kaiya moaned in my mouth as my hands roamed over her wet skin before finding her tits. I played with one of her nipples, squeezing and pulling it, making her whimper louder. “You like that, baby?” I bit her bottom lip before sucking it into my mouth.

  “God, yes.” Her legs tightened around my hips, and she ground herself against me.

  I pushed my cock harder against her clit, making her cry out again. “You want my dick inside you?”

  “Yes! Fuck me now, Ryker.” Her tone was desperate with lust.

  I trailed one of my hands down her stomach between us before grabbing my cock and guiding it to her pussy.

  Fuck, she’s so wet already.

  Teasing her, I rubbed against her and slipped the tip of my dick inside her sweetness before pulling it out.

  Kaiya bit my lip when I put just the head of my cock in again. I circled the rim of her pussy, causing her to bite down harder and moan. “Ryker,” she breathlessly pleaded as she pulled me closer to her.

  I couldn’t help myself when she sounded like that—her need and want for me evident in every noise she made. I thrust myself inside, filling her completely as we both groaned out in pleasure.

  The water rained down on us as I hammered Kaiya against the tile. My mouth found her nipple, and I toyed with it with my tongue ring as I continued to pound into her. She gripped my hair as I savored her, sucking her tit as her sweet pussy hugged my dick.

  She feels so good… fucking perfect.

  Kaiya’s nails dug into my head as she arched into me. My hands caressed her soft flesh as I drove deeper inside her. I was close to coming, and by the look on her face, she was too.

  Her eyes were closed as she bit down on that full, bottom lip.

  Fuck, she’s so sexy.

  Our wet skin slapped together as I increased my pace, thrusting harder into her, bringing us both to the brink.

  I wanted to taste her as I made her come, capture the sounds of bliss she made because of me. I grabbed her face and crushed her lips with mine, opening her mouth with my tongue and slipping it inside.

  Fuck, so good.

  After a few more thrusts, Kaiya cried out, and her pussy tightened around me. I followed, coming inside her as she trembled against me.

  Holding Kaiya up, I pressed kisses along her neck as we caught our breath. “I love you,” I murmured against her skin.

  Turning her head, she grazed her lips against mine. “I love you, too.”

  Some of her hair clung to her face as she leaned her head against the wall. I pushed the drenched strands back before kissing her again.

  Kaiya’s legs had loosened, but as our kiss deepened, she tightened them around me again. My dick started to harden inside her.

  Damn, she drives me fucking crazy.

  I slowly pumped my cock in and out of her, growling against her lips. “You want more, baby? You want me to fuck you again?”

  She sucked my tongue into her mouth. Hard. “Yes, please fuck me,” she loudly moaned.

  I smirked and roughly thrust into her, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from her swollen lips. We stayed there in the shower until long after the water ran cold.

  I awoke with a satisfied smile on my face, even though the annoying blaring of my phone’s alarm assaulted my eardrums. Last night in the shower with Ryker was pure heaven. As I reached for my phone, Ryker shifted behind me and captured me in his arms. I barely grabbed my cell before he pulled me back into him and tented the covers around us.

  I turned off the alarm and shifted to face him. He gave me a sleepy smile, and his eyes were still half-lidded in sleep. “Mornin, beautiful.”

  He leaned in and pressed his full lips against mine. After a few seconds, I groaned, “I need to get ready for work.” If we didn’t stop now, I’d definitely be late.

  He grunted but didn’t protest. If it were up to him, we would have stayed in bed until noon every day. I would much rather do that, but I’d already taken enough time off work after the shooting.

  I gave Ryker another quick kiss and scooted to the edge. He reached for me, then dragged me back into him. I giggled, able to easily fall back into his loving embrace. “I have to get ready,” I said, giving him my best responsible stare down.

  “Fine, babe. I’ll lay back here and watch your sweet ass wiggle its way to the bathroom.” He propped his head on his arm and watched me. I couldn’t help but smile the entire way.

  I turned into the bathroom and my smile vanished as my head darted away from the mirror. Although Kaleb was gone, I saw him whenever I looked at myself. His face haunted me, and I feared it always would. How could I forget it when it was a replica of mine?

  After getting ready, I went to say goodbye to Ryker, who had fallen back asleep. His arms were wrapped around my pillow, and his face was buried in it. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the endearing sight, and I smiled as I leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I love you,” I whispered, not wanting to wake him.

  “Love you, too,” he murmured in his sleep, not opening his eyes. I quietly walked out of the room, grabbing my purse and keys from the table before exiting the apartment and heading to work.

  Work dragged on and on every day since I’d returned about a month ago. I’d gotten spoiled, spending most of the day with Ryker, sleeping in late every morning, and having sex for most of the day in each room of both of our apartments. My phone vibrated next to my keyboard. I expected a text from Ryker when I entered my password, but instead, there was a message from a unknown n
umber. Weird.

  Unknown: I’d be careful if I were you bitch

  I stared at my phone in shock, my eyes glued to the screen for several seconds before warily glancing around. My heart pounded as a million thoughts ran through my head.

  What the fuck? Is this some sort of joke? Who would’ve sent this?

  My instincts told me to call Ryker, but I didn’t want him to overreact. It was probably some prank. I was about to delete the text, but decided to keep it just in case I got another one.

  It’s probably nothing, though.

  I placed my phone back on my desk and tried to refocus on work, but now I felt like I was being watched.

  Stop being paranoid, Ky. Someone is just fucking around with you.

  After a few minutes of inputting figures into a spreadsheet, my phone buzzed again. My eyes darted to my phone, and I hesitantly reached for it before stilling my hand over it.

  Oh God, get a grip, Kaiya.

  I snatched my phone from the desk and swiped the screen. Another text message popped up on the screen, and thankfully it was from Kamden.

  Kam: Therapy at 4 today

  Shit! I totally forgot!

  I normally got off work at four, so I’d have to leave about half an hour earlier to make it to the appointment on time. I typed a quick email to my boss to let him know, then replied back to Kamden.

  Me: K see you there :)

  Although I was dreading the appointment, I was also somewhat excited. I’d been watching Kamden sink deeper and deeper into the quicksand of depression for months, helpless to stop it. I was ready to stop being weak and help my brother in whatever way possible, and I prayed that going to therapy with him would do just that.

  My stomach was jumbled in thick, tight knots as Kamden and I sat in the waiting room of the psychiatrist’s office. Paintings of the Boston Harbor, boats, and sunsets hung on the cream-colored walls and a cliché potted fern sat in the corner of the room.