The Broken Road (The Broken Series)

by Ruff, K. S.

Kadyn laughed. “It sort of comes with the job.”

  My dad shook Kadyn’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Kadyn. I heard you moved mountains to get our girl home. Thank you.”

  “This is my father, Darren,” I explained.

  Kadyn offered a polite nod. “Nice to meet you, sir.” His eyes softened as he turned toward my mom. “You must be Kri’s mom.”

  Tears pooled in her eyes as she hugged Kadyn. “Thank you for bringing Kri home.”

  Kadyn smiled as his eyes met mine. “It was nothing, ma’am.”

  “Please, call me Anne,” my mom responded as she linked her arm with mine.

  Kadyn set our luggage against the wall as we filed into the living room. He dropped into a large oversized chair next to the couch. My dad sat in the other chair. My uncle sprawled out on the floor, and my aunt and mom flanked me on either side of the couch.

  I reached for my aunt’s hand. “Lexie looks pretty good. She said her kidney disease is attacking the new kidney, but I don’t understand why that landed her in the hospital. I have a feeling she’s not telling me the whole story. What happened? Why is she in the hospital?”

  My aunt squeezed my hand. “Lexie was sick, and she wasn’t keeping any food or water down. She got dehydrated. That threw her electrolytes off, which messed up her heart. Nate thought she was having a heart attack, so he called for an ambulance. The paramedics saved her life by using one of those electric shock machines.”

  “A defibrillator,” my uncle clarified.

  My voice was barely a whisper. “They had to restart her heart?”

  My aunt nodded solemnly.

  I looked at my uncle. “Lexie and Nate didn’t tell me that part.”

  My mom gently rubbed my back. “Lexie was worried about how you’d handle this being so far away.”

  I battled a confusing array of emotions. I couldn’t tell if I was feeling outraged, betrayed, or completely devastated. “Well, I kind of think I’m entitled to worry about her. She’s my cousin and my best friend for crying out loud.”

  My uncle hooked his arm around his knee as he sat up. “She’s doing much better now, Krissy. Her heart seems fine now that her electrolytes have balanced out.”

  My eyes narrowed as I studied each family member in turn. I wanted to ensure they weren’t holding back any more information. “So now it’s her kidney they're worried about?”

  My mom nodded. “Yes. The hospital discovered her creatinine was outside the normal range when they ran her blood work yesterday. Her nephrologist performed a kidney biopsy this morning and confirmed that the kidney disease has infected the new kidney.”

  I leaned back against the couch, suddenly exhausted. “I knew that was a risk, but I didn’t expect it to happen so fast.”

  “None of us did,” my father responded sadly.

  “She’s a fighter. She’ll get through this,” my uncle declared as he stood back up. He reached for my aunt’s hand. “Come on, love. Let’s go to bed. It’s late, and these kids need to get some sleep.”

  I smiled. I loved that my uncle still considered me a kid. “Good night, Uncle Chuck.”

  My aunt gave me a quick hug before she and my uncle disappeared down the hall. Her voice trailed behind her. “Good night, Kadyn. Get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be another long day.”

  My mom pulled me in for another hug. “Dad and I are going to bed too. I set some towels and washcloths out for you in the bathroom. There’s a pile of blankets and pillows for you two right over there.” Mom pointed to the floor on the other side of the couch. “Do you mind if Annie sleeps out here with you? She’s been kind of lonely without Nate and Lexie around.”

  Annie was Lexie’s golden lab. She wagged her tail at the mention of her name. She rose to her feet and sauntered toward me.

  “Of course not,” I replied.

  Annie nuzzled my hand with her nose.

  I patted her on the head. “I miss Cade. Being around Annie will help.”

  “I’ve already taken her out back. She shouldn’t have to go outside again tonight,” my dad explained as he kissed me on the forehead. He reached for Kadyn’s hand. “Thanks again for bringing Kri home. There’s bottled water and leftover lasagna in the fridge if you guys are hungry. Sleep well.”

  Kadyn rose from the chair as he shook my dad’s hand. “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Stone.”

  My mom gave Kadyn a quick hug. “Please, call us by our first names… Darren and Anne.”

  Kadyn nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  I laughed at the distraught look on my mother’s face. “I’m afraid he’s hardwired this way. I’ll keep working on him.” I glanced at Kadyn as my parents left the room. “Would you like some lasagna?”

  He smiled, then nodded. “I’m starving.”

  I glanced at my watch. It was after ten o’clock and we still hadn’t eaten dinner. Kadyn followed me into the kitchen. He dug the pan of lasagna and two bottles of water out of the refrigerator while I gathered plates and silverware. We heated the food in the microwave and returned to the couch to eat.

  “I like your family,” Kadyn confessed as he dug into the pasta.

  I chuckled softly. “Well, I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual.”

  “But they just met me,” he noted in between bites.

  I shrugged as I swallowed a mouthful of lasagna. “You like them… and you just met them.”

  “Yeah, but I’m a really good judge of character,” Kadyn insisted.

  I shot him a curious look. I wondered why he found it so difficult to believe my family liked him. “Is this where I’m supposed to admit I’ve been talking about you?” I goaded teasingly.

  Kadyn raised an eyebrow. He didn’t bother responding. Instead, he shoved another forkful of lasagna into his mouth.

  I rolled my eyes at him. “Kadyn, you’ve been so good to me. Why wouldn’t I want to share that with my family?”

  Kadyn smiled as he reached for his bottled water. “It’s good to know you’re talking about me.”

  “Have you mentioned me to your family?” I inquired curiously before taking another bite of lasagna.

  “Yes,” he admitted as he scraped the last piece of lasagna from his plate.

  I waited for further explanation, but he didn’t offer any. I resisted the urge to inquire further. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what he was sharing about my train wreck of a life. I finished my lasagna, then stood and reached for Kadyn’s plate. “The bathroom is the first door on your left. Why don’t you get ready for bed while I clean these dishes up?”

  Kadyn stood. His eyes lit with amusement as he kissed the corner of my mouth. “You had a bit of tomato sauce there.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him as I balanced the two plates. “Really? Anyplace else?”

  Kadyn took advantage of my predicament. I balanced the plates on either side of his body as he leaned in for another kiss. “Here… and here… a little bit down here… and some behind here.” His lips burned a trail from my lips to my chin, all along my neck, then settled behind my ear.

  I nearly dropped the plates.

  Kadyn chuckled as he backed away. He reached down and pulled some sleepwear out of his duffle bag, then strode off in search of the bathroom.

  I admired his backside as he made his way down the hall. I cleaned the dishes before digging pajamas and a toothbrush out of my suitcase. I ducked into the bathroom as soon as Kadyn was done. By the time I finished in the bathroom, Kadyn had already set our pillows and blankets on opposite sides of Lexie’s massive sectional couch.

  Kadyn looked thoroughly pleased by the fact that I was wearing the Eeyore pajamas he had given me. He was wearing gray plaid pajama bottoms that hung low on his hips. He was bare from the waist up.

  I took one last admiring look at his ripped abdomen and chest before flipping off the lights. I waited for my eyes to adjust. Then I forced my hands in front of me as I crossed the room.

  Kadyn reached for my hand in the dark. He gently tugged me against his
chest. “I was hoping you’d indulge me in a good night kiss,” he murmured huskily.

  I ran my hands over his abs as he lowered his mouth to mine. My hands slid over his chest and shoulders before settling at the nape of his neck. Kadyn pulled me closer as he deepened the kiss. His tongue swept against mine in slow, intoxicating strokes. Desire spun from my abdomen all the way to my fingers and toes.

  Kadyn clung to my hips as he trailed open-mouthed kisses down my neck. My head fell back as his lips danced along my collarbone. Kadyn’s hands traveled up my sides. His thumbs grazed my breasts before he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me thoroughly on the lips.

  “How the heck am I supposed to sleep after that kiss?” I grumbled irritably.

  Kadyn laughed as he steadied me on my feet. “At least I know you’ll be dreaming about me.”

  We crawled under the blankets on opposite ends of the couch. “Who else would I be dreaming about?” I asked teasingly. I had been plagued with nightmares involving my ex-husband until shortly after I met Kadyn. Somehow, he had released me from all of those bad dreams.

  Kadyn chuckled. “Your knight in shining armor?”

  I laughed. “You’re my knight in shining armor, Kadyn. You have thoroughly swept me off my feet.”

  “Good,” he responded smugly.

  The house grew quiet as we settled onto the couch. “Kadyn?” I whispered into the dark.

  “Yes?” he replied sleepily.

  “Will you hold me for a little while?”

  Kadyn crawled out of his blankets and moved to my side of the couch. “What if I fall asleep? Will your dad try to take me out?”

  I scooted to the edge of the couch so I could make room for Kadyn behind me. “No, I think he’ll be fine as long as he doesn’t catch us doing anything else. Besides, it’s my uncle you need to worry about. He teaches karate. I think he’s still a grand master. He has somewhere around a million black belts.”

  Kadyn chuckled as he locked my back securely against his chest. “Good night, Kri.”

  I resisted the impulse to turn around and kiss him. I knew that would be tempting us both into a compromising position. “Thank you for finding a way to bring me here, Kadyn.”

  “Hmmm?” Kadyn responded. He was already half asleep.

  “Thanks,” I whispered as I burrowed deeper into his arms. “I’m really glad you’re here with me.” I sighed contentedly as I drifted off to sleep, still locked firmly in his arms.

  * * * * * *

  The entire family camped out at the hospital until they discharged Lexie three days later. Lexie worked as an oncology nurse at that very same hospital, so I suspected the physicians trusted her to follow doctor’s orders a bit more than the average person.

  Nate got Lexie settled onto the couch with a pile of blankets and pillows. Then he retired to the bedroom to take a nap. I sat on the couch, sandwiched between my dad and Lexie, who was lying down. I propped her ankles on my lap so I could massage her feet through her fluffy red socks. Annie was curled up next to Lexie at the base of the couch. Lexie’s arm hung over the couch as her fingers sifted through Annie’s fur.

  My aunt and uncle were pulling snacks together in the kitchen. My mom was shuttling things between both rooms while she and Lexie spun wild stories about me. Kadyn was sprawled out on the floor with his arms resting comfortably behind his head. He looked to be thoroughly enjoying all of the embarrassing stories, which were being embellished considerably.

  Three stories in, I decided it was time to defend myself. “Yeah, well, the only time I ever got into trouble was when this one was running the show.” I held Lexie’s foot up by the pinky toe as I nodded in her direction.

  She laughed, knowing full well she was the instigator in most every misadventure we had stumbled into.

  My aunt set a tray of chips, salsa, and queso on the ottoman in front of us. She shot Lexie a nervous look. “Honey, are you sure you want Mexican food tonight? Can your stomach handle that after so many days of being sick and in the hospital?”

  Lexie rolled her eyes. “They gave me anti-nausea meds, mom. My stomach can handle anything.”

  My aunt looked unconvinced, but she returned to the kitchen to roll her famous fried bean burritos, which had long been a family favorite. My mom was already chopping lettuce for the taco salad.

  My uncle nudged Kadyn with his foot. “You’re going to get soft lying around like that. Why don’t you come out into the backyard and spar with me while they’re cooking dinner?”

  “Uncle Chuck,” I warned in a low tone. “I don’t want you beating up my boyfriend.”

  Kadyn laughed as he sprang to his feet. “I could use a little exercise.”

  My uncle eyed him skeptically. “Do you know any Karate?”

  Kadyn shrugged. “A little.” A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. I knew that smile. Kadyn knew more than he was letting on.

  “I promise not to break any bones,” my uncle conceded in a voice that suggested he was making some monumental sacrifice.

  “I better supervise this,” my father announced as he reached for Annie’s tennis ball. “Come on, Annie. Let’s play catch in the backyard.”

  I glanced at Kadyn. “My uncle nearly made the Guinness Book of World Records for breaking the most cement blocks with one strike of his hand, so consider yourself warned.”

  Kadyn grinned as he followed my uncle out the door. “I’m not one to shy away from a challenge.”

  I looked at Lexie. “Do you want to watch?”

  Lexie sat up and swung her legs off the couch. “No way am I missing this.”

  I grabbed the blankets and followed Lexie out to the porch swing on her back deck. We wrapped the blankets around our shoulders and settled onto the swing as my uncle and Kadyn took their positions across from one another on the lawn.

  Both men bowed. They transitioned into a series of smoothly executed moves, stopping just short of physical blows. My uncle occasionally offered instruction, and they both yelled “Kiai” as they ran through the drills. The tempo increased, and the instructions stopped.

  “It’s really quite graceful, more like dancing than fighting,” I mused. I couldn’t take my eyes off Kadyn. His muscles rippled through his shirt as he moved.

  “You really like him,” my cousin speculated as she watched the two men spar.

  “Yes,” I whispered. I began rocking the swing.

  “Are you in love with him?” she asked as she turned toward me.

  My heart tripped as I assessed my feelings. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’m too afraid to consider the possibility.”

  Lexie frowned. “Why are you afraid?”

  “I’m scared. It’s too soon,” I responded with tears in my eyes. “What if he’s too good to be true? What if he waits until I’m committed to show his true colors?”

  My cousin’s eyes turned fierce. “If you let what Tom did ruin this relationship for you, then he wins, Kri. He’s still controlling you.”

  I nodded as I brushed a stray tear from my cheek. I knew she was right, but I hadn’t a clue how to overcome my fears.

  “He loves you. I can tell by the way he looks at you. This guy would move heaven and earth just to see you smile. You can’t possibly think he’d hurt you.” She nudged the deck with her toes as she resumed rocking the swing.

  I shrugged, refusing to trust my instincts.

  “Have you two had sex?”

  I winced at having to answer such a personal question, but Lexie had insisted there be no more secrets between us when I admitted Tom’s abuse. “No, not yet.”

  “Because of what happened with Tom?” she surmised.

  I slowly nodded.

  Lexie pulled me into her arms. “Oh, Kri. What am I going to do with you?”

  My uncle and Kadyn bowed just as my mom opened the sliding glass door. “Dinner is ready!”

  Lexie sidled up to Kadyn as we filed into the house. “You’re not half bad. Clearly, you’ve studied Karate.”

>   “Yes,” he admitted with a smile. “And you?”

  Lexie snorted. “My dad’s a grand master. Of course, I’ve studied. I have a double black belt.”

  Kadyn glanced at her admiringly. We settled in next to each other at the table.

  My aunt set a platter of burritos in the center of the table. “I hope you like Mexican food, Kadyn.”

  Kadyn smiled. “I practically grew up on the stuff. My best friend in Illinois is Mexican. His mom is an amazing cook, so I drummed up every excuse I could to eat over at their house.”

  “You’re in for a real treat between Linda’s burritos and Anne’s taco salad,” my father declared as everyone dished up.

  We paused as my uncle led us in prayer. “Dear heavenly Father. Thank you for healing my daughter and for allowing her to come home today. Thank you for bringing our family together, for blessing us with safe travel, and for bringing this young man into Kri’s life. Please bless this food for the nourishment of our bodies. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.”

  When I bit into my burrito, my eyes practically rolled into the back of my head. “Aunt Linda, you really need to teach me how to make these.”

  “Yes, you do,” Kadyn agreed. He took another bite out of his burrito.

  “You like them?” my aunt asked. She had a surprised look on her face, like she had no clue she made the best burritos on the planet.

  “Love them,” Kadyn clarified between bites, “and the taco salad.”

  “I told you,” my father bragged.

  My mom’s eyes met mine. “When do you and Kadyn have to head back?”

  I reached for my drink. “The day after tomorrow. We're going to spend a night in Helena with Kimme and Dan before we head back to Spokane. How about you? When are you and dad heading back to Hamilton?”

  “We’ll leave when you leave,” my father responded.

  “Linda and I are staying through the weekend,” my uncle said, reaching for another burrito, “unless my daughter decides to boot us out sooner.”

  Lexie laughed. “After everything I had to do to get you here? I don’t think so, dad.”

  I leaned back against my chair, thoroughly enjoying the banter and the gentle ribbing that knit my family together.