Break Free

by Amber Garza

Luckily, Kyler didn’t seem to notice. He was too busy searching through the stacks of papers on his desk. “Where is the damn thing?”

  Did he really not know where his phone was?

  Shoving papers aside, his fingers lighted on a chord. “Ah, here it is.” After tossing away a pile of papers, he uncovered the phone. It was old fashioned looking, and I assumed it was the same one his grandma had used when she lived here. Picking it up, Kyler held it to his ear. “Hello.”

  Edgar stirred, and I glanced down at him.

  “Not interested.” Kyler slammed down the phone.

  My head bobbed up. “Short conversation.”

  “Salesperson.” He grunted, his eyes dark behind his reading glasses. “I should’ve known. No one ever calls here.”

  “I’m surprised you have a landline. I didn’t even know people still had those.”

  “I have to keep it so my publisher has a way of getting ahold of me.” Kyler rearranged the papers on his desk.

  “Why don’t they call you on your cell?” I hadn’t seen him with a cell, but I assumed he had one. Didn’t everyone?

  “I don’t have a cell. Why? Do you?”

  “I did.” I sold it for a bag of dope, but I wasn’t sharing that little gem of a story. So, I quickly changed the subject. “Why don’t you have one?”

  “I don’t believe in them.”

  “How can you not believe in them?” I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest. This should be interesting.

  “Of course I believe that they exist. I just don’t like what they represent. Technology as a whole is ruining our society.” He stood up, yanked off his glasses, and moved toward the bookshelf. “Take books, for example.” He pulled one off the shelf. “I love holding a book in my hand.” He opened it, running the pads of his fingers over the first page. “I love the way it smells. I love to touch the pages.”

  God help me, but I wanted to be that book so damn bad.

  “But now everyone has a kindle or tablet or something, and no one buys books anymore. The only bookstore we had in Red Blossom closed last year. So I guess me not owning a phone or any other device is just my simple act of rebellion.” He carefully slid the book back in its rightful place on the shelf.

  “But you have a computer and internet,” I pointed out.

  “Only out of necessity. So I can send things to my editor and publisher. It’s not like I have a Facebook or Instagram account or anything like that.”

  “Seriously, how old are you?”

  “Twenty-five.”

  He was only two years older than me. “Really? Cause you sound like a grandpa,” I teased him. “And you look like one, too, when you wear those reading glasses.”

  “Hey, I’ll have you know that lots of twenty-five year olds are farsighted.”

  “None that I’ve met,” I said with a smile.

  Plunking back down in his rolling chair, he smiled. “My parents always did say I was an old soul.”

  “Old soul? Try ancient.”

  Kyler chuckled. “You fascinate me. I love how you say what you think. I couldn’t write a character as interesting as you.”

  My cheeks flushed. “Is that why you keep me around? As entertainment.”

  “Partly.” He swiveled around in his chair, his back to me. “But there’s much more to you than that.”

  NINE

  Kyler was making tacos. The meat sizzled in the pan while the tortillas warmed in the oven. I stood over the cutting board slicing through an avocado. It was my second attempt. The first one ended up so mushed, I had to throw it out. The truth was that I had never cut an avocado before, but I didn’t tell Kyler that when he asked me to. I figured it wouldn’t be too hard, but I was wrong. One afternoon when I was high and watching TV, I’d landed on the cooking channel. I ended up watching several episodes of some cooking show, thinking that at some point in time I would take up cooking. Being high was like that. It gave you this false idea that one day you’d have all this motivation to do crazy things you’d never done before. And I vaguely remembered the chef cutting an avocado.

  Thinking hard, I tried to drum up the memory and reenact it. Holding the avocado in my hand, I started to slice through it. The knife was so sharp, I didn’t even feel when it cut me. I only noticed when blood filled my palm.

  “Shit,” I cursed under my breath, dropping the knife on the counter. I was one big disaster.

  “Jade.” Kyler grabbed a cloth from under the sink and rushed to me. “Let me see.”

  I opened my hand and he pried the avocado out of it. Then he wiped the blood off with the cloth. His face was so close to mine, his breath fanned over my skin. I had to remind myself to keep breathing. My gaze skimmed over his face, at the beard that was starting to grow because he’d been too immersed in a fictional world to shave. I stared at his strong jaw and full lips, at his silver eyes, dark brows, and his perfect nose that had clearly never been broken. Unlike mine. Mine had probably been broken more times than the average MMA fighter’s.

  “It’s not that bad.” He closed the towel over my hand and pressed down hard.

  “Good thing you’re not a vampire,” I said in a shaky voice. Even though I was trying to act nonchalant on the outside, nothing inside of me felt calm at all. Not with him standing this close. “Between the nosebleed and me cutting my hand open, you would have so bitten my neck by now.”

  He froze, his gaze dropping to my neck. With his free hand, he reached up and touched it gingerly, as if by my mere mention of it I had made it impossible not to. My pulse throbbed, and I sucked in a breath.

  A nervous laugh escaped. “Is this the part of the story where you tell me I’ve figured out your secret and that you are indeed a vampire?”

  “No, this is the part of the story where I tell you that I would never bite you. I would never hurt you at all.” His fingers ran along my neckline, at the trail of bruises Heath had left. I was immobilized, unable to move and hardly able to breathe. When he drew his hand away, I finally exhaled. “Here. You hold the rag in place. I’ll go grab a Band-Aid.”

  After he left the kitchen, I blew out another breath in an attempt to quell my nerves. He returned in less than a minute, and I was still standing in the exact spot he left me. After helping me adhere the Band-Aid, he threw the bloodied towel in the trash.

  While I watched him, I felt sick. Why hadn’t he thrown my ass out yet? “Sorry I keep ruining your stuff.”

  “They’re things. They’re replaceable,” he said as he stirred the meat in the pan.

  I could hardly recount the amount of times I’d been slapped, or downright punched for ruining someone else’s things. It was so weird to be around a guy who didn’t care about stuff like that. While Kyler checked the tortillas, I threw out the bloodied avocado and returned to the cutting board. There was one left. I hoped I didn’t screw it up too.

  “I’ll show you how to properly cut one.” Kyler came to stand behind me. I stayed perfectly still as his chest pressed against my back. “Go ahead and pick up the knife and avocado.” When I hesitated, he added, “Don’t worry. I won’t let you cut yourself again.” A puff of air met my cheek as he spoke. His woodsy scent intoxicated me. My hands trembled as I picked up both items. Kyler held my arms in place, instructing me on how to slice through the soft flesh of the avocado. As I allowed him to guide me, my heart pounded so loudly I worried that it could be heard all the way into town. “There,” he said when we finished. “That’s how you do it.”

  I nodded, but honestly I would never remember what he taught me. Shit, I wasn’t even paying attention. All I could think about was how good it felt to have his hands on my arms, his breath on my flesh, his body flush against mine.

  After dinner I escaped to my room to get in some more reading. Kyler had questioned me when he saw me going to bed so early. But when I explained that I was actually going to read, he shooed me with his hands. I loved that he wanted me to read his book, that it excited him. For the first time in
my life, I truly believed that someone cared about my opinion. He seemed to want my approval, and that was something I’d never experienced with anyone else. Even more surprising was that it was Kyler. I mean, Heath and my other boyfriends were pretty much losers with nothing going for them. But Kyler was different. He was smart, articulate, and successful. Not to mention seriously good looking. Like maybe the best looking guy I’d ever met. But not in the typical way. In fact, some woman may even find him to be plain or unnoticeable. But that’s because they didn’t see him the way I did. Clearly Miss Giggles did though.

  For a seemingly refined woman, she’d acted so silly around him. Didn’t she know that Kyler was too smart to be sucked in by that kind of behavior? Then again, I guess I didn’t know what kind of woman Kyler was attracted to. If I used his book as an indicator, then he was attracted to woman who were achingly beautiful. But the more I read, the more I questioned that theory. Even though the narrator had described Clara that way, I was starting to think that wasn’t the case. Other people didn’t have the same reaction to her that Robert did, so perhaps she was only achingly beautiful to Robert.

  Adjusting the pillows behind my back, I got comfortable and opened the book. Finding my place, I dove in.

  Her smile unraveled me. Not as if she cared. It wasn’t directed toward me anyway. It was for him.

  I sat up, anxious. Another man, huh? This was getting interesting. I kept reading.

  He didn’t deserve her. Hell, he didn’t even want her. I knew exactly what he had planned, and I couldn’t let it happen. I couldn’t let him destroy her.

  My insides danced. What did he have planned? How would he destroy her? A rapping on my window scared me. I screamed and flinched. When I glanced over at the window, I spotted something moving. Was it a person? A tremor ran up my spine at the thought. Edgar barked from the other room, frightening me further. I dropped the book and leapt from my bed. My hands were slick as I tried to unlock the door. Dammit. Why didn’t I keep it unlocked? If Kyler was going to hurt me, he probably would’ve by now. When would I learn to trust him?

  Finally I got the lock undone and flung open the door. Kyler was sitting on the couch in the family room reading a book of his own.

  When he saw me, his eyes widened. “Are you okay?” He took off his reading glasses and set them beside him on the couch. Edgar crawled toward me, weaving between my legs. Having him close gave me comfort. My heartbeat slowed.

  “Yeah. I heard a noise and thought maybe I saw something outside my window.”

  “I’ll check it out.” He shoved the book off his lap and stood. “You stay here with Edgar.”

  “No, it’s fine. I’m probably being silly.” I felt like a complete idiot now. It was most likely just an animal or the wind blowing a tree. My paranoia sometimes got out of control. I wished I hadn’t sucked him into it.

  “Better to be safe than dead, is what my mom used to say.”

  “Wow, pretty morbid. I can see why you write mysteries.”

  “Mysteries?” He cocked an eyebrow. “You think The Yellow String is a mystery?”

  “Isn’t it?”

  “Sort of. It definitely has mysterious elements, but at the core it’s a love story.”

  “A man who writes romance. You’re really killing your image here.”

  “I wasn’t aware I even had one to kill.” His lips curled upward as he headed into my room. His arm feathered over mine as he passed. Edgar stayed by my side while Kyler was gone. He may have been Kyler’s dog, but he was becoming attached to me more and more every day.

  “The window looks fine. No one tried to break in, and I didn’t see anything outside.” Kyler headed down the hallway. Opening one of the closet doors, he pulled out a flashlight, and a jacket.

  My stomach squeezed. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to go outside and have a look around the property.” He reached for Edgar. “Come on, boy. You can help me.” His gaze lifted to mine. “Unless you’d feel safer with him in here.”

  I shook my head, moved by the kind offer. “No, it’s fine.”

  “Lock the door behind me.” He touched my arm swiftly. It was only a moment, a barely- there touch, but I felt it from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. It felt like concern. It felt like he cared. It felt like I mattered.

  TEN

  He was gone for a long time. Too long. I perched on the edge of the couch, tapping my leg impatiently and biting my nails. I bit them down so low, blood appeared around the jagged edges. The clock on the wall ticked, marking time, reminding me that he wasn’t returning. What was taking him so long?

  If anything happened to Kyler I’d never forgive myself. He was out there because of me. The wind howled outside, and a tree branch scratched against the side of the house. I never should have let them go out in the storm. It was stupid and selfish. The actions of an insecure girl. Kyler had no idea what he was getting into with me. Sometimes I felt like the biggest liar on the planet, especially when he looked at me like I was someone special.

  A knocking on the door caught my attention. “Jade! It’s me. Open up!”

  Relief flooded me at the sound of Kyler’s voice. I ran to the door, unlocked it and swung it open. Without thinking, I flung myself into his arms. “Oh, thank god you’re okay. I was so worried. You were gone so long, I thought something had happened to you.” I took a breath and peered up at him, feeling ashamed. “You went out there because of me.” Edgar slunk inside, his fur brushing against my pant leg as he passed.

  Kyler lowered both hands to my shoulders. His gaze seared into mine. “Not because of you. For you, Jade. I went out there for you. To make sure you were safe.”

  I swallowed hard as he released me in order to close and lock the door. He discarded his jacket and flashlight before sitting on the couch. Edgar followed him, curling up by his feet.

  “Am I safe?” I asked timidly, still standing near the door.

  It was only a moment’s hesitation, but I felt it. “Edgar and I checked the entire property. There’s no one here.”

  I nodded, wondering what he was keeping from me.

  Before I could question him, he spoke. “Do you know how to shoot a gun?”

  “No.”

  “I think it’s time for you to learn.”

  “Right now?” Nervously, I fidgeted with the bottom of my pajama shirt, running my fingernails along the soft fabric. The Band-Aid on my palm caught on it.

  “No, not now. It’s too dark.” His lips curled upward in a look of amusement. They did that a lot. “But we can try tomorrow.”

  “Why do I need to learn?” I stepped toward the couch.

  “I think everyone should know how to defend themselves. You know, just in case.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal.

  “Yeah, just in case,” I answered slowly. Just in case my past decided to come looking for me. Fear snaked around my heart.

  Kyler picked up his reading glasses and book. “I’m going to stay up for awhile and read. Why don’t you grab your book and come join me?”

  “Oh, I don’t want to bug you.”

  “Do you read aloud or something?” He cocked an eyebrow, rolling his glasses between his fingers.

  “No. Of course not. I mastered the art of reading in my head in first grade.” I snorted.

  “Then I don’t think it’ll be a problem.” After putting on his glasses, he sat back on the couch and opened the book in his lap.

  Biting my lip, I went to my room to grab my book. When my gaze landed on the window, I shivered. Turning around, I was grateful for Kyler’s suggestion. Not that I ever would’ve admitted it, but I didn’t want to be alone tonight. Hurriedly, I returned to the family room and sat on the couch next to Kyler. He didn’t even look up, just remained fixated on his book. It was hardbound, and there was no jacket. I couldn’t make out the words etched on the front.

  “What are you reading?”

  “A book of short stories by Edgar Allen Poe.”

&
nbsp; “Which one are you on?”

  “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

  “Ah, I’m familiar with that one.” I was always fascinated with the story of a man who had been driven mad by his own guilt. “Guilt is a very powerful thing.”

  Kyler looked up from his book, staring at me through the lenses of his glasses. “So is redemption.”

  I averted my eyes from his knowing gaze, and opened the book to where I’d left off. At this point in the story, Clara was out on a date with the strange man she’d been flirting with earlier. Robert was following them, staying hidden in the shadows.

  “He’s jealous,” I blurted out.

  “Who?” Kyler asked, plucking off his glasses.

  “Robert. Clara is on a date with another man, and he’s jealous. He’s not worried for her safety, he’s worried he’ll lose her to this stranger.”

  “Is that really what you think?”

  I nodded.

  Kyler scratched his chin. “So even after everything you’ve learned about Robert, you still don’t trust him, huh?”

  “No, I guess I don’t.”

  “What exactly has he done to make you feel distrusting?” The intensity behind Kyler’s eyes unnerved me.

  I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, and stared down at the book that was spread open over my legs. “I don’t know. It’s a feeling I have, I guess.”

  “But Robert has been nothing but kind and honest throughout the story so far. Odd that you would be mistrusting of him, and yet you trust this stranger whom Clara has just met and you know nothing about.”

  I mulled over his words. Interesting assessment. “That’s true. I guess it’s because Clara seems uncomfortable with Robert, but not with the stranger.”

  “So you’re picking up on her emotions and making them yours?”

  “Isn’t that what you do in a story?” I locked eyes with Kyler. “I suppose I feel more connected with Clara than with Robert.”

  “That makes sense.” He smiled. “Keep reading. I’m interested to see if your opinion changes at some point.”

  “Are you telling me that I’ll end up liking Robert?”