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CHAPTER 160: What the Hell, James
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2025-07-31 23:57:57
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Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 160: What the Hell, James
CAPTAIN ~ I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this pissed. Like see red pissed. Like every vein in my body was about to snap from how tight I was clenching my jaw. The kind of pissed that crawls under your skin and starts thrashing around, turning your heart into a furnace and your brain into static. Because after searching half the damn city, driving through a hold-up, almost getting into a fight with some asshole who couldn’t keep his car in his own damn lane, and hearing bits and pieces from teammates at that shitty bar—I’d finally gotten a lead. Someone swore they saw James return to his apartment. Swore they saw him heading back inside like everything was fine. So I flew there. Sped like hell, barely stopped at signs, ran a yellow light, almost slammed into a delivery truck. And when I got there? When I finally pushed open the apartment door and stepped in? I saw him. James. Beaten up! One eye swollen like someone had stuffed a golf ball underneath it. Bruises
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 159: You Can’t Fix This
The knock came soft at first, just a dull thunk-thunk against the wood. My eyes flew open instantly. For a second, I wasn’t sure if I’d dreamed it. I’d been half-asleep, drifting somewhere between exhaustion and dread, my brain caught up in the kind of restless haze that doesn’t let you rest even when you’re dead tired. But then it came again. Louder this time. Three firm knocks that echoed through the quiet apartment like gunshots. I sat up slowly, the blanket slipping off my shoulders. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. No. It was too soon. They’d said five days. Five. I hadn’t even been back home a full twenty-four hours. I scrubbed a hand over my face, wiping away the dampness around my eyes before I even realized I’d been tearing up. The knock came again, sharper this time. “Hold on,” I muttered, my voice rough, cracking. I stood on legs that felt like they were made of stone and shuffled toward the door, every step louder than it should h
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 158: Not Tonight
The key turned with the same soft click I remembered, and for a second, I just stood there, my hand frozen on the knob. My pulse thundered in my ears so loudly I almost couldn’t hear the silence on the other side. Was it really empty? I pushed the door open slowly, just enough for the faint, stale scent of my apartment to drift out. Dust, old pizza, and that faint metallic tang of the leaky pipes in the kitchen. Normal. The hinges squeaked softly as I stepped inside, kicking the door shut behind me. And that was when it hit me. Everything was exactly the way I’d left it. The couch was still a mess, a couple of empty beer cans tipped over on the coffee table. The stack of mail and bills I’d abandoned was right there by the door, envelopes half-falling out of the cracked plastic tray. No overturned furniture. No drawers pulled open. No shadowed figures sitting in the dark, waiting. Just the same old crappy apartment. I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I’d been holding. I
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 157: Deep Breath
The jolt of the wheels hitting the tarmac woke me up. I sat upright, blinking hard as the plane slowed, the cabin lights flicking on like they were trying to blind me. My neck ached from sleeping crooked against the window, and my mouth was dry, the kind of dry you only get from hours of recycled air. “We’ve arrived at Greenville Regional Airport,” the flight attendant said cheerfully through the intercom, like it was some great accomplishment. “Please remain seated until the seatbelt sign is off.” I stared at the glowing sign until it finally blinked out. Around me, everyone else was moving, grabbing their bags, stretching, chatting like this was just another trip. But I stayed seated for a second longer, clutching the strap of my duffel bag with both hands. Because this wasn’t just another trip. I’d left here with the world caving in around me. Now I was back, and nothing had really changed except that I’d almost sold my kidney to a group of criminals. “Sir?” the flight atten
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 156: One Step At A Time
Discharged. The word again. “Your paperwork is complete,” the nurse said, sliding a copy into the envelope she handed me. “You’re all set, James. Please… take it easy for the next few days.” I gave her a quick nod, clutching the envelope with my good hand. “Do you… have a ride?” she asked, eyes lingering on the bruises peeking out from under my hoodie. I didn’t want to admit I didn’t, but before I could come up with a half-believable lie, another nurse appeared behind the desk. “James Winters?” she called. I turned. She held a piece of paper like it was good news. “You’re approved. The airline sponsorship came through. You’ll be able to fly back home at no cost.” I blinked at her, not sure if I’d heard correctly. “What?” She smiled. “There’s a nonprofit program that helps victims in cases like yours. They’ve agreed to cover your flight back.” I stared at her, my brain struggling to process what she’d said. “That’s… uh,” I stammered. “Wow. Thank you.” She nodded and hande
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 155: Through Hell
I didn’t remember falling asleep. One minute, I was staring at the ceiling, and the next, I was being shaken awake by a nurse with a soft voice and warm hands. “James? You have a visitor,” she said. I blinked groggily, my ribs aching as I sat up. “Who?” “Detective Albright,” she answered. “He needs to take a statement.” Of course. The nurse adjusted the blanket over me before she left, and a man in a gray suit stepped into the curtained-off room. Detective Albright looked tired, late forties, salt-and-pepper hair, eyes sharp but heavy with the weight of seeing too much. He pulled up a chair and sat down across from me, setting a leather notepad on his knee. “How are you feeling, James?” he asked, his voice even. I shrugged, wincing. “In pain.” Albright offered a faint smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I imagine you do. You’ve been through a lot.” “Yeah,” I muttered, rubbing at my eyes. “You could say that.” He flipped open his notepad, clicked his pen. “I won’t tak
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