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S I X T Y - O N E
Stumbling up the staircase, Colton groaned. He had sobered up somewhat, his drinking buddy having left the bar long before Colton was kicked out by the prick bouncer. Rhys had wanted to install an elevator but Colton had vetoed it. Well, he was fucking regretting it now.
Sitting down on the steps of the second floor, he fished his phone from his jeans pocket. Over twenty missed calls from Kate in the four-hour span since he had spoken to her last, plus a bounty of text messages telling him to get the fuck home, followed by a final one that told him she was going to sleep and locking the door although she would leave the chain undone.
With a fresh wave of energy, Colton rose, hurrying up the stairwell to the fourth floor. He was still angry. The photo of Kate kissing that random piece of shit seared in his mind, burning with a vengeance, but he knew that for tonight, at least, he just wanted to be tangled in her long limbs. He couldn’t explain his own logic, but sleeping
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Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - T W O
The sound of her blood rushing through her body was deafeningly loud, her heart pounding viciously against the bony confines of her chest. Scrambling from the bed upon the slackening of his grasp, Kate’s back thudded against the wall, staring in terror at the man she had known long ago. He was just as arrogant, just as coolly composed as he had always been, even as he rose from her sheets, slightly disheveled with a raging hard-on. The air of authority he possessed never wavered, not even a brief flicker of embarrassment coursing through his dignified face.“What are you… h-how did you… why are you even…” Words completely failed her, thoughts speeding through her mind faster than she could process them. Nausea overwhelmed her, knowing that his hands, his mouth had been on her.“Once your sleep-fog has worn off, you’ll be able to comprehend what’s going on,” he chuckled arrogantly.Kate swallowed, honey eyes narrowing on the well-built figure before her clad in noth
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - T H R E E
“Stop. I’m still angry at you.”Rubbing his tired eyes, Colton sat upright, his gaze swiveling around the room trying to figure out where the fuck he was and what the fuck Kate was talking about. He was alone, tangled in the stiff sheets of his own bed. Confused, he pressed his ear against the thin wall, hearing a suave voice finally respond to her. A male voice. His fists clenched involuntarily, his jaw stiffening in aggravation. The events of last night flashed through his mind as his stomach heaved. She was fucking cheating on him.He rose from the bed, preparing to confront her, demand she explain herself now. But as he slid on his crumpled jeans, he heard the conversation turn, the mention of Seattle echoing through the thin plaster of the wall. His blood ran cold. Scrambling in his headachy fog, he shoved on his boots and skidded through the apartment. His fingers clenched around her doorknob, teeth gritting at the resistance. Fucking locked.He hollered over
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - F O U R
As the last of the paramedics and police officers filtered from the apartment, Colton extended a weary thank you before closing the door. It had felt like hours that they’d be there, asking questions, developing a clearer picture of what happened. The blonde police officer, Sandy, had arrived half-hour after her co-workers. She was dressed haphazardly, hair loose on her shoulders, and Colton guessed she hadn’t actually been on duty. She had sunk on the bed beside Kate, apologizing emphatically for focusing on the wrong brother. Kate, as compassionate as ever, shook her head, wiping the tears from her already soaked cheeks and admitting she had been just as surprised as anyone. The police department in Seattle had been alerted about Preston’s revelation, and Sandy had assured Kate that they were reinvestigating the case against Harry Abbot.Colton’s head had hung low as he recalled the events of the night before, shame washing over him at the acknowledgment that he had made lif
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - F I V E
Sweet snores slipped from Kate’s petite body, swathed in the sheets of the expansive queen-sized bed. She looked so damn peaceful; hair still damp from her shower, her mouth ajar against the starchy pillow. Colton reclined on the uncomfortable armchair, finishing the last of his beer and watching the football game. He had needed something to take the edge off, the panic that cascaded through him still fresh and raw. He wanted to be calm and assured for Kate’s sake. Glassy eyes were constantly staring up at him when she was awake, ensuring he was there, that it was really him. Her fear crushed him.Studying the gentle rise and fall of her chest, Colton rubbed his face, dumping the empty bottle on the nightstand. He needed a shower. He should’ve just had one with her, but he didn’t trust himself to give her the space she needed. Instead, he had sat on the toilet, talking nonsense to comfort her that he was there.His knees creaked as he rose, his body still stiff and sore
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - S I X
Sitting at the small dining table, shoved tightly in the corner of the hotel room, Kate sighed. She flicked her finger across the screen, vetoing yet another apartment. Colton said goodbye to Heath, thanking him for the groceries he had brought them, before closing the door. He moved behind her, massaging her tense shoulders and kissing her cheek, “Can’t find anything?”“Nothing I really like.”Sinking into the chair opposite her, he scrolled through his phone, “What about one from Rhys’ building? The rent would be cheaper for us and it’s big enough for both of us and eventually, a baby.”As Colton pushed the phone in her direction, Kate scanned through the range of photos. The kitchen and bathroom were slightly dated but far more modern than her previous apartment, with a spacious wood-floored lounge and dining room, a bathroom that wasn’t attached to her bedroom, and two airy bedrooms, both with built-in wardrobes. Meeting his hopeful gaze, Kate murmured, “Rhys d
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - S E V E N
Cardboard boxes littered the empty rooms of Colton and Kate’s new apartment. A sofa and low-line cabinet were the only pieces of furniture in the lounge room, everything else still unbuilt, packed in their boxes, scattered around their apartment. It had started as shopping for a new bed; Kate hadn’t felt comfortable sleeping in her old one after Preston and there was no chance she wanted Colton’s bachelor bed in their new apartment. But it had escalated and soon, they had bought a new dining table and chairs, nightstands, coffee table, and a desk. Kate had felt guilty as the cashier rung up the purchases, but she couldn’t deny the sense of renewal that the furniture brought her.The lift in the apartment complex had been a blessing for Colton and Heath, as they lugged box after box from the car to their third-floor apartment. Heath sauntered in, dropping a box of kitchen utensils by Paloma’s feet. She smiled at him, pecking him gently before beginning the process of cleaning a
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - E I G H T
“Who knew you could be such a cutie?” Kate giggled at the dramatic eye-roll that Colton gave her, shoving a piece of pizza into her unsuspecting mouth. She gagged, giving him a teasing glare before snatching up a piece for herself.A floral quilt was sprawled beneath them on the bare living room floor, tea-lights flickering from the low-line. He’d surprised her with her favorite bottle of wine and pizza, a reward for being on her own for longer than ten minutes. Unenthusiastically, he agreed to watch the new episodes of The Umbrella Academy. She took a long sip of wine, dreamy-eyed as she watched Diego dart across the screen. A cushion surprised her, smacking her in the face and sending wine dribbling down her chin.“Stop it,” Colton growled as Kate gave him a faux-serious glare. Laughter broke through it quickly when he narrowed his eyes in warning.“But he’s just so attract-”The hurdling cushion hit her cheek once more. Kate snorted with laughter as Colton
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - N I N E
“And what do you do when Kate is struggling mentally, Colton?” Charlie pondered, eyeing the stiff body opposite him over thick-rimmed glasses.Colton picked at the fraying of his black jeans, twirling the denim between his fingers as he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the floor. The couch squeaked beneath Kate as she shifted uncomfortably and Colton forced himself to shrug. He felt like a petulant child at the principal’s office, bracing himself for the lecture and trying desperately to think of something he could say that would stop the conversation dead in its tracks. Nothing came to mind. He sighed, “I don’t know.”“He takes a steamin-” Kate began before being halted by Charlie’s stubby hand.Narrowing his eyes on the therapist, Colton felt a wave of irritation boil over him at the gall of the guy. Charlie turned back to him, and smiled, “You said you felt guilt during these… episodes. How do you manage the guilt within yourself?”“Not well,” he admitted. Hi
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