The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

my arms. I barely breathe at the feel of his bare skin touching mine. It feels good. And bad. It feels like everything I’ve wanted, but didn’t think I could have.
     
    His lips leave my mouth and move downward across the hollow of my neck, pausing at the top of my chest. My eyes roll shut at the first touch of his mouth against my nipple. I fist my hands, unsure where to channel the helpless energy as he slides his tongue along the curve of my breast. A pleading cry flees my lips as my knees start to give out. He grips at my waist, his palms scorching with heat as he steadies me, and makes a path of kisses across my chest. A tingly sensation spreads between my thighs and I cry out, grabbing handfuls of his hair as my heart throbs inside my chest.
     
    “You’re so beautiful,” Kayden murmurs as I struggle to stay on my feet.
     
    “You’re so beautiful,” he mutters as he pins me down. I struggle to break free, but his knees press down on my shins and his fingers wrap around my wrists, trapping my arms above my head.
     
    It all comes crashing down like the rain and the lightning outside. My eyes snap open and I jerk away, folding my arms across my chest. “I-I’m sorry. I-I can’t do this.”
     
    He blinks his eyes, shocked. “What’s wrong?”
     
    I turn in a circle, searching the floor. “It’s nothing. I just need my shirt.” I kick some of the clothes on the floor out of the way, my lungs squeezing tightly, constricting my oxygen flow. “I just need my shirt.”
     
    His fingers graze my arm and I flinch, sucking in a deep breath, forcing back the tears. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he begs.
     
    “It’s nothing.” I shrug off his hand as tears spill from my eyes. “I just need to go.”
     
    His hands come down on my shoulders and he forces me to face him. I keep my eyes locked on the floor, refusing to look at him. He hooks his finger under my chin and elevates my face upward.
     
    He scans the tears and his eyes widen. “Oh my god, I thought you were okay with going that far. I’m sorry.”
     
    “It’s not you or that.” I wrench my face away from him and back toward the door with my arms still covering my chest.
     
    “Then, what is it?” He steps toward me, searching my eyes desperately for an answer.  “Callie, you’re really freaking me out right now. Please tell me what’s wrong.”
     
    I shake my head, backing away, my shoulders curling inward in humiliation. “I can’t tell you. I just need to go.”
     
    As the foul feeling in my stomach begins to build, owning me, controlling me, I reel for the door, ready to run out without a shirt on. He hurries in front of me, blocking my way with his body.
     
    “You can’t walk out there like that,” he says, his eyes skimming my bare chest.
     
    “I need to get out of here,” I choke, clutching at my stomach.
     
    “I feel like I did something wrong… did I hurt you or something?”
     
    My shoulders lurch as I choke through the sobs. “You didn’t do anything. He did.”
     
    “Who did?” He steps toward me and I’m verging on shoving my finger down my throat right there in front of him because I can’t hold it in.
     
    I skitter to the side, trying to dodge around him, the walls closing in on me. I need air. “I need to get out of here.”
     
    His fingers snag my waist. “I can’t let you go out like that. Just trust me enough to tell me.”
     
    “No! You can’t handle it.”
     
    “Callie.” He’s freaking out. I’m freaking out. The entire situation is a mess. “I can handle anything you tell me.”
     
    I shake my head as my knees buckle and his arms hold me up. “No, you can’t.” The vomit burns at the back of my throat as my ears ring and my eyes blur over with more tears. I’m hyperventilating and dizziness floods through my body. “No one wants to handle hearing about a twelve-year-old being raped… I have to keep it locked away. I have to…” I trail off, knowing I’ll never get it back.
     
    I jerk from his arms, feeling ashamed, but he grabs my hand and yanks on my arm, crashing me against him. He cradles my head, smoothing my hair as my shoulders shake and my tears soak his scarred chest.
     

Chapter 14
     
     
     
    #34 Let Someone   Kayden Get Close to You
     
     
     
    Kayden
     
    If I could hold her forever, I would. I wasn’t expecting that to come out of her mouth. I knew she had something dark hidden inside her, but not that. It hurts deep inside my chest and I have