Kingdom Fall

“Thanks for the lecture, Mom.”

“You’ve always told me straight. So I’m telling you Connor is a keeper. He’s a great guy with a big heart.” She had no idea how true that statement was. “Don’t sweat the small stuff. I wasted too much time running from Kalen. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”

I hugged her and might have cried, though I would deny it. “My little sister wife is all grown up.”

“Don’t start. My parents were properly scandalized at my wedding.”

We laughed because Bailey came from a small religious community that thought sex happened after marriage and only for procreation.

“Let’s watch some movies and eat ice cream until Kalen gets back,” Bailey said. “Then we’ll sleep and you can work this out with Connor in the morning.”

Only when morning came, I had two things waiting for me. Bailey gave me a be brave smile when she handed me a thick, official-looking envelope and a box. Both from Striker—Connor.Twenty-OneConnorThe damnable woman had wormed her way into my life, and I didn’t want to let go. Why had my mother shown up and thrown gas where there were already embers? My relationship with Lizzy was on shaky ground. Every time we took one step forward, we were pushed back two. I’d never been a quitter—I’d proven that at school. I may not have won every battle, but I’d fought every time.

I let go of the lip of the pool and did a final lap before stepping out. I hadn’t yet decided how to handle things. The sauna was there, and I opted to sweat things out in hopes for clarity. In the morning, I had to see Dad. I would need to make some calls tonight as well. First, I needed time to figure things out, form a plan, and make it happen.

I set the temperature and timer. Then I sat, towel around my waist, leaned back as the steam pumped in, and closed my eyes. As it usually did, the past formed images in my dreams.PastIt had been a week, and Payne’s hench boys had stayed away. I thought maybe I might be able to give up my nightly watch over the elementary boys’ dorm. I shifted on the floor in front of the doors, ready to rest my head and fall into a light sleep. But it wasn’t to be.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t little Jamie, playing protector,” Ruin said.

Though I hated the name Jamie, I didn’t remind him for the thousandth time I was James Konnor King. The day I left this school, I’d drop the name James to get as far away from the nickname Jamie as possible. And because I hated my mother, I’d spell Konnor with a C.

I waited quietly for Ruin and the five to make the first move. I was sorely outnumbered. I couldn’t win against them, but maybe I could make enough noise to alert the teachers and staff without waking the boys. A difficult task for sure.

“You should walk away before you become tonight’s entertainment,” he suggested.

I didn’t move. I hadn’t been able to save Lonnie, but I was determined not to fail anyone else, no matter the cost to myself.

When they came, I rolled to my feet and threw punches in any direction. The first few seconds, I caught them off guard, hitting two before the others coordinated. It was over long before I could become the hero seen in movies, winning against the odds. I’d bloodied a few, but they’d bloodied me more.

My last resort was to yell, but even that came too late. They had a precut piece of duct tape ready. I was dragged down the hall, one asshole on one arm and another on the other. I refused to walk and make it easy for them. They were six. I was one. When the door closed in the darkened, empty classroom, I didn’t have to imagine what would happen to me. I already knew.

“Hold him down,” Ruin said.Present

I woke with my hands in fists, ready to fight, only to shake off the remnants of dream. Would I ever be free of this torment? The last time I’d had dreamless sleep was with Lizzy in my arms on the plane. The last time before then… I couldn’t remember anymore.

What I knew was Lizzy was everything I wanted and couldn’t have. The easiest thing for me to do was walk away from her. Lucky for me, she hadn’t given up. She was what was right in my life. Not much was. Sub or not, we couldn’t help who we fell for and I’d fallen hard.

I stopped in the kitchen for a bottle of water and saw the note. Two words had me sitting down to read it again.

“I’m sorry,” was all it said.

I didn’t have to check every room to know she was gone. I got up, found my phone, and called my brother.