Justin's Point of View:
"I'm never drinking ever again," Kelsey groaned as she leaned her head back against the bathroom wall, arms spanned weakly across her lower stomach as she pouted her bottom lip, looking lazily up at me.
"That's what they all say," I chuckled before helping her to her feet and over to the sink as she leaned over it, washing her mouth off for the fifth time this morning.
She had woken up an hour ago to not only a killer hangover but the terrible need to puke her guts out-which she did. More than once. Not to mention the fact that she was sore from last night.
"My whole body is sore." Kelsey groaned as she made her way into our bedroom, adorning a pair of sweats and a loose fitted crop top.
I stared, amused as she sneered at me, huffing to herself in annoyance as she forced her legs on top of the bed where she crawled into a fetus position.
"You couldn't have been more..." She waved her hand around, accentuating she was racking her brain for the word she was looking for before giving up, "I don't know?"
I shrugged, "I was angry, you were angry, we both said things we didn't mean. I don't see the point in bringing this up now because you sure as hell weren't complaining last night." Smirking as her cheeks heated, Kelsey hid her face in her pillow.
"You're annoying." She mumbled tiredly as she sighed to herself, letting her body fall to its mercy of exhaustion as it began to settle in. "Why'd you let me drink so much?"
"I didn't." Running my hands through my hair, I fitted my cap on backwards before making my way over to her. Taking a seat at the corner of the bed, I rubbed her back gently. "You took it upon yourself to have God knows what with Davey."
Looking up at me, Kelsey had her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "Who?"
"Exactly." Laughing, I leaned down, kissing her forehead, leaving my lips to linger. "You should sleep." I murmured softly, my right hand cupping the back of her head as I held her close to me.
"Mmm but I'm not tired," Kelsey yawned once the words were spoken, giggling softly to herself.
"Yes you are." I countered watching as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
"No," She shook her head. "I don't want sleep, I want you. Just... stay with me," She said while wrapping her arms around my waist, hiding her face under my chin while snuggling in close.
Tucking her safely in my arms as I fit myself in beside her on the bed, I tangled our legs together before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere." I said, brushing her hair back while calmly rubbing her back in a soothing manner.
A comfortable silence fell suit and I could hear the faint breathing coming from Kelsey as she exhaled, her breath fanning my skin causing shivers to run through my body. Only she had this effect on me. She was the only one that could make me feel this way. "No one could ever take your place in my heart. No matter how angry I get at you, you will always be my girl."
"I know that." Her voice came out muffled but I understood her perfectly.
Shaking my head despite the fact she couldn't see me, I sighed. "No, you don't." I strained, "I know you were drunk last night but that gave you no right to go throwing a tantrum over some girl I clearly had no interest in. I could have a million girls thrown at me but none of them compare to you."
Shuffling, Kelsey maneuvered her leg over mine, entwining them as she laid her chin on the back of her hand, peering up at me through her lashes that had some left over mascara stuck at the ends. "There's no denying that you're quite the catch babe. You could have any girl you wanted so why only stick to one?"
Furrowing my eyebrows, I leaned up a bit my hand falling to the small of her back as I pushed my hand under the material of my worn out t-shirt, my fingers dancing across her skin. "I could never leave you." I whispered, light headed. The thought of not waking up next to her or spending my nights cuddled up beside her small frame after coming back from a long night sent my head spinning. My life just didn't fit right without her in in.
"That's what they all say."
I froze.
I could tell by the way her eyes widened and she pressed her lips together in a tight purse that she didn't mean to say that out loud.
"Where is all this coming from?" I sounded panicked as if maybe I could have done something to make her feel that way. "Did I ever give you that impression?" I raked my brain for the last few days but nothing stood out among the rest. I spent every waking moment with her so why would she be having doubts?
"No, I-" Biting her lip, Kelsey looked to the other side of the room, her body cold against the warmth of my skin as she fought against the urge to look me in the eye again.
Sitting up so that my back was against the headboard, I pulled her up along with me so that she wasn't slugging behind on my legs. Brushing her hair back, I kissed the top of her head back, my fingers taking hold of her jaw, my thumb caressing the plump of her lower lip. "I asked you to marry me for a reason, yeah? I don't want anyone else. If I did, I sure as hell wouldn't have spent this much time with you by my side."
"I'm scared, okay?" She whispered, "Things are going great right now... and it's because things aren't going wrong that I'm scared. I'm terrified that something's going to happen... something that's out of our control. We have everything right now and I don't want to lose it all... I'm afraid when it's all said and done, you won't want me anymore."
"Hey," I shushed her, cupping her face into my hands as I leaned down, peering into her eyes, our noses a millimeter apart. "My heart, body and soul belongs to you. Nothing could ever change that. We survived all this time, haven't we? We can make it through anything..." Trailing off, I pressed my lips smoothly against hers, tasting her mouth with my tongue as she granted me access, fisting my shirt into her hands as she desperately pressed herself up against me.
Pulling away breathless, I whisked her hair away, kissing the tip of her nose. "You have nothing to worry about, okay? I have it all under control."
Two hours and forty five minutes later we were wide awake in bed watching movies. Call me a pussy but this beat the hell out of playing football with the guys out back on the beach.
I was fucking exhausted and had no idea how the hell they could handle the glare of the sun at this hour-even if it was five in the afternoon.
As the end credits rolled in, I stretched my arms, mindful of Kelsey's head on my chest as I wrapped my arm back around her waist.
Scratching the back of my head, I watched as Kelsey turned around so that her entire body was now on top of mine. Cupping my neck with her hands, she leaned down and gave my jaw a peck. "What do you see when you think of the future?"
Smiling lightly, I held her at the small of her back near the curve of her ass. "Hmm..." I cocked my head to one side, lightly tapping my fingers against the rim of her skin, "I see you and me... married in a huge house with kids." I shrugged, kissing the top of her head. "What do you see?"
Giggling, Kelsey nuzzled her head in my chest, her cheeks heating. "I see us married living together with kids."
My heart tightened at the thought as I forced a smile on my lips, "Yeah? How many?"
"I see us having two kids... boys and maybe even a girl and they're going to look just like you." She poked my cheek, laughing whole heartedly.
Raising an eyebrow, I pressed my lips together in thought. "Two boys and a girl huh? We're sure going to be busy," I wiggled my eyebrows in which Kelsey blushed, hiding her face behind her hands, "And they'll look like me? Damn, our kids are going to be sexy, we better watch out." I chuckled as Kelsey giggled, laying her hands flat on my chest while playing with the dip of my t-shirt.
"They're going to be just like their father, hard-working, caring, handsome and amazing..." Looking up into my eyes, Kelsey cocked her head to the side her fingers gently tracing the outline of my jaw as she leaned forwards, pecking the stubble on my chin gently. "You're going to be a great father someday."
"I don't want them to be anything like me," I felt my body stiffen underneath hers despite the care of her skin against mine. "If anything, I want them to be like you. Strong, fearless with just the right amount of mouth not to get themselves in too much trouble." I forced a grin, brushing my fingers through her hair. "I want them to have your heart."
"Justin..." Kelsey pulled her brows into a frown as her bottom lip pouted slightly, "Don't talk like that... you're nothing short of amazing, do you understand me?"
"I'm a fuck up." I muttered, "I've messed up a lot of things in my life, things that I can't change or take back. The only thing I have right in my life is you and even then I'm not sure if I'm doing a good enough job."
"Is this about what I said earlier? Because I was just talking without even thinking first. I know you love me and wouldn't do anything to hurt me. You're the best thing I've got and I'm not going to lay here and let you belittle yourself over things you have no control over." Grabbing my face into her hands, Kelsey forced me to look into her eyes. "You are an incredible man, someone who has a bigger heart than anyone I've ever gotten the chance of knowing. You look out for the people you love and would take an honest bullet for them in a matter of seconds. You would do anything to make me smile and I know we fight a lot but even then you love me. You put a ring on my finger and I accepted it because I know who you are inside. If there's anyone in this world beside your mother, who loves you very much, that knows you better than you know yourself, it's me."
Sliding my hands on top of hers, I curled my fingers around, holding them in place. "Thank you baby," I said, kissing her softly on the palm of her hands before lacing our fingers together.
"Don't do this..." She whispered, shaking her head, her eyes sad. "Please don't think so lowly of yourself. You're so much more than you see... if you would just let yourself see the kind of man you are today... I think you'd like who you've become."
"Does that mean I was quite the ass before?" I smirked, wanting to ease the tension the room suddenly grew.
"Well, you weren't exactly very pleasing but I managed, didn't I? So you couldn't have been that bad." Smiling gently, Kelsey squeezed my hands, "But don't try and change the subject. I meant what I said, okay? I fell in love with you for a reason."
"Mmm," Kissing her collarbone, I sighed, "I know."
Letting my hands go, Kelsey cradled her body against mine, arms tucked inside as her legs hid in between mine, her head in my shoulder as I wrapped my arms protectively around her. Pressing my lips to her shoulder, I took in a whiff of her natural vanilla scent. "I'd capture the world for you... I'd give you anything you wanted. Just tell me what it is and it's yours."
Pulling away after a few seconds, Kelsey gently touched my face, "You want to know what I want?" She whispered.
"Mhm," I swallowed watching as she shuffled, her legs on either side of me as she straddled my waist.
"I want you," She said once she was close enough to have her lips brush against mine.
"You can have me," I murmured softly, "All of me. I'm yours baby."
"Mine," She moaned in appreciation causing the hairs on my arms to stand on end. "All mine."
Gripping her ass in my hands, I pulled her even closer if that were possible before pulling my shirt over the edge of her shoulder, covering her skin in pecks, my tongue flicking every once and a while before traveling up the length of her neck.
Wrapping her arms around my neck, Kelsey played with the hairs in the back as I laid her down on the bed, my body hovering over hers as I paid close attention to every ounce of her I could take between each breath of air I inhaled.
I didn't waste any time until our clothes was discarded to the side, nothing but the smell of sex in the air as I made love to my fiancé like no other, making sure to fulfill every desire she had been craving for.
Hushed words of endearment were shared making this moment between us even that much more powerful and no matter how I felt about myself, she found a way to make me doubt the reason why I felt like that way in the first place.
"Justin," Kelsey whispered breathlessly, her legs tightening around my torso as she clung to my back with one hand, her nails digging into me while the other held my head towards the nape of her neck as I salvaged the skin, biting and marking her.
I gave her what she wanted, as I always did. I let her experience the high of our actions, the feeling of pure bliss that she would never feel with anyone else besides me. I gave myself to her in every way I possibly could as she did in return and in just a few short seconds, we had come together, tangled in the mess of sheets and blankets without a single care in the world.
Planting her body down in front of the fire I had set in the outdoor part of the spring house, I watched as Kelsey displayed the various amounts of marshmallows, making sure to pierce through them with an end of a clean cut stick. She was determined to make s'mores, wanting to show me what exactly I was missing-her words, not mine.
Adorning nothing but my t-shirt and her underwear, Kelsey whipped her hair into a loose ponytail as I made my way over to her, sitting behind her small body that fit perfectly in between my legs as they dangled on either side of her, watching as she peeled at the burnt ends of the white gooey substance, hissing as she burned the skin of her fingers a bit.
Taking her hand, I stuck her thumb in my mouth, sucking gently as I winked playfully earning a giggle.
Pulling away after a few seconds, Kelsey giggled before kissing my cheek. "Thank you so much kind sir. My finger now feels ultimately better, that tongue of yours must be quite magical."
Smirking, I kissed her earlobe, biting down gently, "You would know..." I teased watching as Kelsey threw her head back in laughter nothing but joy in her eyes.
"You're an asshole."
Winking, I leaned back on my hands as Kelsey finished roasting the marshmallows before scrambling on her feet and walking over to the table set with chocolate and graham crackers. Fixing four s'mores in total, Kelsey made her way back over to me, setting the plate down on her lap as she leaned her head on my shoulder.
Taking one, she handed me another before biting into hers and moaning, her eyes rolling back in delight at the taste of the rather delicious snack she had made.
"Not bad baby, I'm impressed to be able to say there's at least something in the world you can't burn entirely." Dodging her hand that aimed for my arm, I chuckled kissing the back of her head. "The truth hurts," I pointed out, laughing as Kelsey managed to hit my knee before pouting.
"No more s'mores for you," She said, sticking her tongue out at me as she held them out of reach.
"Hey!" I called out, biting back another roar of laughter knowing it'll only upset her more. "Give 'em back!"
"Not until you apologize."
"You want me to apologize for saying the truth? You know some people ask for their partner not to lie." I rolled my lips into my mouth innocently looking down at Kelsey who turned glaring.
"Not funny." She sneered before hunching her shoulders, grabbing the plate and standing. Walking over to the other end of the seating area, Kelsey sat on a lawn chair, making a show of eating the remainder of the snacks.
"Oh come on, you can't seriously be mad at me!" I shouted from my spot on the ground. When she didn't reply, I sighed, dusting myself off as I made my way over to her. Wrapping my arms around her neck from behind, I leaned into her, "I'm sorry. Okay?"
"Okay, you're forgiven." Kelsey giggled as she handed me another s'mores, ignoring the fact I stood there with my mouth wide open.
"Close your mouth, you don't want any flies flying in, do you?" Smirking to herself, Kelsey stood to grab more crackers when I grabbed onto her wrist, stopping her short.
"You knew I was going to apologize, didn't you?" I looked down at her.
"Well... yeah. Pretty much. I mean, I know you can't stand me being mad at you for more than a few seconds. But, to be honest, I expected you to last a little while longer but oh well," Kissing me on the cheek, she skipped away from me, disappearing back inside the house before coming back out with a cup of milk.
"Are you still standing there?" Kelsey laughed as she took a sip, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.
I shook my head, snapping out of it as I raised my eyebrows, gesturing towards her. "Are you seriously drinking milk?"
"What?" She questioned innocently, "It tastes good with chocolate." Sitting in front of the fire once more, Kelsey patted the spot beside her.
"Sometimes I wonder if I'm engaged to a twenty-one year old or a five year old," Laughing as Kelsey scowled at me, she held her chin up in defiance, her eyebrows pulled into a frown.
"If I'm five then you're a pedophile." Kelsey sing-sang pointedly as she crossed her ankles, looking up at me through her thick lashes, her eyes challenging mine.
I rolled my eyes, sitting beside her as I hooked my arm around her shoulders, pulling her head into a cradle.
"Stop that," She slapped my chest, giggling as she pulled her head from my chest, "You'll suffocate me."
"Good." I laughed, ducking from her hands again as I grabbed onto them, holding them at her side. "Keep hitting me and watch what happens." I growled lowly, my eyes shining brightly against hers letting her know I was joking.
Huffing, Kelsey turned away from me, slipping her hands from my hold as she laid back against the soft wooden floor, her eyes watching the clouds.
Following her lead, I laid down beside her.
"You think we can be happy?" Kelsey asked quietly after a few moments of silence as she gazed up at the stars. Turning so that her eyes met mine, I sighed, enfolding her in my embrace.
"I think that we just have to take everything one step at a time..." Kissing her head, I tucked my free arm under my head, watching as the atmosphere darkened with each minute that passed, the moon slowly unraveling.
"I want us to be happy." She admitted quietly, kissing my clothed chest.
"And we will be baby. Now close your eyes and make a wish," I whispered in her ear just as a shooting star zoomed past in the night.
Gasping beside me, Kelsey quickly sealed her eyes shut, muttering something quietly, taking a moment to herself before slowly looking up. Blinking twice, she looked at me. "Did you know that was going to happen?"
"Nah, just good luck I guess which I happen to lack of so you better have taken this opportunity to make one hell of a wish."
Biting her lip, Kelsey smiled shyly. "I think so... I mean, I hope it comes true."
Watching the happiness in her eyes is what I yearned to see every day we spent time together. I knew in my heart that if I couldn't live a good life that I wanted her to be able to. She deserves more than she's been given. She deserves more than me.
She doesn't want to admit it but I know that she wishes things would be different.
I ruined the way in which her life should've ended up if she hadn't met me.
I could see the different routes in which our lives would've ended up-I would've been alone, work the only thing on my mind. I would've ended up doing something entirely reckless that would more or less end my life while she ended up getting everything she ever wanted.
Which is the way it should've been.
Every time I close my eyes I see her smile, her eyes set on the true love of her life that she should've met. The guy that would've swept her off her feet, captured her heart and held it safely in his hands.
The guy that would shower her with love and kisses every morning and night, the man that would show her what it's like to live a normal and healthy life.
She would've grown up to become something along the lines of a lawyer or a doctor, she would get married and have the two sons she saw when she envisioned our life together but, in this life, she would have the husband that would be able to hold a family with her. A noble man who didn't have to watch out that the next person who walked by would end up shooting him in the chest. He would be able to let his kids play outside without the fear of a drive by that was meant for him getting in the way.
He didn't have to live his life in fear of someone he cared about getting hurt because of him.
If she never met me, she would've have the happy ever after she deserves.
"What are you thinking about?" Kelsey whispered quietly as if she would've spoken any louder, she would disrupt my train of thought.
"Nothing," I said, my mind in a haze as a mental picture of her smiling flashed through my head. "It's nothing at all."
"It's about time you two showed up!" Kadra yelled from the main couch in the living room. "We were just about to start the movie without you two."
"You should've if it was that much of a problem." I snapped playfully, winking in her direction as I wrapped my arms around Kelsey's waist, plopping her down on my lap as I sat on the couch besides John and Carly who stared amused at the two of us.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing," Carly waved her hand as she threw a few popcorn pieces into her mouth, a smirk playing on her lips.
"You know I hate when you do that." I warned, my eyes turning into slits. "Fucking say what's on your mind already."
"Jesus, what's gotten your boxers in a twist?" She laughed, "That is, of course, if you're wearing any."
Choking on her spit, Kelsey turned to face her so-called best friend with wide eyes. "Carly!"
"What?" She held her hands up innocently, "I'm just saying!"
"John, control your girl before I do." I warned as John let out a laugh, his hands grabbing hold of her ankles as they hung across his knees.
"Babe, be good." He tapped her knee, his eyes glued on the television in front of him.
I scoffed, "You're useless, I swear. Fucking pussy whipped."
"Says the one who hasn't left his girl's side all fucking day," John snapped. "Why don't you shut up and just watch the movie?"
"Ay, ladies, ladies!" Kadra threw popcorn at them both, "Stop bickering like a bunch of school girls and how 'bout you both watch the fucking movies because as far as I'm concerned you're both love-struck puppies."
"You know, I liked you better when you didn't talk as much. You're getting way too comfortable with that mouth of yours." I spat through clenched teeth.
Marcus raised his eyebrows at me, "Ay man, relax. She's just joking."
"Actually love, I'm being quite serious but it looks like your friend over there can't handle the truth as much as he'd like to think so."
"How about you all shut the fuck up before I throw you in a tank full of sharks?" Marco grumbled from the loveseat he was sitting in with Alec sprawled on top of him, his hand resting on her stomach.
The room grew quiet then.
"Well, that's not very nice." Kadra pouted, crossing her arms against her chest.
"Yeah, well, I never said I bloody was so pipe down over there so we can all watch the movie in peace and then, after, if you want to beat the shit out of each other by all means, you can. Until then, zip it."
Glaring, Kadra huffed, muttering something in Marcus's ear who merely chuckled, kissing her head.
"Did you get everything ready?" Bruce asked from the center of the room as he brought the last of his and Stephanie's bags behind him. We were finally going back home and everyone was shuffling about the entire house, trying to make sure they had everything they needed and brought with them.
"Yeah," Scratching the back of my head, I took a step back, peering into the open door of mine and Kelsey's room. "Babe, are you ready yet?"
"Almost!" She called out and I caught sight of her small body hopping around the room trying to pull on a pair of sandals.
I sighed, "Hurry up, the jet leaves in half an hour!"
"Just five more min-shit!" She spat loudly, cursing under her breath.
"Are you okay?" I took a step closer to inspect what was going on but stopped when she waved me off.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I just stubbed my toe into the dresser." Huffing, Kelsey stood up tall, brushing her hair away from her face.
I shook my head before turning back to him. "Just another five more minutes," I informed Bruce who merely stared at me with disbelief.
"Which is an hour in Kelsey time." Bruce gave me his all too infamous annoyed look, one I see almost every time he's stressed out when it came to one of the girls.
"You wanna go in there and drag her out then?" I thumbed behind me, "Because I don't think you want to."
Bruce narrowed his eyes. "Fuck you,"
"No, thank you." I smirked, plopping myself down on the couch to the right of him as I took my phone out, flicking through my apps.
"I could fucking kill you if-"
"If what?" I challenged him, cutting him off mid-sentence. "If what Bruce because I didn't do shit. You want Kelsey out? I told you to go fucking get her. If not, shut the fuck up and go worry about your girlfriend who still hasn't shown up either."
"What the fuck is your problem?" He growled, shoving my feet off the table as he shoved his bags to the side. "You've been acting like a complete ass this entire morning and I've just about had it."
Standing up, I shoved my phone into my pocket, getting into Bruce's face as I balled my hands into fists at my side. "You're testing my motherfucking patience so I suggest you walk away before I do something I'll really regret."
"Can't handle the truth?" Bruce pressed his chest against mine, his eyes darkening as quickly as mine were, "I've stuck up for you this entire trip here. Against my uncle for that matter and you're going to stand there and disrespect me?"
"You're the one fucking complaining!" I shoved him back, "So get the fuck out of my face. I never told you to stick up for me either. I'm a big boy, I think I can handle myself so quit acting like you're my fucking father." I heaved past him.
"There you go again, walking away from your problems as usual! Why don't you just face them head on and admit you're wrong?" Bruce called out behind me but I wasn't listening anymore at this point.
Slamming my bedroom door shut behind me, I grabbed the nearest thing I could find which happened to be a vase and threw it across the room watching as it shattered into a million pieces.
"What the he-Justin?" Kelsey stood at the entrance of the bathroom, looking over at me with wide eyes. "What happened? What's wrong?"
"You, you're my problem!" I spat, "You're taking fucking forever and I have no idea why. Just pack your shit and let's leave! We're going back home not to a fucking fashion show." My chest was heaving out of anger at this point and it was like my entire mind blanked.
But Kelsey didn't flinch at all. Instead, she dropped the hairdryer she held in her hands that I hadn't even realized and walked over to me. Cupping my face into her hands, she forced me to look down at her. "Relax and take a deep breath."
Furrowing my eyebrows, I looked at her with nothing but confusion. "What?"
"Close your eyes," She directed me quietly, her thumbs rubbing circles against the skin of my cheeks, "And take a deep breath. Come on," She coaxed, "go on. Do it."
"Kelsey, I don't have the fucking time for this," I grabbed her hands, ready to pull them from my face when her grip only got stronger.
"You have plenty of time." She scowled, "Now, close your eyes and listen to me."
Rolling my eyes, I did as she asked, not in the mood to get into another argument. "Okay, now what?"
"Relax your shoulders," Her hands ran down the length of them before taking hold of my biceps, "And take a deep breath then let it out."
Exhaling, I slumped my shoulders a bit, almost opening my eyes when Kelsey's fingers brushed down my lids.
"No, not yet," She whispered, "Now I slowly want you to count to ten."
Despite how ridiculous I thought this was, I counted in my head and slowly found myself relaxing underneath her fingertips.
"Now you can open your eyes," She whispered just as I reached the number ten in my head.
Peeling my eyes open, I looked down at her. "How do you do that?"
"Magic," Giggling, she kissed my neck before taking a step back. "Now you said something about being ready and lucky for you, I just got done with my hair before you came charging in here like a lunatic."
"Sorry 'bout that," I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck, while scraping the toe of my boot against the floor, my hands now stuffed in my pockets. "Lots on my mind, that's all."
"You know you never have to apologize to me for having a bad day," She slipped her hand into mine, pulling me closer as she slipped her arms around my waist, "Just talk to me. What's bothering you baby?"
Laying my hands comfortably on her hips, I brought her close, nuzzling my nose into her hair. "I don't want to go back." I mumbled, knowing I'd regret opening up about this later.
I had a bad feeling, something I couldn't shake off since last night. It began once we settled for bed and hasn't stopped since. Even with the warm of Kelsey's body next to me, I couldn't stop thinking about how it could be the last time I ever held her that close.
Running her hands up and down my back, Kelsey sighed, laying her cheek against my chest. "I know exactly how you feel, I don't want to leave either."
"So, why don't we stay?" My eyes brightened as my heart rate picked up, "We can stay here and let them leave without us." I rushed the words out without even thinking about it.
"What? And just drop everything back home?" Kelsey giggled nervously, "You know we can't do that..."
"Why the hell not?" I pulled back from her, grabbing onto her elbows, "We can do whatever the hell we want."
"Justin," Kelsey stressed rather sadly her eyes gazing up at me helplessly, "I have school and you have the business, you can't just walk away from that any longer than you have... we've already missed a week. My classes start up again tomorrow, we can't..." Shaking her head, her shoulders fell. "We can't just... stay."
Taking a step back, I threw my hands behind my head as I stared up at the ceiling, furiously scratching at the ends of my hair before letting my hands slap down beside me. My mind was racing with new profound thoughts of doubt. "You said you were ready?" I looked down at her, ignoring the worry in her eyes.
"Hey..." Gently slipping her fingers through mine, Kelsey kissed my knuckles making me swallow down hard, "Talk to me..."
"There's nothing to talk about," I snapped, pulling away from her as I made a beeline towards the outside doors, needing a breath of fresh air. Slipping out onto the balcony, I held onto the railing, tipping my head back as I let the sea air drift through me reminding me of the last several days we had spent here, laughing and having fun.
A pair of thin arms tightened around me causing me to tense as I refused to look over my shoulder, knowing exactly who it was as Kelsey laid her forehead in the middle of my back.
"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't pry much..." She mumbled apologetically, "And you probably need time to yourself... I just want you to know that this... happiness... it doesn't have to end here. Remember that, okay?" Slipping away, I grabbed onto her hand before she had the chance to disappear from sight.
"My happiness is wherever you are," I whispered quietly, meeting her eyes for the first time with nothing but sincerity behind them. "I just don't want it to end here."
Opening her mouth to say something, we were interrupted when the doors were pushed open, John awkwardly stepping out to address us.
"Sorry man but, ugh, we gotta go. Leo just called to tell us the jet's arrived." At the mention of that bastard's name, I scowled but immediately nodded, showing John I had heard what he said.
"Alright, are the goods ready to go as well?" I referred to Leo's men.
"Yeah, they left about ten minutes ago, said they'd meet us there."
"Tell Bruce we'll be right there, just give us a few more seconds, okay?" John gave me a doubtful look, however, sighing as he exited back inside.
Looking out into the horizon, I licked my lips knowing deep down inside this was probably the last time I'd ever be at peace. Regarding Kelsey, I grabbed her face before she had the chance to react, giving her a long lasting kiss, one that I knew made her toes curl and the hairs on her arms stand. "I love you," I said once I pulled away breathlessly.
Holding onto my wrists, a ghost of a smile spread across her lips, "I love you too."
Gesturing with my head behind us, I grabbed her hand, "C'mon, let's get out of here before I change my mind."
The plane ride was excruciatingly long and boring as the time ticked on by slower than ever, my impatience getting the best of me as I shuffled and stood, moving around and attending the bathroom every now and then even when I didn't have to.
I was antsy, like ants were fucking crawling in my pants and it was driving me insane. By the time Kelsey fell asleep with her head on my lap, I knew I had to stop and I did... despite the need to move came over me again.
Everything was dragging on and every time we grew closer to arriving in Stratford, the more I felt my breathing hitch and my palms sweat. I was fucking losing my mind, I was sure of it.
"We're here," Bruce exclaimed after talking with the Pilot.
Shaking Kelsey awake, I told her what Bruce said as we all buckled our seat belts, waiting to board.
Absentmindedly bobbing my foot, I looked out the small windows, watching as we slowly lowered to the ground.
"Are you okay?"
Snapping my head over towards Kelsey when I felt her grip onto my knee, I furrowed my brows at her, "Huh?"
"You're shaking the entire seat," She laughed, "What's wrong with you? Do you hate planes or something?"
"No, I just want to get the hell out of here." Or go right the hell back the voice in the back of my head snapped at me but I ignored it.
Slowly but surely nodding her head, she let me go even though the doubt in her eyes didn't falter. Instead, she kept a close eye on me while having a conversation with the girls.
"You sure you're fine?" John quietly asked me, his head turned towards my ear, trying not to make it too obvious that we were speaking.
Opening my mouth to splutter out a lie, I thought against it, knowing John would figure out the truth eventually. He always did. "I don't have a good feeling about this..." I whispered, shrugging. "There's just something about going back that isn't sitting right with me."
"You're probably just overthinking it," John gently patted my back, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "With everything we've left behind it's only normal to be nervous to go back to it. Once we're home, we go right back to business as usual."
"That's the thing," I hissed, "Something's wrong. I can feel it."
Frowning, John was about to question what I meant when the pilot's voice startled us out of conversation. "Alright boys and ladies," He winked earning a few giggles. Jimmy was always a friendly guy so there was no need to feel threatened-he was forty after all with a wife and two kids, "We've arrived, get your things and get the hell on outta here. I got a pecan pie waiting for me at home." He rubbed his rounded stomach.
"You'll miss us Jim, you always do!" Marco chuckled as he hugged the old friend, slapping him on the back before walking down the steps and onto the outside platform.
Following everyone out, I nodded towards Jimmy in acknowledgment, clapping hands with him as I led Kelsey carefully down, meeting the others in a group just a few feet away. Grabbing our bags from the hidden compartment, I threw them in the back of our car just as Bruce started it.
After fifteen minutes of driving, Bruce turned onto our street just as my phone began ringing. Confused as to who it could be, I took it out of my pocket, surprised to see Prince calling me. "Hello?"
"Justin?"
"No, fucking Oprah," I spat, "Yes it's Justin, the hell do you want? We just got back for fuck's sake."
"I need you to listen to me carefully," He rushed his words out as if he were on a deadline to get this all out in time, "Before you go home, you should know that you have a few unexpected guests waiting for y-"
"What the fuck is this bullshit?" Bruce growled from the front seat, jerking the entire car to an abrupt stop, cutting Prince off, my attention now on him instead of the call as I looked up to see what Bruce was talking about when my eyes landed on a police cruiser parked right outside our house.
"Hear me out-" Prince strained on the other line but I had ended the call before he had the chance to even finish.
"Stay calm and follow my lead," Bruce spoke sternly though I could see the uncertainty hidden behind his tough exterior. Opening the car door, I ordered the girls to stay back as I followed Bruce and the others towards the detectives.
"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up," I felt my blood run cold at the sight of Detective Asher, the man whom I had accompanied back in my time at jail. The man that made my life a living hell any chance he got. "We were close to putting an APB out for you guys."
"And why's that?" Bruce questioned.
"Being as that two of the local warehouses were burnt to a crisp and you guys were nowhere to be found, I figured your rotten crew had a lot to do with it."
"You know, I'm getting real tired of you and your entire department pointing fingers at us for every single thing that goes wrong around here." Bruce growled angrily, "What makes you think it wasn't a bunch of kids fucking around or something?"
"Because this isn't some amateur's doing, this had gang retaliation written all over it and my bets are that it has something to do with the new faces that showed up in town." He cocked his head to the side, hands perched on his hips, "What do they refer to themselves as again?" He smirked sinisterly causing my arms to itch at the sight of his disgusting face. He knew something, we all didn't and it only made the situation all the more worse. "Oh, right," He snapped his fingers, "The Snipers?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Bruce shrugged, "But then again, when do you ever not come here spitting out bullshit every chance you got?"
"Unless you want to take a visit downtown, I suggest you pack that attitude of yours away. Besides, we're not here for you..." Asher trailed off, his eyes soon finding mine, "We're here to talk to Mr. Bieber about what he's been up to these past few months."
"The fuck do you want to talk to me for?"
"You didn't think just because you were released, you were off the hook now did you?" His smirk grew with each passing second, his eyes widening in delight that he had me speechless. "We finally got you right where we want you Bieber and it's about time we all saw you crash and burn."