Burning Truths (Consume Me #2)

23. Kenna

Chapter Twenty-Three

KENNA

Knees pulled tight to my chest I allow myself to look around the empty room. The doctor walked out a few minutes ago leaving me with the voices echoing off the walls outside. My thoughts are clouded leaving me grappling for ways to put together a string of words, or thoughts, or fuck. Anything. A dull ache rattles at the base of my skull radiating from the stitches where I hit my head on the edge of the footboard. Trying to piece last night together has done nothing but make my head hurt worse. Instead I use this time to look for any way out of here so I can get as far away from the Stone family as possible.

The walls are bright but the room is sparse with very little actual furniture outside of the obvious bed and dresser. Pulling the thick black comforter closer to my body my eyes continue to roam until they land on the window across the room. Flexing my fingers I survey my muscles making sure I have the physical energy to run now or if it’s better to wait. Tossing off the blanket I roll my ankles and stretch taking a better count of what hurts. My stomach gurgles, reminding me of one very important thing.. Hunger.

You’ll starve either way.

Fucking hell. Here we go again. Huffing out a deep breath I throw my legs over the side of the bed letting my bare feet touch the cold floor. A chill climbs from my toes to my spine with the new sensation. Pulling my shoulders back I let my head tip up, my eyes landing on the popcorn ceiling, running through my options.

It’s not like you have anywhere else to go.

The dorms are too far for me to walk in the condition I’m in and I have no clue where my phone is.

You have no one left to trust.

Biting the inside of my lip until I draw blood my heart starts to pound behind my ribcage. Panic grows in the pit of my stomach leaving me with an uneasy feeling that takes over my entire body. I have no one left to trust. No one I can call to get me out of here. Hank was my last hope.

Maybe you can get to him.

He needs me as much as I need him. I’m not chained to a bed or strapped down. If I can get to him we can think of a way to get out of here. My eyes close pulling images of a plan from thin air when the sound of someone coming down the hall floats to my ears. Sliding back on the bed I drag the covers back over me using them as a shield. The doorknob turns. A second passes. Another. The door slowly opens revealing brown eyes.

Swallowing the stone in my throat my body automatically sinks against the headboard when he steps through the doorway. His eyes skate over me searching for something, I’m not sure he finds it, but he pauses to close the door, shutting us in the room together. His jaw is clamped shut giving his jawline more of an angle reflecting the struggle he appears to be having. Those deep brown eyes darken, taking a whole new shape under the shadows of his eyes. Fear bubbles in my veins putting me on alert but my heart skips a beat when his expression pinches.

Taking a step towards the bed my hands grip the blanket between my fingers trying to press it so close it’s almost like it’s stitched to my skin.

“Kenna, baby.” His deep voice rolls over my body.

My stare is probing looking for any weakness so I can get past him and run for Hank. He’s the only one who can help me. Licking my dry lips, the action pulls his attention to my mouth, and the look that follows has my blood running cold.

“Stay the fuck away from me.” I snap.

Looking around the room frantically hoping to find something to use if I need to fight him off but I come up empty. He holds his hands up trying to calm me. The irony.

“You-” I choke. “You did this. TO ME.” I yell, my voice cracking on the last words.

My breathing picks up and my hands start to shake. I’m trapped and my skin starts to itch. Stretching over my bones too tight to allow air through my lungs. Everything is too close to me. Throwing off the blanket my legs kick at it until it’s out of reach. My fingers start to pull and claw at the collar of my shirt. I need it off my skin.

“Calm down. Easy baby.” He says. His voice growing further away.

Black spots start to fill my vision shooting dark stars across the room blocking my view of the monster of a man standing in front of me.

“Stop, Kenna.” He orders.

My eyes try to focus on where he is but the tunnel is growing longer. My chest aches with the effort my lungs make to pull in oxygen.

“This is your fault. This is your fault.” My words spill from my lips.

Something wet drips on the back of my hand pulling my attention from the figure at the edge of the bed. Looking down, a small drop of water sits on my pale flesh. Smearing it away I look above me for the source but a soft sigh distracts me.

“Don’t cry, Killer. Please, let me help you.”

The tips of my fingers drag down my cheek bringing with it the tears that continue to fall. I’m crying. Thrashing my head back and forth trying to shake the pain away I can feel the darkness creeping forward.

“Why? Why did you do this?” I chant.

The words sit out in the open for seconds. Minutes. The door opens and closes. And now I’m alone in the empty room filled with pain and shadows.

See how easy it was for him to abandon you again?

A bone deep exhaustion pulls at my body begging for relief. Sliding down the headboard until my head lays flat I count the marks on the ceiling until eventually I drift off to sleep.

A soft touch trails down the side of my face pulling me from a deep sleep. Rough fingers drag along my temple slowly drawing circles into my skin.

“Open your eyes, Kenna.” A low scratchy voice says.

The voice is wrong. All wrong. The undertone is familiar, tugging at memories, but it’s warped or damaged. My lashes flutter, opening my eyes I turn towards the voice, meeting soft emerald green ones. The air catches in my lungs forcing a cough from me. Twisting away from the man sitting in a grey chair pulled up at the side of the bed my mouth falls open. No words form on my tongue, shock and confusion taking root, I snap my mouth shut.

“It’s just me.” He says, his words gruff.

His palms in the air, a worried stare meets mine, his face the same as the day he died. My gaze takes him in, traveling from his perfect hair down to his neck, stopping on the jagged scar across his throat. A small gasp slips from my lips.

“How?” I murmur, speaking more to myself than the ghost in front of me.

Sitting up against the wooden headboard I pull my knees to my chest giving me a shield to hide behind. Resting my chin on my knees I watch as he looks me over. Bright eyes shift through several emotions before settling on something I can’t pinpoint.

“I’m so sorry, Princess.” He whispers.

Leaning forward he starts to reach out but snatches his hand back when I flinch away from his touch. A dark flicker passes through his expression and I’m reminded why I can’t trust the Stones and anger takes over replacing the fear.

Shaking my head, “You died. I watched you die.” I shout. “How? Was it all a trick? Is that how Hank knew where to grab me?” My voice bounces off the bare walls. Pure rage takes over and now I’m leaning over my knees yelling, “You sold me to him like a fucking cow to the slaughter house. All of you!”

The sting of pain tells me my fingernails broke skin yet I continue. Unable to hold back the overwhelming feelings I’ve been trapped with.

“Why? I begged you to breathe, Cole! I was the one who found you. To walk into that room and see you hanging there.” My voice breaks. “Just tell me why Hank? Is this to get back at my father?” I’m speaking so fast I'm not sure he can understand a word I’m saying.

The organ in my chest pangs at the anguish in my tone. Shattered at the lies, the fucking betrayal, watching the burning truth looking me in the face. Cole Stone faked his death and let me watch him die. Green eyes look away, unable to hold my stare any longer. Using the back of my hand I swipe at my cheeks fighting the tears that still fall. Frustration, heartbreak, and exhaustion war inside me.

Shifting in the chair, Cole rests his forearms on his legs. “I did die, Princess.” He says. His words are deep and hollow but a lie.

Shaking my head I refuse to believe any more lies from this family.

Placing his hands on the edge of the bed he drags the chair closer with his foot. With his knees pressed against the bottom of the bed he leans closer letting me see past the mask they wear so well.

Licking his bottom lip, “I’m only here because of sheer fucking luck. Anything outside of that and I’d be in that grave marked with my name. There is a lot you’ve missed.” He says. Clearing his throat a free hand rubs at the scar there. “Our scars match, Princess.” Reaching out, his fingers hover over my fresh scar.

He gently strokes my throat, eyes cast down at the ragged mark across my tender flesh, he hesitates. “It took me a while to speak and when I did your name was the first to fall from my lips. You bleed, we bleed.”

I suck in a gasp at his words. Our words. What we live and die by.

But they sold you.

“Then why?” I ask.

His head shakes swaying his blonde hair, “You were gone for a while, Kenna. We have no idea what he put you through or what he has you believing, but you’re safe now.” He states.

The light outside is slowly growing darker with each passing second. A shadow cast across the room bringing a chill with it. Pulling his hand away Cole shifts in his spot.

“If I’m safe, why am I locked in this room?” I ask. Looking for an opening to get the hell out of here. Chewing on the inside of my cheek I remind myself that they still have Hank.

“Have you tried the door?” His eyebrow raises with the question. Like he already knows the answer to that he laughs, the sound haunting, “You’re not a prisoner here, Princess.” Waving a hand at the door in a show of freedom he pushes away from the bed and stands.

Stretching out his arms he rolls his neck popping it in the process. Bright eyes peer down at me, “Where you go is up to you. As long as we have Hank you’re safe I promise.”

Walking towards the door he doesn’t look back until his hand is on the knob. Dipping his brows, his lips twitch, “Remember who we are and you’ll figure out who to trust.”

Stepping through the doorway he lets the door swing shut once again leaving me in the room alone. Only this time it’s unlocked and I have no plan of sticking around to see who’s next to visit.