Bitter Kisses (It's Just High School #3) - Thandiwe Mpofu Page 0,61

almost uselessly to his side, like he just dislocated his shoulder, but even with that, he looks like he’s holding his own.

But still, there’s no way I’m leaving him here.

Just then, I hear a faint siren call. The cops have been called. Cole hears it too. He looks at me, eyes narrowed.

“We have to go before they get here.”

Yes, you are getting out of here.

As soon as I see the open rusty door, I rush to the front and hold it open. As Cole passes through, effortlessly holding Kristine, I press a quick chase kiss to the baby’s tiny head, looking down at her one last time, then just as quickly, I shove her into her mother’s arms.

Surprised, she quickly holds on to the baby, looks up at me, a protest ready to go on her tongue, but I move back and then quickly shove Cole. He spins around faster than I anticipated, a sharp retort on his tongue but I ignore him and then pull the door shut, right in his handsome, anxious face.

“Forgive me, Cole.” I call from behind the door. “Please go.”

I don’t wait to hear what he says, but I do catch the curses as I run back to where Julian is, clutching the big knife in my hands, whispering only two prayers that I can manage at the moment.

First, I pray that Cole gets Kristine and her baby at medical facility on time. And the other, well, to make sure Julian makes it out of this hell alive. I don’t even factor myself in that prayer. I’m already half-dead.

I secure the bloody sheet wrapped around me, tugging it under my arms as tightly as possible. I’m a sight of utter stupidity. Diving into a war with nothing but this, and at minimal capacity.

Shane sees me first. He hasn’t almost made it to the bag, blood pouring from his nose and his temples, his legs lying listlessly on the floor and he starts looking around.

“Where is she?” he roars, seeing the blood all over me. I know he’s asking about Kristine and I know he heard the baby cry.

“Where the fuck is she?”

Without thinking, run towards the freaky black bag and snatch it out of his reach then with all my strength, I toss it as far away as possible. With grim satisfaction, I watch as it goes straight into the fire.

“No! You stupid bitch! I’m going to kill you!”

Running purely on instinct, I swivel around, rush back to where Shane lies on the floor and then I kick the motherfucker as hard as I can across the face, unloading all my frustration and embarrassment for what he and his brother did to me.

A sort of unshakable haze falls over me as I kick him.

Hos screams fade into the background, hell everything fades away as I kick every inch of him that I can.

“That’s for Kristine, you sonofabitch!” I kick him with the back of my heels, relying on my reflexes from all the years I did ballet. “You’ll never get to her,” I seethe.

I have no idea how many times I kick him. I don’t even remember where I kick him but when I come to, I hear Julian shouting my name with urgency. I grow still, my chest heaving up and down so fast. I hadn’t realized I was screaming and crying until I feel the tears streaming down my face. The noise I thought was in the distance dies down as soon as I stop.

“It’s okay, baby,” Julian says softly, his voice strong and sure reaching past my heart and into my chaotic soul and troubled mind. “It’s okay.”

I cling to his voice with a wild panic that’s blooming in my chest and suddenly I want to see him. I want to look into his eyes especially now, in the middle of this hell.

I step back from where Shane is groaning and crying on the floor, blood everywhere and then swivel around, desperately searching for Julian with my heart in my throat only to come to a painful stop as all the relief drains out of my system, replaced by pure and unadulterated fear.

I look at Julian, his beautiful, brilliant eyes looking at me with desperation and horror and I realize why when I see a bloody and panting Sean who’s a few feet behind Julian, holding something in his hand.

A gun. Pointed directly at Julian.

Jesus Christ.

I’m so shocked at the image in front of me that I stand there frozen, my heart