If Not for You (Completed)

Chapter 15: Kazzi

15Kazzi

The meeting with Kate had been rocky at best. She didn't believe me when I'd told her that Kale was alive and wanted to see her. Apparently, their mother had had them both believing the other was dead. Made me wish I'd taken a picture of Kale on my phone. It took me almost two hours just to get her to take my word for it, then another two to get her to open up to me, and three more of listening to her vent out years of pent-up rage and depression.

It was after ten by the time I finally stood from the chair, my butt numb and back aching from sitting so long. The poor girl had had a heck of a life, and while I didn't tell her I'd pray for her, as a professional rule, I knew that I would. I did, however, tell her I would bring Kale to see her in the morning.

My shoulders were tight with nervous tension as I drove back toward the bridge, hoping and praying that Kale would still be there. I wished he had a phone, so I could call him and tell him I was coming. It should have been the first thing I bought him when I brought him home, and stupidly, I hadn't. But then, I'd never once thought that I would be leaving him at that bridge again. Soon as we got home, I was getting him a phone. I didn't care what he had to say about it.

I relaxed just a bit as the bridge came into view, looking like a familiar nightmare as it loomed out of the darkness with a flashing of cars driving on top of it way above. However, my heart pounded as I drew to a stop and my headlights fell on the body sprawled across the asphalt. Leaping out of the car, I started running.

Kale was on his side, his back to me, looking much like he had when I'd hit him, and my heart raced at the possibility that he could have been run over again, though who else would be driving out there, I didn't know.

"Kale? Kale, wake up!" My hands shook as I rolled him over, and my breath caught in my throat when I saw him.

His belt was missing, his jeans unfastened and low on his hips. His lower left lip was bloodied and tainted with vomit, and the apple of his left cheek was swollen and bruised all the way up around his eye. His throat was covered in red lines that were slowly darkening to bruises, as though someone had choked him, and I almost gagged as I brushed a hand back through his hair.

"Kale...?" Tears filled my eyes as he slowly came awake, his hand immediately bracing on his ribs as he gasped and shot to sit up, his chest rising and falling as though he were terrified.

"Get the hell away from me!" He shouted and pushed me back to fall on my butt before scrambling away from my arms to crawl toward the edge of the embankment, toward the stairs.

Moving after him, I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him to stop. He fought against me with curses and cries of fear until I grasped his chin in my hand and made him face me. "Kale, it's me." I urged and watched as he slowly wilted. "It's me, baby."

Tears filled his eyes and fell wet down his cheeks as he sank into me, his arms holding me so tightly I could barely breathe. "I thought you left me" He whispered, and I swallowed hard as I sank to my seat and brushed my hands through his hair.

"Why would you think that?"

He shook his head against my chest, still softly crying. "I can't go back to my old life, Kazz. I can't." He wept into me, and I quietly shushed him, holding him as he literally trembled.

"Kale, what happened to you?" I asked slowly, carefully, and wasn't surprised when he didn't answer, just shook his head, his arms winding tighter around me.

"Please don't ever make me go back." He begged. "Please."

"I never will," I whispered into him and kissed his hair. "I promise. You are never going to be on the streets again."