Lethal | KV

FIVE | Lending A Helping Hand | KV

The intense throbbing pain coming from Khaza's head made him feel like it was a thunderstorm going on inside his brain. Him and Aspen had just left the hospital after being looked at by a doctor. Khaza insisted he was fine, just had a slight headache and a cut on his chin from the fight.

He wasn't as concerned about his wellbeing. Khaza was just really shocked at how quick he reacted to defend Aspen. What shocked him even more was there were people around, other than Khaza himself, and did nothing.

That's usually how it went pertaining to physical abuse. Everybody just acts like it's not being done or either don't want anything to do with it which is disheartening.

Khaza didn't put himself in that category. Just like he reacted with Aspen, he would've did the same thing if it was anybody else. He wasn't going to turn a blind eye to something as serious as that.

"My eye hurts so bad." Aspen groaned, holding an ice pack around her bruised eye.

Her and Khaza were just leaving the hospital around  three that morning. Hours like this Khaza was used to because he barely could get any sleep, his mind wouldn't let him. Every night, he'd be up overthinking or letting his thoughts drive him crazy.

Khaza took a quick glance at Aspen while keeping his focus on the highway. "I know I've apologized already but I'm sorry about how that went down at the club." Khaza spoke shaking his head.

Aspen sat silently, letting the altercation that just happened play flashbacks in her mind.

"You probably didn't even want me interfering into your business like that but I couldn't help it." He explained. Khaza was thinking Aspen probably didn't want a complete stranger butting into business that wasn't his.

"It's okay." Aspen reassured Khaza. "I figured you were just helping me." It didn't take long for Aspen to realize that Khaza was just lending a helping hand.

Though she did think it was risky of him to be so daring. Only because nowadays, people don't fight fair anymore so she was thankful Khaza just walked away with a headache and cut chin.

"I can't believe he really hit, like he actually hit me this time." Aspen uttered in disbelief. Khaza slowed down on the gas as he approached a red light. He turned to Aspen, somewhat baffled by what she just said.

"This time? So there's been other incidents where he's been like this before." Khaza could see how that question was a discomfort for Aspen by the way she shifted her body.

"Oh I'm sorry. I wasn't- I just was caught of guard-." He stammered. Khaza wasn't trying to make Aspen feel uncomfortable or awkward about the question he just asked. He was just really concerned.

"Let me keep driving." Soon as the light switched from red to green, Khaza proceeded moving along onto the road.

"I remember me and Angelo, that's his name." Aspen paused before continuing on. "I remember we had got into it real bad one time. I can't remember what for. All I remember is him taking out a gun and holding it against the side of my temple."

Aspen zoned out for a few seconds, taking herself back to that terrible but fortunate day. It replayed over and over again in her mind almost daily that, that could've been her last day.

Possibly taken out by hands of someone who claimed to have loved her.

"Aspen I'm sorry you had to go through that." Khaza said, catching glimpses of her. He could only imagine how traumatic that encounter must have been for her.

"Don't be." Aspen said softly. "It was my stupid decision to still stay with him even after that. I knew the troubles and dangers that were present inside me and Jakel's relationship and yet I still stayed."

What Khaza wanted to ask Aspen was why? Why stay with a person who would subject you to that type of hell? Then he started thinking how that type of question was stupid.

Knowing it's easier said than done to leave a person who you basically grew a love for, a bond with. Even harder when that same love turns into something evil and wicked.

Which is why Khaza choose to say not say anything. He wasn't about to judge her for something that made sense to her at the time. Regardless if it didn't make sense to him, it wasn't his place to try and make Aspen feel any worse than she was already feeling.

"I meant to ask you this while at the hospital but do you have any folks around or nearby I could take you to?"

"No." Aspen frowned, shaking her head. "I was staying with Angelo for that reason because me and family weren't getting along. I'm already knowing I'm not going back to Angelo's, not after this."

Khaza really did feel bad for Aspen, and he didn't even know her. The sheer sadness plastered on her face was enough to make him turn around and give Angelo another ass whooping. And then to hear she couldn't rely on family was even worse.

The only family Khaza had was his father which he was very thankful for. If it wasn't for Ezra being there for Khaza, through all his mishaps and slip ups, he really couldn't say where he'd be.

But it did bring him a bit of relief to hear Aspen wasn't choosing to go back to Angelo, he probably wouldn't have let her anyway. With the state she's in, distressed and overwhelmed, that wouldn't have sat right with Khaza.

If anything, he knew another fight would break out. Which was something he would not want to happen, it was already enough that went down as was.

"I know we don't know each other and this may sound a little creepy but in no way am I trying to come off like that." Khaza raised his hands. Aspen then focused her attention on him. "But you could stay at my place for the night."

"Umm I don't know." Aspen said with reluctance in her voice. "Like you said we really don't know each other, going to a complete stranger's home seems kind of odd."

"Trust me, I understand how you could be skeptical of my intentions but it's nothing like that." Khaza reassured her. "When I hear you don't have any family to depend on plus his goofy ass, no disrespect but he is." Aspen laughed to herself, knowing Khaza meant everything he said with disrespect intended.

"I just kinda feel compelled to help." He shrugged, making faint smile appear on Aspen's face. "It sounds like you don't have anybody right now."

"As of right now, no I don't have anybody. It's just me." Aspen replied, fidgeting with a loose string on her shirt.

"How about this? You stay the night at my place. The only other person there is my father but he's not on any type of sketchy shit, just like I'm not. You stay the night and in the morning, we'll figure the rest out. You can even sleep in my bed, I'll be fine out on the couch."

Aspen sighed. There were so many doubts clouding her mind right now. To actually agree to go to another person's home, a male's home at that, was just peculiar.

She didn't want to end up being on somebody's missing report file. Aspen maybe was overthinking but the rise of young black girls missing spooked her. It made her very paranoid to see the numbers of missing girls just disappear, never to be seen or heard from again.

Aspen was taking a chance just by being in Khaza's car. The whole time she was sitting in the passenger seat, she was thinking to herself this man could drive off with me and nobody would even come look for me.

But oddly enough, Aspen didn't get that kidnapper vibe from Khaza. His energy didn't give as if he had some kind of ill purpose on harming her, if anything that was Angelo.

"Okay. I'll agree to going to your place but I'm warning you, it better not be any funny business."

"I promise it'll be nothing like that." Khaza assured her truthfully.

Though Aspen had her reservations about Khaza, she didn't have any choice but to take his word. Her skepticism was still there but within the short time Khaza had been around her, he'd been nothing, what seemed like to Aspen, genuine.

All Aspen wanted to do was catch some Z's and hoped her morning would turn out way better than her night did.

••••

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