The Strongest Hit.

Chapter 22: Her Fire,My Soul

Kennedy's POV:

It's the night of our first date and I have never been more happy in my entire life.
Justin is making love to me on the hood of his car.
It's the most intimate moment I have ever experienced.
The connection between us is indescribable.
It feels like my heart has left my body and now beats in him. My chest isn't hollow though, because his heart now beats in me.
I can't help but get lost in his warm hazel eyes as he worships my body.
I've truly got everything I've ever wanted.
My other half.
Justin's eyes are shining, his smile so pure. My pretty boy radiating life into my soul...and then it's gone.
His shining eyes begin to dull. His smile replaced with a knowing sadness.
His body now radiating fear.

"I have to leave you alone now, baby girl.
I'm sorry, so so sorry." he whispers as he softly kisses me one last time.
I'm confused at first. I try and lift his face up, so I can look into his eyes.
I don't understand why he'd say those damning words to me.
I need answers, answers that only his eyes can give me.
But as I lift his head, our eyes don't connect...because his are lifeless.
I can't feel his heartbeat in my chest anymore.
I feel the the most deep rooted pain of loss start to envelope me.

"Come back to me Justin! Don't leave me all alone!" I sob into his lifeless chest.

I can feel the warmth of his blood as it leaves his body and connects with my skin. It's everywhere...his blood. I look at my hands that are resting against his chest and they are dripping red.

I hear another voice. A voice that has the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up.

"Your not alone, I'm here."

I turn my eyes to see Asher's wicked smile. I see the gun in his hand.
He's getting closer.

I look back at my lifeless pretty boy as Asher begins to laugh.
My heart has slammed back into my chest, taking my breath away.
He's really gone, gone and left me to fight alone.
My mouth opens involuntarily, and a guttural scream takes over everything.
My body begins to shake and my eyes snap open.

It was just a dream...a nightmare.
Justin is shaking me and I can see the torment in his eyes. He's trying to tell me something, but my guttural scream is drowning his voice out.
His eyes are filled with panic as he wraps me into his arms. My head resting against his chest. That's when I hear it, his racing heartbeat. It lulls my screams into silence.
He's alive. It was just a dream...a nightmare.

"I'm here Kenny! Your safe, baby girl! I've got you!"  he sobs against me over and over.

"You left me...alone. Your heartbeat was gone...he killed you. You died in my arms.
I couldn't feel your heartbeat."
I whimper against his strong embrace.

He takes my hand and places it against his beating chest and brings his pained hazel eyes to mine.

"It was just a nightmare, baby girl.
I would never leave you. I promise."

The next couple of days have been both physically and emotionally draining.
I have been trying to process everything that was in that box. Coming to the realization that Asher is stalking me and threatening to hurt Justin has kept me awake at night. And it's turned Justin into a whole other beast. Pretty boy has always been protective and controlling, but now he doesn't leave my side...like at all.
He started carrying his 9mm fully loaded in his waist band, which scares the shit out of me. You'd think my father would object to the loaded gun, but you'd be wrong.
In fact, Justin took him out and got him his own 9mm. My two idiots even bought me my own pink 22. I wouldn't even touch it, too afraid I'd shoot myself or one of them accidentally.
At night my father has been staying awake with his gun out, just waiting for Asher to show back up. Justin has kept me wrapped in his arms at night, when I try and pretend to be sleeping. The truth is I'm to afraid to close my eyes for too long.
The nightmare of losing my other half has broken me. Broken him.
Justin has been having his own nightmares.
He drifts off to sleep and wakes up in a cold sweat. The force of his own fears making him physically get sick.
His nightmares mirror my own.
My heartbeat gone, I left him alone.
And now today is the big day.
We've barley slept and yet we're headed into the city.
Justin is set to fight Shawn Mendes in 3 hours time at Madison Square Garden.
The drive there should be filled with laughter and excitement, but there's only silence. Silence and our connected hands.
Both of us afraid to let go.
The dressing room isn't any different.
Justin sits quietly still as Joey tapes his hands and wrists.
My body stays pressed against his back, his head leaning into my chest. His only calm coming from feeling my beating heart.
My father, Kelia, Fredo, Ryan, and Chaz all stand in the background. Their faces somber and unsure of how to help.
My man is about to step into the ring and we're all here acting like this is a funeral.
This is what Asher wanted, to break us.
He's winning so far, but I won't allow anymore.
I can feel the fire starting to rise in my gut.
I won't let my man enter that ring unarmed.
He needs to come back to life, and I'm the only one who can bring him there.
Once he's taped and dressed in his shorts, I snap into action.