Unbind me

chapter 13

Then the door creaked open just a little more.

And his eyes landed on me.

Kenji swears under his breath, shifting his weight against the doorframe. His breathing is shallow, uneven. I can feel how unsteady he is just standing next to him.

"Look at me," he says, his voice hoarse but insistent. "You think I came all the way here to kill you?"

Adam doesn't respond right away. His fingers twitch around the gun. His eyes flick between Kenji and me, calculating. I can see the doubt forming behind them, the hesitation.

"I have no problem putting a bullet in your back," Adam finally says, voice low and steady.

Kenji lets out something like a breathless laugh. "Don't worry, bro. I already have a bullet in my back. Or my leg. Or some shit. I don't even know anymore."

Adam exhales sharply, then pushes the door open. "Get up."

Kenji wobbles, shifting his weight like he's trying to figure out how to stand without collapsing. "It's all right," he mutters. "I don't mind if you drag my ass inside."

Adam works his jaw, unimpressed. "I don't want your blood on my carpet. It's not something my brother needs to see."

I flinch at that. His brother. The way he says it, so protective, like this place is more than just a hiding spot for him. It's home.

Kenji stumbles forward, and I instinctively move to catch him, wrapping an arm around his back to steady him. He flinches hard when I touch him, his whole body going rigid.

"Sorry," I whisper.

His face is a mess. His eyes are puffy, swollen, deep bruises already forming under them. There's a huge gash running along his forehead, dark and crusted over with dried blood. His lip is split, a small trickle of red smearing across his chin. His body is hunched, broken, and every movement he makes is slow, painful. His breath is short, shallow.

His clothes are barely holding together. His jacket is torn to shreds, and underneath he's only wearing a thin tank top that does nothing to protect him from the bitter cold. His arms are lined with cuts and bruises, some fresh, some fading into ugly shades of yellow and green. I don't know how he's still standing. I don't know how he didn't freeze to death.

I tighten my grip around him, guiding him inside. Adam doesn't move to help, but he doesn't stop us either.

The second we step over the threshold, the warmth of the house wraps around me, a stark contrast to the freezing air outside. I inhale sharply, my body adjusting to the sudden change.

Kenji exhales something close to relief.

Then the door slams shut behind us.

Kenji stops mid-step, blinking as if he's just seeing Juliette for the first time. His expression morphs into something ridiculous—half amused, half in pain, but entirely entertained.

"Holy shit," he breathes, eyes flicking between her and Adam. "Holy shit." He tries to laugh, but it comes out broken. "Dude, you're insane—"

Adam doesn't react. He just gestures toward the hallway, voice flat. "The bathroom is here." Then his gaze shifts, sharp and knowing. "And it seems you're insane too."

Kenji moves forward, but he keeps glancing back at me, at Adam, at Juliette.

Adam doesn't lower the gun. Kenji laughs harder, then flinches, wheezes a little as the pain catches up with him. "Dude," he says, shaking his head, "you ran off with Juliette."

Adam clenches his jaw.

Kenji doesn't stop. "I thought they made that shit up. What the hell were you thinking? What are you going to do with her? No wonder Warner wants you dead—OW, MAN, what the hell—"