A/N: This is an excerpt from a completely different version of this same story. All of the Keith and Kyra fans will like this story. Sterling isn't in the picture... Yet. Lol. Kyra's POV My wide eyes bore into the ceiling where the moon's light cast, making it the only visible area in my otherwise dark room. My eyes watered and burned from the weariness and lack of movement. For the past five hours I've been staring idly into space, willing my body to give into its fatigue. It was no doubt abnormal for anyone to be deprived of as much sleep as my nights lacked, but no matter how often I wished for my body to force itself to rest, it refused. I tore my vision away from the illuminated spot on the ceiling and glanced at the alarm clock that sat on my nightstand. 3:57am. A groan automatically escaped my lungs. I was well past the point of irritation. I was irate, internally, however. Although I was home alone, I couldn't risk flailing my arms and legs in the air, throwing a tantrum like a child who was being denied what they wanted, even though my situation was relatively close. I craved a slumber that wouldn't leave me with dark circles under my eyes the next morning or wouldn't be interrupted by dreams of events that happened in the past. I wanted sleep so bad that I was willing to go against doctor's orders and risk internal damage by swallowing multiple sedatives. Sleep hadn't been a friend of mine for quite some time now and to say I didn't deserve this punishment would be a lie. I had accepted the sentence that karma had bestowed upon me ages ago, but it didn't mean that I was handling it all that well. I laid in bed for another twenty minutes before I decided that tonight was going to be another one of those nights. I abandoned my comfy bed and walked down the winding staircase, my toes meeting the cold marble floor of my foyer. My home was vast in size and the long hallways were limitless, or maybe it was my sluggish stride that made my trek to the kitchen seem like it was too far out of reach. I passed the black and white color coordinated living room, large paintings hung around the impressive room, millions of dollars spent just to gawk in awe, not that I was regretting the splurge. Money like that was a sneeze to a billionaire like myself. The edge of my foot rammed against the island and expletives flew from my mouth instantly. The kitchen was pitch black and as much time as I spent in here stuffing my face, you'd think I would be able walk to the fridge blindly. Unfortunately the throbbing in my pinky toe said otherwise. Turning on the light switch, my eyes landed on the stainless steel appliance and I waltzed over, wasting no time to rummage through the refrigerator. I stood up with a bowl of guacamole I bought from the store earlier in the day. I retrieved the tortilla chips from the cabinet and paired it with the only green substance that tasted better than its appearance. I sat on the plush white couch, being extremely careful not to ruin the expensive threads with my food. Turning on the theatre sized television an x rated film was playing on HBO. No surprise there. The channel was notorious for switching from classic movies to pornos in the wee hours of the morning. My face heated up instantly and if my complexion were a few shades lighter you'd see the color of red rush to the surface of my clear skin. I wasn't prudish and watching adult films weren't foreign to me. In fact, since he'd been gone porn was the only thing I had to stimulate my orgasms. Tonight just wasn't the night though. I was too tired and quite frankly I was occupied with my food too much to be in the mood. Then again, a body trembling orgasm would surely knock me out for a few hours. Masturbating always did the trick. ~~~ “KYRA!” His deep voice yelling for my attention caused me to jump in the most dramatic fashion. His laughter came through the receiver and my face scrunched in confusion. What was so funny? “Your face girl. You should've saw it. Your eyes bugged out like a deer caught in headlights. Ah that shit was hilarious!” Keith couldn't contain his laughter. I doubt that it was all that funny but he was really over there slapping his knee and soon enough his antics sent me into a fit of hysterics. Finally grabbing control of our laughs, we breathed heavily, staring at each other through the thick plexi glass. We held each other's gazes for a while, neither of us exchanging words until Keith decided to speak up. “You're beautiful baby girl,” the smile on my face spread wide. Him and his compliments. “Thank you, but I look like death,” I half accepted. Under a boat load of this concealer were bags big as all hell. “You look tired. That's all.” I nodded in agreement. After this mornings session of pleasuring myself I fell asleep like clockwork. I barely made it to Menard this morning for Keith's visitation. I overslept and even though I finally got a full 8 hours rest, I felt like I was playing catch up. “You going home to go to sleep after this?” “Nope. I'm going into the office. I have a meeting with my legal team,” I responded. Keith rolled his eyes not so subtly. “What are you doing after that?” “I'm gonna go home and eat. Then I have a Skype meeting with a few designers for an upcoming magazine spread that I need published and put out by next month.” There was always work to be done. “And after that?” His prying was working my nerves and I knew a lecture was well on its way. I inhaled greatly, the pungent smell of the prison getting caught in my nose. I was tempted to gag but I held off. “Nothing. I'll probably watch tv until I fall asleep. You know me,” I braced myself for one of Keith's speeches in which he talked about my lack of will to enjoy life. “I don't get you Kyra, I really don't,” he was disappointed, that couldn't be mistaken. “I could say the same about you Keith. It's like you want me out here entertaining any and everyone. I made a promise to you and I plan on keeping that.” 7 years and counting. “I'm not saying that. Your life shouldn't be put on hold on account of my actions though. I did the crime, I'm doing the time. Cliche, I know, but you're free to do whatever you wish. My sentence isn't your sentence.” That wasn't the way I saw it and he knew that. We were in this together. I may not have attempted to murder a man like Keith, but my prying was the catalyst to all the events leading up to his fate. I couldn't help but feel responsible for the drastic turn of events so since a judge and a jury couldn't convict me of any felonies, I punished myself. Life wasn't worth living without Keith by my side and as long as he was in maximum security prison, I would continue with my same mundane routine. Work, eat, sleep (if I was lucky). “I'll start living when you're a free man. Deal?” Keith cringed at my offer. “Yeah about that. We need to talk.” Any statement following those words were never good. Was he breaking up with me? I braced myself for the worst. “My attorney said the chances of me winning the appeal is slim.” His attorney aka his adopted brother was an idiot at best. He was a subpar state attorney who has lost more cases than he has won. He was a screw up if I was being completely honest. Keith had a chance to walk away as a free man years ago but James, his brother, presented the weakest argument known to man. I said to hell with love and loyalty. My father was willing to pay top dollar for the best legal team to be put on Keith's case. Keith refused, his allegiance to his brother too strong. Even with four brothers of my own I never understood the bond they shared and I probably never will. There was a back story that I wasn't privy to still to this day. The mere mention of his shitty attorney put me in the worst mood possible. “Still haven't learned your lesson I see,” I mumbled it but my mouth was still relatively close to the germ ridden phone and judging by the exasperated sigh Keith let out, he heard me loud and clear. “Not today Kyra,” Keith dismissed my statement in the only way he could. He wasn't the refuting type and often times he would leave me arguing with myself, refusing to make any rebuttals. Too bad for him though, I was rather bitchy today and I wasn't letting the subject of his appeal go by without a hitch. “So when? When are you going to realize your brother doesn't know what the fuck he's doing?” “Kyra be cool. Let him do what he does. He won't fail me alright?” “You serious right now?” He knew what I meant exactly. “Look, I deserved this sentence alright? That was justice being served. James ain't no miracle worker,” Keith tried pleading his case. Stress lines decorated his forehead to match mine. He didn't want to argue and neither did I but I needed him to listen. “But he is a defense attorney and he should've done everything in his power to win that case for you. 8 years before you could even apply for an appeal? This was a bullshit sentence and you know it.” Frustration was getting to me and I was on the verge of having a panic attack. “I can't do this with you again Keith.” Confusion washed over his face then a mixture of hurt and anger. My energy was spent. I had no patience left. “You're breaking up with me?!” Out of the entire conversation this is the only time he raised his voice. I almost cooed at him. The idea of us splitting brought out emotions that he so often kept bottled up. “You're an idiot, you know that? Not in a million years baby. This is a forever thing. Remember that.” He smiled his cheeky grin, his dimples very apparent through his scruffy facial hair. I felt the urgency to reach over and grab his face and attack his plump lips with mine. Unfortunately the scratched glass strategically placed between us was preventing that. “So what do you mean?” “I mean I'm threw with letting you guys ‘handle’ this and I use that word lightly. I'm not going to let James waste anymore of your time. You'll be assigned another legal team by the end of the week. Your appeal is in three months and I'll be damned if they make you serve the rest of your sentence.” I couldn't have him in here for another decade. “I love you,” that was all Keith could muster. He knew better than to challenge me on this. Very rarely did I tell Keith what to do. We were equals in this relationship and we were individuals completely capable of making our own decisions. This situation was no longer in his hands, however. I'm taking a stand and doing what should've been done nearly 8 years ago. “I love you too baby.” ~~~ A/N: the rest of the chapter is on wattpad. I won't be updating on here, other than excerpts of chapters here and there. Check it out babes! ❤️
