CHAPTER 3
THE KRAIT TRAIN
“Drop the fucking radio.”
Kait let it fall, nice and slow, hoping the open channel caught every word.
The guy behind her was dressed in mixed fatigues—no patch, no flag, nothing official. Boots scuffed, rifle worn, eyes clear. He sounded American. Hired gun. Merc, not cartel.
He stepped closer and reached for the radio at her feet.
That was the opening.
Kait spun, swept his legs out from under him, and put three rounds in his head before his back hit the rock.
She snatched the radio, breathing hard.
“I got two on me,” she said, already moving.
She started down the ridge, picking a path between rock ledges and scrub. A round sparked off the stone inches from her head. She slid behind a boulder, heart slamming, dust in her teeth. Another shot cracked, closer.
She bolted for a thinner cut in the rock wall, boots slipping.
A hand shot out of the shadows and yanked her sideways between two jagged slabs.
“Shh.”
Lane.
He had his back wedged into rock, gun up, breathing harsh but steady. His other hand supporting himself against the other big rock.
Kait could feel every breath he took.
Her palm was flat on his chest before she realized it, fingers spread over warm cotton and solid muscle. Don’s voice from that morning flashed in her head, joking about Lane’s abs, and she could now confirm.
A drop of sweat slid from his throat down over his collarbone. She watched it fall in slow motion and would gladly lick it off. She shook the thought of her head and felt like an idiot.
Bootsteps crunched above them, close. Lane’s grip tightened around her waist. She matched his breathing without meaning to, chest brushing his with every inhale, exhale. He smelled like gun oil, leather, and sweat.
The steps moved past. Lane waited two more beats, then slid sideways out of the rocks and motioned for her to follow.
They came up behind the two mercs who’d been tracking her. Lane didn’t hesitate. Two clean shots, two bodies down.
A third man came out of nowhere and hooked Kait from behind, forearm clamping across her throat, gun jammed against her temple.
“Drop it, motherfucker!” the merc barked.
His forearm stayed cinched under Kait’s chin, bicep flexed tight, pistol welded to her temple. He didn’t dare shift his grip—she’d end him in half a heartbeat.
Lane came to a full stop.
Gun lowered just enough to look compliant.
Eyes calculating everything.
“You sell out your country for beer money, Salty?” Lane said, voice steady, bored even.
The merc huffed against Kait’s ear.
“Still got that hard-charging jarhead pride, huh? Don’t be naïve, son. Red, white, and blue don’t pay shit out here.”
He ground the barrel harder against Kait’s skull.
“It’s all green. Always has been.”
Lane’s expression didn’t change, but his stance shifted—a millimeter.
“Yeah,” Lane said softly. “You talk like a washed out boot.”
The merc stiffened.
“You think I didn’t make the cut?”
“All I see is some asshole in a uniform he don’t deserve holding a little girl hostage.”
Kait felt the merc’s forearm flex in irritation.
Lane saw it too.
He also saw the opening.
Without looking at her directly, he angled two fingers down—subtle, invisible unless you knew Marine hand signals.
Kait didn’t move.
Didn’t breathe.
Just waited for that tiny confirmation.
Lane’s eyelid flickered once.
Now.
She felt it hit her like muscle memory:
drop, pivot, kill shot window.
She dropped her weight and ducked. Lane’s shot cracked over her head and punched through the merc’s skull. The man went limp, dead weight, but his grip didn’t get the memo—he dragged Kait with him.
The ground disappeared.
They rolled, bodies tangled, scraping down gravel and rock. The edge of the ravine rushed up and then there was nothing but sky and the yawning bowl below—
Kait flung a hand out, fingers clawing at empty air.
Lane caught it and yanked.
“I got you,” he said, voice rough, breath right in her face.
Kait hung onto him, knuckles white, lungs burning. His arm locked around her back, sockets straining.
“You good?” he asked, softer now.
He lifted her chin, thumb brushing near a cut on her forehead. She hadn’t even felt it until the sting bloomed under his touch.
“You hurt?”
She shook her head, more to clear it than answer.
Lane looked at her for what it seemed to be the first time.
He took a real good look at her.
Her silver eyes like mirrors, daylight on her face, breathing hard against his hands… she didn’t look like the annoying outsider he kept trying to shove out of his head. She looked like something… different.
Something that hit him straight in the chest, and it confused the hell out of him.
He wasn’t checking her injury anymore.
He was studying her—staring like he needed to memorize every detail. Her hair sticking to her skin, the way her chest rose and fell, and the wrecked look in her eyes that made him think of her in ways he had no business thinking.
“Kount, did you find Kait?”
Kolton’s voice broke in over the radio.
Lane dropped his hand like he’d been caught stealing.
“Yeah. We’re coming down,” he said, stepping away, voice back to flat.
Kait started limping down the hill.
“You said you weren’t hurt,” he muttered.
“I’m fine, and I’m not a little girl,” she began to move, and then she saw it—a truck cutting out from the compound, tires spinning up dirt.
She didn’t think. She ran.
“What the fuck are you doing, Lokken?” Lane shouted.
“Getting my Texas rocker,” she threw over her shoulder.
She jumped on one of the ATVs, kicked it to life, and tore downhill. Wind clawed at her face as she hauled the machine up hard, standing on the seat like it was nothing.
She aimed straight at the truck.
She hissed just a mere formality, and emptied the mag into the windshield from a dead run.
Glass blew out in a glittering sheet. The truck swerved, horn blaring, and in the last second Kait realized she was going to get crushed if she stayed on.
“Shit!”
She jumped. Her back hit the windshield, glass biting through her kutte, and she tumbled off into rock and scrub, rolling hard until the world finally stopped.
“Kait!” Kolton’s voice, panicked, somewhere above her.
He dropped to his knees beside her, hands on her shoulders.
“Jesus Christ, Kait, you okay?”
“Fuck… yeah,” she groaned, squirming as everything lit up with pain.
The rest of the boys poured in around her, guns still in hand, eyes scanning the ridge line even as they checked her over. Don took in the wrecked ATV, the crippled truck, and Kait lying in the dirt with a grin like she’d just gotten off a roller coaster.
He started laughing.
“Did we get them?” Kait asked as Kolton and Ram hauled her up.
“We got them all, sweetheart,” Don said, stepping behind her so Lane could see. “What did I tell ya?”
Ram looked at the dead guy inside the truck.
“Damn, just like Tio Gustavo.”
Lane’s jaw worked. “Let’s get the fuck out of here,” he said, done with the day.
“Just ride in the van, okay?” Kolton said, helping her to the side door.
“I can ride.”
“You hurt your ankle. You can’t ride like that, Lokken,” Lane cut in.
“You hurt, babe?” Kolton asked, checking her ankle like Lane hadn’t spoken.
“It’s nothing, I’m fine.”
“Ride back in the van, Kait. You did more than enough,” Don said, and Lane scoffed, walking away.
“You deserve some A/C,” Kode added with a half-smile.
“All right, load up Kait’s bike, and let’s go home!” Don called.
Back at the Nest, the sun was melting behind the buildings when they pulled in.
“You want me to just carry you?” Kolton asked as he helped her out of the van.
Kait laughed. “No… I got it. I call dibs on the shower, though.”
“Why don’t I just join you?”
She looked at him, ankle throbbing, adrenaline still buzzing under her skin. “Fuck it,” she said, and he kissed her hard right there in the yard.
“That was pretty cool,” Diablo said, watching her limp inside with Kolton.
Lane rolled his eyes.
“She stood on the four-wheeler,” Kode told Ram, like he couldn’t believe it himself. “Like, stood. On it.”
“Give me a fucking break,” Lane muttered. “I’m getting in the shower and eating something. I’m fucking starving.”
He peeled off toward his room.
Later, the guys filed into chapel. The table was scarred, ashtrays full, the usual buzz running low around the room. Kait’s hair was still damp, band-aid on her forehead, ankle wrapped under her boot.
“Holy shit, girl…” Don said as she came in.
He grabbed her face and kissed her forehead, the way he used to do when she was a kid hanging around The Nest pool.
They went through the debrief. Positions, counts, timing.
“Talamantes definitely hired mercenaries. They had USMC-issued tech and gear,” Lane said, arms folded, voice all business.
“Well, shit. All the more reason to be extra careful going forward. I’ll meet with Mondragón tonight. I’m sure he’ll be pleased… oh… our meeting is at the D.A., so you’re all welcome to attend,” Don added with a smirk.
The table popped.
“D.A.?” Kait asked.
“The Dirty Alley. It’s an eye-candy store,” Ram said, and Mack high-fived him.
“Hardly. Place looks like a fucking gas station,” Lane muttered, making a face.
“It’s a strip club,” Kolton clarified.
“I gathered,” Kait chuckled.
“Now… don’t think I forgot about you,” Don said, eyes locking on her.
She felt it before she saw it. Heart kicking up as he went to the safe. Her lips quivered trying to keep a smile from ruining her image of a badass and turn into a little girl like Lane called her earlier.
He came back with a bottom rocker.
Kait smiled slow, like she didn’t trust it. “Hell yeah,” she breathed.
Kolton started pounding on the table, chanting, “Rocker, rocker, rocker,” and the rest joined in until the whole room was thundering—everyone except Lane.
“I don’t know if you guys noticed what this Krait did today…” Don said. “But Miss Denmark is now Miss Texas.”
He slid the rocker across to her.
The cheer went up again.
They spilled out of the chapel and down into the courtyard. Blaze was walking up when he saw Kait hop across the yard, new rocker in hand.
“Holy shit, you serious? You really got it?” Blaze said.
“I told you,” Kait said, hopping toward him and wrapping him in a hug. “It was so much fun, that sucks you missed it.”
“I guess so. You can’t even walk. You gotta tell me all about it,” Blaze laughed, then his expression shifted as Don called him inside. “Kolton, Kowboy,” Don added, signaling with a tilt of his head.
The mood twisted. Business again.
“Congrats, beautiful. We’ll see you guys at the Alley!” Mack called from the door as he left with Ram and Randy.
“Yo, that was some epic shit, you totally deserve it,” Kode said to Kait.
“Thank you, really,” she said, smile so wide it hurt her cheeks.
“You’re coming too, right?” Kode asked.
“Hell yeah, whenever Kolton comes out.”
“Cool, see you there, then. Later, Diablo, Kount.”
Kode left.
Kait followed Lane and Diablo inside but sat at the far end of the bar.
Lane and Diablo sat at the big table.
“Hey, Kait,” Diablo called
“Don’t,” Lane said under his breath.
“Wanna pregame?” Diablo added anyway.
“Fuck you, dude,” Lane whispered.
“I gotta sew this up real quick,” Kait said, glancing at her new rocker.
Melanie came over with a couple of beers for Lane and Diablo. “Can I get you one, Kait?” she asked.
“Not yet, thanks. Hey, where can I find a needle and thread?”
“I’ll get it for you,” Melanie said.
“Melanie, get me a colder one. Did you just put this one in? It’s not even cold, what the fuck,” Lane snapped.
“Yeah, um, Kait… I’ll be right—”
“Go ahead. Where is it?” Kait asked.
“The storage room down the hall, so sorry.”
“It’s cool,” Kait said, grabbing her knife and taking off her Denmark rocker. She went to the back and looked around but she ended up in the pantry.
“This looks like a storage room to you?” Lane’s voice cut from behind her.
She turned. Of course.
“No… Just got the wrong door.”
Lane just stared at her, jaw tight. “Why don’t you just take it to Mags?”
“Who’s that?”
“The seamstress. She does kuttes and patches for all the MCs in town. But you would know that if you grew up here.”
“Well, I’m perfectly capable of sewing my own patches.”
“Right, ’cause you’re a girl… and that’s the type of shit girls do.”
She rolled her eyes. “Can I get through?”
“Can you?” he asked.
“Fucking move.”
She said almost shoving him with her shoulder.
“Did they teach you any manners in Holland?” he asked.
“Fuck off,” she muttered, trying to slide by.
Lane snatched the rocker from her hand and looked at it.
“Hey!”
“Yeah, you’re in Texas now,” he said.
Kait grabbed it back.
“Here you go, Kait. Sorry,” Melanie said, appearing with a sewing kit.
“No worries. Thanks,” Kait said, taking it. She shot Lane one more look and headed back to the bar to sew.
“Are you hungry? Want me to make you something” Melanie asked, unsettled.
Lane scoffed. “Get out the way.”
Melanie stood there a second, hurt. She didn’t understand why she kept doing this to herself, but she did.
Every time.
She went back to the bar and watched Kait sewing, frown lines in her brow.
“You need help?” Melanie asked.
“Nah. I got it” Kait said.
Melanie panicked a little, not wanting to get into club business. “I noticed you’re limping.”
“Oh, that’s nothing. It’ll go away by tomorrow,” Kait said with a polite smile.
“How are you liking it here so far?” Melanie asked, opening a beer for her.
“I love it here. It’s the mother charter. What about you?” Kait asked.
“Me? Oh, um…” Melanie was thrown. A patched member asking how she was doing?
“Is everyone nice to you here?” Kait pressed.
“Yeah, of course.”
“You couldn’t say if they’re not anyway, right?”
Melanie laughed nervously. “Right.”
“So, you’re Lane’s girl?” Kait asked.
Melanie gasped and looked behind her at Lane who had just gotten back to the table.
“No, yes… well, I’m… he… it’s complicated.”
“Sounds like it,” Kait said, making her laugh again.
“And… you’re… Kolton’s?” Melanie asked carefully.
“No. I’m a fully patched Krait. I’m not an ole lady or a… you know.” She didn’t want to call her a snakehole to her face.
“I’m so sorry, didn’t mean to—”
“No worries. I see how it can be confusing, but no. I don’t belong to anyone.”
The double doors opened. Don, Blaze, and Kolton came out.
“Doc said it won’t be that much longer,” Blaze was saying, serious. When he looked at Kait, he smiled like she’d never left.
“Well, it would be nice to see you at the Alley tonight,” Don said, tapping Blaze’s shoulder.
“Yes, I’ll be there. I’m just gonna dust off the rifle and join you guys,” Blaze said, throwing an arm around Kait.
“Sorry, I got sand all over it,” Kait said.
Blaze chuckled. “No worries… it’s so cool to have you here. All right, guys, I’ll see you in a bit, you gotta tell me about today.”
“Look at that…” Don said as Kait lifted her kutte to admire the rocker. “May I?”
“Oh my god, yes. Please,” Kait said, popping to her feet.
Don helped her into the kutte properly. She was now displaying the TEXAS rocker across her lower back. They all cheered more at her ass than the rocker.
“Perfect,” said Don and Ram nodded slowly. They were talking about different things. “All right, kids. Go have fun. I should be there by midnight. Gotta sweet-talk your mom into letting me out late.”
“Don’t come home smelling like a hooker, you know how she gets,” Kolton said, and Kait raised her brows at that.
Don left, laughing.
“You look amazing with that Texas rocker,” Kolton said once they were alone again.
“Thanks. I feel so official now.”
“You are. Pure Texas Krait,” he said, spinning her around to check her out, hands lingering on her hips.
“Even though there are no kraits in Texas,” she pointed out.
“I know, right? Why not rattlesnakes?”
“Because we’re not a sports team.”
Kolton laughed. “You know what sounds good?”
“What.”
“Taking you upstairs before we leave.”
Kait looped her arms around his neck, his hands sliding down her sides. “Why is that?”
“Because when we get back, I’m gonna want to go at it again, and I don’t want you to think it’s because the strippers got me going.”
“Well, even if they do, it’s me who’ll benefit from it.”
“Are you even real?” he murmured, kissing her.
“’Bout as real as my new bottom rocker.”
“I got a bottom rocker for you,” Kolton smirked, moving her hand to his crotch.
Kait laughed and shoved him toward the double doors. They went upstairs and stripped the adrenaline off each other before the night even started.
When they came out, Lane and Diablo were already gone.
The Dirty Alley sat about fifteen minutes from the Nest. From the outside, it didn’t try to be anything more than what it was—a low, cinderblock box squatting off the roadside, paint sun-faded and stained, the whole place washed in the buzz of a crooked neon sign.
Red and pink light bled out into the cracked lot, catching on oil stains and parked bikes. No big windows, no inviting glow—just a dark door, a flickering OPEN sign, and enough noise leaking through the walls to let you know exactly what kind of place it was.
They parked wherever they found an open spot and dismounted.
“Welcome to the Dirty Alley… home away from home,” Kolton said, threading his fingers through hers.
“Krait hangout?” Kait asked.
“Yep. If a Krait’s not at the Nest, they’re probably here or at Brews. We watch their business, they make sure we’re taken care of.”
“They pay with actual money for protection, or just with favors from the girls?”
“Both, but mostly favors from the girls,” Kolton said.
“I figured,” Kait replied, making him laugh.
They stepped inside. Monster Magnet’s Space Lord thumped through the speakers. One stage, one blonde, one pole.
Kait scanned the room.
A haze of smoke and glitter, and a handful of girls working the floor.
Lane and Diablo were at the table closest to the door, half in shadow. Mack, Ram, Kode, and Randy were in the front row by the stage with a girl on each lap, loud as hell, dollar bills flying.
“Let’s get a table while we wait for Blaze and Don,” Kolton said.
They grabbed a side table by the stage.
“Hey, Kolton…”
who’s this little snack?” a very pretty Mexican girl, blonde streaks framing her face in a sheer white dress purred, leaning on their table.
“Kait. Who are you?” Kait asked.
“I’m the one that’s gonna rock your world, beautiful. But everyone calls me Dulce, means ‘sweet’ in Spanish” she said, bending lower.
“I see that,” Kait said, looking her over the same way.
“I don’t think Kait swings that way, Dulce,” Kolton said, sliding an arm around Kait.
“No? Wanna go to the back and make sure?” Dulce teased.
“I’m okay right now. But I’ll definitely come get you if the mood strikes,” Kait said, winking.
Dulce smiled, eyes lingering on Kait. “So, you’re really Krait. Where’d you come from?”
“Far away. All right, Dulce. Get gone,” Kolton cut in not trying to have Dulce stay too long and open her big mouth about past events.
She rolled her eyes and moved on.
At the back booth, Lane watched all of this over the rim of his beer.
“Don should be here soon. I got the table if you wanna go make your rounds,” he told Diablo.
“I think I’m gonna pass tonight. When I said hi to Peaches she had something on her lip. I don’t wanna risk it,” Diablo said.
Lane looked at him like he’d just confessed to a crime. “That’s fucking disgusting. I don’t know how you do it, man,” he muttered, shuddering.
“Yeah, I know. But honestly? All these hoes with all their shit hanging out, a ton of makeup, high heels… and Kait’s still the hottest one here,” Diablo added.
Lane didn’t argue. He just rolled his eyes and took another drink.
“Kolton said they dated before she left?” Diablo asked.
Lane exhaled loud. “Yeah.”
“That’s cool they reconnected, I guess.”
“What, you have a sweet side now, Diablo? The fuck got into you?”
“I’m just saying it’s cool. I’m not planning their wedding or anything.”
Lane laughed once. “I just don’t see it.”
“What.”
“The need to have her here.”
“I think she’s awesome. You saw that stunt earlier.”
“Yeah. After I saved her ass.”
“And she knows how to do Blaze’s job,” Diablo whistled. “I think we hit the jackpot with that chick.”
“Yeah, okay. You’re not gonna compare her to Blaze. She’s like a quarter of him.” Lane paused, then nodded toward the door. “Speak of the devil.”
Blaze walked in and made straight for Kait and Kolton’s table. Kait lit up when she saw him, hugging him like no time had passed.
“I still can’t believe it took you two days to get your rocker,” Blaze said, signaling for a round.
“The sooner I get established, the better. I don’t want to be seen as an outsider,” Kait said.
Kolton kissed the back of her hand. “You’ve always been family.”
Beers arrived. They talked about Julia, Blaze’s wife, the pressure he was under, how much Don had been on his ass. Kait told him about Laredo and the bullshit there.
As midnight crept in, Don arrived with Klaus, Néstor Mondragón, and two other men behind him. The Mexican’s shadow spread over the club the second he walked in. His guys scattered to post up at exits.
The hard rock bled out of the speakers, replaced by something slower. Dulce took the stage.
Selena’s I Could Fall in Love slid through the club as if the room itself had adjusted.
“Be back,” Kolton said, getting to his feet when Don jerked his chin.
Lane and Diablo slid out of their booth and joined, flanking Don as Mondragón moved through the club.
Blaze stayed with Kait. They finally had space to just talk—a decade of “remember this?” and “you should’ve seen…” between sips of beer and glances at the door.
Then Don waved them over.
“Kait,” Don called.
She stood, smoothing her kutte.
“This right here is Kait Lokken,” Don said.
Mondragón nodded and extended his hand. His eyes were sharp, curious.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Mondragón,” Kait said, firm handshake.
“Heard you did great earlier,” he said, accent curling his English. “I knew your father too. Sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” Kait said, throat tightening.
“My son, Santiago, and also my attorney,” Mondragón added.
She shook their hands. “Pleasure,” she said looking at both directly in the eyes. The son, Santiago was a perfect mix of Brown and White. Kait figured Mrs. Mondragón must be White. He had nice green eyes, but he had tanned skin and his hair and beard were jet black.
“Well, she’s home now and she’s a great addition to the charter,” Don said.
“Welcome. I guess we’ll be seeing you around,” Mondragón said.
“Yes. Thank you,” she replied.
Mondragón left with his men. The club relaxed again, back to the usual hum.
They gathered at a cluster of tables but soon began drifting out in twos and threes after that, Lane and Blaze stepped out.
Kait stayed with the rest of the boys a little longer, then excused herself to find some air. Outside, she noticed Blaze’s bike still there—and heard voices around the side of the building.
Blaze and Lane.
She lingered in the shadows.
“Trust me, this sucks for me more than anyone. I shouldn’t be put in a position to choose one or the other,” Blaze said, voice tight.
“But what’s the problem, brother? Call her bluff. You did rodeo and were Krait before you two even met. She even got you out of bull riding,” Lane said.
“She’ll take my kid away. She already told me she will.”
“So? If she actually does it—if she does—it’ll only be for a little bit. Then she’ll get over it and you guys’ll make up. She’s taken off on you before.”
“I’m not gonna let her take my kid to Florida, Kount.”
“It doesn’t have to be for good. Besides, think about it—you’ll have the time and room to get better, back in the club fulltime and on Don’s good side if you’re left alone for a bit.”
Blaze scoffed. “I hear you… I’ll think about it…”
“You’re not just trying to shut me up?”
“Nah, man. You know I love ya… just… can’t think about it right now… just over it.”
“Anyway… you should try and see what happens. You’re better off without her,” Lane said.
“You don’t have kids, Kount. You don’t know what it’s like,” Blaze answered, lighting another cigarette.
“Maybe. But if this is what I’m gonna go through if I do, then I’m good.”
Blaze laughed. “What if you knock up Melanie one day?”
“Fuck that.”
“I’m sure she’d love to have your kid.”
“That’s never happening. She’s getting way too attached. I better make some distance. I don’t want her going around thinking she’s my ole lady.”
“She’d love that too.”
“Nah. No ole ladies, no kids… especially with a snakehole,” Lane said.
Blaze laughed again. “Shit man. Alright, I’m gonna head out. I’m on strike two after that waitress in Austin.”
“You probably shouldn’t have kept her number.”
“It was on the fucking receipt, I just put it in my pocket.”
“Famous last words,” said Lane shaking his head.
“I’ll see you around, brother. Sorry for bitching about my shitty marriage.”
“Nah, man. Later,” he said, shaking his hand and bringing him in.
Quick tap on the shoulder and Blaze got on his bike.
Strait, Blaze’s bike roared to life and peeled out.
When Lane came around the corner, he nearly ran into Kait.
He stopped short.
“Hey,” she said.
He narrowed his eyes and tried to walk past her.
“Kount?” she said.
He turned halfway, reluctantly.
“I haven’t thanked you. For earlier. I appreciate you having my back,” she said.
“Yeah,” he shrugged, turning away again.
“Hey, um…” she tried.
He sighed hard and fully faced her.
“I don’t know why we started off so shitty,” Kait said, holding his gaze. “But I don’t want any beef with you or anyone here. Can we just be cool?”
Lane stepped closer, shadow swallowing the space between them.
“Let me make something clear,” he said quietly. “I don’t need you here and I don’t want you here. I told you to stay out of the way and you did the exact opposite earlier. You almost got yourself killed because you decided to go somewhere unsafe. It was all laid out and you changed shit up, putting everyone in danger.”
“I didn’t know they had mercs. No one did. How was I—”
“I had a perfect plan, and Don decided to accommodate you so you wouldn’t feel left out.”
“Everything turned out just like we wanted,” she said, voice low and even.
“Yeah. And you got your rocker, and everyone thinks you saved the day with the little stunt you pulled. If I didn’t go up there to save your ass, we’d be burying you right now and you know this.”
He took a step.
“Then why did you?” she shot back.
Lane stopped.
“Why not you let me fall off that slope?”
Lane turned fast and grabbed her wrist and yanked her arm up, exposing her ink. “’Cause of this.”
Kait jerked her arm free. “If you didn’t want me here, why did you vote in favor?”
“I did it for Don. Not you. You want us to be cool? Catch up. Cause this charter is like a train in motion and it ain’t gonna stop or slow down so you can jump in. Get it?”
He turned and walked away. Kait didn’t even have time to react. “Got it,” she whispered to herself.
The front door opened and Kolton stepped out. “Later, brother,” he said to Lane, then came toward her. “Ready?”
“Yeah. Let’s get out of here,” Kait said.
