FIRE & RUIN
Chapter 19
SEND HIM AWAY
Silence.
Not complete, but close enough.
The kind that spreads.
People were listening now.
Trying not to look like they were.
Up on the stairs Lane caught the last of it.
Didn’t hear everything.
But once he saw Richter and Loraine… He knew.
Loraine didn’t ask anything else.
Not there.
Not in front of everyone.
“Jesus Christ. Let’s go.”
Flat.
Controlled.
She moved first and Richter followed.
The party didn’t stop.
Didn’t know how to.
But it wasn’t the same anymore.
Not even close.
LAKE HOUSE
The lake was quiet.
No engines.
No voices.
No music.
Just water and night and nothing pressing in from the outside.
Kait was inside, moving without thinking.
Bag already dropped near the door.
Boots kicked off somewhere behind her.
She grabbed a beer.
Didn’t open it right away.
Just stood there.
Still.
Headlights cut across the windows.
Fast.
She turned.
Already moving toward the door before the engine even shut off.
It wasn’t Lane.
She knew that immediately.
Blaze killed the engine.
Didn’t smile.
Didn’t play it off.
That told her everything.
“Kowboy. What happened.”
No greeting.
No pause.
Blaze exhaled once.
“Prince wiped out.”
Kait didn’t move.
Didn’t react right away.
“He’s bad,” he added. “We’re riding to Corpus. They had to airlift him over there.”
The night stayed quiet.
Didn’t change.
Didn’t care.
Kait swallowed once.
Then nodded.
“Holy fuck.”
She stepped past him.
Didn’t grab the beer.
Didn’t grab anything else.
Just moved.
Behind her—
the lake stayed still.
Like nothing had happened.
Like nothing ever would.
Bayfront Medical Center - Corpus Christi
The cafeteria was empty.
Lights too bright.
Machines humming.
Lane set the coffee down in front of her.
“You should have some.”
Loraine didn’t touch it.
Just stared ahead.
“He was so upset tonight,” she said.
Lane leaned back slightly.
“He’s gonna be fine.”
“They were arguing. He was probably still thinking about it and wasn’t paying attention.”
She looked at him now.
“The doctor said he’s very lucky. That it could’ve been a lot worse.”
“My poor boy… He never gets a break.”
Lane didn’t answer.
“He tries. He really does. And every time something good comes his way… something he actually wants…”
Her jaw tightened.
“It gets taken from him.”
Lane exhaled slowly.
“Loraine—”
“No.”
She cut him off.
“Don’t do that.”
A beat.
“Don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
Lane looked at her.
Didn’t deny it.
Didn’t deflect.
That only made it worse.
“First you take away his father,” she said.
Flat.
No hesitation.
Lane’s expression didn’t change.
But he didn’t argue it.
Didn’t correct her.
Loraine shook her head.
“And now Kait.”
There it was.
“You had to take the only woman he’s ever loved too?”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Oh, yes. I know all about it… You can’t hide things like that. At least not for long.”
“I didn’t take her from him.”
Lane leaned forward slightly.
“She chose to be with me.”
That came out firm.
Loraine let out a short laugh.
“And of course you couldn’t turn her down.”
Lane’s jaw tightened.
“You always walk around with this sense of honor and duty. Where is it now? You know how much Kolton loves her.”
“Well so do I.”
Loraine took a deep breath.
He seemed bigger all the sudden.
His energy making her the hair in the back of her neck stand.
“How would you feel if it was the other way around?”
Lane didn’t answer.
“You think you’d just sit there and take it?”
Still nothing.
“He’s in that room fighting for his life right now because of you two,” she said.
Flat.
Direct.
Lane’s eyes sharpened.
“Don’t you fucking dare put this on me and Kait.”
Loraine sat back slowly.
Studying him now.
“It was a fucking accident.”
“He wouldn’t have left upset if Kait didn’t tell him off… and she told him off because she’s with you.”
“Maybe she would’ve stayed with him if he didn’t hit her and try to rape her.”
“Oh, please. Couples fight all the time. Besides, he was high,” Loraine dismissed it with a wave.
Lane stood.
He kept his cool… on the outside.
Just stood there over her.
“If you have any love left for your brother—any at all—you end this.”
Straight.
No soft edge.
“No.”
It came just as clean.
Just as fast.
That surprised her.
Just a little.
Lane didn’t look away.
“I’m not ending shit.”
Silence.
Loraine didn’t move.
Didn’t blink.
Lane held her gaze a second longer.
Then turned and walked out.
Loraine stayed seated.
“You’re going to regret this.”
Not loud.
Not emotional.
But certain.
Kait stepped into the waiting area and stopped.
So bright, so sterile.
Didn’t feel real.
Loraine was already there.
Standing.
Waiting.
She turned the second she saw her.
“You came.”
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey, ma. How’s he doing?” Blaze asked.
“He’s in the OR. We’ll know more soon.”
“Where’s King and Kount?”
“Around back. There’s only one smoking area. They have to go all the way around.”
“Okay. I’ll go catch up. Hopefully there’s news when we come back.”
“We’ll be right back, Loraine,” Kait said.
Loraine grabbed her arm.
“Please stay with me… I’m so scared, Kait.”
Kait would’ve rather gone with Blaze but couldn’t leave her.
There were a couple minutes of awkward silence.
She had no idea what to say.
Loraine stepped closer.
“I don’t know if I’m going to lose my son tonight.”
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just said.
Like she was trying to make it real.
Kait’s eyes flicked toward the hallway.
Toward the doors.
“He just wanted to see you. After court… that’s all he kept saying,” Loraine said.
Kait’s jaw tightened.
“He just wants to be happy, Kait.”
Soft now.
Almost breaking.
“That’s all he wants.”
Loraine shook her head slightly.
“To start over and be happy with you.”
Another step closer.
Kait felt it now.
Sitting in her chest.
Heavy.
“You were the only thing he had.”
Silence.
Loraine studied her.
Really looked at her.
“This thing with you and Lane…”
She let it sit there.
Like she didn’t even want to say it.
“I get it.”
That caught Kait off guard.
Loraine gave a small breath.
“The attraction.”
A beat.
“Of course you are going to feel strongly about each other. You’re so similar.”
Then she shook her head slightly.
Soft.
“But that’s all it is. Just attraction.”
Kait’s expression shifted.
“That kind of thing…”
Loraine’s voice stayed steady.
“It doesn’t hold any weight. It fades away.”
A beat.
“It doesn’t last.”
Kait didn’t answer.
But she definitely didn’t agree.
Loraine stepped closer.
Lower now.
More personal.
“But you and Kolton…”
A glance toward the operating room.
“That’s real.”
Her eyes locked onto Kait’s.
“That’s what stays… what lasts.”
Silence stretched between them.
“But he’s in there right now… thinking you don’t love him.”
Kait’s breath caught slightly.
“If he doesn’t make it—”
Loraine stopped.
Didn’t finish it.
Didn’t have to.
“I don’t know how he’s supposed to fight…”
Quieter now.
“…if he doesn’t have anything to live for.”
Kait stood there.
Caught in it.
Everything she knew and everything she was being made to feel were colliding all at once.
“I don’t want to lose my son, Kait.”
Didn’t push again.
She didn’t need to.
It was already in her.
Working.
“No, that’s not gonna happen.”
Loraine hugged her for a moment as she cried.
“You won’t let him die, will you Kait?”
“No. Of course not.”
A few minutes later Kait let go gently.
“I’ll be right back, I need to find a restroom.”
Flat.
Loraine points without hesitation.
“Down the hall. To the right, past the vending machines.”
Kait nods once and walks.
Doesn’t look back.
The doctor steps out the moment Kait is gone.
Chart in hand.
“Westfall?”
She’s already moving.
“Yes.”
“Great news…”
Loraine looked around making sure Kait didn’t hear.
Kolton looked rough when Loraine walked in.
His head was bandaged, and a few fresh scrapes marked his face. His eyes were closed at first, but they opened slowly when he heard her approach.
It took him a second to focus.
Then he recognized her.
“Hey…”
His voice was weak, but he was awake. He was still himself.
Loraine stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
The moment they were alone, everything about her changed. She moved closer to the bed and lowered her voice.
“You listen to me.”
Kolton blinked at her, confused at first.
“If you want her back, you do exactly what I say.”
That got his attention.
His eyes sharpened as he watched her.
“She’s here,” Loraine continued. “She came.”
Kolton stared at her.
“Kait?”
“Yes.”
Something shifted in his face.
Loraine leaned closer.
“So you don’t push her. You don’t start asking her to take you back. You don’t start making promises. You let her come to you.”
Kolton was quiet for a moment.
“You understand me?”
He nodded slowly.
“You let her see you like this. You let her worry about you. And when she comes in here, you don’t give her a reason to walk away.”
Kolton exhaled and settled deeper against the pillow.
A faint smile touched his mouth.
“Yeah.”
Loraine held his gaze.
“Can you do that?”
His smile grew just enough for her to see that he understood exactly what she was telling him.
“Yeah.”
He was in.
Loraine stepped out of the room with a tissue in her hand.
Kait was already back, waiting in the hallway.
Loraine looked at her.
“He’s awake.”
Her voice cracked just enough to sound strained.
“They stitched him up, but…”
She stopped and swallowed, pressing the tissue beneath her nose.
“He’s asking for you.”
Kait’s expression softened immediately.
“You should go see him,” Loraine said.
“Of course.”
Loraine stepped aside to let her pass.
“And Kait?”
Kait stopped.
“Please don’t upset him. All he wants is to see you.”
Kait nodded.
“I won’t.”
Loraine gave her a small, grateful smile and moved out of the way.
Kait pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.
She stopped when she saw him.
Kolton looked worse than he was. His head was bandaged, cuts and scrapes marked his face, and he lay so still against the hospital bed that Kait felt her stomach tighten.
He turned his head toward the door.
“Kait…”
His voice was soft and weak, like even saying her name took effort.
Kait hesitated before moving closer to the bed.
“How are you feeling?”
Kolton let out a slow breath.
“Been better.”
A tired smile touched his face.
“But I’m glad you’re here.” He paused. “Thank you for coming.”
Kait looked down at him, unsure what to say.
Kolton shifted against the pillow and winced.
“I thought you were done with me.”
Her expression tightened.
“I…” Kait swallowed. “I’m so sorry.”
Kolton shook his head slightly.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I shouldn’t have said all that to you tonight. Not like that.”
“It’s my fault,” he said quietly. “You had every right.”
Kait stared at him.
There was no anger this time. No arguing with her, no telling her she was wrong about how she felt. He wasn’t asking her to take anything back.
Kolton settled against the pillow again.
“I fucked everything up. I know that. I’m sorry… about everything.”
He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.
“I’m so sorry, Kait.”
Kait put his hand over his, but Kolton didn’t reach for her.
Lane came back down the hallway with Don and Blaze.
All three of them looked exhausted. The night had caught up with them, and none of them had gotten enough sleep to hide it.
Loraine was already there, seated in the waiting area. Whatever had shaken her earlier was gone. She looked composed again.
She stood when they approached.
“He’s stable,” she said. “They stitched him up, and he’s resting.”
Don nodded once.
“Good. Where’s Kait?”
“She’s with him. She was so upset.”
Lane’s eyes shifted toward the hallway.
“She asked to stay with him tonight,” Loraine added. “She said she didn’t want him to be alone.”
Lane looked at her.
He knew exactly what she was doing.
Loraine continued as if she hadn’t noticed.
“I think it’s good for him. He needs to see her when he wakes up. It’ll do him good.”
Don looked between the two of them before turning back to Loraine.
“Well, there’s nothing else for us to do here.”
He glanced at Lane and Blaze.
“Keep me posted. Let’s go.”
Lane stayed where he was.
“I can stay. Just in case.”
Loraine looked at Don.
“That’s not necessary. He’s stable, and Kait is already with him.”
“No,” Don said. “There’s still too much going on at the Nest. I need you with me.”
Lane didn’t answer right away.
He looked past Loraine and down the hallway, hoping Kait would come out. That he would at least get to see her before he left.
She didn’t.
“Alright.”
His voice was flat.
Lane finally turned and followed Don toward the exit.
Blaze fell in behind them.
Don paused near the exit and looked back at Loraine.
“I’ll send a couple prospects to keep watch. If you need anything, call Kode and let him know.”
Loraine nodded.
“Thank you.”
Don didn’t linger. He pushed through the doors, with Lane and Blaze following him outside.
Loraine stayed where she was and watched them leave.
She waited until the doors closed behind them before turning toward the hallway.
Her eyes settled on Kolton’s room.
Kait was still in there with him. Lane was gone. Kolton had done exactly what she told him to do.
Everything was exactly where Loraine wanted it.
THE NEST
The courtyard was quieter in the morning, but the mess from Krait Day was still everywhere. Empty bottles covered the tables, cigarette butts littered the ground, and chairs sat wherever people had left them.
A couple of guys were already up, drinking coffee and picking at breakfast.
“…heard he cracked his head open.”
“They flew him to some trauma center in Corpus.”
“They saying he’s gonna make it?”
“Yeah. He’s fucked up, but he’ll pull through.”
Lane kept walking.
Near the edge of the yard, he noticed one of the fence posts leaning. He grabbed it and pulled, but it barely moved.
He tried again, harder.
The post held.
Lane drove his shoulder into it. The wood cracked but stayed upright.
He hit it again.
Then again.
“Hey.”
Lane ignored him.
“Kount.”
Diablo caught his arm before he could hit it again.
“That fence owe you money or something?”
Lane stopped. He was breathing hard as he stepped back and ran a hand over his face.
Diablo studied him.
“What’s going on, Sarge?”
Lane stared at the damaged post for another moment.
“Kait and I are together. Since Halloween night.”
Diablo blinked.
“What?”
Lane finally looked at him.
Diablo stared for another second before a grin spread across his face.
“Shut the fuck up.”
Lane said nothing.
“You’re serious?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, shit.” Diablo laughed. “About fucking time. Damn, you two are good at keeping shit quiet. I never even…”
His smile faded when he noticed Lane wasn’t sharing it.
“Wait. What’s wrong?”
“Loraine knows. Somehow.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Yeah. And she made it pretty clear she ain’t happy about it.”
Diablo nodded, putting the rest together.
“Does Kolton know?”
“No. But I’m telling Don tonight.”
“You sure?”
Lane met his eyes.
“Yeah. We ain’t hiding from nobody anymore.”
Diablo nodded.
“Good.”
Lane looked back toward the Nest.
Diablo gave his shoulder a firm pat.
“I got you, brother.”
Lane nodded once.
Behind them, the Nest was starting to wake up again.
Bayfront Medical Center - Corpus Christi
The room was quieter now. The lights were dim, and the steady hum of the machines was the only sound.
Kait sat beside the bed, watching Kolton sleep.
His head was wrapped in bandages, and the bruising on his face had darkened. Somehow, he looked worse without all the commotion around him.
Kait leaned back and crossed her arms.
Her thoughts drifted back to the lake house. Dancing with Lane on the patio. The way he had looked at her. How easy everything had felt when it was just the two of them.
Then Loraine’s words came back.
I don’t want to lose my son.
Kait exhaled and looked at Kolton again.
He shifted against the pillow and made a small sound.
She leaned forward.
“Hey, you okay?”
Kolton opened his eyes slowly.
“Kait…”
He blinked a few times before focusing on her.
“You stayed.”
“Yeah.”
He swallowed and winced.
“You didn’t have to. Thank you.”
Kait looked down at her hands.
“You need anything?”
Kolton reached for one of them.
“Just for you to stay with me.”
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
Kait went still.
Her eyes dropped to his hand resting over hers, but she didn’t pull away.
THE NEST - CHAPEL
The chapel felt different in daylight.
Quieter.
Lighter.
Most of the extra bikes were gone.
The yard outside wasn’t packed anymore.
Just the mother charter.
Back to its own.
Inside, the table was smaller now.
Fewer patches.
Familiar ones.
Otto and Ulver still there, seated off to the side with Klaus.
Observing.
Taking it in.
Lane sat in his usual spot.
Still.
Present.
But not locked in.
Don sat at the head of the table.
Hands resting on the wood.
“Alright.”
That was enough.
The room settled.
“Another Krait Day done. Shit went pretty clean.”
Simple.
“Meetings got handled.”
A glance around.
“No issues other than Barry’s dumbass.”
A couple nods.
Nothing dramatic.
That’s how it was supposed to be.
“Routes are holding.”
“Agreements are in place.”
No details.
Didn’t need them.
The right people understood.
Don shifted slightly.
Then—
“Kolton’s gonna be fine. By the way.”
That cut through everything else.
Lane’s focus snapped back.
Just enough.
“He did split his head open so that’s the biggest thing the doctors are worried about. Got some rib damage and then just road rash. The Mare is fucked, though. Total.”
A beat.
“He’s staying in Corpus for a few more days.”
Lane’s jaw tightened slightly.
Don continued.
“Kait’s with him.”
That landed harder.
Lane’s eyes lifted.
Locked in now.
“She’s staying there again tonight.”
Lane didn’t say anything.
But it bugged the shit out of him.
“I’ve got prospects rotating through the hospital,” Don added.
“Food. Eyes. Making sure everything’s covered.”
Controlled.
Handled.
Lane leaned forward slightly.
Subtle.
“I can head out there tonight,” he said.
Flat.
Like it was nothing.
“I can stay with him.”
Don didn’t even look at him right away.
“No.”
Don shook his head once.
“I need you here.”
Diablo noticed Lane’s pupils expand.
“I don’t think Kolton wants anyone else there right now anyway.”
Lane sat back slowly.
Didn’t argue.
Didn’t push it.
Don moved on like nothing shifted.
“Klaus is babysitting Otto and Ulver a couple more days.”
They laughed.
“Show them around.”
Klaus nodded once.
Ulver and Otto nodded and agreed.
The room settled again.
Back to normal.
Back to business.
Lane wasn’t.
His hand rested on the table.
Still.
But his focus wasn’t there anymore.
He didn’t want Loraine to get in Kait’s head.
He didn’t want her to feel sorry for Kolton and grow closer to him.
He knew he had to stop it but there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it right now.
Bayfront Medical Center
next morning
The room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the machines. Gray morning light came through the half-open curtains.
Kolton was still asleep.
Kait stirred on the pullout couch and sat up, rubbing the stiffness from her neck. She couldn’t remember when she had finally fallen asleep.
The door opened quietly.
Loraine stepped inside, already dressed and put together. She looked at Kolton first, then Kait.
“Hi, honey.”
“Hey… He slept most of the night.”
Loraine walked over to the bed and checked on him.
“His numbers are good. Doctor said he’s doing better than expected.”
“I’m glad.”
“He just needs to take it easy.” Loraine looked at her. “Come get some coffee with me.”
The cafeteria was nearly empty that early.
Kait sat across from Loraine with both hands around her coffee.
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“He’s better with you here,” Loraine said.
Kait looked up.
“He was calmer last night. Whatever’s going on with him, having you there helps.”
“I’m glad. He needs to rest.”
“Exactly.”
Kait glanced down at her coffee.
“I was thinking about heading back to Dryden for a bit. Grab some clothes and check on things.”
“You don’t need to.”
Kait looked at her.
“The prospects are bringing everything you need. Melanie put a bag together for you.”
Loraine reached across the table and rested her hand on Kait’s wrist.
“Don figured you’d be worried about everything going on back home. He said they’ve got it handled and for you to just keep Kolton company.”
“Really?”
Loraine nodded.
“You don’t need to go anywhere.”
Kait sat quietly, taking that in.
Loraine gave her wrist a couple of reassuring taps before reaching for her coffee again.
Everything was going exactly the way she wanted.
DON & LORAINE’S HOUSE — NIGHT
The kitchen lights were on.
Everything else was dark.
Kyle sat at the table with headphones on, coloring like nothing in the world could touch him.
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Loraine sat beside him, sipping on some chamomile and lavender tea.
Don stayed by the counter.
Didn’t sit.
Didn’t take his eyes off her.
Something was off.
“What’s going on,” he said.
Loraine didn’t look at him right away.
“Lane and Kait are together,” she said.
Don frowned.
“What.”
“You didn’t know?”
“No. So what.” He said grabbing a beer from the fridge.
“She was with Kolton,” Loraine said. “She’s Kolton’s girl.”
Don didn’t move.
Then he scoffed and took a sip.
“Can’t blame her.”
A beat.
“She picked the one that handles his shit.”
Loraine turned her head and looked at him.
“And Kolton doesn’t.”
“Fuck no, he doesn’t, Loraine.”
Kyle kept coloring. Pressing hard on a red crayon.
“Why you give a shit anyway? That ain’t got nothing to do with you.”
Loraine watched Kyle color for a second, then looked back at Don.
“He has taken everything away from Kolton.”
“Oh, for fucks sake. Maybe this is a good thing for hm, so he starts getting his shit together.”
“And be more like Lane?”
“You said it,” took another sip.
“You’ve got so much love for one son,” she said. “And jack shit for the other.”
“Again with that shit.”
She ignored that.
“I wonder what his reaction will be.”
Don went still. Looked at Kyle, who didn’t react.
“To what, Loraine?”
“What do you think Lane does when he learns the truth about that day?”
Don’s voice dropped.
“Loraine.”
“What you did to his mother and his father.”
Don’s hands curled at his sides.
Shaking now.
“Or should I say… his uncle.”
Don took a step forward, then stopped himself.
His eyes flicked to the kid.
Kyle kept coloring. Unbothered.
Loraine didn’t move.
“At least he will finally understand why his mother never loved him.”
She said in a casual tone.
“Shut the fuck up.”
But she kept going.
“What do you think he does with you when he puts it all together?”
Don’s breathing changed.
Short. Controlled.
Silence.
Kyle hummed under the headphones.
Loraine leaned back in her chair.
“That boy is going to hate you… So here’s what happens.”
Don didn’t answer.
“Kait stays with Kolton.”
Don frowned.
“And you send Lane away.”
Don stared at her.
“What. You’re blackmailing me?”
“Send him away or I’ll tell him everything… and you’ll lose your son forever.”
Don didn’t move.
Just stood there trying to hold it together.
“What’s you angle here?”
“I am sick and tired of seeing my son suffer. I am tired of you not loving him because he’s my son and not your beloved Sammy Dayton’s.”
“Don’t you say her fucking name.”
Loraine laughed.
“After all these years…”
She shook her head and put herself together again.
“It’s his time to be happy now. And he’ll only be happy when he stops living in Lane’s shadow.”
TRUCK STOP — NIGHT
The truck stop lights buzzed overhead.
Yellow. Harsh.
Gravel lot half empty.
A couple rigs idling off to the side.
Lane leaned against the picnic table.
Arms crossed.
Eyes on the road.
Waiting.
Diablo stood a few feet off, finishing a cigarette.
Watching him.
“Three days already,” he said.
Lane didn’t look at him.
“No shit?”
Diablo flicked ash.
“Yeah”
Lane nodded once.
Didn’t say anything else.
A truck rolled past on the highway.
Not theirs.
“You tried calling her?” Diablo asked.
Lane shook his head.
“Can’t. She never got a new phone after the fire.”
Diablo exhaled through his nose.
“Shit.”
Silence sat there a second.
“Don said Kolton gets discharged tomorrow,” Lane added.
Still watching the road.
“She should be back after that.”
Like he was telling himself.
Diablo looked at him.
Really looked this time.
“That shit with Loraine sounds insane.”
Lane didn’t answer.
Another set of headlights in the distance.
Lane straightened slightly.
Then relaxed again.
Not it.
Diablo stepped closer.
“You good?”
Lane nodded.
“I just need to see her and talk to Don already.”
DON’S HOUSE
When Lane arrived, the house was quiet.
Kyle was at school. Loraine was either at Snake Eyes or the hospital. Lane didn’t care which.
He knocked once before letting himself in.
Don was in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. He looked like he’d been up for a while.
“Hey, son. What you doing around here?”
“I needed to talk to you.”
“Yeah? Good, me too. Want some coffee?”
Lane raised a hand.
“I’m good.”
Don took another sip before setting the cup down.
“I’m gonna put you in Huntsville.”
Lane was quiet for a moment.
“How long?”
“As long as it takes.”
Lane nodded. He had a pretty good idea what Don wanted him there for.
“Alright.”
“I want you there right away. You leave tomorrow.”
Lane’s jaw tightened.
“Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Got an issue with that?”
“No, sir.”
“Good.” Don leaned back against the counter. “So, what’d you need to talk to me about?”
Lane hesitated.
He had come there ready to tell him about Kait.
Then it clicked.
Huntsville.
Away from Kolton. Away from Loraine. Away from everybody constantly getting between them.
He could take Kait with him.
The thought settled everything almost immediately. They wouldn’t have to hide anymore. They could get out of Dryden, get some distance from all this shit and finally have a chance to just be together.
Maybe Huntsville was exactly what they needed.
Lane looked at Don.
“Actually, it doesn’t matter.”
Don held his eyes for a moment but didn’t ask.
“I’ll announce it tonight at church. When Toast gets back.”
Lane caught the emphasis but let it go. If Kait was coming with him, Don would know soon enough.
“Kolton’s getting discharged today,” Don continued. “He won’t be at church, but at least he’s out of that fucking place.”
“Yeah. That’s great.”
Don picked up his coffee again.
Lane turned toward the door, already thinking about Kait.
He needed to find her.
Tell her about Huntsville.
Tomorrow suddenly didn’t feel too soon.
“Son.”
Lane stopped and looked back.
“Handle it.”
Lane nodded once.
“Always do.”
Bayfront Medical Center - corpus christi
Loraine didn’t sit this time.
She seemed more impatient.
Less warm.
“He’s doing better,” she says.
Kait nodded.
“Yeah, he seems in a better mood too.”
“That’s because you’re here and everything is right.”
“He’ll get better in no time.”
“Well I hope you don’t abandon him now that he’s gonna be out the hospital. The least you can do is help him recover the whole way after causing all this.”
There it is.
No dressing it up.
Kait’s head lifts.
“After—”
Loraine cut in.
Not loud.
But firmer than before.
“He stormed off because of you, Kait. You know that.”
“I didn’t tell him to get on that bike.”
“Maybe, but you knew what he was dealing with. And a lot of people heard all the horrible things you said to him.”
“You shitting me right now?”
“You couldn’t go easier on him? He just got out of jail. All he wanted was to see you, of course he was going to react like that and storm off…”
Kait couldn’t say anything. She only looked at Loraine.
“Besides… you’re supposed to protect you Krait brothers, right?”
That got her.
“Don’t you fucking talk about shit you don’t know.”
“Look, Kait. I’m not asking you to love him. Just… don’t walk away while he’s like this. If you do, all this progress will be for nothing and he’ll sink farther down. He’ll hurt himself.”
Kolton was awake when Kait came back into the room.
He looked better than the night before, but not by much. His head was still bandaged, and his ribs hurt whenever he moved.
Kait stood beside the bed.
Kolton looked at her and smiled.
“What’s that for?”
“Thinking about my dream last night. I guess it’s the drugs, but I’ve been having weird dreams… More like memories, actually.”
“Yeah? About what?”
“Homecoming. Junior year.”
Kait gave him a strange look.
“Homecoming?”
“Yeah. You wore that blue dress.”
She smiled.
“I hated that dress.”
“I fucking loved that dress.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“I hated everybody else looking at you in it.”
“You were pissed off that whole night.”
“Because every asshole in that school was staring at you.”
“Oh, come on.”
“They were.”
Kait laughed quietly.
“You looked so fucking beautiful.” His smile faded. “You still do.”
“Kolton…”
“I’m just saying.”
He looked toward the ceiling.
“I was thinking about you when I was lying there on the ground.”
Kait’s smile disappeared.
“When I crashed, I thought that was it. I thought I was gonna die.”
“Well, you’re gonna be okay.”
“I know.” He swallowed. “The fucked-up part is, for a little while, I didn’t care if I did.”
Kait stared at him.
“Don’t say shit like that.”
“I didn’t crash on purpose. I just didn’t care anymore. Not after what you said to me.”
“Kolton…”
“You told me you didn’t love me, Kait. You told me to leave you the fuck alone. I got on that bike wondering what the hell my life was supposed to be after that.”
“Oh, come on. You still have your son. Your family…. The club.”
“But not you.”
Kait sat back.
“You did okay without me for six years.”
“That was different.”
“How?”
“You still loved me then. I could tell myself maybe someday you’d come back.” He looked at her. “And then you did.”
Kait lowered her eyes.
“Maybe we’re just older now,” he continued. “Maybe now I know what it feels like to actually lose you. It ain’t the same as when you left at sixteen.”
“Kolton, we’re a fucking disaster now. It’s better this way.”
“No. Not to me.”
Kolton shifted carefully against the pillow.
“When I was laying there on that road, all I could think was that I’d already lost you. I didn’t want a life without you in it.”
Kait looked at him.
“Stop. Please.”
Kolton went quiet.
“I’m sorry.” He reached for her hand. “I’m just telling you the truth. I fucking love you, Kait.”
His fingers closed gently around hers.
Kait didn’t pull away.
“Just focus on getting better right now. Everything else can wait.”
She leaned over and kissed his forehead.
