“Maybe I can get Dash to talk to him. If Keiran knows you turned him in, then Dash knows, too.”

“Do you know why he was released?” Willow looked back and forth between the two of us.

“No clue,” Sheldon answered before looking to me for answers.

“Detective Daniels and Detective Wilson said it came from over their heads.”

“Well, my dad didn’t get involved this time and neither did John. In fact, John reacted very little to Keiran being arrested. He’s barely been to the hospital to see his son.” Sheldon’s voice choked over her tears on the last part. I could tell Keenan’s condition bothered her, especially on the wake of their breakup.

“Did they ever take a paternity test?”

“No. John said he didn’t want to.”

The day I turned Keiran in, and Sheldon called to tell me Keenan’s only lung was failing, I’d thought a paternity test had been given. I later found that much hadn’t been done to determine paternity at all. Keenan was able to sustain a patch to his lung to buy him more time, but he wasn’t out of the woods. I made a mental note to visit him when the coast was clear. Being shot and finding out your father wasn’t your father and your cousin was your brother, and then losing his girlfriend, who he loves, had to be taking a toll on him.

“Did anyone else get the impression Keiran wasn’t too surprised that they are brothers?” Willow asked.

Sheldon cocked her head to the side before nodding slowly. “Yeah, I got that, too. Do you think—”

The sound of the front door opening drowned out whatever Sheldon had been about to ask. I could hear heavy footsteps heading toward the kitchen, but the blood rushing to my head made it impossible to hear clearly.

Was it one or two sets of footsteps?

We all stopped and waited for them to appear through the door, and when it finally opened, I felt my knees weaken.

No, don’t do this. You aren’t that girl anymore, Lake.

I willed my legs to straighten and plastered what I hoped was a brave look on my face.

Dash appeared through the door first as he took a quick glance around, and I could tell he was fighting not to laugh.

I kept my eyes glued to the door waiting for him to walk through next, but he never came.

“Damn, you chicks are all drama. Relax, princess,” he snapped, drawing my attention. “The big, bad wolf isn’t here to eat you up.” Dash rolled his eyes and snagged a bottle of water from the refrigerator and left, but not before sending Willow a nasty look that made her retreat a step.

I looked back out the window once Dash was gone and saw Keiran’s car gone. I blinked a few times and questioned if I imagined it. What game is he playing?

Chapter Six

Keiran

Ten Years Ago

I was blindfolded and told to keep quiet before I was driven away from the compound. When we arrived, they finally removed the smelly rag from my face, and as my eyes adjusted, they slowly took in the scary building ahead.

The big empty room they led me to was dark and had puddles of water everywhere. The smell of the building was horrendous. It was something I’d never smelt before. There was only one door leading in and out and no windows.

The screams of the man tied to the chair, drenched in the water the men were pouring on him, were terrifying. Some of the men they called ‘trainers’ were standing around with mixed expressions of awe, amusement, and anger.

I just wanted to run and hide.

After Frank had told me I would start training today, I didn’t know what to expect. I was confused and scared, but I knew better than to show it. They would beat me again if I did.

“Come on, you. Today you become a man.”

“Wha—what do I have to do?”

Frank pulled out a cigarette and lit it with a match. The smoke he blew in my face made me choke, and I almost didn’t notice when he handed me the match.

I eyed the burning sliver of wood he had stuck in my hand before he shoved me toward the hurt man. The sudden movement caused the flame to flicker, and my eyes widened out of fear that I would lose the flame. When it continued to burn, I relaxed a little and looked up at Frank.

“I want you to throw it on that piece of shit.”

They wanted me to throw it on him, but why? What would happen if I did? What would happen if I didn’t do it?

“I don’t want to do it. Please don’t make me.” Tears blurred my vision as I began to do the one thing that would mean pain.

“Do you want to be next, you little shit?” Frank spit at the ground next to me and pushed me down, causing the flame to burn out. “Stop your fucking whining and crying before I kill you right here.” He kicked my side so hard I flipped over on my stomach. I got a heavy boot on my back for the trouble. “I asked you a question! Do you want me to kill you?”

“N—no.”

“Then get on with it. I told you it’s time to earn your keep.” I heard the sound of another match being lit, and then I was snatched off the ground by the rags covering my upper body and placed on my feet.

“What’s going to happen to him? Will he be hurt?”

“He’s going to die. Now kill him.”

* * *

Present Day

I battled with myself over whether to leave or just snatch her out of the house and take her with me. The decision was made for me when Dash’s busy ass twin tore out of the house to curse us both out. I didn’t pretend to care about anything she had to say until she threatened to call the cops on us both, and unknowingly reminded me of the order to stay away from her.

Like that’s going to happen.

I found it amusing how anyone would think they could keep me from what’s mine with a sheet of paper they called protection. What the fuck was she supposed to do with it anyway? Play rock, paper, scissors when I got her alone?

Because I will get her alone.

As I drove, my eyes zoomed in on the exit up ahead leading me to my brother—I mean, Keenan. I didn’t know when I got onto the highway. I just hopped into my car and drove. Speaking of which, I had to get rid of it. I wasn’t too attached, so I shrugged it off. I wasn’t attached to too much at all. Everything was dispensable. Everything.

The last time I saw my—Keenan, he was fighting for his life and riddled with bullet holes. Now, he was still fighting for his life, but he carried much deeper scars. Scars I put there, and for the first time, I felt something I didn’t want to feel. I felt regret. So now that I finally felt it, what was I supposed to do with it?

The vibration of my phone saved me from the long dark road I didn’t want to travel. I quickly checked the screen before chucking it into the passenger seat. I didn’t have time for my uncle’s bullshit. If he were where he should be, he could dish out his shit soon enough.

When I pulled into the hospital parking lot, I admit, I actually felt nervous. This would be the first time I had seen Keenan conscious since he was nearly killed by my fuck of a sperm donor. I couldn’t forget the look in his eyes…

The sterile smell and cool air of the hospital greeted me as the automatic doors opened, and I strode through with purpose. By the time I had reached his room, the muscles and veins in my hands and arms were straining from my too tight fists. I stood at the door, listening for what felt like hours, but mere seconds had passed.

Quit being a fucking coward.

I steeled my jaw, pushed through the door, and stopped short at the sight of him sleeping. I gritted my teeth at the sight of his frailty. He looked so still and lifeless and every bit like the hell he’d just been through. It made me want to rip out the useless lump Mitch called a heart. But then… who was I to talk, right? I stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do. There wasn’t any sign of John, but I wasn’t too surprised. The man was barely a father so it was just as well he wasn’t there.