Chapter 105 - 107
Kelsey POV
"Okay, no that does sound sus," I say as we pace together, back-and-forth in feverish parallels, as I try to make sense of the senseless. "But if your dad lied about what he was really doing—obviously. And your brothers chose to go with him—"
She stops jarringly and raises a warning finger at me. "Kelsey. No."
"Not a dog," I remark with mocking humour, then I adjust my tone to a tenor of solemn observation. "Your brothers were glued to your side. It had to be something important that drew them away from you."
"The cartel, apparently," she says as she reverses to collapse on the foot of the bed. "I can’t believe this is my life now," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper, carrying the weight of disbelief and resignation. "Arranged marriages, billionaires, criminals, betrayal, Botan." Each word falls like a stone, and her gaze drifts, unfocused, as her fingers trace the scar carved into the groove between her thumb and index finger. "Gunshots," she adds, the word barely escaping her lips, and the sound is enough to chill the air between us.
Her physical recovery has been remarkable; that much is undeniable. But her mind tells a different story. Avara shared everything with me—or so she claims. Still, her pain remains her own, a chasm I can only glimpse into, not cross. Those wounds, assaults on her body and psyche, are hers to bear alone. No matter how much I would want to shoulder it al for her.
"You know..." I tread carefully, watching her face for any sign of resistance. "You never talk about getting shot."
The comment breaks her stupor, her eyes snapping to mine, sharp and unguarded. "There’s nothing to talk about," she says briskly. "I don’t even remember most of it. But that’s not what kept me up all night."
"Colton?" I venture, my voice hesitant.
Her jaw tightens, and a bitter smile curves her lips. "He had something planned all along. Botan’s involvement... that made sense, considering Haru’s history with my father. But Colton?" She shakes her head. "Now we know the Vacherons are dirty—deeply dirty. And he’s planning something with my father that he’s clearly unaware about. I just... I need to know what."
"Do you, though?" I press gently, my concern spilling into my voice.
Her eyes snap back to mine, colder now, the light in them dimmed. "I need to know how much danger my family is in. Secrets or not, they’re still my family. If we’re caught in Colton’s trap, we need to get ourselves out. And when he’s done using us?" She scoffs, her voice low and lined with steel. "I don’t want to find out."