He stepped into the night, the sea wind cool on his face, the faint glow of dawn brushing the horizon.For the first time in years, he had a direction.And this time, he meant to earn it.
Chapter Thirteen
The dawn was closewhen Drew and Kael made their way into their camper.Every step they took crunched against gravel slick with salt spray and ash.It felt like walking out of one world and into another.
Kael was quiet beside him, his hand brushing Drew’s now and then, a silent reassurance that neither had drifted too far from the other.When they reached the camper, Kael opened the door, standing aside to let Drew step in first.
The air inside was warm and familiar.Their sanctuary.The small space smelled faintly of ocean, gun oil, and the citrus soap Aunty insisted they use.Drew could feel the weight of Kael’s gaze on him before he even turned around.
Kael leaned against the doorframe, his expression unreadable but his eyes impossibly soft.
“So,” he said finally, voice rough from smoke and adrenaline, “you want to tell me why you stayed back for a minute?”
Drew hesitated, tugging at the hem of his shirt.“You already know.”
“I do,” Kael said quietly.“But I want to hear you say it.”
He crossed his arms.“I was talking to Victor.”
Kael’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t move.“You let him go.”
Drew nodded once.“Yeah.He’s not ready to stay and keeping him in chains isn’t who we are.He needs to find his own way.”
Kael exhaled, long and slow.“You think he’ll come back?”
“I think he’ll try to be worthy of coming back.”Drew stepped closer, closing the distance between them.“You did the same for me, remember?”
Kael’s lips curved faintly, his eyes softening.“I remember.”He reached out, brushing his thumb over the cut on Drew’s cheek.“You always had a way of seeing the good in people.Even the broken ones.”
“Guess I learned that from you,” Drew murmured.
Kael chuckled.“Don’t make me the inspiration for your terrible decisions.”
Drew’s grin was crooked, but it faded as Kael’s hand slid down to rest at the back of his neck, fingers threading into his hair.The air between them shifted—electric, intimate.The silence was heavy with everything they hadn’t said, and everything they didn’t need to.
“Kael,” Drew whispered.
