He didn’t want this for me, and I know if he could, he would take an eraser to my crimson-coated pages and rewrite my story.
I flick my eyes between both of them slowly and make sure that when I speak my next words, they are clear and full ofgratitude. “Thank you, for giving me my second.” I nod at Rusty, and then I turn to Harlen. “And third chance at life.”
I race around the corner of the lake house, and the rocks crunch beneath the soles of my Chucks as I run toward Keaton. We had heard the rumble of his bike when we were on the deck, and Rusty had told me that it was Keats.
I think they knew I needed some time with my brother because neither followed.
The purr of his engine falls quiet, disappearing into the pine trees at the side of us when he balances the bike and moves toward me with determination in his long strides.
Keaton’s black t-shirt hugs every plane of muscle across his tight chest. He has no leather cut on his back, his tattoos on full display, and the look in his eyes is frightening. He’s fucking scary, in every goddamn way, and now that I know what he did,who he really is, it should frighten me more, though somehow it doesn’t, because I know the heart that beats within the walls of his chest–the very one of a brother who only ever wanted to look out for his sister.
His hand is shaking when he wraps it around the back of my neck and wrenches me right into him. His arms are coiled tightly around me as he holds me, placing a sequence of kisses to the top of my head. My ear presses into his chest, and I listen to his heart throw punches against his ribs.
And then, I just sob.
So fucking hard, clutching onto the back of his t-shirt and ripping it downward.
When I pull back, he only guides me back into him, placing one more kiss on my forehead and croaking, “I’m so proud of you.” He shakes his head when he lets go of me and runs a tattooed hand down his face. “What you just did, walking back in there, that was brave, and you didn’t have to, but you wanted to. That took fucking balls, sis.”
I drop my head and kick at the loose rocks beneath my shoes, shivering. “I didn’t have a choice. I just had to, Keats.For her,for Laney, for Harlen’s mother.”
He nods before locking his proud gaze back on mine. “They underestimatedyou, Blainey.”
A small smile tilts the side of my mouth, and I wipe away the rolling tear that drips off my chin.
Yeah, I guess they did.
I pinch his forearm and then walk around him, stepping up to his bike and grabbing the handlebars. I throw my leg over the body and take a seat.
“So, a biker, huh?” I run my hands slowly over the gleaming metal. “I should have known.” I turn my gaze back to him and the corner of his mouth jerks.
“I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want you to worry about me,” he replies.
I laugh quietly before flicking my eyes up to his. “I guess it’s just in the Everson blood, huh? You worrying about me, me worrying about you.”
Keaton nods. “I guess fucking so.” He licks his lips, and then clenches his teeth, looking up at the cloudy sky before latching his blue eyes back onto mine. “Are you okay?”
My chin touches my chest when I flex my fingers around the handlebars, and then drop them into my lap, picking at my chipped nail polish. “I liked it, Keats.”
When he doesn’t reply, I quickly seek out his eyes. “Making him swallow that bullet.” I’m shaking my head as I scoff. “I fucking liked it.”
A chuckle rolls from his throat, then he smiles, only it's slight. “Another thing that’s in our blood.”
I suppress a violent shiver.
“Does that make us bad people?” I ask curiously, my eyebrows furrowing as I pop a knuckle.
“No, we are just two kids who had way too much taken from us.”
Goosebumps ripple across my skin, and I twist in the seat so my legs are on one side. Keaton moves to rest his ass up against the seat with me and curls his arms around my knees as we both stare out at the lake.
“He saved me, you know.”
“I know,” he says, and he thinks I’m talking about Harlen.
Only, I’m not talking about Harlen this time.
“No, Keats. Rusty, he saved me.”
