Tell Drew to update me, even if he hates me, too.
Hunter
Yes, boss.
I walked back to my bike, sighing as I pulled on my helmet. This was my mess to fix, and goddammit I was going to fix it.
I walkedinto the local floral shop, purchasing a dozen gerbera daisies for Fallon and three dozen long-stemmed red roses to be delivered to Kadence the next morning. I needed to go see Hawke, as well. He was eating himself alive over what had happened. Hawke had attached himself to Kadence just like I had, but differently. He saw her as the daughter he and Fallon had never had, more so for him than Fallon, but he knew what had happened to Kadence—and still did everything he did because I had told him to. He was loyal to me to a fault.
With the daisies in my hand, I tucked them into the compartment of my bike before revving my engine and driving to the hospital. I had designated the roses and my note, ready to be delivered at nine tomorrow. Hopefully, they did something. I had never understood the purpose of flowers, but some women loved them.
I walked into Fallon’s room, and Hawke was in the same spot he returned to each time he visited since she was admitted, with her hand in his silent prayers falling from his lips. Religion had never been my cup of tea, but Hawke was a God-fearing man. He thought prayer would save Fallon, and who was I to take that hope from him? Hawke looked up at me, wiping his eyes. He looked like shit. His hair was a rumpled mess, his eyes were puffy and red, and his face was rugged, covered in stubble.
“How are you doing?” I asked, knowing it was a stupid question.
He laughed slightly bitterly, but not angry. “Like I understand why you burned the Vandals to the ground.”
I pressed my lips together. My goal was for no one to know how I felt, and now three of my men knew the rage that filled my veins when I lost my wife and daughter. “Don’t let that anger consume you.” He arched his eyebrow.
“That’s what this person wants. Not just for me to be a monster, but for my people to be broken. Fight for Fallon. And then we can kill the person who did this, but don’t get angry and ruin everything.”
“Are you telling me or yourself?”
“Touché.”
“How’s Kadence?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think she’ll talk to me.”
“Can you blame her?”
“Fuck you. But I know…I can’t be angry when I’m the one who did this.”
“Have you tried reaching out?” I shook my head. “Kadence is stubborn, just like you.”
I rolled my eyes. “I went to the flower shop. I scheduled a delivery. I’m going to fix this.”
“Give her a few days. Talk to Drew and see what he can tell you. I texted her a few times, but she’s ignoring me, too.”
“I really fucked up.”
“We both did, but all we can do is give her space to process. She never wanted anyone to know what happened to her, but I should’ve told you.”
“Then you would have betrayed her trust. I’m going to fix this, even if I have to beg for forgiveness.”
“Record that for me.”
“Fuck off. Let me know if anything changes with Fallon.”
CHAPTER 8
KADENCE
Walking into Dr. Williams’s office felt different today. Sleep was nonexistent, fear was incessant, and the life I tried to run from was a never closing wound. It was naive of me to believe I could evade my past when it was forever scarred in my memories.
Dr. Williams’s eyes glanced at my wrists before she sat down in front of me. I picked at my nails, chipping the black polish even more. Annika was trying to get everything back to normal by having a lot of girls’ nights, but it wasn’t working. My mind was in a spiral between giving in to my pain and owning it. I loved her, and one day, I could repay her for her support and love while I coped with this.
“How are you, Kadence?”
