Page 72 of Ky
The front door swings open, and Chains walks in, his eyes searching out Zoe, and seeing her holding baby Bella, he walks up to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she leans into him, taking his strength.
I stand, pushing down the jealousy I feel at their open display. After what happened today, I don’t think Ky will ever want to have anything to do with me again.
“Any news about the kids?” I ask, twisting my hands nervously together.
“No, nothing yet. Kon has joined the search since he was already here,” Chains replies.
I can’t stop the curious frown. “Kon?” I question.
Chains turns to look at me, a grin lighting up his face. “Yeah, Kon Sokolov. He’s Kick’s biological brother, which makes him Ky’s uncle.”
My eyes go wide as saucers, and I gasp. Kon Sokolov, the notorious leader of the Russian Bratva, is a name that echoes in the underworld. Only if you’ve been living under a rock would you not know who he was. I’ve met Kon a few times, times I’d been forced to attend some function or other with Angelo, andpretend to smile and be happy, otherwise I would get the beating of a lifetime.
Which inevitably happened anyway.
All this time, and I had no idea that Ky was related to Kon. If I had known, maybe I would have gone to Ky sooner, pleaded my case, instead of trying to stay away, afraid I would bring Angelo’s wrath on the club.
Of course, that already seems to have happened.
“Nothing yet, I’m just here to check on you guys. I’ve spoken to Lexie and Sage, they’re both safe, and I’m pretty sure Angelo has no interest in them, but just in case, I’ve ordered them both back to the clubhouse. They should be here within the hour,” he explains, his thumb running soft circles over the apple of Bella’s cheek who’s sleeping soundly, completely unaware of what’s going on around her.
I pace the room, feeling helpless. I should be out there with Ky, helping to look for Willow and Finn. After all, it was my fault they were taken. My conscience screams at me, its accusations sharp and unrelenting, leaving me feeling utterly crushed.
I find it difficult not to break down again, but I force myself not to, pushing those feelings deep down, and locking the box with a key. I need to be strong, my daughter and Finn needed that from me.
The sound of a horde of Harleys turning on at the same time gets Chains to his feet.
“Stay here, do not go anywhere,” he reiterates, before kissing Zoe and walking out of the house. After the motorcycles had ridden away, we sit in complete silence for a while, neither one of us wanting to speak. But when Everleigh finally did, she shocks both me and Zoe with what she admits to us.
“I have breast cancer,” she says, calmly. Almost too calmly for something so horrific.
The silence between us is almost deafening. But then Zoe breaks it, taking Everleigh’s hands in her own. “How long have you known?”
“I had a biopsy done a few weeks ago. The results came back positive. I’ve already had a few sessions of chemo,” she admits, her green eyes swimming with unshed tears. Zoe and I hug the other woman tightly, as the door opens again, and in walks Lexie and who I’m guessing is her sister, Sage. I haven’t met the other woman yet, since she and Tiny weren’t in Briar Creek when I arrived in town.
The women embrace while I stand off to the side. Zoe then does the introductions, and I give the beautiful strawberry blonde woman a warm smile. She has a full, colorful sleeve tattoo running down her arm, the faces of Tiny, and what I’m guessing are her sons, interspersed into a beautiful tattoo of family and belonging. Makes me wonder if she’ll add Bella to it?
Being upset for my best friend makes me realize that my involvement in something that is none of my business was just a projection of my own feelings.
“Nice to meet you,” I say instead, sitting down on the couch, though I’m still nervous as hell.
“You know Lexie, of course.” Zoe gives the woman with a mixture of pink, silver, and black hair a warning. When she turns to me, I expect another terse reply, but am pleasantly surprised when she says instead,
“Sera and I are good now,” Lexie says, surprising me by giving me a tight hug. I return it, and a sudden peaceful feeling comes over me. A confidence I didn’t have earlier that the men will find the children safe and well.
“We have.” I admit. When I turn around to say something to Zoe, I notice she’s not holding the baby any longer, but that Sage is.
The devastation on her face is hard to miss, and I stand, wanting to wrap my arms around the other woman and giving her my support. But she backs away, furiously wiping at her eyes, as she disappears into the kitchen.
“What are we drinking, ladies?” she calls out.
I follow her into the kitchen, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, and I pull her close, the silence broken only by her choked sobs.
“I’m so sorry this is happening to you,” I whisper, holding her, her shuddering sobs breaking my heart.
“I’m sorry for putting my problems on you, when it’s you I should be consoling. Not the other way around.” She sniffles.
“What are friends for?” I say with a gentle smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. In the tight squeeze of her hand, and the mirrored grip of mine, we find a language beyond words, a whispered understanding that we are in this together.