Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Kylie
My oldest son turned six today.
Unfortunately, Allison hadn’t been able to get me any pictures of my kids during her trips to Coyote Ridge. According to her, keeping her distance was critical since she had worked for Brantley and Reese for a short stint, and some people in town knew her face.
I understood. Mostly.
Except Kade turned six today.
That meant I had missed two of his birthdays.
I’d also missed two of Avery’s, not to mention her first day of kindergarten.
The thought caused an ache in my chest. Not a little patter, but a full-on ache like someone had put my heart in a vise and was going to town on it.
Haden had turned four back in June. Maddox was now three, as of May 19th.
I had only missed one of Kate’s birthdays because hers was in December.
Only one. And I would be damned if I would miss another.
I went to the refrigerator and grabbed a can of Dr Pepper.
Allison had picked some up when she went to the store a couple of days ago.
I wasn’t sure whether she knew it was my beverage of choice or if she simply got lucky, but I was tracking one per day.
It took me a long time to finish it, but I never let any go to waste.
“Hey, Kieran,” I said as I popped the top on the can.
He looked up from his iPad screen.
“Today is Kade’s birthday.”
He met my gaze and held it. “I know.”
“I want to go home.”
“I know that too.” He sighed. “We’re gettin’ close.”
That wasn’t the first time he had said that.
Since I had no idea what his measure of distance or time was, I didn’t know what it meant.
From what I could tell, Martin was back in Dallas doing his FBI spiel.
At least that was what I’d overheard them talking about.
I’d also heard them say that he was untouchable.
That seemed a bit far-fetched, but I wasn’t interested in helping them figure out how to take down the big boss.
Well, I was and I wasn’t. I wanted to nail that asshole to the wall and drill in a few screws for good measure.
He’d put me through hell, put my family through hell, although they didn’t even know it.
But this had to stop. I couldn’t hide out forever, and certainly not because they hoped it would get them what they needed to take Martin down.
“I won’t miss any more birthdays,” I told him, watching him closely.
Kieran nodded.
“Or holidays.”
He nodded again.
“When’s the next holiday?” I prompted, hating that he was the strong, silent type.
“Halloween, maybe?”
“I’ll be home before then.”
Another nod.
“Promise me, Kieran. Promise I will be home with my husbands and kids by then.”
I noticed the way the muscles in his jaw flexed.
“Promise me,” I repeated.
“I promise.”
Good. Because it was time for me to go home.
Fuck Martin Calloway.