Chapter Twenty-Five
MERCS
The ringtone slices through the dark like a blade.
I jolt upright at the sharp noise, my heart already hammering before my brain catches up. Effa stirs against me, her head lifting from my chest as I twist and reach blindly toward the nightstand.
My fingers fumble for the phone.
The screen lights up.
Gran.
My stomach drops so hard it feels like it hits the floor.
It’s 6:00 a.m.
Why the hell is she calling me this early?
A cold wave washes over me before I even answer.
Effa rubs her eyes and squints at me, her voice still thick with sleep. “Who is it?”
“Gran…” The word scrapes out of my throat, cracking under the weight of what I already suspect.
Effa’s eyes snap fully open. “Quick. Answer it.”
I swivel back around, thumb swiping across the screen, and bring the phone to my ear as I sit up on the edge of the bed. My back faces Effa now, my legs hanging over the side, feet planted on the carpet as if bracing for impact. “Gran?” I manage, my voice low and already strained.
“Kaden, I hate to worry you, but I’ve been awake all night—”
“Is Kiera okay?” The question tears out of me before she can finish.
There’s a pause.
A sigh.
And my entire body locks up.
“No,” she says softly. “There are some serious issues. She’s not rejecting your stem cells, but she’s so weak.
The doctors aren’t giving me a great prognosis right now, and it doesn’t look good.
She is slipping in and out of consciousness.
I honestly think you need to come home as soon as you can. She needs you… we need you.”
Panic slams into me so violently, I’m on my feet before I even realize I’ve moved. I grab the first T-shirt I see off the floor and start stuffing it into my backpack, like movement alone can fix this.
Effa is beside me instantly, her hand warm and steady on my back.
“Fuck!” I bark, my chest tightening. “I’m packing right now. I’ll be on the band’s jet as soon as I can get authorization to leave. Tell her to hold on. Tell her I’ll be there as soon as I possibly can.”
Effa mouths, What’s wrong?
I can’t answer her.
Gran’s voice cuts through the line again, thinner now. “Kaden, hurry… please.” The desperation in her tone makes something inside me crack.
Gran doesn’t panic.
Gran doesn’t beg.
For the first time in my life, I am genuinely afraid.
“I’m on my way, Gran. I’ll see you soon,” I promise, even though I have no idea how long it’ll take. I end the call and shove more clothes into my bag, my hands shaking so badly I can barely zip it. “Fuuuck!” The word rips from my throat because I don’t know what else to say.
Effa wraps her arm around my waist and pulls herself against my side, stopping me mid-motion. “Kaden, stop… talk to me.”
My chest feels like it’s collapsing inward. I turn to face her, and the look in her eyes, wide, wet, terrified for me, almost undoes me completely.
“Kiera’s taken a turn,” I choke out. “I don’t fucking get it. She was supposed to be getting better. Not going downhill.”
Effa blinks rapidly, processing. “Wait… what?”
“Kiera’s getting worse, not better. Gran is in a bad way, and she’s asked me to come home. This is fucking serious, Effa. Gran would never beg me to come home unless…”
Oh God! I can’t finish that sentence.
I won’t.
She shakes her head firmly. “No, Kaden. Don’t think like that. Kiera will be fine. This is just a setback. Okay? She will pull through this. I can feel it.”
“I can’t take your positive vibes right now,” I snap, harsher than I intend. “I have to go. I need to leave. Can you get Luke on the phone and ask him to ready the jet for me? If you can’t, that’s fine. I’ll get on the next flight out.”
Her bottom lip trembles, but she nods.
“Of course. Anything you need… I’m here for you, Kaden.” She swallows. “I’m coming with you.”
The words hit me, and I close my eyes briefly.
“Shit… I’m sorry, baby. That came out all wrong.
I’m so damn stressed right now. I shouldn’t take it out on you.
” I lace my fingers through hers and force myself to breathe.
“No. You need to stay here and make sure the tour goes without a hitch. You’ve already taken time out for your recovery. You can’t disappoint the fans again.”
“I really should be coming with you. I want to come with you.”
I shake my head, already feeling pulled in too many directions. “Please, Effa, don’t fight me on this. I don’t have the strength. I just need time with Kiera and Gran. I love you. That hasn’t changed, that will never change, but I need to be with them for a few days. Okay?”
She nods slowly, though I can see the conflict in her eyes. “Sure, but I want you to call me. Every day. Without fail. I hate that I won’t be there for you.”
“You will be,” I insist. “But I need you to make sure the band finishes this leg of the tour strong. Then, when you break next week, you can come and be with us like you were supposed to for Christmas.”
“This is killing me, Kaden,” she whispers. “I’m so torn. I want to be there for you and your family… but if you need time with them, I understand. Just know the second you need me, I will be there in an instant.”
I pull her into my arms, pressing my forehead against hers. Her breath is warm against my lips, her body trembling slightly.
“Thank you,” I murmur. “That means everything.” My voice drops. “I can’t lose her, Effa. Not after everything she’s been through.”
Her hands tighten at my waist. “I know…”
And for the first time since the phone rang, I feel the full weight of what might be waiting for me at home.
EFFA
It didn’t look like strength in the traditional sense. It looked like clenched teeth, rigid shoulders, and movements that were too sharp to be calm. It looked like someone holding himself together by sheer willpower.
I helped him pack, folding shirts he had already shoved haphazardly into his bag, smoothing them out so that I could feel useful. We didn’t speak much during those final minutes. Words felt fragile, like they might shatter if we handled them wrong.
When he finally slung his bag over his shoulder and turned toward the door, I felt something inside me tug painfully. I kissed him goodbye, breathed him in, memorized the warmth of him, and then I watched him walk away.
I’ve already told Luke what’s going on. I had to. There was no other way to get authorization for the jet without explaining. Even saying the words once nearly broke me. Having to repeat them over and over would have been impossible.
Luke has called everyone together so I can tell them all at once about Kiera, rather than reliving it multiple times.
It was hard enough telling Luke.
We’re all gathered in his hotel room now.
It’s spacious enough for all of us, but it doesn’t feel that way.
The air is thick and heavy. Some are perched on the sofa, some are sitting on the bed, and others are standing with their arms crossed or hands in their pockets.
I sit on the edge of the bed next to Alana, my hands clasped together in my lap, trying to keep them from shaking.
The others are chatting lightly amongst themselves, unaware.
Laughing softly.
Like nothing is falling apart.
“Okay guys, there’s a reason I called you all here for this emergency meeting,” Luke calls out, his tone firm but not harsh.
The chatter dies instantly, and heads turn.
Tank scans the room, frowning. “Yo, where’s Mercs?”
The question hits like a punch. I sniff and squeeze my eyes shut as I release a heavy breath, trying to steady myself. When I open them again, every single person in the room is looking at me.
The silence shifts.
It turns uncomfortable.
“Hey, is something wrong?” Alana’s voice is soft as she reaches for my hand.
I grip hers immediately, linking our fingers like I’m anchoring myself to something solid.
“Is Mercs okay?” Tank asks, concern creeping into his tone.
I shake my head once.
It feels like I’m about to step off a cliff.
“Effa, you’re scaring me,” Alana whispers, sliding closer to me.
I glance at Luke. He gives me a subtle nod. Swallowing hard, I take a breath that doesn’t quite fill my lungs. “At six this morning, Mercs got a phone call…”
My throat tightens, and I clear it gently, forcing the words out, “Kiera…” I inhale deeply to give me strength. “Kiera is deteriorating in the hospital. Gran called Mercs home because she isn’t sure how Kiera is going to continue faring in the coming days.”
The gasp that ripples through the room is sharp and collective.
It makes everything feel more real.
My stomach churns violently as tears flood my eyes again. I blink them back, but they don’t listen.
A loud huff cuts through the silence.
I look up just in time to see Raoul’s face contort with raw, unfiltered pain. His jaw clenches, and he slams his hand down on the table beside him. The bang echoes through the room like a gunshot.
No one moves.
He spins abruptly, heavy boots stomping across the carpet as he storms toward the door. We all watch, stunned, as he yanks it open and disappears through it, slamming it shut behind him.
The door shudders with the force and I jump at the sound.
My breath turns short and sharp, my chest tight as fresh tears threaten to spill over.
No one speaks.
Everyone is trying to hold it together.
Tank’s eyes are glassy. Andi has gone pale. Kristy presses her lips together like she’s trying not to cry. I tighten my hold on Alana’s hand, and she finally loses her battle with composure when a tear slides down her cheek.