Chapter 33
Thirty-Three
The feeling of Rebel in my arms is indescribable.
Somewhere deep in my chest, a cold, heavy resignation had taken root—like a stone dropped into a still well, sinking beyond reach.
I had accepted, with a pain too vast to name, that I would never hold my daughter again.
That she would grow up with Kyler. That he was all she had left.
And in the darkest corners of my mind, I clung to that thought like a lifeline: that at the very least, she still had him.
Thank God it turned out that way. But there are no words—nothing even close—to capture what it does to me, holding her again.
Feeling her small arms wrapped around my neck, the rise and fall of her breath against my chest, the familiar scent of her hair like a memory I never thought I’d get back.
Silent tears slip down my cheeks as she buries her face into the hollow of my shoulder, as if she never left.
I’m on my knees in front of the fire, its soft crackle the only sound in the room, inside Abby and Kai’s home—but in this moment, my whole world is just her and me.
“You’re back,” Rebel whispers in my ear. “I thought…” She doesn’t finish her sentence, and I’m glad she doesn’t. “Where’s Brandon’s mom, Mom? Where’s Miss Jen?”
The sob in my throat’s impossible to hold back, and when she looks up at me, I’m sure she can see it in my eyes. I slowly shake my head.
“Oh,” is her only response, and then she turns to Brandon.
He’s curled up beside Norah on the couch, knees pulled tight to his chest, eyes fixed on nothing.
Small and silent in a world far too big for him.
Rebel slips from my arms and pads over without a word.
She climbs up beside him, leans in, and gently rests her head on his shoulder.
He doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t pull away. And somehow, that simple touch—the quiet trust of it—makes my heart ache in the softest, sweetest way.
“Mom,” she says softly. “I’m really happy you’re back, but I can’t leave Brandon alone.”
And I swear, at that moment, my heart shatters once more.
I crawl next to them on the couch and say, “Let’s watch a movie. All of us.” I gesture toward the couch so Bel gets the hint to sit down.
I put on Peter Pan, and the room slips into a hush. We watch the screen in silence—some of us following the story, others drifting into the quiet corners of our own thoughts. No one speaks. And for a little while, that’s enough.
Just as Hook is being chased by the crocodile to be eaten, there’s a knock on the door. It’s a little after one in the morning and Rebel is leaning against me. She’s fast asleep. Brandon’s lying with his head on her lap, also asleep.
I stare wide-eyed at the two girls lying on the other couch. Who’s knocking on the door at this hour? My heart leaps to my throat, pounding so loud I can barely hear anything else.
Abby is on her way to the hall.
“Don’t,” I whisper.
She tilts her head and says, “Girl, it’s one of the boys. No one comes here without going through the clubhouse. You’ve gotta go through the gate first. No one… And Crusher’s been sitting in my rocking chair since Ky left.”
God, I hope she’s right.
She enters the hallway; after a few seconds, Kyler and Brooks’ voices become audible.
Relief rushes through me. Abby was right.
Of course she was right. She’s lived this life for so long and all the arguments she gave me make sense.
Kai and Abby’s house is hidden away on the property and you can’t just walk in unnoticed.
The odds of it being anyone other than a club member were nil.
I breathe out deeply, and a few seconds later, Kyler kisses me on the head. “Are you coming home?”
“Rebel wants to stay with Brandon,” I whisper. “I can’t leave her alone.”
Brooks lifts his son off the couch. “He’ll sleep with me tonight.” Without saying a word, he walks back to where he came from.
I turn my attention back to Kyler.
“Isobel and Norah can stay with my mom. The kids’ guest room is free tonight, and we’ll figure something out tomorrow. Is that okay?” He looks at them with his gray eyes.
Norah nods wordlessly, but Bel gasps for breath before saying, “Thank you.”
“No problem.” Kyler walks to the front of the couch and lifts Rebel into his arms. I put a fleece blanket over her and put on my coat.
“See you tomorrow,” I whisper, and follow Kyler outside.
His truck’s parked in front of the house, and I slide into the passenger seat. Ky puts Rebel next to me, and she immediately snuggles up against me. He then walks around to the driver’s side and gets in.
Half an hour later, Rebel is curled up on the familiar sofa in Kyler’s apartment and I’m sitting next to her.
“Come on,” Kyler whispers, but I don’t get up. Instead, I shake my head. “Layne, you need to sleep. Let her sleep. You know nothing’s going to happen here.” He grabs my hands and pulls me to my feet.
It hits me like a wave—sudden, brutal. My heart lurches into overdrive, and air won’t come, no matter how hard I try to pull it in. Shit. Shit. What the hell is happening? One trembling hand claws free, presses against my throat. I can’t breathe.
Kyler’s gone in a flash, darting into the kitchen, while I double over, gasping like a fish out of water. My fingers scrape across my neck, desperate and useless. Oxygen. I just need oxygen.
Come on, Layne. Breathe. Just breathe.
Suddenly, a paper bag fills my blurry vision.
“Here—breathe into this,” Kyler says, his voice tight with fear. He’s trying to stay calm, but I hear it too. The panic. Not just mine. His.
I take the bag with shaking hands and do as he says, drawing in each breath like it might save me. It feels endless—like I’m trapped in a tunnel with no exit—but slowly, the grip loosens. The air comes easier. My lungs remember what to do.
As soon as I lower the bag, Kyler is there, scooping me into his arms like I weigh nothing. He’s taking me to the bedroom, but the moment I realize what’s happening, panic surges again.
I slam the bag back over my mouth.
“Stop!” I cry out, my voice raw and tight with fear.
Kyler sinks to one knee. “I’m here. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you. You’re safe.” His hands slide over his face and then he tucks a strand of my black hair behind my ear. “Layne, it’s over. You’re safe.”
The moment those words sink in, my shoulders begin to tremble, and then the tears come, silent and unstoppable..
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Let it all out.” He takes off his shoes and lies down behind me on the bed. A gentle tug on my shoulder tells me to turn around, and I do. I slide toward him, press my nose into his shirt, and cry.
After a while, the crying turns into sobbing. His arms enveloped me, the only sound his gentle humming. “Do you wanna talk about it?” he finally asks softly.
I shake my head. “Not right now. I don’t think I can…” I don’t finish my sentence. I can’t get the words out.
“Just know that I’m here for you. If you want to, I mean.” His lips press against my forehead and I close my eyes.
A little while later, Kyler’s asleep. I carefully extricate myself from his embrace and sneak to the French doors that lead to the small balcony at the back.
I open them as quietly as possible and pull a fleece blanket from the chair in the bedroom.
Outside, two wicker chairs wait on the deck.
I sink into one, pulling my knees to my chest as I wrap the blanket around me and tug it up to my chin.
The night air is cool, quiet. Above me, the sky stretches wide, endless and glittering with stars.
It’s a clear night with a new moon, which makes them stand out even more.
It’s beautiful.
I thought I’d never see this again. Well, not like this, anyway. I thought I might see it while I was in someone’s ownership. Sold.
I never allowed myself to hope I’d escape. Never imagined I’d be sitting here, that I needed to tell Brooks his wife is gone. Jen… I shake my head, fighting to banish that image from my mind.
I never believed I’d see Rebel again. Never thought I’d watch her grow. And Kyler…
My thoughts drift back to us—how it once was.
We were reckless kids, teenagers wrapped up in a first love. But now? What are we now?
Kyler was clear about what he wants, but I destroyed his trust when I left. And now I’ve done it again, albeit for very different reasons than before.
I know one thing for sure, and it’s that I feel safe when I’m in his arms. But am I still enough for him? Or did I ruin everything?
I drop the blanket, get up, and go back inside. I quietly crawl into bed next to him and snuggle up against him.
“Did you find what you were looking for?” he murmurs in my ear.
A shiver runs through me. “I’m not looking for anything,” I whisper back. “I’m just afraid I’ve broken something.”
Suddenly, the door creaks open. Rebel tiptoes quietly into the bedroom, slipping under the covers beside me. She curls up close, pressing into my side. I wrap my arm around her waist—just like Kyler’s arm rests around mine—and that settles our conversation. For now.
I know the talk with him is inevitable when the time comes. But for the moment, it’s clear we can’t go anywhere. We’re not safe yet. The MC’s fences offer a rare pocket of freedom, a place where we can breathe without fear. So for now, this is where we stay.
I haven’t seen that man in the suit again, nor heard anyone mention him. I’ll ask about it tomorrow.
And when he’s gone… then we’ll see what comes next.