Chapter 61
Keith’s POV
I looked at Emily, lying on the bed, her face pale and exhausted, and my heart twisted with a mixture of guilt and longing. I hadn’t fully understood the depth of my feelings for her until recently.
Watching her sleep, I felt an odd sense of peace, like just being in her presence brought some kind of healing to my broken soul. The way her hair splayed across the pillow, the soft rise and fall of her chest–it was a moment of quiet, something I hadn’t had in a long time.
But even though she had accepted my comfort tonight, I knew that didn’t mean she had forgiven me. It didn’t mean we were close to healing the chasm that had opened up between us.
The past still hung heavy between us, the wounds far from healed. I gently touched her hair, brushing it out of her face, and a part of me wished things could go back to how they used to be–before all of this. Before Frank, before the lies. But that felt impossible now. The distance. between us was like an invisible barrier, one I wasn’t sure we could ever
break down.
I stepped out of the room, quietly closing the door behind me, feeling
more lost than ever. I leaned against the wall, running a hand through my hair, and sighed deeply.
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The guilt was eating me alive, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake it. My mind kept going back to everything that had happened–how I had failed her, how I had let Lily’s manipulations blind me to the truth.
And now, Emily was carrying Frank’s child, a constant reminder of the pain she had endured because of my failure to protect her.
I needed to get out, clear my head. I called Seth, asking him to meet me at the club. I didn’t want to be alone with these thoughts.
When I arrived, Seth and Tyler were already there, sitting in one of the back booths. The music was loud, the club packed with people, but it didn’t distract me from the storm raging in my mind. I slid into the booth. beside them, the weight of everything pressing down on me.
Seth was the first to notice. “You okay, man? You look like hell,” he said, leaning in closer to hear me over the noise.
I shook my head, not sure how to start. “Emily’s pregnant,” I finally said, the words heavy as they left my mouth.
Seth blinked, clearly shocked. Tyler, who had been sipping his drink, nearly choked on it. “What?” Tyler asked, leaning forward, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Pregnant? With…”
“It’s Frank’s child,” I confirmed, my voice quieter now.
They both stared at me in stunned silence. I could see the questions. swimming in their minds, the disbelief etched on their faces. Seth leaned
Chapter 61
back in his seat, running a hand over his face. Tyler, as always, was the first to speak.
“What is she going to do?” Tyler asked, his voice tinged with concern. “What are we supposed to do about this?”
I sighed, my hands clenching into fists on the table. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “She hasn’t decided anything yet. She’s… still processing it all.” I didn’t tell them about the suicide attempt. That was something I wasn’t ready to share, not yet.
Seth took a long drink from his glass, his brow furrowed. “Man, that’s heavy. I don’t even know what to say. How are you handling it?”
“Barely,” I muttered. “I just want to help her, but I don’t know how.”
The bartender approached our table, setting a glass down in front of me. “This came with a note,” he said, his voice barely audible over the thumping bass of the music.
Frowning. I unfolded the note, my eyes scanning the messy handwriting. My heart skipped a beat as I read the words.
“I am not someone who would harm children, so I won’t touch your son Zane, but I cannot guarantee the safety of your other family members. I will come to see you.”
A chill crept up my spine as I read the note. I passed it to Seth and Tyler, both of whom tensed the moment they saw it. Tyler was the first to react,
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his voice low and simmering with anger. “Who the hell sent this?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. Inside. I felt a surge of protectiveness over Zane and Emily. “But whoever it is, they’re threatening my family.”
“Zane?” Seth asked, his concern sharp.
“He’s safe.” I said, a wave of relief washing over me. Knowing Zane wasn‘ t a target eased the knot in my chest. “They won’t touch him. But the others…” My mind drifted to Emily. If Zane was safe, it meant he could come back. It meant Emily could have him again, and I knew how much she needed that right now.
Seth’s fingers tapped restlessly on the table, his brow furrowed in thought. “Keith, you need to take this seriously. This isn’t just some
random threat.”
“I know,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “I’m not taking any chances.” Despite the note’s threat, there was a strange sense of control settling over me. Whoever this person was, whoever sent this message, I knew they’d come to me. And when they did, I’d be ready. I wasn’t afraid–I was prepared.
As I tucked the note into my pocket, a strange peace settled over me. Zane was safe. That was the most important thing. Emily needed him back, and having him with her would help her heal. She’d been through so much, and Zane was the light she needed to pull herself out of the darkness.
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“I’ll handle this,” I said, glancing at Seth and Tyler. “But right now, my focus is on getting Zane back. Emily needs him.”
Tyler nodded, though concern flickered in his eyes. “We’ve got your back, man. Whatever you need.”
Seth, ever the voice of reason, gave me a firm nod. “Just be careful. Whoever sent that note… they’re serious.”
