God.

Keiran is.

I wasn’t aware of what he had said after. I could see his lips moving but everything had gone silent. I only remember the room spinning before I lost my grip on consciousness.

When I came to, there was a nurse standing over me, and I was left with an unwanted sense of déjà vu.

“You’re awake.”

It was seventeen-year-old me all over again.

I lifted my hand to block the light. My eyes were sensitive as if I hadn’t seen daylight in weeks.

“What happened?”

“You lost consciousness and have been out for about a day. Dehydration and stress will do that to you.” She dropped the clipboard and effectively dismissed me by leaving the room.

* * *

As soon as I was able, I called the one person I knew who would help Keiran at any cost.

“What’s going on? Word on the street is you’re a regular 007.”

“Dash, I need you.”

“What’s going on?” His voice was no longer playful. He already sounded as if he might lose it, and I hadn’t even told him why.

“Listen. I didn’t call Keenan because I can trust you to keep it together. He’s as temperamental as his brother is. I was arrested last night.”

He swore, and I could already hear him moving in the background.

“Where’s Keiran?”

“I don’t know. I was at school when they picked me up. I can’t say more over the phone, but Keiran may be in trouble.”

“I’m on my way.”

“I need you to call Thompson.”

“Consider it already done.”

“Ok,” I said slowly. The receiver trembled in my hand as I replaced it. A sense of helplessness assaulted me when my only connection to my life and freedom was gone—at least for the next few hours. As it turns out, the next few hours were the hardest. The detectives were able to harass me one more time with threats and theories before Thompson finally arrived.

“Lake, I apologize for the delay. We couldn’t get ahold of Keiran. I’m afraid he was arrested last night, as well.”

“Oh, God. Laurie Finch?”

“Yes. It appears she made a statement two days ago pointing Keiran as the confessed murderer of Mitch, and she also confessed to bribery.”

“I don’t understand. He didn’t kill Mitch. How could he have confessed to it?”

“I intend to find out. He says he didn’t make a confession.”

But what about the money? “Did he say anything else?”

“He told me what I needed to do my job.”

“His words?”

“Yes. Now, we have a bail hearing scheduled for you at the end of the week.”

“I can’t wait that long.”

“Unfortunately, we have to extradite you due to the breach in jurisdiction. Besides, it’s too late an hour to get you before a judge, not to mention the hours of travel to get you before the right judge. I had to pull some heavy strings to get you in this week as it is.”

“Will Keiran be there?”

“Yes, but I want to warn you with Keiran’s priors, it won’t be easy. I want you prepared for the possibility that his bail will be denied.”

I nodded my understanding and watched him go. When the guards came back in, I hardened myself for the next thirty-six hours. To do that, I momentarily let go of everything that could weaken me.

Two days later, we were extradited to Nevada for the bail hearing. I never got to lay eyes on Keiran until the hearing later that week. I was brought in before him, but when he finally walked in shortly after, the sight of him didn’t offer relief. My stomach lurched at the bruises on his face. Other than that, he didn’t look any worse for wear, but it was enough to make me feel sick to my stomach.

His eyes immediately found mine and searched me over. Once he was satisfied I hadn’t suffered the same fate, he smiled to reassure me. When I didn’t smile back, his face dropped and he questioned me with his dark gaze.

“Before we begin,” the judge spoke—her hard gaze and ramrod posture told me she wouldn’t be easy or sympathetic, “I’d like someone to explain this custody’s appearance.”

“Yes, well, we had a hard time subduing him during interrogation.”

“He was in handcuffs, was he not?”

“Your honor, Keiran Masters was able to assault Detective Roberts.” The district attorney gestured to the detective in question who looked like he suffered a broken nose.

“What brought on this attack?”