Jay-Jay (POV)
The second I saw him, I knew he was furious.
Yet despite everything, all I wanted was to run into his arms, bury my face in his chest, and break down.
But I couldn't.
My body refused to move.
Not when he was looking at me like that.
His eyes were blazing with rage.
And standing there, I couldn't tell whether that anger was meant for the people who hurt me...
Or for me.
The entire room seemed to tense.
He crossed the distance between us in seconds.
He raised his left hand and touched my face.
I sucked in a breath when his fingers grazed my injured cheek. He traced the cut on my lip—the wound he had caused with the slap.
His touch was unexpectedly gentle, but his expression remained cold and furious.
The contradiction was terrifying.
His hand was gentle against my face.
His eyes were anything but.
"Who did it?" he asked coldly.
The room fell silent.
Then his voice dropped even lower.
"Which fucking asshole touched my wife?"
A shiver ran down my spine.
The entire room seemed to freeze.
His gaze swept across everyone before stopping on Cassian.
Cassian's blood ran cold.
Kiefer didn't say a word.
He just stared.
The kind of stare that promised violence.
Then Cassian pointed directly at the Man
The man who had slapped me barely got a word out.
Kiefer turned toward him.
And then—
Punch.
One strike.
The man's head snapped to the side, and he crashed onto the floor.
Gasps echoed through the room.
But Kiefer wasn't done.
He stepped forward, ready to kick him.
"Sir!"
Several police officers rushed forward to stop him.
They froze the second they saw the look in his eyes.
Pure rage.
One officer instinctively took a step back.
It was Angelo and Cole who finally grabbed Kiefer from behind, pulling him away before he could do more damage.
"Kiefer!"
"Stop!"
He fought against the hands holding him back, his gaze never leaving the man sprawled across the floor.
His chest rose and fell with ragged breaths.
Rage burned in his eyes.
Pure. Uncontrolled. Rage.
"I'm going to rip his throat out."
The words came out low.
Deadly.
Not a threat.
A promise.
And for the first time that night, everyone in the room realized Kiefer wasn't fighting to attack the man.
He was fighting not to kill him.
But the idiot couldn't keep his mouth shut.
Blood dripping from his split lip, he let out a bitter laugh.
"So you're her husband?" he sneered. "No wonder she's crazy. You killed your father, and she was trying to kill me—"
He never got to finish.
Kiefer lunged forward.
His hand locked around the man's collar and yanked him off the floor.
"What?"
The single word came out deadly quiet.
Cole and Angelo immediately moved, trying to pull him back.
"Kiefer—"
"Let go."
His voice was cold enough to freeze the room.
The man finally seemed to realize he had made a mistake.
A very big mistake.
Kiefer shoved Cole's hand away.
Then, with one swift movement, he reached beneath his shirt and pulled out his gun.
The click of the safety coming off echoed through the room.
Gasps erupted around them.
The man's face drained of color as the barrel pressed against his forehead.
Kiefer's eyes were terrifyingly calm.
"How dare you call my wife crazy?"
His grip tightened.
"Say it again."
The room fell silent.
"Go on."
The barrel dug harder against the man's skin.
"I dare you."
The room went deathly silent.
Then I saw Cole and Angelo looking at me.
Not at Kiefer.
At me.
Like I was the only person who could stop him.
My legs still felt weak.
Every step hurt.
But I forced myself forward.
"Kie..."
My voice barely came out.
He didn't hear me.
His entire focus was still on the man trembling beneath the barrel of his gun.
I took another step.
Then another.
The room spun.
My vision blurred.
And suddenly my knees gave out.
"Kiefer..."
The moment I started falling, he turned.
The gun lowered instantly.
Strong arms caught me before I could hit the floor.
One arm wrapped around my waist while the other cradled the back of my head.
Like nothing else in the room mattered.
Like no one else existed.
I buried my face against his chest.
"Kiefer..." I whispered.
His body went rigid.
For a long second, he didn't answer.
The man on the floor apparently mistook that silence for hesitation.
"So that's it?" he spat. "He threatens me right in front of all of you, and nobody's going to do anything? His wife tried to kill me and—"
"Shut up."
The words came from Kiefer.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
The man immediately fell silent.
Kiefer's eyes never left him.
The gun was still in his hand.
Still loaded.
Still ready.
Then Cole stepped forward.
"We'll handle it."
Angelo moved beside him.
"You've done enough."
Neither of them took their eyes off Kiefer.
Because they all knew the truth.
One more word.
One more insult toward Me.
And this would stop being an interrogation.
It would become a murder scene.
Kiefer tightened his arm around me.
Then finally lowered the gun.
After several minutes of tense discussion, Kiefer finally stepped back.
Not because he wanted to.
Because Cole and Angelo convinced him to.
The guardian quickly straightened his clothes and rubbed his bruised collar.
Then, seeing an opportunity, he sneered.
"I'll settle this if you pay me."
The room went silent.
Kiefer let out a short laugh.
There wasn't a trace of amusement in it.
"Settlement?" he repeated.
His eyes turned cold.
"Why the fuck would I pay you when you're the one who hit my wife?"
The guardian opened his mouth, but Kiefer cut him off.
"If you really want something from me..."
A slow smile spread across Kiefer's face.
"I can send you to hell for free."
Then he smirked.
The room instantly went silent.
Even Cole pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Kiefer."
"Just making an offer...don't you want to???," Kiefer replied casually.
The guardian's face turned pale.
The man's expression darkened.
"You think you're above the law because you're rich—"
"Kiefer."
Cole stepped between them before things could escalate again.
"This isn't the time."
Angelo nodded.
"We'll handle this our way."
The warning in his voice was clear.
I felt Kiefer's arm tighten around my waist.
Like he was afraid I'd collapse if he let go.
Slowly, I pulled away from him.
The movement immediately caught everyone's attention.
Even the guardian stopped talking.
I took a step forward.
My body still hurt.
My legs still felt weak.
But my voice didn't shake.
"I won't agree to any settlement."
The room fell silent.
Everyone turned to look at me.
The guardian rolled his eyes.
I forced myself to stand despite the ache running through my body.
"You're abusing a five-year-old child," I said. "You blame him for things that aren't his fault. You call him a monster. And yes, you slapped me."
His expression darkened.
"What I did was self-defense."
I pointed directly at him.
"And if the police investigate this properly, I won't have to do anything."
I smiled.
"You'll spend the rest of your life rotting in a prison cell."
"Until the day they carry your body out."
I smirked.
"I'll make sure of it."
The man's laughter echoed through the room.
The sound made my skin crawl.
He shook his head.
"Do you have any proof?" he asked smugly.
My jaw tightened.
"I was his guardian. The only family he has left."
He spread his arms dramatically.
"And what exactly can you prove?"
His confidence grew with every word.
"I slapped you once, but you beat me up and nearly stabbed me."
The room fell silent.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then I laughed.
A short, humorless laugh.
The man's smile faltered.
"You think this is about me?"
I stared at him.
Then I laughed.
A quiet laugh.
The kind that made people uncomfortable.
"You think I can't protect myself?"
My voice was calm.
Dangerously calm.
"Really?"
I slowly looked around the room.
At Kiefer.
At Cole.
At Angelo.
At everyone standing behind me.
Then I looked back at him.
"You walked straight into a lion's den."
The man's expression stiffened.
"The second you touched me..."
I tilted my head.
"...your fate was already sealed."
A cold smile crossed my face.
"And trust me, if the people around me handled things their way..."
My gaze briefly flickered toward Kiefer.
"...your family wouldn't even get your ashes back."
The room went silent.
Even Kiefer looked amused by that one.
"But this isn't about me."
I lifted my hand and pointed toward the station entrance.
"It's about him."
For a second, nobody understood what I meant.
Then the station doors opened.
The room fell silent.
Cassian walked in.
Beside him was Adrian.
The moment the guardian saw them, his confidence cracked.
Just a little.
But it was enough.
I pointed toward Adrian.
"You asked for proof?"
The room went silent.
A cold smile touched my lips.
"Everything you did left a mark."
My eyes never left his.
"Every bruise."
"Every scar."
"Every injury."
I took a slow step forward.
"You were so busy hurting him that you never stopped to think about something."
The man's jaw tightened.
"Evidence doesn't disappear just because you want it to."
I pointed at Adrian again.
"Everything you did left a trace on his body."
Another step.
"And I promise you this—"
My voice dropped.
Soft.
Steady.
Certain.
"I will dig up every single thing you've done."
The guardian's face paled.
I folded my arms.
"And I won't stop until I see you standing behind prison bars."
The room fell silent.
"Because unlike you..."
My gaze hardened.
"I have time."
"And unlike that little boy..."
I smiled without warmth.
"I'm not afraid of you."
The boy looked nervous as he stepped inside.
Cassian didn't say a word.
He simply knelt beside Adrian and carefully rolled up the child's sleeves.
Bruises.
Old ones.
New ones.
Some fading.
Some fresh.
The entire room froze.
One of the officers immediately moved closer.
Another began taking photographs.
The guardian started backing away.
"Wait—"
"No," one of the officers interrupted.
The man's wrists were grabbed before he could take another step.
"What are you doing?" he shouted.
The officers ignored him.
As they led him away, his voice echoed through the station.
"I didn't do anything!"
Nobody believed him anymore.
The cell door slammed shut behind him.
Silence followed.
Slowly, I turned toward Adrian.
The boy stood in the middle of the station, looking smaller than ever.
For the first time since I had met him, he wasn't pretending to be brave.
He just looked scared.
And alone.
My heart broke.
No child should have to live like that.
For a moment, memories I had spent years trying to bury clawed their way back to the surface.
A child I couldn't protect.
A life I couldn't save.
A loss that still haunted me.
I swallowed hard.
Then I looked at Kiefer.
At the man who knew exactly what it felt like to be an unwanted child.
I wanted to ask him something.
The same thing I'd wanted to ask from the beginning.
Can we adopt him?
But the words never left my mouth.
Because when I walked toward Adrian, he took a step back.
Just one step.
But it felt like a knife to the chest.
I stopped.
The fear in his eyes wasn't directed at the man who hurt him.
It was directed at me.
The woman who had lost control.
The woman who had scared him.
I couldn't blame him.
Not after everything he had been through.
Not after everything he had seen.
So I stayed quiet.
The rest happened quickly.
A case was filed against him for child abuse.
it was ruled as self-defense.
Kiefer and Cole handled the legal side of things.
And when the Watsons decided to use their influence, they made sure every piece of evidence reached the right people.
There would be no burying the case.
No looking the other way.
No second chances.
As the investigation moved forward, the authorities determined that Adrian couldn't be returned to his guardian.
Not while the case was ongoing.
Not while his safety was still in question.
So, until a permanent guardian could be found, Adrian stayed with us.
We left the station shortly after.
Cole, Angelo, Cassian, and Adrian took one car.
Jare, Clyden, Percy, Kiefer, and I took another.
The entire drive was silent.
Too silent.
Kiefer hadn't said a single word since we left.
That scared me more than his shouting ever could.
His hands were clenched around the steering wheel.
His jaw was tight.
His eyes never left the road.
Then suddenly—
The car jerked to a stop on the side of the road.
Everyone froze.
Kiefer slammed his fist against the steering wheel.
The sound echoed through the car.
"Kie—"
Before I could finish, he turned toward me.
His eyes were blazing.
"Jay, are you stupid?"
The words hit like a slap.
"Didn't I tell you not to do anything on a whim?"
His voice was cold.
Sharp.
Filled with rage.
His grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"What you did was wrong."
I opened my mouth.
He didn't let me speak.
"You should have told me."
His voice cracked slightly.
The anger was still there.
But beneath it was something worse.
Fear.
"You're still recovering."
"What if you had gotten hurt again?"
"What if that man had a weapon?"
"What if we hadn't arrived in time?"
Each question came faster than the last.
His breathing grew heavier.
"Not every time is going to end with you being lucky, Jay."
The car was silent.
No one interrupted him.
Because he was right.
"We still don't know who attacked you."
"We still can't find the people behind everything."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"So how could you be that reckless?"
His voice dropped.
Dangerously low.
"In your condition, you can barely walk without support."
The words hurt.
Not because they were cruel.
Because they were true.
The car fell silent again.
Kiefer looked away first.
The car fell silent again.
Kiefer looked away first.
Running a hand through his hair.
Then suddenly—
Bang!
His fist crashed into the steering wheel.
Everyone flinched.
Including me.
The sound echoed through the car.
Kiefer lowered his head, breathing hard.
Like he was trying to force his emotions back under control.
Trying not to scream.
Trying not to break.
Because he knew if he kept talking, he would end up saying something he didn't mean.
But the fear inside him was too much.
"What would you have done..." he asked hoarsely.
His voice was shaking now.
Not with anger.
With terror.
"What would you have done if he lost control and stabbed you, huh?"
The question hung in the air.
No one answered.
"What then?"
His hand slammed against the steering wheel again.
"Tell me, Jay."
The pain in his voice hurt more than his anger ever could.
"What was your plan?"
I couldn't answer.
Because I didn't have one.
Kiefer laughed bitterly.
The sound was hollow.
Broken.
"You keep throwing yourself into danger like your life doesn't matter."
His eyes finally met mine.
"And it scares the hell out of me."
The car fell silent.
Then I noticed it.
Blood.
A small drop sliding down his hand.
My breath caught.
"Kiefer..."
His knuckles were split open.
The skin torn from hitting the steering wheel.
Blood stained his fingers.
"Kiefer, your hand—"
He looked down.
As if he'd only just noticed it himself.
Then he shrugged.
Like it was nothing.
Like his own pain didn't matter.
He reached for a bottle of water in the car.
Without a word, he poured it over his hand.
The clear water turned pink as it washed away the blood.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
After cleaning it, he grabbed a handkerchief from the glove compartment and wrapped it around his knuckles.
The makeshift bandage quickly stained red.
Still, he didn't react.
His gaze remained fixed on the windshield.
Silent.
Broken.
Furious.
Terrified.
And somehow that scared me more than his shouting ever had.
I was scared.
But not of him.
"Me."
The word slipped out before I could stop it.
Everyone turned toward me.
The tears I'd been holding back finally fell.
Suddenly, the entire car was silent.
I looked down at my trembling hands.
"I lost control."
My voice cracked.
"I don't even remember everything I did to him."
Kiefer's expression changed instantly.
The anger disappeared.
"What if he's right?"
The words barely came out.
"What if I really am crazy?"
"Jay—"
"What if I'm capable of killing someone?"
I laughed weakly.
The sound broke halfway through.
"When I question myself..."
I swallowed hard.
"I remember the accident with Aries."
My chest tightened.
"What if one day I lose control again?"
"What if I hurt someone?"
The tears wouldn't stop.
"What if I already have?"
The car felt too small.
Too quiet.
Too suffocating.
"What if one day I wake up and realize I've become someone I don't recognize?"
My voice dropped to a whisper.
"What if I'm a monster?"
Nobody spoke.
"What if seeing blood changes something inside me?"
The silence hurt.
Then Kiefer moved.
" No, Jay."
His voice was immediate.
Certain.
Absolute.
I looked at him and forced a small smile.
A sad one.
"Kiefer..."
My eyes drifted to the handkerchief wrapped around his hand.
The white cloth was already stained red.
"Did you wash your hand because I can't look at blood?"
The question shattered whatever composure was left in the car.
Kiefer froze.
Because he had.
Of course he had.
Even while he was furious.
Even while he was terrified.
Even while he was yelling at me.
He had still remembered.
Remembered that the sight of blood would upset me.
Remembered to hide it.
Remembered me.
My smile trembled.
More tears slipped down my cheeks.
And for the first time since leaving the station, Kiefer finally understood.
"I remembered something..."
My voice was barely above a whisper.
"But I don't know if it was real or my feaking hallucinations."
The entire car went still.
Because it was the first time, I had mentioned the kidnapping without being asked.
"He was young."
Everyone's attention snapped to me.
"The man who took me."
My hands trembled.
"I don't remember his face clearly."
"I don't remember everything he said."
I closed my eyes.
"But he talked like he knew me."
My breathing became uneven.
"Like we had met before."
"Like he knew things about me that I didn't."
The silence became suffocating.
"But I don't remember."
My voice broke.
"I fucking don't remember."
I pressed my palms against my eyes.
"My head won't stop thinking."
"The more I try to remember, the more confused I get."
Fear wrapped around my chest.
"And then there was Adrian."
I laughed bitterly.
"I wanted to protect him."
The memory flashed through my mind.
The way he had flinched.
The way he had looked at me.
Like he was afraid.
"But he was scared when I tried to touch him."
My throat tightened.
"So what's the difference between him and me?"
Nobody answered.
"What's the difference between me and the people who hurt him?"
"Jay."
Jare's voice cut through the silence.
Sharp.
Immediate.
"Don't compare yourself to that asshole."
I looked up.
Jare was glaring at me.
Actually glaring.
"What you did was right."
"But—"
"No."
He pointed at me.
"No 'buts.'"
His jaw tightened.
"Even if you're crazy."
The entire car turned to look at him.
"Jare—"
"Let me finish."
He looked directly at me.
"Even if you're a monster."
Kiefer immediately frowned.
His expression softened.
Just a little.
"You're still my sister."
My eyes widened.
"And I don't give a damn what happens."
A crooked grin appeared on his face.
"Even if you turn into a monster."
He shrugged.
"Honestly, you're already halfway there."
The car erupted with groans.
"Jare!"
"What?"
He looked offended.
"I'm trying to comfort her."
Then he pointed at me again.
"And if you wanted to beat the crap out of that guy, you should've called me."
His grin widened.
"I would've helped."
"Jare."
"Seriously."
He crossed his arms.
"I would've kicked his ass."
Despite everything, a laugh escaped me.
A real one.
The first all day.
Jare immediately looked pleased with himself.
I shook my head.
A small smile tugging at my lips.
"So you're my crazy brother too?"
"Damn right."
A crooked grin spread across his face.
"So stop overthinking."
He pointed at me.
"And stop being scared."
Jare shrugged.
Then his expression softened.
Just a little.
"Because you've got me."
The teasing disappeared from his voice.
For once, he was completely serious.
"No matter what happens."
His gaze held mine.
"No matter what you remember."
"No matter what you find out."
He leaned back in his seat.
"You have me."
My throat tightened.
"And if things get really bad..."
His grin returned.
"I'll be crazy right alongside you."
A laugh escaped me.
Everyone watching him.
"Tss. Drive the car, asshole."
Jare kicked the back of Kiefer's seat.
Hard.
"Hey!" Percy snapped.
"You're damaging an expensive car."
"I'll damage your face too."
"Try it."
For the first time that night, the tension eased.
Just a little.
Even Kiefer didn't react.
Which was strange.
Normally, he would've thrown Jare out of the car.
But this time he just started driving again.
Quiet.
Lost in thought.
Neither Clyden said anything.
As if they understood that some wounds couldn't be fixed with words.
The rest of the drive passed in silence.
When we finally reached home, everyone got out.
The lights were still on.
Mia Waiting for us.
Inside, the house was unusually quiet.
The kind of quiet that only existed after a very long day.
We found Adrian asleep on the couch.
Curled against Cassian's side.
One small hand clutching Cassian's shirt.
Like he was afraid he'd disappear if he let go.
My chest tightened.
Cassian hadn't moved.
Not even an inch.
He was sitting awkwardly just so the boy could sleep comfortably.
As Kiefer turned away, his gaze landed on Cassian.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Kiefer said quietly,
"Thank you."
Cassian blinked.
Surprised.
Because Kiefer wasn't the type to say those words often.
Especially not in front of other people.
"For what?" Cassian asked.
Kiefer looked at the me.
Then back at him.
"For staying."
The room went silent.
Cassian simply nodded.
No words needed.
Then Kiefer walked away.
I watched them for a moment, confused.
I didn't fully understand the exchange.
Didn't understand why those two words seemed to carry so much weight.
Before I could ask, Kiefer appeared beside me.
Without a word, he slipped an arm around my waist.
Careful.
Gentle.
Like I might break.
Then he guided me upstairs.
Straight to our room.
The moment we entered, he sat me on the bed.
And for the first time since the police station...
We were finally alone.
The moment the bedroom door closed behind us, Kiefer stopped.
For a second, neither of us spoke.
The silence felt heavy.
Filled with everything that had happened that day.
Then suddenly, he reached for me.
One hand slid behind my neck.
The other wrapped around my waist.
And before I could say anything, he pulled me against him.
Straight into his chest.
The impact knocked the breath from my lungs.
Not because he was rough.
Because he was desperate.
Like he needed to feel that I was really here.
Really safe.
Really alive.
"Kie—"
before I finish it, he kissed me.
It wasn't a soft kiss.
It wasn't gentle.
It was desperate.
Like he was trying to silence every terrible thought running through my head.
Like he was trying to convince himself that I was really here.
Really safe.
His lips moved against mine with an intensity that stole the breath from my lungs.
I tangled my fingers in his dark hair, pulling him closer.
Needing him just as much.
Needing something to hold on to.
For a moment, the fear disappeared.
The memories disappeared.
The doubts disappeared.
There was only him.
Only us.
When the kiss finally broke, we were both breathless.
Neither of us moving away.
Kiefer rested his forehead against mine.
His hand tightened slightly at my waist.
"Don't think about anything."
His voice was rough.
Quiet.
"Just me."
I closed my eyes.
"I'm here."
Then he pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.
Completely different from the desperation of moments before.
Tender.
Careful.
A promise.
"I'll make everything right."
My chest tightened.
Because for the first time that day, I felt like I didn't have to carry everything alone.
=======================================================================
Jare (POV)
I knocked on Cole Kuya's office door.
"Come in."
Pushing the door open, I stepped inside.
Cole Kuya was sitting behind his desk, reading through a stack of documents.
Angelo Kuya was leaning against the window, a cup of coffee in his hand.
Both of them looked up when I entered.
The moment they saw my expression; their faces grew serious.
"What's wrong?" Cole Kuya asked.
I closed the door behind me.
"I need to talk to you."
Angelo straightened immediately.
"About what?"
I hesitated for a second.
Because I already knew neither of them was going to like what I had to say.
"It's about Kiefer."
The room went silent.
"And Clyden Kuya."