Page 19 of Shattered Dreams

“Is that a risk you’re willing to take?” he asks menacingly.

“No, sir. What should I do?”

“Figure it out!”

“Yes, sir.”

I put my phone back in my pocket and head back to my car. I feel defeated, but I can’t let that last.

I know what I have to do.

eight

KAI

“Stop looking at me like that,”I grumble, taking the seat next to Willa. We landed over an hour ago and are just now getting into the cars taking us to the hotel. Customs is a bitch when you have to bring in the amount of equipment we do.

“Bellamy is my best friend.”

“I’m aware,” I say on a sigh, not liking where this conversation is going and regretting not fighting Mav to get in the other car.

“She was your best friend too, once.”

I can feel her gaze burning a hole in the side of my head, but I don’t look at her. “She was so much more than that,” I whisper.

“Then what the fuck are you doing? It’s not like we all weren’t aware of how you two felt about each other. Probably still feel for each other. You should grovel at her feet!” Willa yells, startling the driver.

I finally turn and look at her. She’s furious, and I don’t blame her. I was the only one who saw Ezra and Belle thatnight. I don’t know if Belle never told Willa because she didn’t get the chance before Ezra disappeared or if the plan all along was to keep their relationship a secret. But whatever the reason, Willa can’t understand where my anger stems from, and I don’t want to explain it to her. It just rips at the barely healed scab on my heart. I do a good enough job ripping that particular wound open by myself, no help needed.

“Why? She just got out of a relationship that could have killed her, Willa. What would you have me do? Come sweeping in as her knight in shining armor?” I ask as anger creeps in, and I want to slam my fist into something.

“Well, yeah,” Willa admits.

“I’m not the hero, Willa. My armor isn’t shiny. It’s dented and rusted, with holes the size of softballs.” I stare down at my hands and push back the emotions bubbling to the surface. “How can I save her when I can’t even save myself?”

“Belle is well on her way to saving herself. I’m not asking you to. I’m not asking you to marry her or fuck her, Kai. She just wants her friend back.”

I turn my head to see Willa’s gaze has softened.

“I think you need her too.” She turns and looks out the window, clearly finished with this conversation.

I watch the rain travel down the window of the car. I don’t know what to do. I’ve felt lost for a while. Even before Ezra. I was going to school, majoring in business, just because I had to choose something. I had no plans for the future because all I wanted was to play music, but it seemed so out of reach.

Now I have my dream, but I don’t have my brother, and Ididn’t get the girl. My family fell apart, and my mother can’t even look at me. Maverick is drowning and the best I can manage is a movie night to help him. For a long time, it felt like we all paid a price to get what we wanted. The price was too high and if I could trade it all to get Ezra back, I would.

But now, even that dream is failing us, and we paid the price for nothing.

I sit on my hotel bed, strumming away absentmindedly on my guitar. It’s the middle of the night here, but because of the time difference, it still feels like late evening to me. My phone vibrates next to me, and I roll my eyes. It’s probably Cal complaining that he’s bored.

Cal

All the bars are closed.

Me

We’re in London. All the pubs are closed.

Cal

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