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Zie nods, understanding in his eyes. “I’m fine, really.” He pauses to cough again, a horrible rasp that does nothing to alleviate my concern. “Just a little burn on my arm and some smoke inhalation.”
When he can’t speak anymore because of the coughing, I jump up to get him a drink, which he sips gratefully.
Kaiden takes over the explanation. “Yeah, and a slight concussion from where he fell and banged his head when he passed out trying to escape. Nothing serious. Thank God,” Kaiden mutters that last bit under his breath, still staring at Zie, but we all heard it nonetheless. “I was worried, mate.”
Zie shakes his head. “You worry too much.”
“Can you blame me?” Kaiden says, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
Zie’s expression softens. “I know, bro. But I’m not going anywhere.”
I watch the two of them with a pang of jealousy. They have such a strong bond, and where I used to be a part of that, I’m not anymore. Too much time, too much betrayal and heartbreak has changed things.
“What happened then?” I ask after a moment of contemplative silence. “And where’s A-axel?” I cringe at the way my voice shakes when I try to say his name but the boys don’t seem to notice.
“Don’t know really,” Zie replies with another shrug that I’m not buying. “I was home alone in the flat, went to bed, woke up a few hours later coughing. The room was full of smoke. Burnt my hand opening the door like an idiot. The detectors didn’t go off at all.”
“Paramedics found him near the front door. Stupid idiot pulled the side table down on top of himself when he collapsed. And because it was on fire at the time, he burnt his arm pretty badly too,” Kaiden explains, nodding at the bandage.
“But…why was there a fire in the first place?” I frown. “Did an appliance malfunction or something?”
Kaiden snorts. “Do you really think Axel Abbot would allow faulty appliances in his home? Or smoke detectors too for that matter.”
“So what aren’t you saying?” I demand because I know Kaiden’s right and I know what he’s not saying but Ineedsomeone to say it out loud.
“We were targeted. It was an attack.”
“Arson?” The words out of my lips are barely audible but Kaiden nods. I gasp, and he gives me a sympathetic look.
Kaiden’s words echo in my mind as I try to process everything. An attack? Who would do something like this? And why? My mind races with questions that I don’t have the answers to.
I turn to Kaiden, my eyes pleading for him to tell me more. “Do you have any idea who could have done this?” I ask, my voice shaking with fear and anger.
Kaiden’s jaw tightens as he looks back at me. “I have a few ideas,” he says, menacingly. “But for now, we need to focus on rebuilding. We can’t let them win. It’s par for the course, babygirl. This is the world we live in. We get hit, we fight back harder and deadlier.”
“So you’re at war?”
“Always.”
“Where’s Axel?” I ask again, scared to hear the answer.
“He’s hitting back.”
“Harder and deadlier?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” I mean it. There’s an anger inside of me that’s simmering away, burning hotter than before. “Can I speak to Zie? Alone, please?”
Kaiden shoots me a sad look but nods and gets to his feet. “Don’t take too long, okay? He needs to rest. And I suspect you do too.”
“Fine.” I wait for Kaiden to leave the room before turning back to Zie. “Are you okay, really?”
“Yeah, I really am. I’ve missed you.” Zie grimaces. “The others wouldn’t tell me where you were.”
“I didn’t mean to run from you,” I confess, reaching across the bed for his good hand.
Zie hesitates and then asks, “Can I have a cuddle?”
