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FORTY-FOUR

willa

Declan has been quiet most of the drive home. I know he’s giving me space to think, but I’m already feeling guilty for yelling at Adira and being less than engaging at dinner with his parents.

“I’m sorry,” I say eventually.

Declan glances at me before turning his attention back to the road. “Do you believe what you said to Adira?”

“I think I do. I just blurted it out in the moment, but I’ve been thinking about it more, and it makes sense.”

“You probably always had that thought in the back of your head, but didn’t want to even consider it being true,” Dec says, reaching over and placing his hand on my thigh.

I watch the street lights fly by my window. “What if she does know something? What if she knew how to help Ezra this whole time?”

Declan squeezes my thigh. “She said something to me after you left that makes me think otherwise. I could be wrong, though. I don’t know her.”

I turn in my seat so I’m facing him. “What did she say?”

“That a mother would do anything to protect her children.”

I snort.

“What if she’s trying to keep Kai away to protect him?”

I stare at the side of Declan’s face. He keeps his eyes on the road, but shrugs, knowing my eyes are on him.

I know my mouth is hanging open, but it feels like my mind just went blank. What if he’s right? What does she know?

“I don’t think it’s worth mentioning to Kai. At least not right now. If she really is protecting him, maybe we let her.”

I nod and lean back in my seat, trying to wrap my brain around the idea that everyone in Kai’s family abandoned him to either protect him or protect Ezra.

“She better have a really good fucking reason once we get Ezra back,” I mutter.

Declan stays quiet for the rest of the drive home, just the occasional thigh squeeze to let me know he’s still there with me. Part of me wants to immediately run to Harlow and ask what she thinks. Or make Dec turn the car around and go confront Adira.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize it wouldn’t matter. If Adira really is protecting Kai, and I hope more than anything that she is and hasn’t actually turned into a horrible person, then I need to let her. She won’t tell us what she knows if she thinks she’s saving him.

Just another layer added to this case. I can’t help feeling like the whole thing is about to come toppling down.