Page 62

Xander

When Lucas and I get home, there’s a familiar car in the driveway. My first reaction is to panic. If Doc is here, then Haven must be in worse shape than Colton implied on the phone. But Lucas reaches over the console and squeezes my thigh.

“She said she’s fine, and Colt didn’t say otherwise. You know how protective he is. He just wants to double-check.” He pulls into the garage and puts the car in park. “Now let’s get inside. I want to see her.”

“Thank you for driving,” I mumble as we undo our seatbelts.

“You don’t have to keep saying that.”

“Well, I feel bad.”

“You’d do it for me.”

Leaning over, Lucas kisses me, a gentle reminder that he’s always had my back and always will. I think we’re all going to need that reminder after the week we’ve had.

We head inside hand-in-hand. The first floor is quiet, so we move upstairs and quickly find Colton’s door wide open. Inside, Haven is sitting on the edge of his bed in a T-shirt and shorts, one hand stroking Star’s back. Doc is in front of her, shining a light in her eyes, while Colton hovers close by.

When we step into the room, Colt gives Haven’s hand a squeeze and then meets us halfway to his bed.

“How’s your family?” Colton asks quietly.

“Rachel is already showing signs of perking up,” I reply. “Dad… he’ll pull through. It’ll just take a while. Thank you for covering everything. It—”

“There’s nothing to thank me for. You know that. How are you both holding up?”

“All right. Worried about… everyone.”

Nodding, Colton turns to Lucas. “And you?”

“I’ll be fine once I’ve seen Haven.” At our disbelieving looks, Lucas rolls his eyes. “All right, I’ll be fine once I’ve seen Haven and I’ve gotten some sleep.”

At that, Colton steps out of the way. I don’t want to crowd Doc, and Lucas has been anxious to get back to Haven since the attack. It kills me a little to do so, but I stay back while he sits next to her on the bed.

Doc straightens. “Yeah, you definitely have a mild concussion. Your other injuries are fairly minor as well. Some bruising, but nothing is broken.”

“But I was fine right after,” Haven mumbles, blinking slowly. “I didn’t think… didn’t…”

“Concussion symptoms can take a while to surface, and you also had adrenaline pumping through your system.” Doc steps back. “You should heal up just fine. A good night’s rest will help more than you think. A concussion as mild as yours, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re mostly back to normal by the end of the week. Don’t baby yourself too much, but take it easier than normal.”

She nods. “Thank you.”

As soon as Doc steps away, Lucas pulls Haven into his lap. He murmurs something to her, and she burrows her face into his neck while clutching at his jacket.

“Can I speak with you privately?” Doc asks Colton in a hushed voice.

“Of course.”

Lucas stays with Haven, but I follow Colton outside into the hallway. Both him and Doc glance my way, but neither of them tell me to leave. Even if they tried, I wouldn’t budge. We’re in this together, and just like I did earlier, Colton needs the reminder that he’s not alone.

While he zips up his medical bag, Doc shakes his head wearily. His gaze is heavy as it settles on Colton. “I’m putting the pieces together in the only way I know how, and the picture isn’t looking particularly pretty.”

“I know.” Colton rubs at his face. Now that he’s not in front of Haven, he’s letting his exhaustion show through. He looks like he’s about to collapse.

“This is too far, even for Mark.”

“I know,” Colton says again.

“Is this going to turn into something bigger?”

Colton doesn’t answer, which, for the Doc, seems to be an answer enough.

“You’re young, son. Too young to lead the Rooks, if you ask me, although it’s not really my decision. But… you need to be careful, or you’ll have a full-blown war on your hands.”

That brings some of the fire back into Colt’s eyes. “I’m not letting that happen.”

“Can I trust that you have a plan to ensure that?”

“Yes.” Colton’s answer is simple yet firm.

Nodding, Doc steps back. “Then I wish you both a good night. Stay safe.”

“You as well.”

We watch as he heads down the hallway to the stairs. Once he’s out of sight, Colton blows out a long, tired breath.

I’d ask what that was about, but Luc and I got the notification that Colton is in charge of the Rooks until further notice.

“How’s everyone taking it?” I ask.

“So far, so good, but we’ll see how it goes when Mark gets his phone back in the morning. Cops are keeping him overnight.”

I let out a low whistle. “Damn, Colt. He’s gonna be pissed.”

“I don’t fucking care,” he snaps, and then immediately winces. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just… He tried to kill your family, and then he did the same to Haven, and then I… I…”

“You what?”

“I hurt her, Xander.”

Sagging against the wall, Colton lets his posture slump, and I’m surprised he doesn’t slide down until his ass hits the floor. He looks bad. Really bad. Messed-up hair, bags under his eyes, a bruise on his cheek—nothing like the Colton Heverly I’m used to seeing.

I knew he was holding it together for Haven, but I didn’t realize it was to this level.

My brows furrow. “What did you do?”

“After Mark attacked her, things got… heated between Haven and I. I fucked her, and I went too hard. Too long. She was acting fine, and I didn’t realize how much he’d hurt her. At that point, I don’t think she realized. You heard what Doc said.”

“Yeah, I did. Something about minor injuries and being fine within a week.”

“But I—”

“Dude, stop. Maybe you aggravated her injuries, maybe you didn’t. No one could expect clear thinking from either of you, not after what you’d both just been through.”

“I didn’t go through anything,” he says through gritted teeth. “I should’ve—”

“You had to fight your own father off so he didn’t kill your wife. At the very least, it’s not nothing.”

“It is compared to what she went through. I should’ve been using my fucking head. I should’ve been more careful, and not just with today. Marrying Haven was a reckless move against Mark, and now she’s hurt, and your family… I should’ve—”

“Colt! Snap out of it.”

He blinks, staring at me with shock. It’s rare that I use such a harsh tone with anyone, but right now, he needs it. Guilt isn’t usually his thing, but that’s changed since Haven has come into the picture. Right now, though, it’s doing nothing but destroying him.

“This isn’t what Haven needs, or the Rooks, or you. Drowning in guilt is only a distraction, and right now, you can’t afford that. You feel bad? Then fucking make up for it, and don’t let it happen again.”

On instinct, Colton opens his mouth to protest, but then he drops his head. When I step up to him and pull him into a hug, he leans into me. I can feel the toll today has taken on his body, and I wish he wouldn’t be so damn hard on himself.

To outsiders, Colton appears heartless and cold. Only those closest to him actually see who he really is underneath the hard shell he was forced to build around himself. Only we see him at his most vulnerable.

“We’ll keep her safe,” I say, squeezing him tightly. “We’ll keep her safe, and we’ll deal with Mark. It’ll all work out.”

“He’s been getting more ruthless,” Colton mumbles into my shoulder. “But I… it still feels wrong that he’d do that. That he’d do… any of this.”

“I know.”

“I miss him,” he whispers. “Who he used to be. What he used to stand for. What… what we could’ve had.”

“I’m sorry, Colt. I… I’m so sorry.”

He sobs, and it shakes me to my core. I’ve seen Colton cry maybe once or twice, but never like this—like he’s hit his rock bottom and doesn’t know where to go from here.

“Xan,” he chokes out.

“I’ve got you,” I murmur. Ever since we met him, Colton has always done everything he could to help me and Lucas out. He deserves the same support from us, in whatever shape that takes. “We’ve all got you.”