Page 87 of The Betrayal You Serve

"No. Victor didn't come after me because of you."

"Victor did what?" Mom balks.

"That's not important right now. I'm fine, Dad's fine. What we need to focus on is getting Kane back into school."

"Right. Okay." She blows out a long breath. "Right now, nothing has changed, he's still enrolled and everything is fine."

"I only made the call to Victor yesterday morning. It won't have gone through the system yet."

"Kane," she says, pinning him with a look that will ensure he agrees to whatever comes next. "Please, start from the beginning, I want to know how this exactly played out.”

So he does, he talks about how he first got tangled up with Victor after his parents died, how he felt the need to be able to care for Kyle despite the responsibility falling on their gran. He talks about Kyle going away and the deal he struck up with Victor that would finally end with Victor ensuring he gets his place at MKU, the one he should have had the year before. And then he tells her about everything that's happened since the beginning of the semester, including what happened to me and how I found out the truth about Dad.

Mom listens to all of it, zero judgment on her face. I guess it helps that she grew up in that world.

"Did you really believe that he'd let you walk away, just like that?"

A sad laugh falls from Kane's lips. "No, never. What I didn't anticipate was this…" He reaches over and takes my hand. "Nothing mattered before as long as Kyle was settled. I knew he wouldn't let me go like I promised, but so what, I was getting a shot at my dream. But I want more now."

"And what do you think will happen now that you've told him you’re walking away and that he can take back all the favors he pulled for you?"

"I-I don't know. Best case, he lets me get on with my life, worse case… I don't have a future to worry about."

"It won't come to that," I blurt, although I'm more than aware that I have no control over any of this.

"Only Victor can decide the outcome of that," Mom says. "There have been very few men in the past to get away."

"I've got a few things on my side," Kane admits.

"Alana?"

"Yes, but not just her. There's something else too."

"Enough to make him turn his back on you?"

Kane shrugs. "Victor doesn't think like the rest of us. It's impossible to predict."

As if they knew we needed a little time alone to go through this, Kyle and Harley take their sweet time making the coffee but eventually their knock comes and they walk in with mugs for each of us.

"Anyway," Mom says, turning to her computer. "I was able to get my hands on your application, and I must say that despite all your… pastimes, it's a solid application and I fully understand why you were accepted. There's nothing here, or in your skill on the field that would not make them want you back. But the funding could be an issue. If this corruption is deeper than just Victor having a hand in the finance office somewhere then it could dig up some serious scandal.

"What I'm trying to say is… that even if we figure this out, get your scholarship back, it might not be a quick process."

"That's fine. I'll do whatever I need to do in the meantime to prove my worth."

Mom nods, taking a sip of her coffee. "I guess we just wait and see what tomorrow morning brings."

"I need to talk to Coach."

"You do. You need him on your side right now."

"Thank you, Jada," Kane says sincerely. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you for everything you've done for us." Kane shoots a glance at Kyle who's resting against the wall on the other side of the room.

"Look after this one, keep her safe and treat her right."

"Mom," I complain, my cheeks heating at her words.

"What? I always knew this would happen—"