Right Back to You

31. Ride or Die

Kyle couldn't focus on anything past the buzzing in his ears and the constant threat of darkness overtaking him.

How had it come to this? And how could he be so stupid, letting it come this far?

Now what? Now what now what now what?

What was he supposed to do when he'd left himself back there with Kay? His ghost holding her, comforting her, helping her get over what he'd done.

There's no other option.

He already almost got her killed once. There was no way he was letting that almost turn into reality. So he'd do what had to be done. Find Jessie and then tried to figure out this messed up life he'd been brought into.

Were Sam and Jerry safe? His parents... But Max mentioned that his parents were the cause for all this. He needed to get his brothers the fuck away from them.

Jessie... Why Jessie? Why not Jimmy?

"Kyle."

Tom and Jimmy appeared by his side and he realized he had no idea where he was. He needed to tune back in to his surroundings. He couldn't afford to be so out of it. But he was still out there with Kay, watching her beautiful eyes filling with tears because of him.

No! There wasn't any other choice. Not at the moment at least.

"Where's Kay?" Jimmy asked.

It felt like someone had plunged a knife into Kyle's chest. "She should go home. Or to Angie's. Or somewhere she'd be safe."

"I'm not sure her house is safe," Jimmy pointed out. "She barely escaped from there."

"What did you do?" Tom asked, his voice wary.

Kyle turned his attention to him and realized he'd eneded up inside the hotel again. The three of them were in the hallway. Tom's question made no sense.

"Didn't you?" he asked with a frown.

Tom clenched his fists and looked away. "Angie said I was a moron, that we couldn't know and that you made a fairly good point about our family history not being the reason for this. Maybe it's the simple solution."

"I don't think we should be discussing this in the hallway," Jimmy mumbled, pulling out the keycard and opening the door right in front of them.

Kyle followed them, trying to jog himself back into someone at least half-useful. Tom's words were confusing and they hurt.

"You can't leave Kay out there on her own," Jimmy said the moment the three of them were in. "No matter who got Jessie, they could still be out there."

"They'll leave her alone as long as none of us are around," Kyle mumbled. He'd counted on it the moment he'd walked away.

Why would anyone want to grab her anyway? On some level, the lie of his and Jessie's engagement had kept Kay safe. Until Jessie spilled the beans and the lie didn't work anymore. Thank God they hadn't appeared in public as a couple.

"You really think this is about us?" Tom asked, his eyebrows raised over the line of his sunglasses. "You said you didn't."

"It wouldn't make sense any other way." And it killed him. "Why else would they go after her?"

"It still doesn't make sense," Jimmy pointed out. "Because you said it yourself. Why wouldn't they go after me then?"

"What if they were morons?" Kyle whispered. He hated this theory, but it was the only one which made sense. "What if they didn't know who you are?"