Page 116 of Boulder's Weight

We finish up our meeting in church, and I head upstairs to see what Kelsey’s gotten herself into.

Back in our room, I find her sketching again, perched cross-legged on the bed.

I think it’s almost becoming like therapy to her.

The sight of her—focused, a small crease between her brows as she concentrates—hits me hard.

I want to keep her like this, protected and content.

The thought of Benji getting anywhere near her makes my blood run cold.

She looks up as I enter, a smile spreading across her face. "Hey, you. How was the meeting?"

"Good," I say, closing the door behind me. "Your brother came through with solid intel."

Her smile widens with pride. "Sam's always been observant. Even as a kid, he noticedeverything."

I cross to the bed, sitting beside her. "That why you two were so close? Similar personalities?"

She’s quiet for a moment, placing her sketchbook aside. "Maybe partly. But mostly it was because we were both... different. Benji and Craig took after our father—ambitious, ruthless when necessary. Sam and I were more like our mom. She was gentle, creative."

"You've never really talked about her before."

A shadow crosses Kelsey's face. "It's hard to. She was the center of our family, the one who kept us all human. After she died from cancer... everything fell apart."

I take her hand, tracing the delicate bones with my thumb. "Is that when things got bad with your dad?"

She nods, pain evident in her eyes. "He'd always been harsh, demanding. But Mom balanced it out, softened his edges. Once she was gone, there was nothing holding him back." She pauses, swallowing hard. "That's when the 'business' really expanded."

"You did the right thing," I tell her, bringing her hand to my lips. "Turning him in. Most people wouldn't have had the courage."

She looks away, her voice barely audible. "Sometimes I wonder if I did enough. If I should have noticed sooner, stopped it earlier."

"Hey," I say firmly, turning her face back to me. "None of that shit is on you. Your father made his choices. Benji and Craig made theirs. You did what you could when you saw the truth."

"Maybe," she says, not entirely convinced. "But Sam paid the price too. You saw what Benji did to him."

"And now Sam's safe," I remind her. "You both are."

She searches my face, those whiskey-brown eyes seeing too much. "You're hiding something. What aren't you telling me?"

Fuck. I should know by now I can't keep secrets from her. She reads me too easily.

"Craig called," I admit. "Wants to meet."

Her body tenses instantly. "When?"

"About thirty minutes from now."

"It's a trap," she says immediately, panic flaring in her eyes. "Boulder, you can't go. I don’t like it. Benji's using him to get to me through you."

"Maybe," I acknowledge. "Or maybe Craig's had enough of Benji's shit. Either way, I'm going with backup. Razor and Brick will be watching the whole time."

She shakes her head, gripping my arms. "Please don't do this. Not for me."

"It's not just for you," I explain, though that would be reason enough. "If Craig's telling the truth, we could get inside information on Benji's operation. On his connection to Sally. This affects the whole club now, remember?"

She stands, pacing the our room. "At least take me with you."

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