Page 57 of Burn It Down

I want to reassure him that his uncle is okay, but I’m not sure it’s my place. I want to comfort Kade, but I don’t really know what to say. I reach for his hand carefully, giving him plenty of time to pull away in case he doesn’t want his son to see.

But he instantly curls his fingers between mine and grips it hard, holding our joined hands over his thigh but not looking at me.

“He’s going to be okay,” I say softly and notice Elijah is looking at me in the rearview mirror, so I repeat it. If it’s wrong—then I’ll deal with that, but I need to say something. “He’s going to be okay. Bowen is strong.”

“He could die though,” Elijah says, his voice sounding so young and frail. Six is far too young to deal with these things.

“I don’t think he will. I think he’s too stubborn for that,” I say, and that actually pulls a little smile from Elijah.

“He is stubborn. Dad says he was always in trouble growing up because he never listened to anyone. Not even Aunt Tori, and she’s bossy.”

Kade snickers and looks back at Elijah. “Don’t tell her that.” Elijah chuckles lightly, but it seems to wake Kade up a little. He releases my hand gently but leaves it on his thigh and reaches his hand back to pat Elijah on the leg. “Uncle Bowen is fine. Spencer’s right. He’s way too stubborn to die.”

I’m relieved when I see Elijah nodding his head in agreement. Kade brings his hand back to mine and then entangles our fingers again for the rest of the drive to the hospital.

I can’t believe Elijah didn’t question why I was still there this morning, but I’m assuming he’s in shock. I don’t know how Kade wants to play this when he does ask, but I’ll follow his lead, and I hope he knows that.

We walk into the hospital, Elijah holding onto Kade for dear life. And when we get up to the room Bowen is in, I immediately see an older woman I just know is Bowen and Kade’s mother.

I haven’t seen her for a long time, but she’s a very pretty woman with dark hair only starting to gray at the roots. Her eyes zone-in instantly on Kade and then fall to Elijah—but she holds back. I can see Bowen on the bed, his eyes closed and tubes everywhere.

Will looks wrecked—completely distraught when he sees us. He goes to Kade, and they embrace, hugging hard. “I should have stopped him.”

“Stopped him from what?” Kade asks as he releases him. “Doing his job?”

Will shakes his head, still wearing his gear from the fire. He’s dirty, his hair matted with soot and sweat. “Stubborn asshole. I told him to wait for Briggs to get the ladder, but he climbed up instead. The wood was so fucking rotted.” Will looks over at Elijah, who’s crept closer to me and grabbed my hand. “Sorry.”

Kade doesn’t even acknowledge it, I’m sure more worried about Will and Bowen than Elijah hearing a couple of curse words. “Where was the fire?”

“An old barn outside of town. Some teenagers thought it would be a good idea to start a fire in the barrel up in the loft. Whole thing caught on fire, and one of them was trapped. Bowen didn’t want to wait to go after him.”

Kade doesn’t look surprised at all by that. “It’s probably what I’d have done.”

Will laughs humorlessly at that. “I know.”

“You would have too.”

He smirks. “I know. I’m pissed he beat me to it.”

They both have a quick laugh, but neither looks relieved. Their eyes drift over to Bowen, who’s lying still in the bed.

Kade’s eyes go to mine—a silent vulnerability there—but he seems to have needed to know I was still there, by his side.

And in that moment, I know I absolutely made the right call to come here with him.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

I can’t believe he’s here with me. I wanted to beg him this morning to come with me, but I didn’t allow myself to do it. I was afraid he’d say no. But he took the choice away from me, and he’s here.

He’s right where I need him.

And then... he was there for Elijah. I was frozen in fear—not only for my brother, though I was terrified for him—but for my son. It hits way too close to home, but I didn’t know what to say or do.

I think about Angelica, and how she didn’t know what to say, and I thought maybe I’d mess it up even more. I knew if I’d asked Spencer to stay with Elijah, he would have, but I couldn’t shake the thought of him not being able to see for himself that Bowen was okay. Will had assured me that the doctors were certain he would wake soon—even if Will was shaken up and clearly terrified. I felt like Elijah needed to see it for himself, but I couldn’t help but worry that I was messing it all up. I’ve failed that kid so many damn times already. But Spencer—he knew exactly what to say. He made us both feel a little better, and the ride wasn’t pure torture because of him.

“You got the kid?” I ask Will.

“Briggs did. I was busy grabbing your idiot brother.” He’s trying to make light of it, but I see how haunted he looks. “He wouldn’t open his eyes. He didn’t move. I...”

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