𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 ━━ SARAH CAMERON

34

BLAKE WAS WHERE Kaden drew the line.

He could tolerate and deal with Ward sending his men at him, but not at Blake— not at a defenseless thirteen years old. He wasn't sure that Ward had been the one to do it, but it was an easy guess.

As he leaned against the wall, blood soaked his shirt from the cuts he received earlier. He couldn't care less about them although the pain was there. That, and the need to stay and find out about Blake's condition were the only things keeping him there.

He wanted to look for Ward and slit his throat even though he held no proof. Why did evidence matter anyway? The man was already responsible for many things that went wrong in his life.

Yet Ward's daughter was here, in the hospital with him as he waited for the doctors to come out and tell him that Blake was fine— because he'd hear no other. Doubts began forming in his mind.

Maybe Sarah was just playing him. Or perhaps her father requested her to fuck with him emotionally as well. Ward treated Sarah like she was his world, and she looked at him like he indeed was. What if they were working together to bring him down? What if all of this was just a big plan? A game? He knew he was overthinking, but he couldn't help it.

"You should get those treated," Sarah's voice snapped him back from his thoughts. He merely spared her a glance, then pursed his lips and chose not to talk. The blonde sighed, "they'll get infected. You probably have shards of glasses in there."

"Why did you come?" He asked instead, dismissing her words. "I thought Rafe had a party going on."

"Topper was there," she shrugged, "didn't feel like seeing him or talking to him."

"So you broke up then?" He tried to not sound relief, but he couldn't help himself. Topper was a dick and Kaden started to wonder that maybe he was the one responsible for the fire. Sighing, he lowered his head, his hands gripping his hair while he waited.

"Yep," her eyes traveled along his face down his neck and then his arms. His shirt was ripped at some places and she could see pieces of glass in his skin. She winced, "you really should deal with that. You're in a hospital, it'll be done quickly."

"I'm fine," he muttered. It had been over an hour since they got here. There was still no news of Blake.

At the sound of several footsteps rushing in his direction, Kaden looked up. Standing there were Kiara, John B, JJ and Pope. They all held the same expressions on their faces; worry, fear and shock.

"Bro," JJ let out a low whistle, "you're house's fucking gone."

"Shut up," Kiara nudged him harshly with her elbow, her eyes falling on Sarah who pursed her lips, her eyes fixed on her own hands in her lap. Kiara ignored her presence and sat down on Kaden's other side. "You okay?"

"Fucking splendid." His voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Do we know what caused the fire yet?" John B asked earning a shake of head from him. He didn't say anything more. JJ looked at Wheezie who was sitting on a bench alone, staring at the ground. She seemed to be lost in thoughts. "Shit, Blake managed to pull the girl?"

"Huh?" Pope shot his friend a confused look. JJ only grinned, "remember he told us he was crushing on Wheezie big time?" He made sure not to let the girl hear although he knew he could scream and she still wouldn't hear him since her mind was preoccupied. "And remember when John B told him them being a thing was impossible?"

"How do you know she's into him?" John B asked to which JJ replied, "well she did come with him to the hospital and she is waiting for him, and on top of that, she looks like a widow. Look at her."

Sarah rolled her eyes at them while Kaden shoot them a look of disbelief. "Are you seriously talking about this shit now?"

"Is there something else you'd like to talk about while we pass the time?" JJ asked back, raising his brows.

"Yeah," Kaden ignored Kiara's hand which was now on his arm. She was being weird but he couldn't care less about that now. "I know someone started that fire. It was intentional. I have to find out who."

"You don't know that," Sarah spoke, "maybe Blake had an acciden—"

"— Nope, K's right." JJ cut her off. "I investigated the scenes before coming. I needed some answers," he began dramatically, "and, uh, I came to the conclusion that—"

"I saw two gallons of empty alcohol behind a tree," Pope interjected, pointing to himself. "JJ, here, thought it was a natural fire. God knows how he came to that conclusion, I chose not to question it for my own sanity."

"Who would want to set your house on fire?" Sarah questioned making Kaden look at her. "I can take a few guesses," he replied, "whoever did that must've known that Blake was inside. So that motherfucker wanted to hurt him."

"Because hurting him means hurting you," JJ snaps a finger in his direction as if he'd solved the biggest mystery of all time. "Someone wants you to get hurt so they went for Blake instead. Do you have any idea who?"

"I bet he does," John B spoke, his eyes furrowing at Kaden, "you're hiding so many things." He chuckled, "It won't m surprise me if you tell me that you're in the mafia or something."

"I'm not," Kaden rolled his eyes, "now, sit down and shut up." Before John B could come up with a retort, the door to the room flew open and the doctor walked in.

Kaden immediately stood up as the doctor looked at the group in front of him. "The boy is fine," he announced, "although he might have to stay here for a few more days. But he is out of danger, and you can go visit him— but only two person per time please. The last thing we want is for him to feel suffocated again." Kaden ignored the doctor's last words and brushed past him to get in the room.