Keifer's POV:
The sound of the rain against the windshield had become a cruel rhythm — steady, sharp, mocking.
I hadn't even realized how long I'd been sitting there, engine off, Jay's voice still echoing inside my head like a ghost I couldn't exorcise.
Her slap still burned across my cheek.
Her words burned deeper.
"Why are you doing this? Coming near, pretending to protect me, when you're the reason I lost everything?!"
Every word had been a blade, and I hadn't even tried to stop her. I couldn't. Because she was right.
I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles went white, jaw clenched, eyes fixed on the faint reflection of my own face in the glass — someone I barely recognized anymore.
And then my phone buzzed.
One message.
> Half an hour. Meet us at the old pier. It's about Jay… and about Kaizer.
Kaizer.
The name alone hit like a sucker punch.
My father. The man whose shadow had followed me through every decision I'd ever made. The one I swore I'd never become — yet every time I looked at Jay crying because of me, I saw him staring back.
For a second, I thought of ignoring it. But something in that message — the weight of Jay and Kaizer in the same sentence — made my chest tighten.
Cole. Stella. David. Percy. They wouldn't call me unless it was something that mattered.
And Jay…
My hands trembled slightly as I started the car. The tires splashed through puddles as I pulled onto the empty road, the rain falling harder now. Every streetlight flickered through the blur, and all I could think about was her — that terrified look when she shoved me, the way her voice cracked when she said she hated me, and the way she ran like she was trying to escape every part of her that had ever loved me.
" You made me hate the entire Section E, Keifer."
Her words sliced deeper than any wound I'd ever taken. I'd fought enemies, rivals, killers — but never her. And losing her was something I didn't know how to fight.
By the time I reached the pier, the rain had turned into sheets.
I stepped out, hood up, boots splashing in the shallow water. The place was almost deserted — just the crashing of waves and the dull hum of a far-off streetlight.
Then I saw them.
Cole leaning against his car, arms crossed; David with his hands shoved in his pockets; Stella standing close by, eyes hard but tired; Percy beside her, unusually quiet.
For a second, no one spoke. Just the sound of rain between us.
My jaw clenched as I stepped closer to the edge, the water dark and choppy below reflecting the tension in my chest.
I didn't look at them at first. I wasn't about to give them the satisfaction of seeing me shaken. "stop actingrecklessly around her?" Cole asked, my voice tight "Jay… she doesn't matter."
Cole's glare could have cut steel. "Don't even think about lying to us, Keifer. We see right through you. She's the reason you're moving like this—cold, distant, reckless. Stop pretending she doesn't exist in your life."
I stiffened, jaw tight. I wanted to tell them I didn't care. I wanted to tell them she wasn't my weakness. But their voices—fierce, unwavering—hit harder than any truth I'd been hiding from myself.
David stepped closer, hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes burning. "You're scared, aren't you? Scared of the Watsons, of Kaizer using her to control you. We get it. But she's the one in danger because you act like she doesn't matter. Stop pretending she isn't the center of all this chaos."
Stella's voice was quieter, but sharp. "We've seen her breaking, Keifer. Jay's been through hell. Section E, the lies, everything. And now you're risking her again with your silence. She doesn't need protection from us; she needs protection from you pretending she doesn't exist in your life."
I swallowed. My throat was tight. I wanted to argue, to deny it, but their words echoed in my chest like a warning bell. "And if I step back?" I asked, voice hoarse. "IfI stay away? She'll know everything..."
Cole's head shook slowly. "No. We'll make sure she doesn't knows. You don't have to talk. You don't have to expose yourself. Actions speak louder than words. Protect her by being smart, not reckless. And we'll make sure the Watsons never get close enough to touch her."
David's gaze softened, but it carried an edge I couldn't ignore. "You've been hiding everything to keep her safe, but we've got your back. We can shield her, handle any threats, and keep the Watsons contained. You don't have to lie to yourself or her anymore."
Stella took a step closer, her hand brushing my arm briefly. "We know why you've acted cold. But Jay deserves peace. We'll make sure she has it while you deal with the Watsons. You're not alone in this fight anymore."
Percy leaned casually against the railing, but his voice held the same steel. "We'll coordinate. Track movements, monitor threats, handle anything the Watsons throw at her. Jay doesn't need to know the danger. But you have to be smart. Step back when you need to, trust us to handle the rest."
I wanted to argue. I wanted to tell them I didn't need help, that she didn't matter, that I could handle everything on my own. But as I looked at them, I realized something I hadn't allowed myself to admit in months: I was terrified of losing her. Not just to the Watsons, but to the world.
"You… you'd really do that? For her? For me?" I asked, my voice low, barely above the wind whipping off the pier.
Cole's gaze was unwavering. "We're doing it for Jay. She's the priority. But yes—we'll support you. You just need to stay smart."
David stepped closer, eyes hard. "You care for her. We know it. But showing it recklessly will get her hurt. Stay strong, stay calculated, step back when you need to. Let us help you protect her."
I let the wind whip at my face, tried to focus on the horizon. My chest ached, a mix of relief, guilt, and something else I couldn't name. "Alright," I said finally. "I… I'll do it your way. But I won't let anyone hurt her. Not the Watsons, not anyone. And I won't give up on her."
Cole's hand on my shoulder grounded me. "Good. Now go. Keep her safe from a distance. And trust us. We've got your back."
I looked at the dark water, felt the cold pier beneath my boots. The weight of responsibility was crushing, but for the first time, I didn't feel alone. They knew the truth about me, they understood why I'd acted like she didn't matter, and they were willing to help.
The battle ahead would be brutal. But with them, Jay would be safe.
And maybe, just maybe, I could finally breathe without guilt suffocating me...