Page 10 of Kael

“Bunny, I want you clear enough to know exactly who you're choosing.”

Then he leaned forward and pressed a slow kiss to my forehead.

“And reckless enough to choose me anyway.”

I sobbed harder, fists weakly hitting his chest. “Why won’t you just let me die? If you’re not going to stop the pain.”

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against him, rocking me slowly like I was something precious and breakable.

“Because you don’t actually want to die. You’re just hurting. I’ve got you though, Bunny. We are going to make it through this.”

I wanted to ask him why he cared so much, but I couldn’t bring myself to. Part of me knew I needed this.

I cried into his shirt. He held me through all of it—never loosening his grip, never raising his voice again, making me feel both safe and completely trapped.

When the worst of the wave passed and I was limp and shaking in his arms, he lifted me back onto the bed and tucked the blanket around me.

He brushed damp hair from my forehead, eyes dark with resolve.

“I’m calling Zia,” he said quietly. “She knows what to do.”

I knew Zia; she didn’t like me, and I couldn’t blame her, but I didn’t have the strength to argue. I just closed my eyes, tears still leaking out as another tremor rolled through my body.

Kael stayed right there, watching over me like a guardian and a jailer all at once. Even through the pain, I kept wondering why he was doing this and what it would cost me.

Chapter 6

Kael

The next two days, Bria was worse than I’d seen her before.

She was deteriorating faster than I’d prepared for. Last night she’d clawed at her own arms until she drew blood, sobbing and begging me for anything that would make the pain stop. I held her through it, rocking her like a child while she cursed my name.

But this morning she was burning with fever, barely conscious between violent bouts of vomiting and tremors. I knew I was reaching the edge of what I could handle alone.

I made the call.

Zia arrived at the estate three hours later, her face already twisted in disgust before she even stepped fully out of the car. Medical bag slung over her shoulder, she looked at me like I was something filthy she’d stepped in.

“You kidnapped a girl, and now you want me to help you keep her prisoner?” she snapped. “Are you fucking insane?”

I didn’t flinch. “She’s in bad shape. Withdrawal. I need to know what to watch for.”

Zia laughed bitterly, shaking her head. “Take her to a hospital like a normal person. Or better yet—let her go and let her make her own decisions. This isn’t how you help someone, Kael.”

I kept my voice even. “You ran an underground clinic for years, patching up the worst criminals in this city. People who couldn’t go to real hospitals because they’d get arrested or killed. You treated murderers, dealers, and gangsters without asking questions. But now you want to lecture me?”

Zia’s eyes flashed with anger. “That was different. Those people came to me willingly. They weren’t chained up in someone’s house against their will.”

I pulled out my phone, dialed Bria’s mother, and put it on speaker between us.

Mrs. Ellis answered quickly. “Kael? Is she okay?”

“She’s struggling,” I said. “But alive. I have a nurse here who’s hesitant because of how she got here. Can you explain the situation to her?”

Zia’s expression shifted as Mrs. Ellis spoke, her voice tired but firm.

“We know she’s there. We agreed to this. We’ve tried everything else—rehab, interventions, locking her out. Nothing worked. If you can help Kael keep her clean… we’re begging you. Please.”