Chapter 6: The Truth Caroline Hid
The question stayed in the air.
Who was Eli’s father?
I looked at Caroline.
Then at Adrian.
Then back at Eli.
The boy stood frozen beside me.
He didn’t understand.
And somehow that made everything worse.
I had spent my life protecting people.
But in that moment, I realized someone had been protecting me from the truth.
Adrian watched my face.
“You’re angry.””
“Yes.””
“You should be.””
I stepped forward.
“Then tell me.””
Caroline’s voice came from the van.
“No.””
I stopped.
She sounded broken.
Not scared.
Broken.
“Caroline.””
“Bear, please.””
I closed my eyes for a second.
Twelve years.
Twelve years of wondering.
Twelve years of asking why.
And now she was still asking me to wait.
“I deserve the truth.””
“I know.””
“Then give it to me.””
Silence.
Eli looked at his mother.
“Mom?””
Caroline didn’t answer.
Adrian looked away.
For the first time, he seemed uncomfortable.
That told me something.
Whatever this was, even he didn’t enjoy it.
I turned toward him.
“You came here to tell me.””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Daniel made a mistake.””
“What mistake?””
Adrian looked at Eli.
“He thought hiding Caroline would keep the truth buried.””
My eyes narrowed.
“What truth?””
Before Adrian could answer, Caroline spoke.
“Bear.””
Her voice was almost a whisper.
“Eli is not the reason I left.””
I looked toward the van.
“Then why?””
The door opened slightly.
A little more than before.
Still not enough to see her face.
“I found out Daniel was using the club.””
My expression changed.
“What?””
“He wasn’t loyal.””
Nobody moved.
“He wasn’t your brother.””
My hands tightened.
Caroline continued.
“He was building something behind your back.””
“What?””
“A network.””
The word sounded too big.
Too impossible.
“He used our name. Our reputation. Our trust.””
I looked at my riders.
They were listening.
Every single one.
Marcus shook his head slowly.
“That’s impossible.””
Caroline answered:
“I wish it was.””
I looked back at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Her silence was the answer.
Then:
“Because I tried.””
The words came slowly.
“I tried to tell you.””
My chest tightened.
“When?””
“The night I disappeared.””
Everything went quiet.
I remembered that night.
The phone call.
The empty house.
The unanswered messages.
The fear.
“I went to find you,” she said.
My voice dropped.
“And?””
“I never made it.””
I stared.
“What happened?””
Caroline didn’t answer.
Because she didn’t have to.
The pain in her voice told me enough.
Someone stopped her.
Someone made sure she vanished.
A sound came from the road.
The black sedan door closing.
Adrian looked over his shoulder.
His face changed.
“They found us.””
Everyone turned.
“Who?””
Adrian didn’t answer.
He looked at me.
“Bear, you need to get Caroline and Eli out of here.””
I laughed once.
A humorless sound.
“After twelve years, you expect me to run?””
“No.””
He looked serious.
“I expect you to survive.””
The gas station suddenly felt smaller.
The open road felt like a trap.
Caroline pushed the van door open another inch.
“Bear.””
I looked at her.
“Take Eli.””
The words surprised me.
“What?””
“Take my son.””
Eli looked up.
“Mom?””
Caroline’s voice broke.
“Trust him.””
I stared into the darkness of the van.
“You’re coming too.””
A pause.
Then:
“I can’t.””
My heart sank.
“Why?””
She didn’t answer.
Instead, she said something that made every question I had suddenly feel smaller.
“Because the person who took me twelve years ago…”
The van door moved.
Her hand shook.
“…is standing behind you.””
I turned.
Slowly.
The riders followed my gaze.
At the edge of the gas station.
Near the road.
A figure stood beside the rain-dark pavement.
Watching.
Waiting.
And when the sunlight hit his face, I recognized him.
Daniel Cross.
May you like
Alive.
And smiling.
