Playing it Out, page 22
Which was why I needed to leave.
“Declan,” Reece spoke softly causing my brother’s attention shift to her, his blue eyes burning. “Kenzie is a big girl. She’s going to be fifteen minutes away. If it doesn't work out, she can always move back home.” Thankful for her intervention I held my breath and waited for my brother’s reaction.
“What if something happens?” Declan complained, ignoring my eye roll and frustrated huff. He had been my protector my whole life. Sometimes I wondered if he would ever give himself a break from worrying about me when I was more than capable of worrying about myself.
“Jared lives right down the street. Lane and Jon are five minutes from there. Hell, Emma is even closer than that. We have family all over this town. Kenzie will be fine, Declan.” I could see my brother was relenting as Reece reached out to grasp Declan’s hand, her knuckles whitening as she gripped it hard. “This is happening and you need to support her.”
Declan held his fiancé's gaze briefly before finally looking back at me. He nodded once before standing and walking out the front door, letting it slam shut behind him. Startling slightly from the noise, I watched his retreating back as he headed towards the stables.
“He’ll be fine,” Reece said, her eyes following his every move. “Although I don't really think you’re fooling him as to why you want to leave the ranch.”
Rubbing my temples, I tried to take a deep breath to ward off the headache that was setting in. I hated being at odds with my brother since we so rarely were. He had given up so much for me, had taken care of me from the moment I was born. I hated to do anything to make him unhappy, but I hadn't been lying when I told him moving away was something I needed to do.
“Yeah, I don’t think so either,” I answered her sadly. Wrapping her arm around my shoulder, Reece tugged me to her side and hugged me tight. I leaned into her embrace glad I had asked her to be there when I told Declan the news.
“You’re doing the right thing, Kenzie. You’re looking out for yourself for once. Declan is going to come around.” She said the last part with a determination that made me think if my brother didn't come around soon his fiancé was going to make him. I laughed a little thinking about my brother getting railroaded by his hormonal pregnant fiancé. “When are you going to tell everyone else?”
Thinking about telling the rest of the family made my head start to throb. “I have no idea,” I let my heavy head fall onto her shoulder. “Maybe at dinner tomorrow night if I don’t chicken out. I’m going to have to tell them soon, otherwise I’m going to have to move all of my stuff by myself.”
“I’m sure we can rustle up a few recruits,” Reece assured me with a small chuckle, her hand rubbing soothing circles along my back. “If not you, me, and Lane will just have to remember to lift with our legs and not our backs.”
“Have I mentioned how lucky my brother is to have snatched you up?
“Once or twice, but I’m sure he could always stand hearing it again.”
“Do you think he’s going to be mad at me long?” I bit the inside of my cheek looking out the door again only to find that Declan had disappeared from view.
Letting the smile fall from her face, Reece cupped my face in her hands. “Kenzie, he’s not mad at you. He’s worried. We both are. You’ve been off recently and he wants to keep you close. Just give him time. You’re doing the right thing.”
Nodding I closed my eyes as my head fell back against the couch. “That’s what I keep telling myself.” If I didn’t I wasn't sure I was going to be able to go through with my plan.
If I ever wanted to get over Jason Craw, I had to go through with the plan.
Jace
Waking up early was getting easier since I had stopped going out and drinking so much. Ever since Adrenaline had wrapped up our last tour, the guys and I had been taking it relatively easy as far as partying went. Hell, since Declan had met Reece he’d become so domesticated it was rare to see him without his girl somewhere nearby. Not that I minded. Reece fit right in with our family.
As I walked out onto my front porch I saw that Declan’s car was parked at the main house. He and Reece were probably inside visiting with my Aunt Lorraine while they looked over the progress the builders were making on their house about a half mile west on the property. Just as I started to walk over, I saw my friend storm out letting the door swing shut behind him. The sound of it carried across the lawn as Declan stomped towards the stables.
Scratching my head, I wondered what had gotten into him when he spotted me from the corner of his eye. Although we were a few hundred feet away from one another, I could see his muscles tense, could practically feel his blue eyes boring into me. He took a step in my direction before seeming to think better of it, turning on his heel and heading towards the stables.
“Huh,” I heard Lucas say as he walked onto my porch to stand beside me. He watched Declan throw the barn door open before looking over at me with wide eyes. “What the fuck did you do?”
“I have no idea,” I answered truthfully, trying to think of something I might have done to offend the guy in the past few days. “I guess I better go find out.” I started down the stairs with Lucas close behind me. I saw him pull out his phone from the corner of my eye and cocked a brow in question.
Meeting my gaze, Lucas shrugged once before sliding his phone into his back pocket. “Wyatt and I have a deal that if there’s ever a chance of a fight, we’ll give each other a heads up.”
Stopping in my tracks, I turned to face my cousin. “Why do you think there’s going to be a fight?”
Lucas kept walking towards the barn never slowing his pace as Wyatt came bounding into view, still pulling on the shirt he no doubt grabbed on his way out the front door.
“What have we got this morning?” Lucas’ twin asked running a hand through his hair. The bastard looked almost giddy.
“Declan just stomped out of the house looking murderous and our cousin was at the receiving end of that look,” Lucas informed him as we all continued to head towards to stables.
“What the fuck did you do?” Wyatt asked looking at me wide eyed.
I glared at him. “Who says I did anything?”
“We’re about to find out,” Lucas said conversationally as we reached the barn.
If Declan heard us come in he gave no sign of it. He continued to muck out the stalls, his face set in stone.
Leaning against the wall, Wyatt crossed his feet at his ankles with a mischievous grin while he waited to see what was going to happen next. “Good morning, sunshine” he chimed in a voice that was intended to annoy.
Declan wiped a hand over his eyes and glared in Wyatt’s direction briefly before going back to his task. Frowning in concern, Lucas hit his twin's shoulder hard enough to make him wince.
“What’s going on, Declan?” Lucas asked in a soothing voice, one he used with scared ranch animals or his son Simon when there was a particularly bad storm. “Is everything alright with Reece?” About a month ago Declan had found out Reece was pregnant and had completely freaked out, almost losing her as a result. Lucky for him, Reece was the forgiving kind.
“Reece is good,” Declan grunted his answer, tossing the shovel aside. “She’s inside with Little One now.” When he said his sister’s nickname his gaze swung back to me. His face took on a hostile quality that made me flinch.
“Is it your mom?” Lucas hedged hesitantly. We all knew Declan and Kenzie’s mom was a sore subject, especially after she had just conned Declan out of thousands of dollars faking a terminal illness. Although the Kane’s hadn't really seemed bothered by it after Kenzie had confronted their mother, giving her a much deserved fist to the face.
“Nope,” he answered, making my heart leap to my throat. If there was nothing wrong with Reece or his mother, there was only one other person who was capable of getting Declan this worked up.
“Well, then what?” Wyatt was exasperated. “The suspense is killing us.”
“It’s Kenzie, isn't it?” My voice came out harsher than I had intended as all eyes turned on me.
“What about Little One?” Wyatt’s tone lost all trace of humor. “She’s okay, right?”
“She’s fine,” Declan bit out through gritted teeth, shooting me a look.
I wondered if Kenzie had finally broken down and told her brother about what had happened that night over a year ago, but some part of me deep down knew she would never do that. She loved her brother too much to make him hate his bandmate for being a complete dick. “When Reece and I move onto the property next week, Kenzie will be moving off of the farm and into Reece’s house in town.”
“Since when?” Lucas growled giving me the same look that Declan was. I turned to see that Wyatt had the same angry expression on his face. “Why would she move into town when we’re all here?”
“She said she needs space,” he laughed bitterly. “Remember the first day we came here, I couldn't get her unglued from my side and now she wants to move away from us. What’s worse is she is lying to me about why.”
“Why do you think she’s lying to you?” Lucas wondered glancing towards the house as if he could see Kenzie through the walls.
“I don’t think, I know,” Declan corrected beginning to pace. “I’ve always known when she’s lying to me.” He looked at me again as he said the last part making my gut clench with guilt. Kenzie had been lying to her brother to protect me for quite some time now.
After a moment of tense silence, Wyatt cleared his throat. “Maybe we can change her mind? I’ll sit on her if I have to. This is our home, Kenzie belongs here with us.” I started nodding in agreement before Wyatt had finished speaking. There was no way Kenzie could leave the farm. I wouldn't allow it.
“It’s no use. She’s already gotten to Mrs. Cooper and Reece.” Sighing with weariness, Declan closed his eyes briefly before shaking his head and walking out of the stables back towards the house. “It’s a done deal.”
Not if I had anything to say about it.
Morgan, Leona, Playing it Out
