A Fostered Love

Chapter Eleven: Kyle

I can't believe I didn't see it before.

The discomfort around him.

The silence.

I hate that I was so blind to all of that.

I was supposed to be protecting her, but instead I was only putting her in more danger.

We enter the station in silence, my hand never leaves hers. I need to keep her close, especially when Warner is around. I can't let him get anywhere near her. Not again.

As the Detective walks over to us, everything around me melts into nothing. It's just me, him, and all of my thoughts on how I could kill him without getting blamed for it. Layla tightens her grip on my hand, pulling me out of my sudden rage.

"Not here." She whispers gently and I take a deep breath. I'd come up with a way for him to pay sooner or later.

"Well, you two are free to go. Just make sure to report back here tomorrow evening for our plan of attack."

"Plan of attack?" I ask.

"We already have our suspect. From what Layla told us we just put the description in our database and found him."

Layla gives my hand a light squeeze again, telling me to calm down. I didn't realize that I had tensed up again, but it was probably around the time that he told us about the description.

"Oh you did now?" I say trying to sound oblivious to the lie. A little sarcasm creeps into my voice and he gives me an apprehensive look.

"Yes. Our attack plan occurs tomorrow so report here around six pm, got it?"

Layla and I both nod and Warner walks away without another word.

"What's the plan?" I ask her, wondering if he had told her anything during their encounter.

"I have no idea." She says and glances back over towards Warner who is looking at files. "But I have a feeling it's not going to end well." The timid look on her face broke my heart. I need to take her mind off things.

"Layla, we should leave."

"I agree with you, but can we?"

"I guess so. Warner seemed like he was done talking to us."

"Okay, let's go then." She says and we stroll through the doors and out on to the street. The streets are empty and everything is eerily quiet. "I think it's this way." She says and starts leading us back towards our temporary room.

"Wait. We need to go somewhere else."

"Kyle it's four a.m., What are we supposed to do?"

"New York City never sleeps." I say teasingly.

"Kyle the only place open right now are probably bars and strip clubs."

"That doesn't sound too bad."

"Kyle!"

"Well, I'm just saying." I put my hands up as she rolls her eyes at me.

"Honestly, I am really tired. Can we please just go back?"

"Oh alright. I guess so."

The wrecked car wasn't there when we managed to find our way back, just little bits and pieces of it scattered all on the ground. A chill goes down my spine as the images flood back. Andy's neck bent, Christina's head smashed, Sam's heartbroken expression.

I didn't realize that I stopped walking until Layla came and stood beside me. She takes my arm gently and asks, "Are you alright?"

I pull myself out of the trance to answer. "Yeah. It's just been so long since I've had someone close die."