Hell, the fucking douchebag didn’t even know the man’s name!
Around three o’clock that morning, Kyra woke us all up to tell us Mark was stable. But even then, Kyra still insisted she stay. We all hugged her close, drawing her into our arms and getting a piece of her before we watched her travel back down to Mark’s room. We all wanted to see him, to see how he was doing, but this was time Kyra needed with her father.
Because even though he was stable for now, things could always take a turn fast.
Now that he was stable and I had tagged Rowan so he could get some rest, I went out to the store to get us all some things.
“Rowan.”
“What?” he said, groaning.
“Call me if anything changes, okay?” I said. “I’m heading out to get something.”
“The fuck? Whatever, man. I’ll let you know.”
“I’m serious,” I said. “If anything happens—”
“Holy shit, just get outta here. Mark’s stable. Landon won’t be by because he’s a dick. We’re good. Go. And bring back some fucking coffee, would ya?”
I smiled and headed for my motorcycle, cranking it up even in the dead of winter. There wasn’t a thing that could keep me from riding this thing around, though I wasn’t sure how I was bringing everyone coffee back on it. The truth was, I had yet to get Kyra a Christmas gift and, now that I’d sold that last bike I was repairing, I had the money to get her something nice.
And what was exactly what I was going to do.
I was standing outside of the only jewelry shop on this side of town. The clerk was unlocking the door while I stood there, gazing at the articles in the window. He asked me if I was looking for anything in particular and I told him I would know it when I saw it.
Then, I simply walked around.
There were diamonds and emeralds. White gold and rose gold. Pearls and bracelets and onyx stones and dangling earrings. All of it was beautiful but none of it screamed Kyra. She was delicate. Powerful. Unassuming in her intelligence and humble when it came to her strength. My brothers and I might be strong but she was our rock and I wanted something that communicated that.
That communicated her unassuming beauty as well as her strength.
Finally, a bracelet caught my eye. It had a delicate, rose gold band that housed what looked to be little infinity symbols. They were all connected by a delicate rose gold chain that glistened in the lighting of the store but between each of the infinity symbols was a bold onyx stone.
It was perfect. Delicate but strong. Beautiful but bold. It shouted Kyra to me but, before I could point it out to the clerk, my phone rang in my pocket.
I fished it out as quickly as I could and put it to my ear.
“Rowan, is everything okay?”
“Ethan, where are you?” Kyra asked.
“Kyra?”
I held the phone out and saw it was her that was calling and my heart began to speed up as I put my hand over the receiver.
“Dude. This bracelet with the infinity symbols and the onyx stones. I’m gonna be back to get that tomorrow. Can I lay it away?”
“I can do that for you. Just need your card to file it under.”
I fished out my wallet as I propped the phone up onto my shoulder.
“I’m out getting coffee and doughnuts for everyone,” I said as I handed the guy my card. “Do you want anything?”
“No. Just you. Please get back soon, okay?”
The mere fact that she said she wanted me both caused
me to shiver and to panic.