(Katelyn's POV)I woke to the gentle touch of Tyler's hand brushing my cheek, his voice a soft murmur, tugging me from the depths of sleep, "Kate..."I blinked groggily, my eyes slowly opening to find his familiar face hovering over me with a gentle smile. I could think of few better ways to wake up as a small, sleepy smile tugged at my lips.My sleep had been deep. I couldn't even remember having any kind of dream. It was like I had just completely blacked out."Hey," Tyler said, smiling down at me while his finger brushed my cheek. "We’re at a motel."Through the fog of sleep, I registered the sky outside was gray, like dawn was just on the horizon. I sat up slowly, rubbing at my eyes as I tried to gain my bearings. My body still felt heavy with exhaustion and my mind was struggling to catch up.“You okay?” Tyler’s voice was soft with concern as he watched me, noticing the hesitation in my movements.“Yeah,” I murmured, my voice still thick with sleep. “Still just... tired.”I felt
(Katelyn's POV)Ryder's coldness threw me a little, but I tried to ignore it, doing my best to focus on what was actually a pretty important conversation with Jenna.I shook my head, wanting to reassure her. “I’m sure she’ll be fine, Jen. She’s got a pretty important role in the pack. There's no way Harlan will be able to manage all of the accounts and shit without her. I have no doubt that she knows more about where his family money is tied up than he does.”Jenna sighed, nodding as if she was trying to convince herself. “Yeah… you’re probably right. I just don’t want her to get caught up in all this.” She took a deep breath. "Guess I'd better get it over with... I'm not going to tell her where we're going, but I'll tell her I'll call when we get there... Just in case, you know? I mean, I'm going to guess Harlan will figure it out, but maybe he won't know whether we drove or flew," she said with a halfhearted shrug.With that, she got up and left the room to make the call. I could te
(Katelyn's POV)"Your arm," Ryder murmured, though he made no attempt to slow down. Instead, he only kissed me more fiercely, the fingers of one hand entwining themselves in the hair at the nape of my neck while the other grabbed my butt, holding me firmly against his body."I don't care," I said breathlessly, my palms pressed against his chest. I could feel his heart racing beneath my hands, the rhythm so comforting and familiar.The way he touched me, it felt like he was battling some kind of internal conflict. His touch seemed to shift between tender and caring to dominant and possessive. It was almost like he had to keep reminding himself to slow down. To be gentle.A soft moan escaped my lips as his kisses wandered down the side of my neck. He stopped suddenly, pulling away slightly with his jaw clenched. I could see something flicker in his eyes. Guilt, maybe? Regret?His eyes were fixed firmly on my neck and I watched as his expression darkened. I felt his thumb brush across it
(Katelyn's POV)The air outside the motel was cool and still, the sun barely making its way up the horizon, casting a pale light across the empty parking lot as it tried to heat up the day.Ryder and I moved quietly through the parking lot, the world around us seemingly deserted in these early morning hours.I shivered slightly as I slid into the back seat of the truck. The temperature adjustment between the morning chill outside and the hot shower inside was pretty severe, to say the least.Ryder and I had crept stealthily through our dark bedroom while Tyler and Jenna slept. He'd grabbed the car keys and the takeout bag on his way and then we stole down the quiet hallway, making our way to the truck to change my wet bandage out.And now, here we were, sharing the last remaining moments of a night that had stretched on for far too long.I watched as Ryder unwrapped the soaked bandage from my arm, the last physical reminder of our impulsive shower together. I bit my lip, regretting my
(Katelyn's POV)A familiar voice whispered my name, pulling me gently from sleep."Kate..."I barely stirred, the word slipping through the haze of my exhausted mind. I had slept so hard that I could barely remember lying down on the bed, let alone falling asleep. It was as if I had been swallowed by the darkness, and now I was clawing my way back to consciousness."Kate," the voice came again, soft but insistent.This time, I managed to crack one bleary eye open. The room was warmer now, the stale air heavy after hours of sleep. Through the thin, shitty, motel curtains, a soft orange glow seeped into the room.Tyler was sitting beside me on the bed, his fingers gently combing through my tangled hair."It's time to go," he said, his voice gentle and patient as he gave me a reassuring smile.I wanted to smile back, but instead I groaned, the weight of sleep still pressing down on me."I'm still tired," I mumbled, my voice thick and croaky.Tyler chuckled softly. "I know, but we need to
(Katelyn's POV)The steady rhythm of the tires on the asphalt was almost hypnotic as the afternoon sunlight cast a warm glow through the windows.I leaned into Ryder, his arm wrapped loosely around my shoulders, his thumb tracing slow, absentminded circles on my upper arm. Every now and then, I’d feel him adjust slightly in his seat, and I could tell he was fighting off sleep.The soft glow outside was beginning to fade, the daylight slowly turning to twilight.“How did it go with your mom?” I asked, turning my attention to Jenna as I remembered that that was the last conversation we had had before I had climbed into the shower with Ryder.Jenna shifted in her seat, turning her head slightly to glance back at me. The sunlight caught her face, and I could see the mixture of relief and sadness in her eyes as she processed the question.“It was… hard,” she admitted softly, her voice filled with emotion. “She cried a lot. She wants to quit working for Harlan’s family, which I get, but I c
(Katelyn's POV)Jenna’s question hung in the air, thick with curiosity and concern. Her eyes searched mine, waiting for an explanation that I wasn’t sure I could provide.I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of everyone's gazes on me. That's right, EVERYONE... Jenna’s from the front seat, Ryder’s just beside me, and even Tyler, who glanced in the rearview mirror, his eyes flicking back and forth between me and the road.I knew I had to say something, but what?“It wasn’t a vision like the others I've had before,” I started, my voice low as I tried to put the experience into words. “It wasn’t the past, and it didn't seem to be the future... I... I was experiencing it in first person... which... which isn't usual,” I explained, my gaze focused on the darkness outside while I tried to make sense of the strange experience.Jenna raised her eyebrows, waiting for me to continue. Even though a general weariness still hung over everyone in the truck, there was an alertness that now seemed
(Katelyn's POV)Tyler climbed out of the truck, stretching his arms and legs as he walked around the front of the vehicle. I watched him, taking in the fatigue that had been etched into his features. This whole experience had definitely taken its toll on him.Ryder headed towards him, also stopping to stretch his arms and legs before Tyler handed him the keys."You sure you're good?" I heard Tyler's muffled voice carrying from the front of the truck.Ryder nodded. "Better than you, at least," his muted response came. As Tyler climbed into the back next to me, his hand brushed against mine and a small, tired smile tugged at his lips. “You should sleep,” he whispered, his voice low and comforting.I nodded, leaning into him. "Trust me, I want to," I replied, sounding exasperated and exhausted. "Got a lot on your mind?" he asked gently.I sighed and nodded, resting my head against his shoulder.He kissed the top of my head and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me in close as he relaxe