The police interrogations drained Casey, both mentally and physically.

Without concrete evidence of his involvement with the Voiceless Rebels, they had nothing to hold him on. They couldn't charge him with anything either, much to Casey's relief. But while confiding in the police had been nerve-wracking, nothing compared to the shame of telling his father what he'd done.

Gathered in the living room like some sort of intervention, Casey's head drooped low while his dad questioned his recklessness. Lani paced the living room and their father sat across from Casey, glaring daggers at both him and August on the loveseat. Casey was unable to look his father in the eye and see his disappointment. Not only did he put himself in danger, but he'd handed their family's business over to the Voiceless Rebels.

"Why didn't you just tell the police all this?" Lani asked. "Why did you have to make a deal with that slimy bastard?"

With a sharp breath, Casey inhaled then sighed. "The cops had their chance. If it weren't for Emmett, Wyatt and August would be dead. Maybe even trafficked."

Lani clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling her gasp. "You mean... That's why they kidnapped Wyatt?"

Casey nodded, raking a hand through his hair. "I wanted to do things by the book. I really did, but I couldn't risk Wyatt's safety. They took too damn long. Wyatt would've been long gone, and the police barely put in any effort. I know it sounds crazy, but I think Emmett can help our bakery."

"Are you serious?" Mr. Lockhart snapped. "After what I went through, don't you realize that we can't trust those gangs?"

"That was the Black Vipers. Emmett's about as trustworthy as a snake around mice, but I believe he can help us," Casey told him. "It benefits him. We just have to let him use our bakery for his own transactions, but in return, he'll make sure nobody messes with us again. It's a risky price to pay, but don't you think it's worth it? To make sure this never happens again."

"Casey's got a point," August spoke up, clearing his voice. "Had they not gotten to us when they did, it would've been bad for me and Wyatt. I'd be six feet under."

"Dad, please, you've gotta understand why I did this. I only did what I thought was best to protect Wyatt and August. Just like you did for mom."

Mr. Lockhart pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, I do get it. Believe me, I do. But why didn't you let me help you? You just left us at the station like fools. We'll be stuck with the Voiceless Rebels forever now. They'll always loiter around our bakery, once they rebuild it. Do you really want that?"

"It's either that or let the Black Vipers kill us," Casey replied. "Dad, I did what was best for us. You have to understand that. The cops couldn't protect us. Not even you or mom could."

The painful expression his father conveyed hurt Casey, but he had to be blunt. He needed his dad to realize why he turned to the gang. They were their last hope.

"I'm just glad you guys are alright. That's all that matters to me now." Mr. Lockhart got up and pulled Casey in for a hug. "We'll figure this out."

"I know, Dad. We always do."

Later that night, Casey helped get Wyatt ready for bed after making sure he brushed his teeth. It was his son's first night home after the kidnapping, and Casey suspected that he'd be a little frightened. Even August stuck around, lying in Casey's bed while scrolling through something on his phone.

Clad in his Spiderman pajamas, Wyatt clambered into his bed and clutched his favorite teddy bear close to his chest. Before settling in for a bedtime story, he asked Casey to make sure the bedroom door and window were locked. He even had him check in the closet and under their beds, ensuring nobody hid in the room.

Despite how it broke Casey's hurt seeing him so terrified, he realized it would take some time for Wyatt to heal from the trauma he endured. He just needed to make sure Wyatt knew he was safe now.

Casey created a lighthearted story with hopes of chasing away any scary thoughts from his boy's mind. He couldn't imagine what it must've been like to be taken away by those gang members and kept locked away, threatened to never see his family again. Even after the story, Wyatt stayed awake with Casey and August a little longer, until sleepiness won him over.

Moonlight peeked in through the closed curtains as Casey snuggled up in bed beside August, vigilant of his injuries. August wrapped a muscular arm around Casey's waist, pulling him closer before planting a kiss on his forehead.

No matter how hard he tried to resist it, the floodgates poured open as Casey buried his face against August's shoulder, letting his soft sniffles be snuffed out against the fabric of his shirt. August just held him as he cried, gently rubbing circles along his back.

"I could've lost you both," Casey whimpered.

"But you didn't," August whispered softly against his ear, kissing his tender cheek. "We're both right here. You gonna tell me how that adorable face of yours got beaten so badly? The guys who did that are all dead now, right? Nobody I gotta beat up."

Casey bit back a chuckle. "They're gone. Got me at the park. I was trying to keep them from taking Wyatt and hurting Lani. Guess I wasn't strong enough."

"I know the feeling." August sighed. "Wish I'd seen it coming before they trapped me in that awful basement. Shit was scary. Had me in there with a dead man." He shuddered against Casey.

"Yeah, I saw some scary shit too." Casey glanced over his shoulder, seeing his sweet boy softly snore in his sleep.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." August's grip tightened around him. "Wish I'd been able to warn you about them."

"I killed a man." The words got lodged in Casey's throat.

"Oh, you shot one of the Black Vipers?" August asked. "I know they must've seemed like friends, but they weren't."

"No, not them. A man. At the Lazy Bear motel," Casey explained. "That was their original place to hide Wyatt."

Confusion appeared on August's face. "What happened?"

"Emmett got him to confess working with the Black Vipers. Made the man show us his phone." Casey swallowed the lump in his throat, remembering those vile texts made him want to puke. "He agreed to let them lay low at the motel if he could mess around with Wyatt."

August tensed against him. "Jesus Christ."

"I slit his throat. But I don't feel guilty for it. Honestly, I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Casey admitted.

"Damn. I don't blame ya, but that had to be intense."

"Not really. I just focused on finding Wyatt. If anyone got in my way, well, you know... I wasn't afraid to get them outta the way."

"Murder doesn't wash off your hands, ever. You'll carry that with you for the rest of your life."

"I don't mind." Casey shrugged. "I killed a sick pervert who wanted to hurt my son. Now, he can't ever hurt another child."

"Yeah, I understand. That guy didn't deserve to live."

"When I sought Emmett for help, I knew exactly what I'd get myself into. I wanted him to kill those Black Vipers. I wanted to see them suffer," Casey confessed. "I don't think I've ever felt that kind of rage before."

"Any parent would've felt the same."

"Maybe. I just wish I could've stopped them from taking Wyatt. I won't ever let that happen again." Casey relaxed against him, letting his eyes drift closed.

🧁

Nightmares plagued Casey's mind during the night, pulling him down into the darkest pits of hell. Death and decay surrounded him. Images of his family slaughtered had him up on the hour, sitting up, gasping for air, and struggling not to hyperventilate.

Even little Wyatt woke up once in the dead of night, crying. Only when Casey let him climb up in his own bed did he calm down, letting the sobs slowly wither to soft whimpers before his tired eyes closed again. Thank goodness Casey had a rather large bed, otherwise, the three of them wouldn't fit well.

Casey couldn't even imagine what kind of nightmares haunted his son, and Wyatt didn't seem to remember much of it. He just clung to Casey, begging him not to let bad people take him away again. If only he could take away those ghastly memories from him. If only there was some way to show him he didn't need to worry about someone hurting him again.

Even if Casey reassured him, he knew Wyatt would always live with the trauma of being kidnapped from them. It proved to him that they couldn't always keep him safe, and that left a hollow pit in Casey's heart, knowing he wasn't able to protect his son.

Despite the horrors that awaited him in his dreams, Casey at least had the people he loved more than anything close to him. He let Wyatt sleep in the middle of them, using a pillow to barricade them from August so he didn't accidentally bump against any of his wounds. It wasn't like Casey planned to fall back to sleep anyway. Instead, he just wanted to lay there with them and rest. His body craved a break from all the exertion.

"Daddy." A gentle tug on his arm stirred Casey up at almost five in the morning, with Wyatt incessant to get his attention by cupping his face in both his small hands.

Casey yawned as he forced his sullen eyes open, confronting his son's face very close to his. "What's up, buddy?"

"August wants pancakes."

"Hey, I thought we agreed that we both did," August mumbled beside them.

Casey chuckled. "What kind do you guys want?"

"Chocolate chip," Wyatt replied.

"I'll help ya make them," August said, groaning as he sat up.

"Don't worry, I've got it." Casey pushed the covers away with reluctance, letting his bare feet touch the carpet. "I'll come get you when they're done. Just rest."

Wyatt hopped out of bed next, dragging his stuffed teddy bear along with them. Nobody else stirred amongst the silent home. Probably still snoozing soundly in their beds.

While Casey prepared the pancakes, he set Wyatt's cartoons up in the living room. Just as he flipped the fluffy bites, his ringtone blared on the countertop, almost vibrating off into the floor. One glance at the caller ID made him tense up, but he answered anyway. He accepted the extra costs from the prison, pressing it close to his ear.

"Is Wyatt safe?" Veronica's panic-stricken voice wailed from the other end. "Why the fuck haven't you answered me? Is he... Is he gone?"

Casey hadn't paid much attention to his missed calls. There were too many to count.

"Wyatt's safe, back home with me," Casey replied. "He's watching cartoons while I'm making us pancakes."

"Oh, thank God." Veronica released a sigh, a soft sniffling echoed through the speaker.

"Got the hell beat outta me, but I made sure to get him back," Casey told her. "Thanks to your fucking friends in the Black Vipers."

"I'm so sorry, Casey. Never in a million years did I think they'd turn against me. You have to believe me," Veronica pleaded.

"They went rogue since you're locked up. That, and the fact you turned into a snitch for my mom."

"It was my idea," Veronica said.

Casey frowned. "Really? Why? Did you hope to shave some years off your sentence?"

"Yeah, that was the plan. It backfired. I think that's why they killed your mom. They worried that she'd start working with me, and maybe even try getting me out of here," Veronica explained. "Then, they went after your family and our son."

"They'll never hurt us again, so you don't need to worry," Casey assured her.

"Rumors travel fast, Casey. I know what you did. I know who your allies are."

"No idea what you're talking about." Casey flipped his pancake again, gulping.

Realization dawned on him. Veronica was trying to get him to slip up, revealing something about what happened to the Black Viper's hideout. Mentioning the deal with his mom was her way of warning him. Casey needed to keep his mouth shut. The police must be listening in to their conversations.

"Don't be a dumbass, okay? You gotta work with the police here. Look what happened to me, where the gangs got me," Veronica said. "Anyway, I just wanted to call and check in. Nobody's told me nothing about Wyatt. I needed to make sure he was okay."

"Yeah, he's good. Still a little scared but I'm making sure he knows he doesn't have to be afraid."

"Tell Wyatt I love him, okay? And make sure you tell him to eat his green beans."

Their code word. Casey hadn't heard it in so long, but he knew then that his premonitions were right. The cops were listening. Wyatt hated green beans. They made it a running joke, and Veronica came up with the idea of it if she ever got herself into trouble. They could call each other and let them know danger's lurking.

"I will, Veronica. Goodbye." Casey ended the call.

Sweat bead down the back of his neck as he turned the stove off. A glance behind him, and he inhaled a sharp breath, willing his heartbeat to settle into a steady rhythm. Veronica's warning meant he needed to be careful. No slip ups. No mentions of the gangs.

As Casey set their plates, August came around the corner, hobbling with each step. "Smells delicious in here."

Casey forced a smile. "Yeah, I hope you guys are hungry."

"You okay?" August asked, a frown etching into his face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry. I think I'm just still reeling from everything. Don't worry about it, I'm fine." Casey waved a dismissive hand. "We can even eat in the living room, so Wyatt can keep watching his cartoons."

"Yeah, sure. Here, let me help you carry those plates," August offered, taking his.

While August and Wyatt ate their pancakes with voracious hunger, Casey did his best to keep it together. He needed to plan everything out, but not let the paranoia get to him. The last thing he wanted was to freak out and accidentally slip up to the police. For now, he'd act normal. Just enjoy some quality time with his family. It wasn't like the police had anything to trace him back to those murders.

No matter what happened, Casey would protect his family.