29. Kye

TWENTY-NINE

KYE

"He was hitting her. I had to stop it," I said as her dad pushed me into the police car.

"Just shut up for one damn second." He shut the door, and I could only lean my head back and close my eyes.

It was worth being here.

Ash slid into the passenger seat, and Daisy's dad got behind the wheel. The car was quiet, the silence a harsh contrast to my heartbeat roaring in my ears.

"Where did he hit her?" he asked quietly.

"Her face, mainly. I think he choked her. I don't know how bad it was before I got there, but what I saw was bad enough that I wanted to kill him. I dropped her off, and she called me that someone was following her. I headed back, and by the time I got there, he was outside her dorm room door, trying to force her inside and hitting her. I chased him down and that's how we ended up here."

"Dammit," he mumbled. "You know who he is, right? You know no one is going to believe he was the problem here."

"I know."

"Kye was doing the right thing," Ash said. "Even if he maybe took it a step too far. You know you would have wanted to do the same thing. Please, you can't arrest him."

"I can and I will. He chased him down and tried to kill the guy. A guy that I need to remind you is very loved by this college and will stand behind him. I mean, dammit, Kye, I knew you were no good when you came into my daughter's life, but this?"

I laughed. "Sorry. Should I leave Dean to beat her up a little more next time? Or maybe just walk away completely?"

"Kye," Ash hissed. "We all know that Kye did the right thing. Can you please help him? Come on, you've known me my whole life, you know my dad. You know I wouldn't be hanging around Kye if he wasn't a good person. He was doing the right thing by Daisy. Dean was hitting her, Sheriff. Won't this be dropped if she presses charges against Dean?"

"That's if she does. She dated Dean for years. She might not want to," he said.

I wanted to snap at him, but Ash jumped in for me.

"I know this may be hard for you to understand, but I truly believe Daisy will do anything for Kye. She will press any charges possible against Dean if it keeps Kye safe. You cannot underestimate what she will do for him. I promise she is not out there crying for Dean. She's crying with worry over Kye."

"Ash, I can't just pretend this didn't happen. And even if it was justified at first, hunting him down and trying to kill him is not."

"Would a bribe help? We can get you new cars, fast ones that can keep up with our cars. Maybe then you will be able to catch one of these guys." She smiled, trying to lighten his mood, but it wasn't working.

"I can't take a bribe."

"No, you take donations, and I know for a fact that you have let Dean off the hook for a long list of things. Don't forget that I know what goes on behind the closed doors around here. Kye kept your daughter safe. Doesn't that count for something?"

"My daughter has been getting into more and more trouble since he has been around."

Ash looked back at me as though I could add something, but I couldn't. He wasn't wrong.

He ran a hand down his face and stared out the windshield. "How about this? I will try to convince Dean to not pursue this based on his own career and history with police run-ins," he said as he turned to look at me. "And in return, you will never talk to Daisy again."

My eyes met his, and I knew that second how serious he was. I knew because I had basically just told Dean the same damn thing. I knew with every single part of me that I meant I would rather die than have him get close to her again.

I was pretty sure that her dad was telling me the exact same thing.

"I can't promise that."

"Then I cannot promise to help you. I can't promise that all of your friends won't be involved in this now because they were here. I can't help you. Any of you, unless you let Daisy have a better life. Let her not be standing with her supposed boyfriend at 1 a.m., getting arrested by her father, for almost killing another guy she dated. She deserves a lot better than that."

"She does."

"Then we have a deal?"

I looked at Ash, and for the first time that night, my chest tightened, the all too familiar feeling of my heart dying coming over me. Even if I went about it wrong, I was trying to do what was right, and I would keep trying.

"Yeah, we have a deal. Can I go for now?"

"Yes, but I can't make any promises about what is going to happen."

"Then neither can I."

"Fine, go now, and leave Daisy here. I'll drive her home."

I got out and turned to Ash. "Should I tell her?"

"Are you able to tell her without going back on your promise? If you talk to her right now, are you just going to want more?"

"Yes."

"Then go. I'll give her the best explanation I can."

I nodded and headed to my car, the guys surrounding me immediately.

"I'm going to go for a week or two," I said, surprised that tears were threatening me now. "Unless I get a call to come back. I might just hang out for a few days. Okay?"

"Alright," Fox said. "We understand."

"It's going to be okay, Kye. It will all work out fine," Jax said.

Ransom knocked my arm. "Just let everyone cool down."

"I think it's worse than just cooling down now. If Dean or the Sheriff press charges, Daisy and all of you could get dragged into this mess. I don't want that for any of you. I'll see you guys soon."

"Just be safe."

I nodded and got in the car, heading to the apartment to grab a few things and then back out. Leaving the apartment, leaving town, leaving the state. The overwhelming pounding of my heart filled my ears. I loved her and I couldn't risk ruining her life.

Even for a day, I needed to be as far away as physically possible from Daisy.