Chapter 124
Kyle was worried about who could be waiting to see him, but he had nothing to lose.
Even if it was Mike, this wasn’t a movie—there was no way Mike could do anything to him here and get away with it.
That would be foolish. Kyle was safest here, but there was nothing he could do if he was caught lacking outside.
Mike had already demonstrated that he could take a life without batting an eye, but Kyle wasn’t sure he could do the same.
Kyle was frightened by this prospect and knew that it was one thing he wouldn’t be able to foresee, as it was his emotions speaking for him.
Kyle gave the nurse permission to bring in the visitor, but his eyes were already darting around the room, searching for something to defend himself with if the situation called for it.
However, he was shocked to see that it was Jones standing at the door.
“Wait, what?” Kyle blurted out, confused by how Jones knew about his situation. There was no reason for him to be aware of it.
“Surprised to see me?” Jones spoke softly. He didn’t know Kyle’s current mental state, so he chose the gentle approach.
Kyle was still in disbelief. “Of course I am! Are you stalking me now!?” he barked, but quickly winced in pain, clutching his torso.
“Boy, ain’t nobody stalking you,” Jones shot him down, sitting in the chair available in Kyle’s room.
Jones pulled out his phone and showed Kyle something. Kyle was surprised to see that he had unknowingly sent the location not only to Nate but also to Jones.
Jones was one of his most frequent contacts, and in the chaos of the moment, Kyle hadn’t taken the time to double-check his messages. But this still didn’t explain how Jones had found him.
“Oh… my bad, I didn’t mean to bother you,” Kyle apologized. Jones had his own problems and responsibilities; the last thing he needed was to worry about another grown adult.
“Bother me? You NOT paying your rent for months bothered me, not this,” Jones reassured him, letting him know he wasn’t a bother.
What Jones didn’t tell Kyle was that he had searched over ten hospitals looking for him, and because Kyle wasn’t registered under his real name, there was nothing that could be done.
Nate had thought registering Kyle under a false name would be the safest option. If someone were to try a premeditated murder, registering him under his real name would make it easier for the killer to track him down, so Nate had used his own name instead.
Calista’s visit to his home and her admission that she hadn’t been in contact with Kyle only reinforced the idea that something had happened to him. The next day, Jones began his search.
The only reason Ella and Jane knew about the situation was because the doctor had a relationship with them.
Kyle was attacked, and Jones was worried not because of business but because Kyle was his friend. Calista had called him right after speaking with Kyle, and they exchanged contact information to stay updated on any developments regarding his disappearance.
Jones looked haggard. Kyle could tell with a glance that he was stressed, and there was no way he looked like this because of his fight with Aiysha.
Kyle knew why, but neither of them said a word. It was nice knowing he had people who would look out for him. In that moment, Kyle knew he wasn’t alone.
They sat in comfortable silence, both relieved to see each other, but those feelings went unspoken.
Jones could tell that Kyle was shaken—who wouldn’t be after an attempt on their life?
Kyle tried to act like he was okay, but not everyone was fooled by the mask he wore.
Calista soon joined them, surprised to see Jones already there, even though she had told him when she was on her way.
But her attention was on Kyle. She couldn’t believe that she nearly lost him.
She just stood there awkwardly.
“I think I forgot my freezer in my car,” Jones blurted out. It made no sense, but it was an excuse to leave them alone.
Calista didn’t know what to do, even with Jones out of the room.
“Come here,” Kyle gestured, and she walked slowly toward him. The closer she got, the heavier her heart became as she realized the gravity of the situation.
The first tear escaped her eyes, but she quickly wiped it away. That didn’t stop the flood that followed.
Calista had lost control. The relief she felt seeing Kyle was overshadowed by the fear of losing him.
She slowly buried herself in his arms, and Kyle realized that she probably needed more comfort than he did.
“I… I thought you ghosted me,” Calista confessed.
“Technically, I nearly did,” Kyle replied, as quick-witted as ever, and Calista quickly pulled back to look him in the eyes.
“That’s not funny! You nearly fucking died!” Calista barked.
“Death can have me when it earns me,” Kyle quoted a video game character he was fond of.
“YOU AREN’T KRATOS!” Calista exclaimed, but Kyle was more impressed that she knew where the quote came from, considering there was no way she was the gaming type.
“Wait, you know it!?” Kyle asked, sounding almost excited.
“Social media exists, these things pop up!” Calista replied, confused as to why this was important.
“You could have died, Kyle. I hope they catch the person who did this and burn him in acid!” Calista couldn’t contain her rage.
“Relax or I might get turned on, you know…” Kyle responded, but all Calista did was roll her eyes in annoyance.
She couldn’t understand how he was so calm about this, but she also knew that he probably didn’t want her to worry about it.
This was his way of protecting her, and she understood it.
Even in this state, he was still thinking about her, and that summed up the kind of man he was.