Chapter 9
Kane finished his bottle of water and tossed it in the trash. Doug was cleaning up while Ken sat at the kitchen table. Kane’s gaze kept drifting again and again toward the hallway Monica had disappeared down.
“She’s putting Dena to bed,” Ken said quietly as if he knew who Kane was searching for.
Kane looked at the man. The loss was written all over his face, but it was the hollow, empty look in his eyes that hit Kane the hardest. He moved to the table and sat.
“I’m going to find who did this to your wife,” Kane said, holding his gaze so there was no mistaking his intent. “I know it doesn’t help your pain, but she will be avenged.”
Doug stopped pretending to clean and sat across from him, staying silent. Ken didn’t say anything for a long moment, just stared at Kane.
“I believe you mean that,” Ken finally said, then let out a humorless laugh. “But I’m sorry, I don’t have much faith in the police or the justice system.”
“I’m not a cop,” Kane replied with a slow smirk. “And we have our own justice system for people who kill women.”
Ken looked away without replying, then stood. “Yeah, well, goodnight,”
Kane watched him go with a frown. “How long were they married?” Kane asked Doug when Ken disappeared.
“They were high school sweethearts. Married right after graduating.” Doug sighed, rubbing both hands down his face. “God, we had such hope in finding Beverly. And Dena… growing up without her mom is so fucking wrong.”
Kane didn’t respond. He’d lost many people over his long life, which was exactly why he kept his distance from most people other than his brothers.
“Can I ask you something?” Doug said suddenly.
“Yeah.”
“You looked pissed when you found out I knew what Monica was doing.” Doug watched him closely. “Was I wrong to let her?”
Kane knew this was a dangerous path, but lying wasn’t in him. “Dark Guardians protect the innocent. Women and children are our top priority. So yeah, knowing a woman’s putting herself in danger doesn’t sit well with me.”
Doug nodded with a long, guilty sigh.
“But,” Kane added, one brow lifting, “knowing Monica—even the little that I know—I’m pretty sure she would’ve told you to kiss her ass and done what she wanted anyway.”
Doug huffed out a laugh and shook his head. “Actually, seems you know her pretty damn well. That’s pretty much what she said when I demanded she not do it. She’s the hardest-headed person alive.”
Kane snorted. His eyes drifted toward the hallway. “Yeah. She’s definitely that.”
Doug’s smile faded as he stared at the table, then looked up.
“She’s also the most loyal, selfless, and loving person I’ve ever known.
Since Beverly went missing, Monica hasn’t stopped searching.
And when we say she’s done more than anyone, we mean it.
I don’t know everything she’s done… but I know some of it isn’t good. I see it in her eyes.”
Kane didn’t have to imagine it. He remembered the first moment he saw her in that bar, and he’d seen the same haunted look Doug was talking about.
“I’m glad you’re helping her,” Doug said, voice shaking. “She isn’t going to stop until whoever did this is found and punished. I can’t lose another sister, Kane.”
Kane met his stare, steady and certain.
“You won’t,” he said and again meant what he said. He will take down the bastard who did this to their sister, mother, and wife, as well as keep Monica safe. It wasn’t personal before, but now...yeah, now that all changed, and he wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about that.
“What are you two talking about?” Monica’s voice had both men looking her way.
“Nothing really,” Doug said, then yawned. “Is Dena sleeping?”
“Finally.” Monica smiled as she headed to the refrigerator. “I had to read two books before she finally fell asleep.”
Kane stayed silent, watching her as she opened the freezer and grabbed the ice cream. Her long hair was pulled into a loose ponytail that made her look younger… softer. The oversized hoodie and jean shorts didn’t help. She looked like trouble—the kind he didn’t need but couldn’t look away from.
“You want a spoon?”
“Did you eat anything?” Doug asked, sounding more like a father than a brother.
“I’m not hungry,” Monica sighed. “Do you want a spoon?”
“Yeah, I want a spoon.” Doug snorted, shaking his head. “But you should eat something other than ice cream.”
“Kane?” Monica looked straight at him, ignoring Doug.
“What?” he asked, caught off guard by hearing his name instead of Warrior.
“Spoon?” She lifted her brows at him like he was the slow one. “We don’t do bowls for ice cream. We do spoons.”
“I’m good,” Kane replied, and couldn’t help the small grin when she just shrugged and grabbed two spoons.
“Do vampires eat ice cream?” Doug asked, taking the spoon from her. He glanced at Monica, who rolled her eyes. “What? Was that rude?”
“No. It was stupid,” Monica said, popping the lid off the ice cream and scooping herself a huge bite of chocolate. She turned the spoon upside down and slid the whole damn thing into her mouth.
Kane’s body went tight in an instant. Those lips… Jesus. It was ridiculous how fast she could knock him off center without even trying. Fuck!
He dragged his gaze away just in time to see Doug mimic the same move with the spoon, and yeah—that killed every inappropriate thought Kane had been having. Talk about a fucking mood killer.
“Ah, yeah, we eat food,” Kane said, his voice weird even to his own damn ears. What the hell was happening to him? “Actually, one of the VC Warriors is a damn good cook.”
“Isn’t one of them a doctor also?” Monica asked right before she latched those full lips around the spoon again.
Kane felt it, low and hard, like someone had just flipped a damn switch inside him.
Why the hell was that sexy? He didn’t know.
Okay… yeah, he knew. He knew exactly why watching Monica take that spoon into her mouth was tying him up in knots.
Because every slow slide of that spoon had him imagining those lips wrapped around his cock instead.
He didn’t want the thought. Didn’t ask for it. But it sure as hell showed up.
“I saw him save that girl on the steps of City Hall,” she added, completely unaware she was about two spoonfuls away from undoing him.
“I remember that,” Doug said, pointing his spoon at Monica like he was lecturing her. “And that guy changed into a wolf. That was crazy.”
Kane barely heard him. He was too busy dragging his mind back from the gutter where it was sprinting full-speed. These people were grieving. Monica was grieving. And here he was, thinking about her mouth wrapped around his—"
“You know them?” Doug asked suddenly.
“Who?” he asked, voice smooth—and thank God for that—because the inside of his head was still a mess of thoughts, he had no business having.
Doug lifted a brow. Monica looked over, waiting.
Kane straightened, his attention snapping into place.
What the fuck just happened? He quickly searched his memory for what Doug just asked, cursing himself for losing focus.
That could get him killed in his line of business.
Thankfully, in this instance, it just made him look like a fucking idiot.
“The doctor or the wolf,” he added before Doug could clarify, covering the moment cleanly as he finally got his shit together.
“Either,” Doug said, studying him.
“Slade is the VC Warrior doctor,” Kane answered, steady now. Focused. “And Hunter’s part of the Lee County Wolves out of Kentucky.”
The words came easily. Muscle memory. This was his world. The one thing he could always control.
What he couldn’t control was Monica and those lips.
She dipped her spoon back into the ice cream, took another slow bite, and he felt that pull again.
Fuck. This woman was trouble, and he really liked her kind of trouble, but he had a job to do.
Kane needed to get a handle on this shit before he had her in his bed and fucked up the whole mission.