Chapter 15
Kane sat around the table with Doug, Ken, and Monica. Dena had crashed on the couch with Knox curled against her shortly after dinner, both snoring softly. The talk stayed easy, nothing heavy, and nothing close to what had been tearing all of them apart the last few days.
For once, Kane got to see Monica without all the walls up. She laughed and joked, loosening up in a way he hadn’t seen before. They’d included him like he’d been part of this family forever. Even Ken talked more, though the haunted look in his eyes never completely went away.
“Thank you for singing today,” Ken said, his voice quieter than usual as he looked at his sister. “I know that was hard, but Beverly would have loved it.”
Monica gave him a sad smile and a soft chuckle. “Singing with a lump in your throat is not fun. I sounded shaky, but whatever. I got through it.”
“No,” Ken insisted, shaking his head. “It was perfect.”
“You really do have a beautiful voice,” Kane added with a nod. “I’m guessing you’ve won your fair share of karaoke contests.”
Doug shot straight into hysterics. “The first time she ever sang in front of a crowd, she threw up.”
“Seriously?” Kane looked at him, then at Ken, who was grinning, and then at Monica, who rolled her eyes like she’d been through this story a thousand times.
“She was supposed to sing the National Anthem at the high school football game,” Doug snorted, leaning out of the way when Monica launched a half-eaten roll at his head.
“It wasn’t funny,” she growled, giving him a death stare. “I was sick.”
“The music starts, everyone’s waiting, and then—” Doug started laughing all over again, unable to even finish.
Kane watched Monica try to stay mad, but the grin tugging at her mouth ruined the effect.
“It’s not funny, Doug.” Monica narrowed her eyes at him. “Asshole.”
“Then over the speakers we hear this horrible, long gag,” Doug wheezed, holding his stomach.
Kane laughed under his breath. “No way…”
“Oh yeah,” Doug said. “Music cuts out. Total silence. And then another gag right before she pukes all over the fifty-yard line.” He was almost crying from laughing. “Mr. Randall had to sprint out and haul her off the field.”
“But two weeks later she won the talent show,” Ken added, defending her—but definitely laughing with Doug at the memory.
“Yeah, Doug,” Monica said, flipping him off without missing a beat.
Kane leaned back, watching them all. He liked this teasing, real family vibe. It was something he’d never had, not even before he was turned.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text from Charger. A slow smile spread across his face. They’d found the assholes who ran Monica off the road.
Kane: About time.
Charger: Fuck you. Hurry. I got shit to do.
Kane checked his watch as he stood, then looked at Monica. “I have to take off for a bit. Something came up.” He wasn’t telling her anything until he knew Charger had the right guys. “But I’ll be back.”
“Oh. Okay.” She nodded, looking a little disappointed. “I can take Knox and meet you back at my place.”
“No.” Kane shook his head. “As far as I know, we haven’t been followed, but I don’t want to chance it. If they are watching you and I’m nowhere to be found, it may raise suspicion. Until we know exactly who this Farrar guy is, I don’t want you alone.”
“Man, I like you more and more,” Doug said, but Kane didn’t respond. His eyes were locked on Monica.
“Don’t leave here until I get back.”
“Yeah, okay.” She nodded again. “I’ll stay.”
He turned to Doug. “Make sure your security system is armed.”
Doug’s face fell a little. “She really is in danger, isn’t she?” He looked at Monica, then back at Kane.
“Until I know otherwise for sure...yes, she is,” Kane replied, knowing his whole attitude had changed from laughing with them to now in full Guardian mode. “I’ll be back.”
Kane headed out, sending Charger a quick text as he walked. But as he crossed the yard toward his bike, something unfamiliar hit him hard—an instinct screaming at him not to leave her.
He didn’t know if it was simple Guardian protectiveness… or something else he didn’t want to name or couldn’t name.
Climbing onto his bike, he cursed under his breath.
Even before he’d been turned, he never stuck with one woman.
Ever. He played the field, enjoyed himself, then moved on.
No one ever held his attention longer than a few hours.
His “player” reputation in the Guardian world wasn’t just a rumor; it was who he was.
He frowned at the direction his mind was going.
None of that shit ever bothered him before.
“Fuck!” Kane cursed as he started his bike and took off.
Riding usually settled him, let the shit-show of being a Dark Guardian fall away until it was just the hum of his bike and the dark stretch of road ahead.
But tonight, none of it touched the knot twisting in his chest. The wind couldn’t clear his head.
The hum of the bike didn’t calm him. Anxiety rode shotgun, clinging to him in a way he wasn’t used to and sure as hell didn’t like.
He leaned into the next curve, pushing the bike harder, needing the speed, needing distance, and needing answers he didn’t have.
Monica’s image slammed into his mind. And right there, yeah, he knew.
She was the reason he felt wired, restless, and off his game.
She was the crack in his armor he hadn’t seen coming.
He’d battled things born from nightmares and walked away without blinking, but this? This pull toward one human woman rattled him in a way nothing else ever had.
Kane didn’t do soft, and he sure as fuck didn’t do “attached.” His life was built on violence and purpose, and he ran cleaner without anyone dragging at the edges of his focus. He preferred it that way. Hell, he needed it that way.
The logical part of him, the part that kept him alive, laid out the answer plain and simple.
Fuck her, and get her out of his system.
He needed to burn through whatever this was until it quit messing with his head.
Then he could get back to the job, finish it, and walk away like he always did. No mess. No ties. No weakness.
That was the plan. But even as he told himself that, he felt the lie in it.
Deep down, in the place he never let anyone touch, he knew one thing.
Monica wasn’t going to be something he could just fuck away and forget.
She was already becoming more than that.
And that terrified him far more than any enemy he’d ever hunted.