Chapter 25
Monica had been genuinely surprised when Kane stood and helped her clear the table, scraping plates and stacking them in the sink like it was the most normal thing in the world. Kane and Knox walked Theo back home while she finished wiping down the kitchen.
She frowned as she swiped the cloth across the table, then the counter.
Listening to Kane and Theo talk over dinner had given her a chance to really watch him without him noticing.
The way he swapped stories with Theo was interesting enough, but what got her was how closely he listened.
Kane had asked the older man questions that weren’t just polite filler.
Theo was lonely since losing Sally, and having another man to talk to besides her and Knox…
it meant something to him. Kane picked up on that without being told.
Kane had layers—layers she hadn’t expected. And now, she felt a pang of guilt for coming down on him so hard earlier. Maybe if he hadn’t dropped the whole “quit your job” bomb right after the most mind-blowing sex she’d ever had, she could’ve handled it better. Timing definitely mattered.
The door opened with Knox trotting in first. He padded to his water bowl, took a loud, slurping drink like he was dying of thirst, then flopped onto his bed with a grunt.
“Does he always drink that loud?” Kane asked, a half-grin tugging at his mouth.
“Yeah. And he leaves a trail of water everywhere he goes.” Monica tossed the dish towel onto the counter. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to change my socks.”
Kane nodded, then leaned against the counter, arms folded, with his eyes fixed on her.
“Listen—” they both said at once.
“Jinx!” Monica laughed, shaking her head when Kane frowned. “Sorry. Something my sister and I used to say when we said the same word at the same time. You’ve never done that?”
“No,” he said it so simply she didn’t know whether to smile or sigh.
“Oh.” She cleared her throat. “Well… you go first.”
“Ladies first,” Kane said, then winked. “Last thing I need is Theo showing up with a lecture about women.”
Monica chuckled. “He is a gentleman, isn’t he?”
“More than I’ll ever be,” Kane admitted with a low laugh. “He thinks a lot of you. You’re lucky to have a retired cop next door.”
“It is nice, but—” Monica’s mood shifted before she could stop it.
“But what?” Kane asked immediately, his gaze sharpening on her.
“I know I’ve been watched,” she said quietly. “And I don’t want Theo dragged into something because of me. Knox growls at the back door sometimes, and I’ve found footprints at the tree line directly behind the house.”
Kane’s entire posture changed. He straightened like someone had flipped a switch, the relaxed version of him gone in an instant. “Hold on.” His voice dropped, serious. “You know someone’s been watching your house?”
“Yes,” she answered, realizing, maybe too late, that she should’ve told him sooner. “I’m careful. I lock everything, the doors and windows. I’m not reckless.”
He cursed under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair, and she knew he only did that when he was irritated, which was usually at her. She wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about that.
“Theo found footprints behind your place. He told me before he came inside tonight, and I checked it out. They were fresh, Monica. As in, someone was here while I have been here.” His voice edged into anger, eyes narrowing on her. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me that?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Kane,” Monica snapped, matching his attitude without hesitation. “Maybe because I’m not a Warrior.” She knew using that word was like poking a bear, and she did it anyway.
He was in front of her before she even saw him move.
Kane’s presence hit her like a wall of hot, pissed-off male, and way too close. Monica lifted her chin, refusing to back up even an inch, even though every instinct told her he was coiled tight enough to snap.
“Don’t,” he growled, his voice low enough to vibrate through her bones. “Don’t throw that bullshit title at me like it’s some kind of joke.”
“You don’t like it?” she shot back. “Good. Now you know how I felt when you tried to bark orders at me after—” She cut herself off, jaw tightening. Nope. She wasn’t bringing the sex into this. Not again. Not when she still felt him everywhere.
Kane leaned in, eyes locked on hers. “This isn’t about titles, or who’s in charge.” His voice dropped, rougher. “This is about someone creeping around your house in the middle of the night, and you thinking you need to deal with that alone.”
“I have been dealing with it alone,” she snapped. “Long before you showed up. Long before you decided you suddenly knew what was best for me.”
He cursed under his breath, stepping even closer, their bodies almost touching now. “You think I’m doing this to control you?” His chest rose and fell, restrained fury rippling off him. “I’m trying to keep you alive, Monica.”
“I don’t need saving,” she whispered, voice unsteady but firm. “I need answers about my sister. I need to finish what I started. And you barging in here acting like I’m yours to manage doesn’t help me.”
Kane’s jaw flexed hard. “I know you don’t need saving,” he said quietly, surprising her.
“But needing answers doesn’t mean you walk straight into danger without backup.
” His hand lifted like he wanted to touch her, then dropped as if he didn’t trust himself.
“And knowing someone has been watching your house without telling me is reckless.”
Monica folded her arms. “You don’t get to decide what reckless is for me.
You don’t get to pretend that one night gives you that right.
” She knew she was being a little ridiculous, but dammit, he pissed her off.
She knew not telling him was dumb, but his insinuating it was dumb didn’t sit well with her.
Yeah, a woman’s mindset, well, at least her mindset at the moment.
“One night?” Kane echoed, eyes burning into her. “If you think one night is all I’m going to have with you, then you are sadly mistaken.”
Her throat tightened. Damn him.
“Kane—”
“No,” he cut in, voice low, almost a growl. “Look me in the eye right now and tell me you don’t want me.” He cocked an eyebrow as he waited for the answer that he already knew.
Monica swallowed hard. She couldn’t. Because she did want the asshole, and she hated that he knew it.
“You really piss me off...you know that?” She huffed, giving him the dirtiest look she could muster.
“Ditto!” He snorted, not backing down.
Silence stretched between them thick and electric.
Knox gave a soft whine from his bed, like even he felt the tension about to snap.
Monica finally let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “I was actually going to apologize to you.”
The way Kane blinked at her—like she’d just started speaking in tongues—made the pain of apologizing almost worth it.
Kane took a small step back, just enough to look her over head to toe, eyes narrowing. “For what?”
She shrugged and stared at literally anything but him, already wishing she’d kept her mouth shut.
Yeah, there was no chance Kane was letting that slide. His fingers slipped under her chin, gentle but firm, guiding her face back to his. “For what, Monica?”
“I shouldn’t have come down on you so hard,” she whispered, trapped by the intensity simmering in his stare.
“Asking you to quit your job was bad timing on my part,” Kane said, and that… shocked the hell out of her.
“Was that an apology?” she asked, blinking at him, trying not to smile but failing on the inside.
“Don’t get used to it,” he warned, dropping his hand.
And damn it, she missed his touch the second it was gone.
“But listen to me. If someone’s creeping around your property, I’m dealing with it.
Whether it pisses you off or not. And I’m having a real security system installed.
Knox is a badass, sure, but you need more than him out here. ”
Someone worrying about her safety besides her brother sent warmth flooding through her. “Okay,” she murmured.
“Excuse me?” Kane tilted his head, brows lifting. “Did you just agree with me?”
Monica rolled her eyes. “Don’t get used to it.” She tossed his words right back at him.
Kane smiled, tipping his head with a respectful nod. “Believe me, I won’t. I like the scrappy side of you.”
Monica let out a snort, half-laugh, half-grimace.
“Doug said if I ever wanted to land a man, I’d better lose the attitude.
” The words slipped out before she could stop them, and her stomach twisted.
Why the hell had she just said that? And to him, of all people?
“I—I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not trying to… you know… land a man.”
Kane didn’t answer. He just stared at her, that damn sexy smile plastered across his face. God, she was making a complete fool of herself.
“Anyway… why don’t you think this is going to work?” she blurted, eager to steer the conversation away from her own embarrassment.
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” Kane said, calm but serious. “I know when something doesn’t feel right.”
She thought that would be the end of it, but he kept going.
“I don’t say things just to hear myself talk. Something’s off about this whole situation. And I’m worried it’s going to go south before I even figure out why I feel this way.” His eyes darkened as he stared at her. “And I’m afraid you are going to get caught in the crossfire when it goes to shit.”
Monica sighed, the weight of it hitting her.
“And with me acting rashly, I tied your hands.” She swallowed hard.
She didn’t know as much as she thought she did about this.
“So, we either continue with me working for Farrar and hoping you’re allowed to be with me, or we scrap the whole thing, because I ruined any other chance of you getting on the inside. ”
“Listen, Monica.” Kane sighed as he once again moved a little closer.
“We didn’t really start this working relationship off on the right foot.
I should have been more understanding of your circumstances, and you should have trusted me, but that’s in the past. Trust me to know what I’m doing and know that my main purpose is to bring down whoever killed your sister. ”
Monica stared up at him, searching his eyes for the truth, and she saw it immediately.
Scary as it was to trust anyone out of her family circle, she did trust him.
She didn’t know exactly when it happened, but it was there.
She needed to let go of this vendetta and let those who knew what they were doing handle it.
The police...no, but this Dark Guardian. ..she would trust.