Chapter 21
Kane
In my passenger seat, Lovelyn slept. She’d offered to take the wheel, then when I refused, put the radio on low and immediately closed her eyes and drifted.
I didn’t share her need for rest. I was more alive than ever. Also acutely aware of her every sigh and move.
It was a good thing she slept. I needed space to clear my head.
On the outskirts of Deadwater, I slowed the car and parked up.
Lovelyn didn’t wake, and I fucking watched her like a madman.
Her cream knitted jumper had a small cluster of light-purple flowers at the sleeves and hem.
Added by her, I didn’t doubt. Just like the strap of her velvet bag, embroidered with a floral motif.
She wore her obsession literally on her sleeve.
At last, the sun rose, and I drove us to our first port of call. A retail park with a large electrical goods outlet.
A yawning Lovelyn let me go without question, then had awakened fully by the time I returned from the building, heavy bags in hand.
“What did you buy?” she asked.
“You’ll see when we get to yours.”
I took her home and offloaded my purchases. Four exterior cameras and two interior ones, plus a doorbell cam and the installation kit.
She stared as I unpacked it onto the front path.
“My side of the deal is to protect ye, which we still need to talk about, but I can’t be here every night,” I explained. “Unless you want to sleep elsewhere?”
“I don’t.”
“Then cameras with motion sensors are a good early warning system. I’ll have alerts set up, and ye can call me at any time and I’ll come.”
Methodically, I worked through setting up cameras, fixing them to give good coverage outside her home while Lovelyn added each to an app on her phone. I did the same with mine.
She watched me work. “You can see everyone who comes and goes.”
“Would ye rather I didn’t have access?”
Slowly, she shook her head. “I’ll feel safer if you do.”
From the house next door, separated from Lovelyn’s by a low fence, an elderly woman exited with a shopping bag on wheels. She looked me over then winked at Lovelyn and carried on down the path and out on the street.
More interesting was Lovelyn’s blush when I came back to her.
Last to be installed were the two internal cameras. I handed them over. “Place them in the hallways to have as wide a view as possible including the entrances.”
Without asking, I knew she wouldn’t invite me into her house. She definitely wouldn’t invite me to sleep in her bed to guard her. Or even the floor outside her room.
Then it was done, and I had no reason to hang around. “I need to go.”
Lovelyn inclined her head.
Gratitude was written all over her face, along with other emotions I had no hope of identifying.
I could ask, but it was better not to. I blamed my lack of sleep in two days for the irrational urge to lean in and kiss her.
That made no fucking sense. We’d had sex, but the need hadn’t gone.
It had only grown bigger, which my dick was in danger of doing if I stayed.
I walked backwards. “Are ye seeing my sister tonight?”
“Probably.”
“I’ll pick ye up.”
Lovelyn didn’t hide her smile. “Boyfriend training says you’ll bring flowers.”
“Ye still have my number, aye?”
Another small, curious nod said she did.
With a final look, I turned and left.
At the warehouse, I shot Arran a text to say I was back and the mission was a failure, then jogged upstairs the four flights to the hotel-style floor where I’d bagged a room.
I took a shower with my dick in my fist and memories of Lovelyn in every stroke.
When I crashed out on the mattress, it was to the video feeds of Lovelyn’s house.
She’d set up the interior views.
One of the lounge, the other her bedroom. And my dick was hard all over again.