Chapter 30 - Kane
A gust of wind hits Kane’s face. He glances up from his wristlink.
Still no sign of Rafael.
They were supposed to cook at his place tonight, their first real time together since the V-link date went sideways. Instead, Rafael asked to meet at a park in Midtown.
Kane blends as much as someone like him can in his usual leather jacket, black sweater, and lightweight armor vest beneath. Midtown joggers don’t look twice, but he’s not trusting a clean street and a morning breeze.
Overhead, a security drone whirs past, rainbow lights circling its body.
A Premiere Corp model by the colors. It’s the third he’s spotted since arriving.
Not surprising. Like everywhere else, this “public space” was bought and sold to them over a century ago.
But they’re the least of his concerns. His crew rarely stirs up trouble with them.
“Hey.”
His smile forms automatically, only to falter the second he turns around.
Rafael’s pale expression hits first. The readout on Kane’s HUD strikes harder.
>ID: RAFAEL GUTIERREZ
>HR: 110 BPM ↑
>BP: 170/100 ↑
>NI: CRITICAL
Today, he planned to lay everything out: his feelings, what their future could be.
All that can wait.
There’s no moving forward until he figures out what’s going on—and how to fix it.
Kane closes the distance in three strides. Once he’s close enough, he takes Rafael by the wrist gently. “What’s wrong?”
The fingers in his grasp stiffen, then go slack. Rafael peers up, shoulders tense. “I have to tell you something…”
Alarm slams through him. He releases Rafael’s hand, curls his own into a fist. “About what?” he demands.
Rafael swallows hard. His pulse spikes in Kane’s overlay. When he speaks, his voice barely rises above the noise in the park.
“We have to break up.”
No.
This isn’t happening. They can’t be done. They just started and—Kane hasn’t even told him how he feels yet.
Something happened. That’s the only explanation.
“Like hell we do.” His voice drops low. “What’s really going on?”
“Nothing.” The tremor in Rafael’s jaw betrays him.
Kane crowds into his space. “Bullshit. Tell me.”
Rafael wraps his arms around himself. Kane’s chest tightens, despite his rage. “I—we can’t— There’s no future for us.”
“No future?” His brows raise. “Since when do you get to decide that alone?” What about Kane’s opinion?
“W…we can’t, Kane.” Rafael’s fingers twist together. “We’re too different. I’m from Midtown. I work at VitaCorp. You live in Shreveport. And you—you’re the…” He mouths the words “Chrome Baron.”
Kane’s jaw tightens. “You knew that from the start.” His hands settle on Rafael’s shoulders, firm but careful. Always careful with him. “What I am, what I do, where I live. And you chose me anyway. What changed?”
Dark eyes fill with unshed tears. Rafael blinks, trying to hold them back. “I know. But…I had some time to think, and…it’s getting to be too much.”
Too different, too much, he lives in Shreveport—no. Kane’s jaw ticks. Something’s not right. This can’t just be doubt. Someone else is involved. VitaCorp, Athena, maybe even NCPD. Rafael’s biometrics are spiking way past normal.
His mind snaps through the possibilities. Coda’s tech. His HOV tracer. The sensor scrambler. Using the Veil. Everything was practically bulletproof. In theory, nothing should’ve slipped.
But then Rafael drops his head. “And there’s no telling how long we’ll last, anyway.” His voice cracks. “I can’t see us making it. Not with everything…”
Silence falls between them. Kane stares past Rafael to the rest of the park behind them.
Maybe this wasn’t some VitaCorp scheme or Athena’s handiwork…Maybe Rafael just didn’t consider the gravity of the situation before.
Kane can’t pretend he was any better. He was ignoring all the warning signs.
But somewhere along the way, the exit doors disappeared.
And he didn’t become the Chrome Baron by backing down—not without a fight.
“You’re right.” He releases his shoulder and cups his face instead. Rafael tenses but doesn’t pull away.
Kane’s heart hammers. This isn’t something he’s said to anyone—not once in any of his past relationships. But he keeps going, thumb brushing across Rafael’s cheek.
“I don’t know how long we’ll last. But there’s one thing I’m certain of…
” He takes a breath. “I’m in love with you.
” Rafael inhales. “I’m not asking you to say it back.
But if there’s a chance—even the smallest part of you that might—then we don’t do this.
We stay together. Face whatever comes next as a team. ”
By the time he finishes, Kane’s pulse is glowing red in his HUD. But he keeps his eyes locked on Rafael, whose own heart rate skyrockets.
At first, there’s no response.
Rafael’s mouth opens. Nothing comes out. He straightens, throat working as he tries again.
“I don’t know what to say,” he whispers. “I’m not sure if I love you, Kane. I care about you—a lot. Right now, that’s all I know.”
His hands fall to his sides as he steps back.
Rafael doesn’t love him…
“I’ve been so happy with you.” Rafael’s shoulders sag. “I can’t remember the last time I felt this…content. But with everything—I think it’s best if we end this now. Before it gets worse. I don’t want to start something that’s doomed to fail.”
“So that’s it?” Kane snaps before he can stop himself. “You’re just giving up because we’re ‘doomed to fail,’ according to you.” He shakes his head.
“How do you know I won’t leave the crew someday? Or that you won’t get sick of VitaCorp and break free?”
Rafael opens his mouth. Kane doesn’t let him answer.
“Nobody can predict the future. But this—” He gestures between them. “This surrender? That’s on you.”
Tears well in Rafael’s eyes.
For a second, something flickers there. Kane’s heart skips a beat. Maybe he changed his mind.
Until Rafael bows his head, shoulders caving in.
“Kane,” he croaks. “I care about you. But, like I said, things are complicated. I—”
Whatever hope Kane was holding on to snaps.
He raises a hand, cutting Rafael off. “Stop.” His fingers tremble before curling into a fist. “You’ve said enough. I told you I love you. That I’d fight for us. But it’s obvious you won’t. And I’m done wasting my time.”
Rafael’s expression crumbles.
Kane turns away before he can see more. He should leave, get on his bike, and go. But his feet won’t move. Despite this gutless breakup, he loves Rafael. No matter what, he wants to stay, wants to fight.
In the end, his pride wins.
The Chrome baron doesn’t beg. Not for Rafael. Not for anyone.
He forces himself across the park toward his bike. On the HOV, his hand hovers over the start. For a second, Kane almost looks to see if Rafael’s still there by the pond.
His focus shifts back to the road ahead.
Back to business. Back to Shreveport.