Chapter 14
KANE
T he quiet hum of the compound outside filtered in through the cracked window in my office. The occasional rumble of bikes, low voices, and doors opening and shutting as the clubhouse woke up.
The morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting long stripes across my desk piled with files and a half-drunk mug of coffee.
My boots were kicked up on the corner, and a cigar burned low between my fingers as I scrolled through a report Jax had sent the night before.
Paperwork was a bitch, but there was no avoiding it.
Especially since it had all been piling up because I’d been spending most of my time with Savannah.
My focus was razor sharp, the numbers in front of me a puzzle I was determined to solve, until the door swung open without warning.
Savannah strode in like she owned the place, hips swaying in those tiny denim shorts I fucking loved—and hated—because they reminded me that I wasn’t the only one who could appreciate how good she looked in them.
Her shirt was one of mine again, knotted at the waist, her blond hair falling over her shoulders in waves, blue eyes sparkling with something smug.
Her smile was aimed right at me, making my cock thicken.
“I was right,” she declared, striding straight around the desk with her hands on her hips like she was about to give me hell.
I couldn’t help the grin that pulled at my mouth as I set the report aside. “I’m sure you were, sugar. But if you want to gloat, you gotta pay the toll first.”
Her brows furrowed. “What toll?”
I leaned back in my chair and patted my lap. “Kiss first. Then you tell me what I should’ve already known.”
She rolled her eyes, but her smile didn’t fade as she stepped into my space, sliding into my lap like it was made just for her—and maybe it was. My arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against my chest. Her breath hitched as I brushed my lips over hers.
“You drive me wild,” she whispered.
“I know,” I teased with a wink. Then I kissed her.
Her lips parted instantly, her hands curling around my neck as I deepened the kiss, tasting the coffee on her tongue and the faint sweetness of her lip balm.
She made a soft little sound that went straight to my cock, and I slid one hand up her spine, cupping the back of her head, holding her exactly where I wanted her.
When I finally pulled back, she was breathless, lips swollen and eyes dazed. I fucking loved putting that look on her face.
“Now,” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “what were you right about?”
She blinked, then shook herself like she needed to remember why she’d come in. “Oh. Right. Jax hacked into the Wedgewood PD and got into Devon’s case files. We found inconsistencies. Pay slips, officer reviews, stuff that didn’t add up.”
My brows lifted. “Go on.”
“He pulled the metadata—all the digital time stamps, IP logs, everything. The chain of custody on the documents was a mess. Then he found it. The audit log showed that the forged documents were uploaded from a private server hosted on a mobile hot spot right here in Crossbend. And the digital signature on the reports doesn’t match Devon’s. ”
She sat back a little, eyes shining with triumph as she added, “He was framed, Kane. I told you.”
I stared at her, pride burning in my chest like wildfire. Stubborn, loyal, brilliant, and mine. I fucking adored this woman. Loved her. And the thought didn’t scare me one bit.
Cupping her jaw, my thumb brushed over her cheekbone. “You were right. I should’ve trusted you from the beginning.”
She shrugged, a soft smile playing on her lips. “I get why you didn’t. But I’m glad you listened anyway.”
I kissed her forehead, breathing her in. “From now on, I trust your instincts, sugar.”
She smirked. “Good. Because I’m usually right.”
I chuckled, then caught her lips again in a slow, lingering kiss. Just as her body melted into mine, the door banged open.
“What the fuck, Jax! Knock,” I snapped.
He grinned like the smug bastard he was and adjusted his glasses. “Didn’t think I had to knock in the middle of the damn day.”
Savannah slid off my lap, cheeks flushed, and I glared at Jax. “This better be good.”
He sobered immediately. “It is. I traced the mobile server. Allen’s involved with the Broken Skulls. They’re the ones trying to get into your underground circuits. They couldn’t buy their way in, so they used him to go around you. Fake paperwork, dirty money, the whole fucking playbook.”
Son of a bitch. The Broken Skulls were a cancer. A rival MC with no code, no rules, just greed and violence. We’d crossed paths before, and I’d shut them down every time. But so far, we hadn’t had enough of a reason to demolish the club.
“There’s a meeting tonight,” Jax continued. “Cash handoff. Allen’s delivering it. We don’t know who he’s giving it to, but it’s happening at one of your old rail yards. The one off Kingman Street.”
I stood, every muscle in my body coiled tight. “We’ll be there.”
Later that night, we were at an underground race just outside Crossbend.
The cars were fast, and the crowd was full of energy, but I spent most of it watching the intrigue and excitement on Savannah’s face.
When it was winding down, with engines cooling and money exchanging hands in the shadows, Savannah stood beside me, her hand curled around mine.
Edge approached, nodding once. “Time.”
I turned to Savannah. Her eyes were wide, full of worry.
“You going?” she asked.
“Have to.”
She hesitated. “Be careful. If you get yourself killed, I swear I’ll drag your ass back and beat you to death.”
I cupped her face, kissed her hard, and growled against her lips. “Not getting killed. Just handling business. Go back to the compound with Edge.”
She didn’t argue. Just kissed me again, fierce and fast, and whispered, “Come back to me.”
“Always.”