Chapter 6 #2
“I’m sure the trails will be a bit busy,” he finally responds.
“Hopefully not too bad, though. Are you planning on doing anything around town?” His voice is casual, but there’s a curiosity beneath it.
“If you want, we could show you guys around. Take you to a castle or two, show you the places that aren’t packed with tourists. ”
I arch a brow. “What’s the catch?”
He shrugs. “No catch. Just thought I’d do my duty as a Scottish gentleman and give you ladies a proper tour.”
“A private tour guide?” I nudge him playfully with my elbow. “How much would that cost? Because just so you know, we’re definitely on a budget.”
Kane chuckles, shaking his head. “Don’t worry, Princess. First tour’s on the house. Consider it a favor.”
“A favor?” I arch a brow. “What exactly are we going to owe you?”
His smile deepens, “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
I scoff, nudging him again, this time with a little more force. “If that’s your way of scamming tourists, I gotta say, I’m not impressed. You should work on your pitch.”
His gaze dips to where my elbow brushed against him, then back up to my face. “You’re saying no to a free, exclusive tour of Scotland? I don't know, sounds like a missed opportunity.”
I narrow my eyes, pretending to weigh my options. “I don’t know… I feel like this is how those true crime stories start. She was last seen accepting a favor from a charming Scottish man…”
Kane’s laughter is effortless. “Charming, huh? I’ll take that too.”
“Not the part you should be focusing on.”
His grin doesn’t falter, but there’s something unreadable that flashes through his eyes.
I laugh, shaking my head. “You’ll have to let us know. We’ll be expecting the royal treatment, of course.”
Rachel suddenly turns and yells over her shoulder, “How far away is our place? I swear we should be there by now.”
She's right. It feels like we’ve been walking forever. We definitely should’ve been there already.
Good news: my phone has three percent.
Bad news: my phone has three percent.
This would not be an ideal night to be kidnapped by strange men in a foreign country while my phone gasps its last breath.
“Rach, how much battery does your phone have?” I call out, trying to sound casual despite the sinking feeling in my stomach. I hate being lost.
She spins around, grinning like we’re having the time of our lives. “Oh, I'm sure it's fully charged… back on the charger, in our room.”
I blink at her, stunned by her carefree attitude. I let out a slow breath, leveling her with a look. “Oh my God, Rachel. Who doesn't bring their phone out? What if you did get kidnapped? How would you call for help?”
Rachel bursts into laughter, doubling over as she clutches her side. “Well, Cam here has a phone.” She giggles. “So worst case, I’d use his to call for help. You’re supposed to be the responsible one! Where’s your phone?”
That sets all of us off. I glance over at Kane, momentarily caught off guard by how the sound of his laughter makes my chest flutter. I shake it off and shoot Rachel a glare, but it has no real bite.
“You two are something else.” Cam says, shaking his head with a grin. “I think we’ll show you around after all, if only for the entertainment value.”
Rachel nudges me playfully. “See? At least one of us is prepared for anything.”
Honestly, sometimes I think we shouldn’t be left alone together.
“Okay, well, I think I remember this part of town,” I say, forcing confidence into my tone. “Let’s just keep walking for a bit. I can try to look up the address while we walk and hopefully my phone won’t die.”
Kane leans in. “So let me get this straight, you won’t let us give you a ride home, but you were going to walk home without knowing where you were going?”
I exhale sharply. “Yes, actually. And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop judging my entire existence.”
He hums, completely not stopping his judgement.
Rachel laughs and says, “We’re bound to find it eventually. And if not, I'm sure we could find some charming gentlemen who can help us out.”
Not funny. I glance at Kane and Cam, who both seem more amused than concerned. They’re definitely trouble, but hopefully not the kind we need to worry about.
Kane walks beside me, staying on the side closest to the road. A car passes, and before I can react, I feel his hand gently press against the small of my back.
It’s a casual touch, except it does something to my body. A slow treacherous warmth spreads from the spot where his fingers linger.
I should move.
But I don’t.
Instead, I keep walking, trying to ignore the way my pulse picks up and how, despite everything I know to be true about men like him… I feel safer than I should.
It’s only midnight, but honestly, I'm relieved they’re here. The thought of wandering these unfamiliar streets, in the dark, slightly buzzed and running on questionable decision-making skills? Yeah, not my brightest idea.
“Do you remember what your place was by?” Kane asks, pulling me out of my thoughts. “If you can remember any landmarks, I can probably figure out where it is."
I glance over at him, appreciating that he’s actually trying to help instead of just making fun of me.
“A couple more emails, and I should be able to find the right one. We’re not lost,” I say with way more confidence than I actually feel.
My phone screen blinks at me like it knows I’m lying.
One percent left.
I open my email, silently begging it to hold on a little longer. Please don’t die. Please, please, ple—
The screen goes dark.
“Noooo!” I yell as my phone finally dies, leaving me stranded with nothing but my panicked thoughts and a useless piece of metal.
Rachel stops mid-laugh and turns to me, eyes wide. “Oh my God, did your phone just die?”
“No, Rach, I’m just dramatically mourning my fully charged battery.” I snap, shaking my dead phone like that’ll bring it back to life. “Yes, it died. It’s dead. Deceased. Gone forever.”
Rachel cackles like this is hilarious.
Cam, just smiles. “Should we light a candle for the vigil, or…”
Kane, on the other hand, just watches me with his arms crossed like he’s debating whether to find this amusing or concerning.
Meanwhile, my heart is racing because holy shit, we're lost. The once comforting quiet of the streets now feels heavier and the wind whispers through the alleyways, carrying a chill I hadn’t noticed before.
The street lights flicker, casting long, shifting shadows against the cobblestones.
The fun night that felt alive, now feels too still.
This is not how I die.
“I’m pretty sure we’re right around this corner and down the street a little,” I grip onto blind faith like it’s my lifeline. “We are not lost.”
Rachel’s blissfully unaware of my impending breakdown and is still laughing at something Cam said. At least she’s having the time of her life. Meanwhile, I’m about five seconds away from activating full-blown survival mode.
Kane’s voice cuts through my panic. “So, to recap, your phone is dead, you don’t know where you’re going, and you’re relying on guessing?”
His smirk is firmly back in place, and I immediately regret everything.
“I’m not guessing,” I argue, lifting my chin. “I mostly know where we are.”
His brows lift. “Mostly?”
I open my mouth, ready to fire something back, but before I can, a blacked-out SUV slows to a stop beside us and every muscle in my body locks up.
This is it. This is how we die. If it weren’t for the solid heat of Kane’s hand resting low on my back anchoring me, I’d be convinced that this is the moment we get kidnapped and murdered.
Cam hauls Rachel toward the SUV like it’s his personal getaway vehicle. He’s literally hauling her over his shoulder as her laughter echoes down the street. For a split second, I almost freak out.
She’s giggling like a maniac, and I’m about to kick Cam in the shins and drag her ass straight to the nearest police station.
Before I can fully spiral, Kane’s voice cuts through the growing tension.
“It's fine. He’s a friend.” His tone is maddeningly calm. “We needed a ride and a charger so you can figure out where your place is.”
I blink.
I didn’t even see him pull out his phone. There’s something in his eyes, like he’s waiting for my reaction.
Then he adds, way too casually, “Unless of course you want to come back with us and drive around in my car to try to find your place?”
The look I give him says absolutely not and he just laughs, shaking his head. “That's why our ride is here, Princess. You can plug your phone in, figure out where you’re going, and we’ll get you home. You’re safe.”
You’re safe.
Two simple words, and yet the tension in my shoulders melts like ice under a flame.
How the hell does this man know exactly what to say? How does he do it so easily, like it’s second nature? Or maybe this is just what decent men do. Either way, hearing him say it makes me feel a little better.
Not that I fully trust him. But something about the way he says things with such certainty, makes me want to.
I could stand here and argue, or I could just get in the damn car, charge my phone, and figure out how to get home from there.
I exhale slowly, giving in to the inevitable.
“Okay.” The word slips out before I can second-guess it.
The night around us seems to settle and the tension eases as Kane gently guides me toward the SUV. I don’t know why, but the moment he reassures me, everything stops spinning. It's strange how easily he does that.
As we approach, the tinted windows catch the streetlights and out of the corner of my eye, I catch a flicker of movement. I pause, turning, but there’s nothing there.
A strange sensation curls at the nape of my neck, like something is pressing on my skin. I swallow hard, pushing the thought away. Kane is already leaning forward, talking easily with the driver like they’re old friends, just like he said.