Chapter 6 #3
Rachel looks completely unbothered, throwing me a shrug as she climbs inside like she’s stepping into a damn limo. I hesitate for only a second before following.
Kane slides in beside me, his voice as smooth as ever. “Would you rather drive around for a bit, or just sit here and wait?”
I blink, thrown by the question. Why would he even ask that? It’s such a random thing to offer, and yet something about it puts me at ease.
“We can just sit here and wait.” I make my voice as confident as possible. “I promise we’re close. There's no point in driving around just to end up back here.”
His gaze lingers for a second longer than necessary, then he nods, satisfied.
“Okay. We’ll wait.”
He settles back into his seat. No teasing. No smug grin. Just calm, steady acceptance.
I take a moment to really look at him and the relaxed way he drapes his arm along the back of the seat. The way his expression has softened is a stark contrast to the cocky, sharp-witted man I’ve been dealing with all night. And somehow, this version of him is even more dangerous.
Because there’s no arrogance here. No attempt to impress me.
Just Kane.
The realization makes my stomach twist in ways I don’t have the energy to unpack. I force myself to focus on my phone, watching the screen slowly flicker to life as it charges. The tension from earlier still lingers, woven into my muscles like knots I can’t untangle.
Rachel is still deep in conversation with Cam and her laughter is easy and light. It’s almost funny how she’s fully enjoying herself while I’m sitting here overanalyzing everything.
I exhale slowly and close my eyes, running through a few breathing exercises my grandmother taught me. Focusing on the inhale, count the exhale. Let everything else fade.
The SUV hums softly beneath me as the faint scent of leather and cologne settles in the air. I focus on that instead, letting it steady me. When I open my eyes, I find Kane staring at me.
His gaze is steady, but there’s something there, something quieter than before. A small knowing smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.
“You alright?”
“Yeah.” I say automatically, but even I can hear the lie in my voice.
He raises a brow, waiting.
I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face. “Okay… I hate being lost.”
The words come out before I can stop them. And surprisingly, saying it out loud actually helps.
The screen of my phone lights up, buzzing faintly in my palm, and I nearly groan in relief as the moment evaporates. I quickly scroll through my email, finding the booking confirmation. My stomach untwists the second I see the address. Finally.
I turn the screen toward Kane, and when his eyes look over the address, something unreadable flashes across his face before he smooths it out. Without hesitation, he leans forward, says something to the driver, and just like that, the SUV starts moving.
A prickle of unease skates down my spine. I lean back into the seat, exhaling slowly, trying to shake the gnawing feeling creeping in like an unwelcome shadow.
Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Spiraling because of the kiss, the drinks, the entire night spinning faster than I can process. Or maybe I’ve been too trusting.
I don’t actually know this guy. I haven’t asked him anything real, haven’t even covered the basics. What does he do for work? Does he even have a job? Does he have someone waiting up for him? A wife? A girlfriend?
And why the hell didn’t I ask any of this before I let him steal that damn kiss?
The worst part isn’t just the kiss. It’s this. The way he makes me feel safe even when I know I shouldn’t. It terrifies me more than anything. I’m always the one with backup plans, with an escape route mapped out before I even walk into a room.
But here I am, sitting in the back of a strangers SUV, fighting the undeniable pull between us, while my instincts scream at me to wake the hell up.
A thousand little red flags I hadn’t noticed earlier now wave wildly in my mind, warning me that I’ve made a mistake. But I push it all aside. Right now, the only thing that matters is getting out of this car, making it inside, and sorting my own head out before I let this go any further.
The SUV rolls smoothly down the street, and finally, things start looking familiar. Relief floods through me as the tension in my shoulders unwind.
I glance at Rachel, half-expecting her to be looking out the window, worried about where we are going, but no. She’s perfectly at ease, whispering to Cam like none of this is messing with her the way it’s messing with me.
Which, honestly? Only makes it worse.
The nagging voice in the back of my mind refuses to shut up, quietly questioning every choice I’ve made tonight.
“Here we are.” Kane says as we slow to a stop, giving a quick nod to the driver.
I reach for the door handle, eager to put some space between us, but as I shift, my leg brushes against his. The contact is instant. A live wire of heat shoots through my entire body and I jerk away so fast, you’d think I’d been burned.
I make a break for it, gripping the handle and pushing the door open, only to nearly fall out.
Smooth, Raven. Real graceful.
Rachel’s laughter rings out behind me, Cam says something equally obnoxious, but I barely register them. I need to get inside. I need to get control over whatever this is.
It’s probably just the vodka talking.
Well, the vodka can shut the hell up. And so can my body, for that matter. No men, remember?! Now I’m officially the crazy person, arguing with myself.
“Thank you guys so much…” I hop out, and Rachel follows close behind, echoing her own thanks.
“Thanks, guys! See ya later. Enjoy the blue balls!” She calls out, laughing like a maniac.
I freeze.
My jaw drops. Did she seriously just say that?
I whip around, eyes wide, but Rachel just winks at me and keeps walking toward the house.
“Rachel,” I hiss, my voice barely above a whisper as we make our way to the door. “I cannot believe that you said that! You can’t just say things like that.”
She bursts into another fit of laughter, practically doubling over. “Oh, come on, you know it’s true!”
I groan, shaking my head as I type in the code on the door, willing my face to cool. They’re still sitting there, waiting.
I don’t dare turn around again. Instead, I shove open the door, stepping inside as quickly as possible.
Rachel makes her way to the bedroom and immediately flops face-first onto the bed like a ragdoll. “Uggg, I'm so tired. Let's go to bed. We’ll talk about smart choices tomorrow.”
“Yeah… smart choices,” I mutter, slipping off my shoes before collapsing onto the bed.
My brain is still running laps, replaying the night's events in vivid detail. Kane’s mouth, the way his hand felt at my back, and that stupid, perfect kiss. I let out a slow breath, pressing my fingertips against my lips.
I should be analyzing this more. I should be going over all the reasons that this was a terrible idea. But despite the whirlwind of weirdness, and every reason I should be running in the opposite direction… it was fun.
Confusing, electrifying, and utterly bizarre. But fun.
A small, reluctant smile tugs at my lips.
As exhaustion settles in, a faint hum echoes in my ears and heat blooms beneath my skin. I exhale slowly as my thoughts grow hazy, tangled in the space between waking and dreaming.
Then the air shifts.
A ripple moves through my consciousness. The world distorts, bending at the edges, stretching and shifting like something is pulling me deeper.
Flashes of unfamiliar places flicker in my mind. Misty landscapes, endless corridors lit by a dim glow, and the sensation of being watched tugs at the edges of my awareness.
I can feel eyes on me.
Not threatening. But familiar.
Faintly glowing orbs hover in the distance, their light pulses with the rhythm of my breath. Shadowy figures slip through my vision, dissolving before I can focus on them, as if they’re not meant to be seen.
A weight settles in the air, wrapping around me and it feels like the darkness isn’t empty, it’s alive.
“Raven.”
A voice reverberates through my mind, smooth as silk yet laced with something deeper.
I turn and see Kane standing there, illuminated by the shifting silver mist. His eyes glow faintly, but the mist curls around his frame as he reaches for me and when my fingers brush against his, the world shatters.
A ripple spreads and the force of it sends energy pulsing through the ground beneath us.
The air hums, and suddenly everything shifts.
The forest thrums, and the trees arch toward the sky.
Leaves whisper overhead, their hushed voices carrying secrets I can't hear.
The mist swirls in intricate patterns, weaving threads of light and shadow around us.
The whispers grow louder, but it sounds like a language I don't understand.
Then, like a flame flickering out, the vision begins to blur at the edges. The warmth vanishes and the whispers retreat as I slip further into sleep.