Chapter 17
Lucky Me
Kane
Fuck.
I drag a hand down my face, exhaling through clenched teeth. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve muttered that word in the last twenty-four hours.
The second I shut my door, I just stand there, trying to get my head on straight.
Part of me wants to go upstairs, lock the door, and put some fucking distance between us. But then I remember what I told her, that I’m right next door if she needs anything.
Christ. That was a mistake.
I lean my head back against the door, staring up at the ceiling like it’ll fix this problem I walked straight into.
Then I hear a faint noise. Her voice is muffled, and I can’t make out what she's saying, but a small smile tugs at my lips knowing she’s talking to herself. I shouldn't find it fucking adorable, but I do.
A slow exhale leaves me as I rake a hand through my hair, willing myself to shut this shit down.
Too late to reel it back now.
The pressure straining against my jeans is unbearable. I'm still rock fucking hard.
I groan, wishing I could get her out of my head for even a second. But it’s impossible.
It took everything not to pin her against the counter and sink my teeth into her neck. The way she arched against me, pressing her ass back like she didn’t know what it was doing to me. Yeah, I nearly lost it.
And when she whispered, ‘I'm not afraid of you’... I groan again.
Fuck.
I exhale sharply, rubbing my jaw, while frustration rolls through every inch of me. She has no idea that she’s been pulling a sleeping beast by the collar all fucking day.
I deserve a medal for holding back. Restraint of a saint here.
But the problem is, I don’t want to hold back. The way she pushes my buttons with that infuriating, smug little smirk, has every cell in my body tuned in to her and nothing else. I’ve never felt this kind of raw, unrelenting lust for anyone before.
I start pacing the room, trying to shake this restless, blistering need to do something, but it’s fucking useless.
Today has been a complete mindfuck. Too many close calls. Too many moments where I almost came clean. When they wandered into the greenhouse? Yeah, that was definitely one of them.
I scrub a hand over my jaw, knowing I should’ve shut this down earlier. But by then, I was already in too deep.
I exhale, shaking the thought away.
I pull out my phone, typing out a quick message to Cam. Who, let’s be real, is probably doing anything but sleeping.
Me: This was a bad idea. Still with Rachel?
Cam: Nope, watching Netflix. Might just crash.
I roll my eyes. Bullshit. I hesitate, hovering over the screen before I type.
Me: Any news on the Owens’ shit?
Cam: … waiting on one thing to come back, then I’ll have your answers.
Are you going to have some fun with Raven?
I stare at the text, clenching my jaw. I type out my response and hit send without another thought.
Me: No.
Cam: Right.
Cam: ... make good choices
I move through the house, making a conscious effort not to make too much noise.
This is fucking ridiculous. Why the hell do I feel like a thief in my own house?
But here I am, tiptoeing around like an intruder, as if someone’s about to catch me red-handed.
On my way upstairs, I check the security system, make sure everything’s locked, running through the same routine I’ve had for years. It’s muscle memory at this point, but I double check, just to be safe. Especially after what happened earlier.
Once I'm in my room, I brush my teeth, and put a few things away. I can’t risk having too much downstairs and raising suspicion. The last thing I need is to out myself because I left a damn toothbrush in plain sight.
That would be next-level fucking idiotic. Security expert, exposed by a toothbrush.
Heading back down, I shake my head, chuckling quietly to myself. I really do feel like I'm sneaking around… what the hell has my life become, and why do I even care?
When I'm back in my room for the night, I sink into the chair by the window. I can feel the weight of the day settling in my chest.
I've learned a few things about Raven tonight. She's playful when she lets her guard down. And she’s the single biggest test of my self-control I’ve ever fucking encountered.
Who would’ve guessed that washing dishes would be the thing to finally pull that side of her out? Certainly not me.
I exhale slowly, rubbing a hand over my jaw.
I wasn’t planning on doing anything. I told myself I’d behave. But then she looked at me like that, all fire and defiance. And then she ran.
God help me. The thoughts that flashed through my head were not those of a man trying to keep his distance.
I’d like to think I'm a gentleman, but even I have my limits. This entire situation has my cock so hard it's almost painful. What I wouldn't give to just bend her over the counter.
I groan, running a hand through my hair, forcing myself to shut it down.
My phone pings from the nightstand.
Saved by the fucking bell.
Just another night of frustration, and another raging case of blue balls. At this point, not even a cold shower can fix this.
I grab my phone, and see a notification from the security system. What the fuck?
My irritation sharpens while I pull up the live feed and scroll to the most recent footage.
“Well, well, well,” I mutter under my breath.
The screen flickers, and I see Raven slipping out of the house. Clever girl. She didn’t make a sound. Didn’t even set off a single alarm beyond the initial door trigger. What’s even more impressive is that she used the greenhouse door to go outside. Not the most direct route, but it’s discreet.
So, the little princess has a rebellious streak after all.
Very interesting.
The part that really gets me, though, is that I didn’t fucking notice. I should’ve caught her. I should've known the second she moved. And why the fuck didn’t the alarms go off?
I was too busy picturing all the ways I’d ruin her. Too busy imagining how she’d feel wrapped around me… thinking about all the sounds she’d make when she screamed my name.
And the whole time I was busy doing that, she was slipping right out the back door. I grip my phone tighter, as I force myself to think past my own fucking distraction.
The real question is… where the hell is she going? Especially in this weather. Curiosity gnaws at me, and I can't ignore the feeling growing in my chest.
My security team mentioned that there was a breach when the storm rolled in, and I already knew tonight wasn’t going to be a quiet one. Something happened, something we haven’t quite figured out yet, and that has me on edge.
And now she’s out in the dark, in the middle of a storm? Yeah, no. Not happening.
I grab my shoes without another thought. I’m trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, assuming she’s at least got some sense not to wander too far. But rational thinking clearly went out the window the second she decided to sneak out in the middle of the goddamn night.
I know every twist and turn of this place like the back of my hand. I could navigate it blindfolded.
Raven, on the other hand, has no idea what she’s walking into. Not because of the terrain, but because of what happened earlier. I doubt anyone’s still out there, but I’ve also never had a security breach before.
I should’ve just taken them home, but I thought this was the safer option. Muttering a curse under my breath, I step outside into the cold air, and it hits me like a slap to the face.
Where would she go?
The only place that makes sense is the woods. She was obsessed with them earlier, and she probably convinced herself she was just taking a harmless stroll.
Stepping off the porch, my boots sink into a puddle of thick mud. I grit my teeth, already regretting this.
“When I find you…” I mutter under my breath, cutting myself off.
And then what? Yell at her? Drag her back inside?
No, I’ll probably do nothing. Absolutely nothing, because the truth is, I’m not even mad. I’m just fucking worried.
And maybe that’s the real problem.
The wind rips my words away with the rumble of distant thunder.
The rain’s holding off for now, but the storm hasn't let up. Lighting still splits the sky, and the air feels heavy, like it’s holding its breath before everything breaks loose.
At least she was wearing a hoodie, so that’s something. If she heads back to the house, I'll know, but for now, I know she’s still out here.
I move deeper into the woods, and I can see the shadows stretching between the trees. Doubt creeps in, twisting in my gut. Did I miss her? I pause, forcing myself to stay still and listen.
The forest hums with the kind of silence that’s never really silent.
I can hear the leaves shift in the breeze, the raindrops hitting branches, but underneath all that, there’s something else.
It almost feels like someone's pulling on a thread.
My boots sink into the damp earth as I cut through the trees.
“Where are you, Princess?”
I’m halfway to the house when it hits me again. That same unshakable feeling tugs at me to go a different direction.
Instead of heading back to the house, I veer left, moving toward the garden. The trees start to thin out and I can see the stone pathways come into view.
Today’s been a fucking roller coaster. And now she’s out here, in the dead of night, with a storm at her back. Seriously?
The frustration simmering inside me starts to mix with something else.
The rain picks up, soaking through my shirt and dripping down my face. When I find her, we’re definitely going to have some words.
It's been long enough that the knot of concern twisting in my gut feels like a fist. I can’t believe she managed to sneak out of the house without me knowing, and what the fuck is going on with my system today?
I'm about to pull out my phone to check the cameras but something moves to my right, over by the garden.