Chapter 37 Call it What You Want… #3
“He’s following up on a lead. Once he’s locked onto something, there’s no pulling him away.” His explanation makes sense, but disappointment flares before I can shove it aside. Now what am I going to do?
“So… what’s the plan, then?”
Kane’s lips curve into a smile as he shifts his focus back to the road. “I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?” I repeat, skepticism heavy in my tone. “Now, I’m worried.”
“Don’t be. Unless you’re afraid you’ll like it too much.”
I snort, shooting him a look out of the corner of my eye while I try to keep my nerves in check. “Please, you’ll have to try harder than that.”
“Is that a challenge?” He looks over at me, and his eyes burn with something dark.
I match his stare, but my insides are mush. “You’d know if it was.”
The tension between us hums, charged and alive, and for a minute I wonder if we’re about to drive off a cliff just to see who flinches first.
But luckily, the longer we drive, the tension eases into something a little more comfortable. He asks about what Rachel and I have been up to, and before I know it, I’m telling him all about our little adventures, the quirky people we've met, and the breathtaking places we got to explore.
He listens intently, occasionally throwing in a question or comment. I don't know how to feel about the way he seems so genuinely interested.
It’s nice talking about something other than the chaos that’s been hanging over me lately. For a while, I even let myself forget about the unanswered questions, the strange events, and the ever-present weight of uncertainty.
Kane mentions a few spots I haven’t seen yet, and I make a mental note to add them to my list for the week. The longer we drive, the more my curiosity nags at me. The questions sit on the tip of my tongue, but I bite them back, letting the anticipation simmer instead.
Just when I think I can’t take it anymore, the car begins to slow, and my eyes snap to the window. I suck in a breath as we approach the towering set of gates, their wrought-iron curves sending a jolt of surprise through me.
I whip my head toward him, eyes wide with disbelief. “Are you serious?”
A teasing smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, but he doesn't give me much as we pull through the gates. “You’ll see.”
The moment the car comes to a stop, I reach for the door handle, but his sharp tone stops me mid-motion. “Don’t.”
I freeze, hovering over the handle, biting back a grin. “What? I’m perfectly capable…”
He shakes his head, climbs out, and opens my door. His hand waits, dripping with the kind of confidence that makes me want to roll my eyes again.
I take it, letting him help me out, though my focus immediately shifts to the view in front of me. The sunset paints the stone in fiery golds and warm ambers. I don't think I'll ever get over how beautiful it is here.
“Thank you,” I murmur, quieter than I intend. “What are we doing here?”
He doesn’t answer, just steers me inside with that cryptic look on his face that makes my pulse stutter.
And then we step into the ballroom, and I stop dead. My breath catches, because of course he's gone and done this.
The table in the center glows under the chandeliers, all golden and dreamy, and it feels almost unreal. There's a band in the corner playing music that curls through the air, and of course it's perfect.
“You really don’t do anything halfway, do you?” I murmur, glancing at him beneath my lashes. There’s a teasing edge to my voice, but I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince. Him or me.
His smile sharpens as he leans in. “Not when it comes to things that matter.”
I swallow, feeling the heat rise in my chest, making it impossible to look away. “Careful, Kane. I might start to believe you actually like me.”
He steps closer, and the space between us shrinks to nothing. “Maybe I’m just hoping you’ll let me have a redo.”
My skin betrays me, heating up the second he winks. Great. Love that for me. I drag my gaze back to the room, buying a breath before I have to face him again. But when I do—there's a softness there I don't know what to do with. The kind of look that looks dangerously like…feelings.
We make our way to the table and he pulls out my chair with a grace that feels almost unfair.
“I was going to make you wear your mask,” he teases, as the corner of his mouth curls up into a devilish smile. “But I’d rather see your whole face.”
“Oh, is that so?” I manage to reply, struggling to keep my voice steady.
He sits down, leaning back in his chair. “I know you're a bit of a picky eater, but I have a feeling you’ll approve of this…”
He nods and someone in an apron appears to my right. “What toppings would you like on your salad, miss?” The man asks, while filling our glasses with water.
I pause, caught for a second in the fact that, yeah, this is definitely orchestrated. I look between Kane and what I assume is the cook. “Um,” I hesitate, feeling ridiculous. “I’m not sure. Maybe cucumbers? Tomatoes? Or, I don’t know, whatever you think. I’m sure it will taste amazing. Thank you.”
The cook nods, and steps away.
Kane's grin widens, as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Hold on, you’re leaving this decision to someone else? A mystery order? Who are you, and what have you done with the girl I met at the bar?”
I roll my eyes, leaning back in my chair as a laugh slips out. “Something you should know about me is that I don’t do well with decisions. Winging it is way less stressful. And if it’s terrible, I can just blame you. Win-win.”
He chuckles, shaking his head slowly. “Good to know. We’ll make sure to avoid life-altering choices. Though, for the record, you don’t strike me as much of a winger. You seem more like the type who quietly obsesses over every detail and pretends not to.”
I narrow my eyes at him, “Well, you don’t know me as well as you think, Kane.”
He leans in, resting his elbows on the table, and his gaze drops to my lips before meeting my eyes. “Is that a challenge, Princess? Because I think I’ve got you pretty much figured out.”
“Is that so?” I arch a brow, refusing to back down. “Guess we’ll see.”
His expression darkens slightly, and something raw flickers behind that carefully constructed confidence. “Don’t pretend I don’t know exactly what makes you tick.”
I can’t decide if I want to push him away or drag him closer by that stupidly perfect shirt of his.
“Careful, Kane.” I let my voice drop a little lower. “I’d hate for you to bite off more than you can chew. Wouldn’t want you choking.”
His lips twitch into a smile that promises all kinds of trouble. The kind that sends warmth flooding through my chest and leaves my thoughts scrambling for coherence. I shift in my seat, pretending to adjust my dress, desperate for a moment to breathe.
I look over at the band in the corner, letting the soothing melody of their music distract me from whatever the hell Kane is trying to do. The tune shifts, and the melody begins to shift into a song I know all too well.
He clearly designed tonight to test my self-control, and it’s really not looking good for me.
The familiar notes wind through the room, wrapping themselves around me like a spell. My eyes snap back to Kane, and my heart stutters when I find him staring at me.
He doesn't look away. Instead, he stands and the chair scrapes softly against the floor. The sound is barely audible over the music, but it feels deafening. He extends his hand, waiting for me to take it. His expression is unreadable but his intent is crystal clear.
“Dance with me.”
His voice is a little rough, and it sends a thrill curling down my spine. I blink up at him and my heart skips another beat. At this rate, I should probably go see a doctor.
“Right now?”
My voice slips out softer than I meant. To me, it sounds like I just squeaked. Great. Exactly the vibe I was going for.
“Always.” There’s something in the way he says it that unravels me completely, making it impossible to say no.
I swallow, placing my hand in his. “Fine. But don’t step on my toes.”
His smile alone could probably level me if I wasn’t already halfway there. “I’ll do my best, Princess.”
The warmth of his palm against mine sends an involuntary shiver through my body. Any chance I had at holding onto my anger about him lying to me, is quickly dissolving.
He helps me to my feet with a gentleness that feels out of place against his usual sharp-edged confidence. It’s disarming, and it sets every nerve in my body on alert as he leads me toward the open space. What is he up to?
I drag in a deep breath, silently reminding myself that this is just a dance. It's just one night. I’ve faced life-or-death situations, a ball, and some psycho who elbowed me in the face, just this week alone. So dancing with Kane shouldn’t be that hard. Right?
He draws me closer, anchoring me with one hand low at my back, and the other wraps firmly around mine. This feels more dangerous than anything else.
“Relax.” His breath brushes my ear. “You look like you’re gearing up for battle.”
It takes everything I have not to laugh out loud. He’s not entirely wrong, my fight-or-flight instincts are on high alert.
The romantic notes of Enchanted weave through the air, and for a second, I let myself be pulled into the moment. This feels different than the night of the ball. There’s power in the way he moves, and it feels entirely too intoxicating for my own good.
When I look up, his eyes are dark with a heat that threatens to burn straight through me. “Hi, I'm Kane.” His tone is playful, like I don’t already know exactly who he is and what he’s capable of doing to me.
I roll my eyes, but a giggle slips out before I can stop it. “Raven. Welcome to my nightmare.”
“Raven huh?” His voice dips, threaded with a quiet chuckle. “It's enchanting to meet you.”
The laugh that bubbles out of me is unrestrained. “You’re ridiculous.”