Chapter Eight
N ova
The feel of Kane’s hard chest under my cheek and Haze's solid chest pressed snug against my back and his cock prodding into my bottom had my eyes slowly fluttering open.
My lips twitched. It seemed even in a dead sleep, Haze was ready to go.
As I laid there feeling sated and safe, memories from earlier flooded my mind.
The way they'd both touched me, claimed me... and Haze. He’d spoken more than I’d ever heard him do before.
A soft kiss pressed against my forehead. “Morning, Kitten,” Kane murmured, his voice still rough with sleep.
“Morning,” I whispered back, not wanting to wake Haze.
“Baby,” Haze rumbled behind me, his hand sliding up my ribcage. “Watching you sleep.”
He’d been watching me sleep. Of course he had. I smiled over my shoulder, earning myself a kiss on the lips.
I should have felt embarrassed lying between them, completely naked, but I didn't. I felt cherished, protected, and the way they were both watching me… I felt beautiful.
Kane pressed a kiss to my temple before rolling out of bed.
I watched as he stretched, his muscles rippling under his muscular tattooed skin. Even after the thorough workout earlier, the sight of him made my breath catch.
“Coffee?” he asked, already heading for the door.
“Please,” I replied, snuggling back against Haze, who tightened his arm around me.
The domesticity of the moment struck me.
Here I was, in bed with two gorgeous, dangerous men, discussing morning coffee like it was the most natural thing in the world. Maybe it was, for us.
“Okay?” Haze's quiet question rumbled against my back.
I turned in his arms, meeting those intense blue eyes. “Yes, I’m okay.”
His hand cupped my face, thumb tracing my cheekbone. The tenderness in his touch made my heart ache.
We stayed like that until the smell of coffee drifted up from downstairs, followed by the sound of Kane moving around the kitchen.
Haze pressed a soft kiss to my forehead before releasing me.
“Shower,” he said, sliding out of bed. I tried not to stare as he walked naked to the bathroom but failed miserably.
After borrowing one of Kane's T-shirts, I padded downstairs to find him in the kitchen and two steaming mugs sat on the counter.
“Perfect timing,” he declared, sliding one toward me. I inhaled the rich aroma of the dark roast coffee as I wrapped my hands around the warm ceramic.
Kane's eyes traveled over me and darkened. “You look good in my clothes, Kitten,” he said, his eyes lingering on my bare legs beneath his shirt.
Heat bloomed in my cheeks. The intensity of his gaze made me feel exposed, vulnerable. But in a good way.
The sound of the shower shutting off upstairs was soon followed by Haze's heavy footsteps as he stomped down the steps.
My lips turned up.
“What?” Kane asked, a smile of his own playing at the corner of his lips.
I shook my head. “I was just thinking how efficient Haze is. He doesn’t dally in the shower.”
Kane grinned. “You’re right about that, Kitten. He’s always efficient.”
Moments later, the man himself appeared in the doorway, hair damp, wearing only jeans that he’d left unbuttoned.
My mouth watered at the sight of water droplets trailing down his chest.
I heard Kane chuckle again and my eyes jumped to his. “You're staring, Kitten.”
“Can you blame me?” I said, feeling my cheeks instantly heat when the words slipped out before I could stop them.
Both men grinned, and I buried my face in my coffee mug.
Kane moved to the fridge, pulling out eggs and bacon. “Hungry?”
I nodded, settling onto one of the barstools at the kitchen island.
Haze moved around the bar, dropping a kiss on top of my head as he snagged his mug.
God. He was such a sweetheart.
I sipped on my coffee, watching them move around each other with such familiarity. They were so in sync, anticipating each other's movements without a word.
I couldn’t imagine what it felt like having that. I’d grown up an only child, raised by my aunt after my parents died in a car crash. I’d always, pretty much, been alone.
“Okay?” Haze asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
“What’s wrong?” Kane asked after hearing Haze’s question.
“Nothing,” I told them both. “I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile.
It was clear he didn’t believe me, but thankfully he let it slide.
Kane smiled softly before going back to what he was cooking on the stove. Haze watched me for another few moments before fishing out his phone that was buzzing in his pocket. I watched as he read what was on the screen, his expression darkening slightly.
“Dragon?” Kane asked without turning from the stove.
Haze grunted in confirmation. “Tonight.”
Kane's shoulders tensed. “Good. Been waiting for this one.”
I looked between them, confusion furrowing my brow. “What's tonight?”
Kane plated the food, sliding it in front of me before leaning his elbows on the counter and looking at me with that boyish grin I was beginning to love. “My fight.”
“A fight?” My fork paused halfway to my mouth. “Like... boxing?”
Kane's lips quirked. “Not exactly. Ever heard of The Pit?”
I shook my head.
“It's an underground fighting ring,” he explained, his eyes lighting up with an intensity I hadn't seen before. “No rules, no refs. Just pure combat.”
My stomach clenched. “Isn't that... dangerous?”
Haze snorted, and Kane's grin turned predatory. “That's the point, Kitten. The danger, the rush—there's nothing like it.”
I set my fork down, my appetite now completely gone. The idea of someone hurting him… no. I didn’t like that at all. “Do you... do this often?”
“I'm the club's champion fighter,” he said, pride evident in his voice. “Been doing it for years. The money's great, and it keeps our reputation strong.”
“But you could get hurt.” The words came out smaller than I intended.
Kane rounded the counter, turning my stool to face him. His hands bracketed my thighs as he leaned in close. “You worried about me, Kitten?”
I nodded, unable to look away from the intensity in his big green eyes.
“Don't be,” he murmured, pressing his lips to my forehead. “I know what I'm doing.”
I glanced at Haze, who nodded solemnly. Something passed between the two men, shaped by years of trust and shared experience I would probably never fully understand.
“Will you come watch?” Kane asked, pulling back slightly. “I want you there.”
My heart thundered. The thought of watching Kane fight, of seeing him deliberately put himself in danger... I bit my lip. I wasn’t sure I could bear it.
“Please,” he added.
I sighed. Watching two men beat the crap out of each other sounded horrible, but I could see how much this meant to him. How alive he looked just talking about it.
“Okay,” I finally relented.
His answering smile was brilliant, and I knew I’d made the right decision. “That's my girl.”
With plans made, the rest of the morning passed in a haze of soft touches and shared looks.
When the afternoon rolled around, we’d migrated to the living room, where I curled up between them on the couch.
As Stranger Things played quietly on the television, Kane explained more about The Pit and the underground world of fighters.
I listened, trying to understand this part of him—this need for violence and victory.
It was so different from my quiet world of books and flowers, yet I found myself fascinated by his passion.
“The money from tonight's fight,” Kane said, his fingers trailing patterns on my arm, “it's going toward the club's legal fund. For when we need it.”
My thoughts turned to the federal investigator Banner had mentioned, about the constant threat that seemed to always be hanging over the club. It all served as another reminder that their world was more dangerous than I'd ever fully grasped.
“Will there be a lot of people there?” I asked, already dreading the possibility of a big crowd.
“No more than usual,” Kane replied. “Rich assholes betting their daddy's money, people hard up for cash looking to score, and of course, the club.”
“You'll be safe,” Haze added quietly, his hand squeezing my knee.
The possessiveness in his voice made me shiver.
Kane's phone vibrated on the coffee table, and he knifed up and grabbed it. As he checked the screen, a frown slid onto his face. “Need to head to the gym. Get some training in before tonight.”
My stomach twisted with anxiety, but I pushed it down.
This was who he was—who they both were.
Kane stood, pulling me up with him. “Wear something sexy tonight, Kitten.” He winked before kissing me wet, hard, and demanding. When he pulled away, Haze's gentler kiss followed, always the soothing balm to Kane's fire.
As I watched them gather their things, my heart felt full and heavy all at once. I knew their world was dangerous; I’d witnessed it more than enough times in the last year, but tonight I was going to see another side of the men I was falling for, and that scared the hell out of me.
But as they kissed me goodbye, with Kane's predatory grin promising victory and Haze's quiet strength promising everything would be okay, I knew I would stand by their sides no matter what.
They were mine, as much as I was theirs, and tonight, I would prove that I was strong enough to handle anything this life threw at me.