Kane watched her smile dim, just a little. Monica was pretty good at hiding her emotion, well, except for last night...that thought had a manly smirk playing across his lips. But seeing the shift now in real time hooked something inside him.
She touched Theo’s arm. “Sally was a very lucky woman,” she whispered. “Every woman deserves to be loved the way you loved her.”
“I was the lucky one,” Theo murmured, memory softening his features.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Kane said, and he meant every word. He thought of his brothers and their mates, of the kind of love that gutted you if you lost it. He knew without a doubt that a vampire losing their mate was like a death sentence, which was one of the reasons he steered clear of any type of attachments to women.
But now, as his gaze slid to Monica, her expression full of sympathy and understanding for the older man, he wanted to pull her close and comfort her. Something he had never felt for anyone.
“Alright, that’s enough of that,” Theo said, shaking off the moment. “Let’s eat. I’ve been waiting all day.”
Kane stayed quiet while they ate, lost in his own head. But he damn sure noticed that Monica could cook. The steak was tender, perfectly seasoned, and cooked rare—exactly how he liked it. There was no way she could have known that.
Her laughter pulled his attention again. She tossed her head back, smiling at something Theo said, and when her eyes flicked to him, that same smile aimed right at him…
At that moment, something locked into place.
No one was getting close enough to touch her. Not Farrar. Not his cronies. Not whoever had been creeping around her property. If anyone wanted Monica, they’d have to go throughhim. Kane was one mean son of a bitch when he protected what mattered, and she was starting to matter more than she should. More than he was ready for.
CHAPTER 25
Monica had been genuinely surprised when Kane stood and helped her clear the table, scraping plates and stacking them in the sink like it was the most normal thing in the world. Kane and Knox walked Theo back home while she finished wiping down the kitchen.
She frowned as she swiped the cloth across the table, then the counter. Listening to Kane and Theo talk over dinner had given her a chance to really watch him without him noticing. The way he swapped stories with Theo was interesting enough, but what got her was how closely he listened. Kane had asked the older man questions that weren’t just polite filler. Theo was lonely since losing Sally, and having another man to talk to besides her and Knox… it meant something to him. Kane picked up on that without being told.
Kane had layers—layers she hadn’t expected. And now, she felt a pang of guilt for coming down on him so hard earlier. Maybe if he hadn’t dropped the whole “quit your job” bomb right after the most mind-blowing sex she’d ever had, she could’ve handled it better. Timing definitely mattered.
The door opened with Knox trotting in first. He padded to his water bowl, took a loud, slurping drink like he was dying of thirst, then flopped onto his bed with a grunt.
“Does he always drink that loud?” Kane asked, a half-grin tugging at his mouth.
“Yeah. And he leaves a trail of water everywhere he goes.” Monica tossed the dish towel onto the counter. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to change my socks.”
Kane nodded, then leaned against the counter, arms folded, with his eyes fixed on her.
“Listen—” they both said at once.
“Jinx!” Monica laughed, shaking her head when Kane frowned. “Sorry. Something my sister and I used to say when we said the same word at the same time. You’ve never done that?”
“No,” he said it so simply she didn’t know whether to smile or sigh.
“Oh.” She cleared her throat. “Well… you go first.”
“Ladies first,” Kane said, then winked. “Last thing I need is Theo showing up with a lecture about women.”
Monica chuckled. “He is a gentleman, isn’t he?”
“More than I’ll ever be,” Kane admitted with a low laugh. “He thinks a lot of you. You’re lucky to have a retired cop next door.”
“It is nice, but—” Monica’s mood shifted before she could stop it.
“But what?” Kane asked immediately, his gaze sharpening on her.
“I know I’ve been watched,” she said quietly. “And I don’t want Theo dragged into something because of me. Knox growls at the back door sometimes, and I’ve found footprints at the tree line directly behind the house.”
Kane’s entire posture changed. He straightened like someone had flipped a switch, the relaxed version of him gone in an instant. “Hold on.” His voice dropped, serious. “Youknowsomeone’s been watching your house?”
“Yes,” she answered, realizing, maybe too late, that she should’ve told him sooner. “I’m careful. I lock everything, the doors and windows. I’m not reckless.”