“Don’t get used to it,” he warned, dropping his hand. And damn it, she missed his touch the second it was gone. “But listen to me. If someone’s creeping around your property, I’m dealing with it. Whether it pisses you off or not. And I’m having a real security system installed. Knox is a badass, sure, but you need more than him out here.”
Someone worrying about her safety besides her brother sent warmth flooding through her. “Okay,” she murmured.
“Excuse me?” Kane tilted his head, brows lifting. “Did you just agree with me?”
Monica rolled her eyes. “Don’t get used to it.” She tossed his words right back at him.
Kane smiled, tipping his head with a respectful nod. “Believe me, I won’t. I like the scrappy side of you.”
Monica let out a snort, half-laugh, half-grimace. “Doug said if I ever wanted to land a man, I’d better lose the attitude.” The words slipped out before she could stop them, and her stomach twisted. Why the hell had she just said that? And to him, of all people? “I—I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not trying to… you know… land a man.”
Kane didn’t answer. He just stared at her, that damn sexy smile plastered across his face. God, she was making a complete fool of herself.
“Anyway… why don’t you think this is going to work?” she blurted, eager to steer the conversation away from her own embarrassment.
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” Kane said, calm but serious. “I know when something doesn’t feel right.”
She thought that would be the end of it, but he kept going.
“I don’t say things just to hear myself talk. Something’s off about this whole situation. And I’m worried it’s going to go south before I even figure out why I feel this way.” His eyes darkened as he stared at her. “And I’m afraid you are going to get caught in the crossfire when it goes to shit.”
Monica sighed, the weight of it hitting her. “And with me acting rashly, I tied your hands.” She swallowed hard. She didn’t know as much as she thought she did about this. “So, we either continue with me working for Farrar and hoping you’re allowed to be with me, or we scrap the whole thing, because I ruined any other chance of you getting on the inside.”
“Listen, Monica.” Kane sighed as he once again moved a little closer. “We didn’t really start this working relationship off on the right foot. I should have been more understanding of yourcircumstances, and you should have trusted me, but that’s in the past. Trust me to know what I’m doing and know that my main purpose is to bring down whoever killed your sister.”
Monica stared up at him, searching his eyes for the truth, and she saw it immediately. Scary as it was to trust anyone out of her family circle, she did trust him. She didn’t know exactly when it happened, but it was there. She needed to let go of this vendetta and let those who knew what they were doing handle it. The police...no, but this Dark Guardian...she would trust.
CHAPTER 26
Kane waited, watching her face, wanting to see how she’d react to what he’d just laid out. But before Monica could get a word out, his phone buzzed. He dragged it from his back pocket and checked the screen.
Charger:Come to the meeting place. Bring the woman.
Kane:Now? And her name is Monica.
Charger:No, yesterday, dumbass. Yes, now.
Kane:Fuck you!
Charger:No thanks. Seems you’re busy fuckingMonica.
“Fucking asshole,” Kane growled, shoving the phone back into his pocket. Charger was a dick—plain and simple. The way he bolded Monica’s name proved that.
“Bad news?” Monica asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“Don’t know yet,” he admitted, voice tight. Whenever he went undercover and got a summons like that, it was never good. His gaze slid to Knox, stretched out on his bed but watching themlike he understood every damn word. Leaving the dog here alone didn’t sit right, not with someone clearly watching the house. The furry little dude had wormed his way in just like his owner had.
“You think Theo can watch Knox for a while?” Kane asked, glancing at his watch.
“I’m sure he will, but why?” Monica frowned down at Knox as he perked up, alert at the sound of his name.
“I need to go somewhere,” Kane said, grabbing his jacket and sliding it on. “And I’m not leaving you here alone. And with someone watching the house, I’m not leaving him alone either.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, grabbing her phone before walking deeper into the house.
Kane watched her go, a frown pulling at him. Hell, he was getting soft. When he looked back, Knox was still tracking her, then his eyes landed on him. “I’m really a dick,” Kane muttered to the dog as if the dog was thinking he was turning soft.
Knox let out a dramatic moan that sounded suspiciously like agreement. Kane huffed out a laugh.