“Listen, I need to change and then get to the compound to take care of something,” Kane said, glancing away from her. “You should be safe now. We have Farrar in custody, but I’ll send someone with you and your brother until we are sure there is no threat.”
Swallowing the hurt that was squeezing her heart, she tilted her head as she looked up at him. “So that’s it?”
“Yeah, it seems so,” Kane said after a brief hesitation. “Someone will let you know what information we get out of Farrar, if any.”
“Fine,” Monica said, then turned to walk away, but something stopped her. She turned back around and walked straight up to Kane. “I forgive you,”
He looked confused for a second, but then his eyes softened. “I don’t have anything to offer you, Monica. My life is dangerous. And now with Dena, whom you have full responsibility for, my world is not a good fit for a young girl.”
“She needs a man in her life also, Kane,” Monica replied, searching his eyes for any sign of hope in their golden hue.
“She has Doug.” He replied again without hesitation.
Monica glanced back to see Doug dancing around in the rain with Dena in his arms. She looked back at Kane. “Who is a bigger child than Dena.” She snorted, which made him smile, but then it disappeared.
“I did a lot of thinking on the way here,” he said as he reached up and pushed a strand of her hair away from her eye. “Dena needs something more stable than I could ever offer.”
“Bullshit,” Monica whispered, then narrowed her eyes at him. “Stop using Dena as a way to tell me you are done with me.”
Never would Monica beg a man, but turning and walking away from Kane was one of the hardest things she had ever done. Heading toward Doug, she had to stop herself multiple times from doing just that. Turning and begging him, because Kane was a man worth begging for. Yet, her pride refused to do that.
Dena struggled to get down from Doug’s arms, then ran toward her, but she stopped looking behind her at Kane. Instead of stopping at Monica, she ran for Kane, who stood staring at them. Kane bent and caught Dena as she flung herself toward him tokeep her from falling. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Monica watched as Kane closed his eyes briefly, then smiled when Dena said something to him. He carefully put her down as she turned and ran back to her.
Monica smiled down at Dena, then glanced at Kane, who continued to stare at her. Turning, she walked toward the house to get her things, her heart breaking with every step. Raven stood at the steps watching them.
“You were wrong,” Monica informed her with a sad smile. “He doesn’t love me.”
Kane cursedunder his breath as he watched Monica disappear inside the house. This was the right thing to do. When Dena ran to him, he realized that what terrified this child was his world. No matter what he felt for Monica, this could never work because he knew that Monica would be the one raising her sister’s daughter.
“You’re fucking up,” Raven said as she walked up to him.
“Not in the mood, Raven.” Kane sighed, wiping the rain from his face as he started for the house to change before heading to the compound. “I need you to take them wherever they need to go and stay with them until I know for sure there is no threat.”
“No can do,” Raven said, then stepped in front of him. “Charger and Sloan have called us all in. Charger has given you the rest of the night off. He said to be at Sloan’s office first thing in the morning. They found a computer system that’s being transferredto the compound for Lacey and Jinx to go through. Nothing for you to do tonight except take care of your business.”
“What about all the people they found in the containers?” Kane frowned. “I’m not slacking off.”
“Nice try,” Raven snorted, then looked at Kane, really looked at him. “I have seen you plow through hundreds of women since I’ve known you.”
“That’s a crude way to put it,” Kane cocked his eyebrow. “What’s your point?”
“Sometimes the truth is crude.” Raven countered, eyeing him back. “And my point is, don’t treat her like one of those women, Kane. She deserves better, and so do you. You deserve to be happy.”
“I have nothing to offer her or the kid, Raven.” Kane didn’t back down. He knew and so did she that he was right.
“Why don’t you let her be the judge of that?” Raven replied, then sighed and gave Kane a hug. “You have always been like a brother to me, Kane. I love you, but sometimes I just want to bury your ass. Don’t fuck this up. She was made for you, and you know it. She doesn’t take your shit, so I like her and just be fucking happy.”
Raven walked away after giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Kane shook his head, but turned to look at her retreating back. “Raven,”
“Yeah?” Raven stopped looking over her shoulder at him.
“Fuck you,” Kane said, then grinned. “I love you too, even when you’re a pain in my ass.”
Raven laughed, giving him a backward wave as she headed toward her bike. Kane chuckled as he jogged up the steps. Everyone was filing out, giving him pats and good jobs as they passed. Kane only nodded as he walked inside. He scanned the house to see Dena already asleep on the couch with Doug sitting on one end. He stood when he spotted Kane.
“Thank you, Kane.” Doug reached out to shake Kane’s hand. Kane took Doug’s hand in a shake, then looked around. “She’s upstairs.”
Kane nodded, then headed that way. He climbed the steps, searching. Smiling, he walked to the end of the hall to see the door with the keypad open. Walking that way, he stopped and leaned against the door.