He wants to believe Kane. The odds, however, feel impossible to calculate in a world he’s never understood. All he sees is the man he loves unraveling.
Rafael steadies his voice. “You don’t have to fight this alone, Kane. I know it feels that way since Viper left, but you still have a crew that trusts you. And so do I.” He lowers their joined hands.
“I know how strong you are.” His voice drops. “But this isn’t sustainable.”
A shadow crosses Kane’s face while he stares somewhere in the distance.
Finally, tension fades from his stance. “There…might be one person,” he begins, chin lifting. “Someone who’s dealt with Athena, who might be able to help us get an edge on her.” His jaw clenches. “Cipher. My crew’s old techie.”
Rafael nods. “You mentioned them once…Why haven’t you reached out?”
Kane stiffens. “Bad blood. I blamed Cipher for the deal that went bad. They were there—saw how it unfolded. So I kicked them out, and they went off the grid.” He snorts. “I didn’t even realize they were back in the city until recently, and I wasn’t exactly eager to reach out.” A pause. “But the stakes are too high. I might not have a choice.”
Kane’s uncle died trusting the wrong people. No wonder he hesitates.
He squeezes Kane’s hands. “Do you think…they might be open to helping?”
“I haven’t spoken to them since.” Kane shrugs. “As far as whether they’d be willing to help, I don’t know. Before everything went down, they were pretty close with my uncle—and I sort of saw them as a mentor.”
The hard edge in his voice eases at their name, and something in Rafael’s chest loosens.
Maybe this could work. Maybe not—but it’s something.
Rafael rises from the floor, releasing Kane, whose brow lifts.
“Maybe…we could go see Cipher together?” he suggests. “I could be there for support—so you’re not walking in alone.”
Kane’s forehead creases. Rafael jumps in before he can. “Please.” His voice is quieter. “Let me do something…I want to feel like I matter in this.”
A heavy breath heaves from Kane. “That’s never how I want you to feel. But what I said about not risking your safety still stands.”
His shoulders start to slump until Kane continues.
“However…having you there might actually give us some protection. If the bad blood goes both ways—if Cipher’s angry or planning something—they won’t act with you there. That’s not their style. Unlike Athena, they don’t involve civilians.”
While Rafael doesn’t like the idea of being used as a shield, the alternative is far more dangerous.
“Okay,” Rafael agrees. “If that’s what convincing them takes.” He leans forward to duck his head under Kane’s chin.
Strong arms wrap around his waist. “But you must stay close to me. Always,” Kane whispers, his tone turning serious. “One misstep out there could get you killed. And if anything happened to you…”
His head snaps up. “It won’t. Not with you there,” Rafael declares. “I trust you, Kane.”
The smile Kane offers is rare these days. “When we come home,” he starts. “We’ll sit down and figure out what you can do to contribute. And once things settle, I’d love to hear what you want to do next.”
For the first time in days, Rafael can picture an after.
“I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. What I want, what I could actually do in the future.” A flush rises to his cheeks. “It’s a bit overwhelming, to be honest. Some things are out of reach now, but there are also so many possibilities I never even considered before. Something simple? Like cooking for people? Outside of a Terra’s, of course.”
“Tell me what you need. I’ll do whatever I can to make it happen.” Kane closes the distance between them.
Rafael kisses him back without hesitation. When they separate, he tucks himself in against the man. “I love you,” he whispers.
A soft hum vibrates near his ear.
40
Chapter 40 - Kane