Out of Turn

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I held my breath, closed my eyes, and swung.

The plank of wood stopped, midflight.

Aghast, I opened my eyes to see he’d grabbed the two-by-four as it had swung toward his head. And I was glad he had, because it wasn’t the guy from last night.

It was Kade.

I choked in a breath, my mouth agape as I stared, wide-eyed, at him. My shaking hands dropped their grip on the wood.

“Kathleen,” he said, looking as stunned as I felt.

“Oh God, Kade,” I blurted before flinging myself into his arms. I sobbed with relief, though my tears were dry.

His arms were tight around me and I held on as though for dear life, which was actually true. My whole body shook with the force of my reaction, and I couldn’t speak.

“Shhh, it’s okay now. I’ve got you,” he said.

I got a hold of myself with a massive amount of effort, swallowing down my emotions. I eventually pulled back slightly and he released me, angling me into the sunshine to get a better look. When he saw the chain, the look on his face was one of horror before turning hard and cold.

“Hold still,” he said, the gentleness of his voice belying the fury in his eyes.

Kade reached for my neck, working at the collar. I tipped my head to the side, wincing as the metal cut more deeply into my skin. A moment later, Kade pulled hard at something, there was a loud snap, and the metal fell away.

I nearly started sobbing again to have that thing off me but instead took a deep, shuddering breath.

“Who did this to you?” Kade asked.

“I don’t know,” I croaked, my throat dry. “A man. Gage hired him.”

Pain shadowed Kade’s face at the sound of my voice.

“Get me out of here,” I whispered in a hoarse rasp. “Rats… snakes… inside.”

At the mention of rats and snakes, Kade’s eyes flashed up to look into the recesses of the shed. His lips thinned and his arm supported my back as he led me outside.

The adrenaline had vanished, leaving me in an even more feeble state than before. I had barely taken four steps before my knees gave out.

Kade caught me, easily hoisting me in his arms. I was too weak to even hold on to him and my arms hung loose while my head lolled limply backward. Everything seemed to be spinning now, going in and out of focus. My eyes slipped closed.

I heard Kade’s sharp intake of breath and inwardly winced, knowing I probably looked awful and smelled worse, not that I cared much at the moment.

A shadow fell over my face and I managed to open my eyes a sliver. Kade was carrying me into the trees. He walked until we reached a small glade, then I heard the sound I’d been dreading.

The sound of a car.

“Him,” I rasped. “He’s back.” I flailed with my hand to try to point, but Kade shushed me, carefully laying me down on a bed of soft green grass. It was blessedly cool against my bare skin.

“Stay put,” he said softly, brushing my tangled hair back from my face.

I panicked and tried to grab on to him. “Please, don’t leave me,” I gasped, starting to cry again, though my eyes were dry.

Kade paused, his brow creasing as he looked at me. His hand cupped my cheek. “Shhh, I’ll be back. I promise.” He leaned down, gently pressing his mouth to my cracked and bleeding lips. “Trust me, baby,” he whispered. “I’ll always come for you.”

I don’t know how long I lay there, drifting in and out of consciousness. I knew that if something happened to Kade, I’d probably die in that spot. I could no longer dredge up the will to save myself.

I woke when Kade lifted me in his arms, my overwhelming relief at seeing him again made my lips stretch into a smile, cracking the tender skin even more. Then there was nothing as I passed out. I didn’t have to be strong anymore. Kade was there.

Someone was holding something cold to my lips, pressing against them until I opened my mouth. A trickle of liquid touched my tongue. Water. It tasted better than anything else, ever—better than my first cup of coffee in the morning, better than the first chilled cocktail on a summer Friday night.

Gradually, I woke up enough to realize I was in the backseat of Kade’s Mercedes. He was holding me in his lap, cradled like a baby, as he carefully dribbled water into my mouth.

“Drink some water, princess,” he cajoled. “Drink and then I’ll get you to the hospital.”

I didn’t really process what he’d said, I was too busy swallowing as fast as I could.

It was several minutes and two bottles of water later before I took a break. Kade’s hand traced the contours of my face, brushing my closed eyes, my nose, my cheek. I felt safe, when I’d thought I never again would be, and didn’t want to move from his arms.

“How’d you find me?” I asked tiredly.

“Gage owns that property,” he said. “He used to use it for hunting. I took a shot when I couldn’t find you at his house.”

I nodded, then saw that I’d smudged dirt on Kade’s white T-shirt. I pulled back.

“I’m getting you dirty,” I said.

“I can’t decide if it’s cute or irritating that you think I’d give a shit,” Kade replied.

My smile was weak.

“I need to get you to a hospital,” he said.

I shook my head. “No. There’s no way I can explain this. And Blane doesn’t need another scandal in the papers about me. Just take me home.”

“You need medical attention,” he insisted.

“I’m fine. Just dehydrated. I didn’t get bitten by anything.”

At the mention of being bitten, his jaw clenched tight, though his touch remained gentle.

“Did you get anyone to help Blane?” I asked.

“Blane’s fine,” he answered. “Let’s worry about you for right now.”

He arranged me on the seat before he got out and slid behind the wheel. I fell asleep to the motion of the car as he drove.

I woke up when we stopped. I felt better from the water, though still weak, but had enough strength to get myself up and out of the car.

“Let me help you,” Kade said, wrapping an arm around my back. His solid strength was like a warm blanket as we made our way slowly to the door. Now that I wasn’t worrying about rats, snakes, or killer psychopaths, my body ached from my ordeal.

Mona met us at the door, her face creased in lines of worry.

“Is Gerard okay?” were my first words to her.

“He’s fine, sweetheart,” she said, taking up a position on the other side of me and also lending support. “Nothing an icepack and a little painkiller wouldn’t fix.”

“She needs some food,” Kade said.

“I’d rather be clean,” I said. The water was still sloshing in my stomach and had taken the edge off my hunger. But I stank so bad, I could smell myself.

“I’ll help her,” Mona said to Kade, who seemed reluctant to let me go.

Mona helped me up the stairs to Blane’s room.

“Why are we in here?” I asked.

“The tub is bigger,” she said. “Now wait here while I run a bath.”

She sat me on the edge of Blane’s bed while she went into the bathroom and soon I heard the water running. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Blane’s pillow as I wondered where he was and how he was doing. I intended to quiz Kade on the status of things as soon as I could think straight.

Mona came and got me. I winced as I moved my arms, the punishment they’d taken last night coming back to haunt me.

“I can do that,” she said, helping me push off the dirt-encrusted shorts and unhook my once-white bra. She took my hand and held me steady myself as I stepped into the steaming water. I sank down with a sigh that felt like it had come all the way up from my toes.

The memories of last night, of the snakes and rats, made me shudder. Mona picked up a washcloth, soaping it before taking my hand and gently washing my fingers and palm, then all the way up my arm.

“You don’t have to do that,” I protested, embarrassed.

“Gerard and I were scared to death for you,” she said quietly, rinsing the cloth and soaping it again. She reached for my other hand. “I don’t know what we would’ve done if Kade hadn’t brought you back. I don’t know what Kade would have done if he hadn’t found you.”

Our eyes met, and the look of genuine love and affection in hers made tears start leaking from mine.

“Shhh,” she said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Don’t cry. You’re home now.” Her voice sounded as though she, too, was fighting tears. We stayed like that for a while, the tightness of her hold on me making an ache bloom in my chest.

Finally, she sat back on her heels and wiped her eyes. Taking the cloth, she again soaped it before washing my back and shoulders. When I lifted my arms to wash my hair, I gasped in pain.

“Lean back,” Mona said, and she proceeded to wash my hair the way she would a child’s.

After toweling my hair dry, she helped me put Blane’s robe on, then made me sit down while she gently brushed my hair out, combing through the tangles one by one.

“Thank you, Mona,” I said, and the words seemed inadequate for how I was feeling. Our gazes met in the bathroom mirror. She smiled.

“You’re welcome, dear. We’re just happy you’re all right.” She set the brush down. “I’m going to go fix you something to eat.”

After she’d gone, I found a toothbrush and brushed my teeth. When I came out of the bedroom, my gaze lingered on the bed. I was strongly tempted to sleep there, knowing it would help me feel closer to Blane, but decided against it, heading down the hall to my room instead.

I lay down on the bed, then immediately sat back up when the door opened to reveal Kade carrying a tray laden with food.

“That was fast,” I said. “Thanks for bringing it up.”

He set the tray on the bed and sat down next to me. “I figured you’d be pretty hungry, and you still need to drink more water.”

I didn’t mind doing that and chugged some more from the glass on the tray. Mona had sent up a mix of cheeses, cured meats, and fruit. I wasn’t shy about eating my fill.

After watching me for a while, Kade asked, “So you want to tell me what happened?”

I shrugged. “Not much to tell,” I said around a mouthful of grape. “They stuffed me in a trunk. I passed out. When I woke, I was chained up. The sonofabitch dumped a couple dozen rats and a few copperheads in there with me and left. You showed up in the morning.” I left out the part about how terrified I’d been in the pitch-black, with things crawling on me and a snake too close for me to chance making a move. But from the look on Kade’s face as he watched my shaking hand snag another grape, I figured he already had a good idea of that part.

I sighed, my stomach full, and leaned back against the pillows. “Now tell me what I missed.”

Kade moved the tray to the dresser and resumed his position beside me. “Jared is getting the DNA tested on what you got against what was found on Kandi. Blane’s arraignment is set for tomorrow morning. I managed to work a few strings to hopefully keep Blane out of harm’s way.” As he spoke, he coaxed me into his arms and I went willingly, lying between his legs with my head resting on his chest.

His hand stroked my hair and I closed my eyes, exhaustion consuming every muscle in my body. I knew I should probably move away, but I couldn’t seem to make myself. I needed him, needed to breathe in his scent and savor the warmth of his body through the layers of fabric between us.

“I thought for sure you’d be dead when I found you,” he said after a while. “If I found you.” His voice was quiet.

“I thought I would be, too.”

“You’re the most vulnerable part of me,” he mused, his fingers threading through my hair. “A year ago, I would have killed you myself if I’d known.”

I swallowed hard and didn’t doubt him for a moment. “And now?” I asked, tipping my head back to look at him.

Our eyes met. “And now,” he murmured, “now I can’t let you go, no matter how much it costs me.” He pressed his lips to my forehead and I closed my eyes at the contact.

Kade cradled my head against his chest and I relaxed, thankful down to my bones for his presence in my life. And it was only then, as I was drifting off to sleep, that I realized I loved him.

When I woke it was dark outside. I’d slept the day away.

I sat up, realizing Kade was gone. He’d tucked a blanket around me, which I pulled away as I stood.

Fear crept over me in the dark room. Where was Kade? Was I alone in the house? What if that guy came back for me once he saw I’d escaped?

I groped for the light, feeling slightly embarrassed at the relief that flooded through me when I flicked on the switch and a warm glow dispelled the darkness. I shed Blane’s robe and pulled open the closet door. I really didn’t want to raise my arms above my head to dress and I searched frantically through the clothes. I saw a little summer dress with buttons down the front and grabbed it, but even pushing my arms through the short sleeves made me wince. I hurriedly buttoned it before going to the door.

I paused, opening the door just a crack and peering through. I wondered where Kade was and why he’d left me alone.

I knew Blane kept his guns in a cabinet in his den. Maybe it was unlocked.

Seeing no one in the hallway, I crept silently downstairs, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure it could be heard. Glancing at the grandfather clock as I passed, I realized it was late. I’d slept over twelve hours.

The den was empty and the gun case was locked tight. I muttered a curse, trying to think of what to do now.

Knives. The kitchen.

I headed that way, relief flooding through me when I heard Kade and Mona talking quietly. I heard my name and paused, unable to resist the temptation to listen in.

“… stay with Kathleen tonight,” Mona was saying.

“I’d planned on it,” Kade replied. “Leaving her alone right now is a bad idea.”

“Did you take care of the awful men who took her?”

“Yes. They won’t be back.”

“What about Gage?”

A pause. “He won’t be a problem, either.”

“Thank goodness,” Mona said with a sigh. “He was such an evil man.”

“And I’m not?”

“Don’t be silly. Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with protecting those you love when the police can’t or won’t help.” She paused. “And I know you love her, Kade.”

“She loves Blane,” Kade dismissed.

“Does she? Things have been so crazy around here the past couple of weeks, I’d be surprised if she knows how she feels anymore.”

“She’s amazing, what she endured,” Kade said. “You should have seen where he left her, that fucking piece of shit.”

“Language,” Mona said mildly, “though I don’t disagree. And I don’t want to know—it’ll only upset me. I just thank God you found her.” I heard the rustle of fabric, as though she were hugging him, and decided I needed to stop eavesdropping.

I walked into the kitchen. “There you are,” I said to Kade a little breathlessly. “I was afraid everyone had gone.”

Mona looked pleasantly surprised to see me. “You’re up!” she said with a smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” I said. “Thirsty.”

She went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle filled with a blue sports drink. “Here,” she said, handing it to me. “Gerard went to the store and got these for you in every flavor of the rainbow. Said he wanted to make sure there was one you liked.”

My heart squeezed and I took a big gulp of the fruity liquid, trying not to cry. I was sick of crying.

“Speaking of which,” she said, untying and removing the apron she wore, “I think I’ll head home. I’ll be back in the morning.” She gave me a hug. “Good night, dear.”

“Good night,” I said, hugging her back. “And thank you.”

She smiled and left through the kitchen door. I glanced at Kade, who was leaning against the counter. He frowned as he looked me up and down.

“What?”

“Why are you wearing that at this hour?” he asked.

I looked down at my dress. “I thought I was alone, and if that guy came back, I might need to run, or fight, or…” My voice trailed away. It had seemed like a good idea to get dressed at the time, though after sleeping so long, perhaps I hadn’t been thinking too clearly.

“You thought I’d leave you?”

“You were gone when I woke up,” I said with a shrug.

Kade stared at me, his expression unreadable.

I glanced away, taking another swallow of the sports drink. Suddenly, all I could think about was the revelation I’d had before falling asleep. I loved Kade, and maybe had for longer than I wanted to contemplate. And I could never, ever tell him.

I forced those thoughts from my mind. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. I could fall apart some other time. “Will that guy be back?” I asked. “The one who took me? Or his partner?”

“No, they won’t.” Kade didn’t elaborate.

“What, um—what happened to them?” I asked, still not meeting his eyes.

“You don’t want the details,” he said dryly. “Just know that if they came back, it’d be as ghosts.” There was a drink on the counter and he took a swallow. Vodka, I guessed.

“Hungry?” he asked, pushing himself away from the counter. “Mona made dinner and saved you a plate.” He went to the refrigerator without waiting for my answer and pulled out a dish, which he stuck in the microwave.

I stood awkwardly in silence, drinking until I’d finished the bottle.

Kade took the dish from the microwave and set it on the table along with a fork and knife.

“Thanks,” I said, sitting down. Mona had made some kind of chicken with a sauce and potatoes. It was awesome, as was everything she made.

Kade sat down opposite me with his drink in hand. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke.

“Why won’t you look at me?”

I glanced up from my nearly empty plate, my face heating. I didn’t know what to say, how to act after everything that had happened between us. How did I deal with the fact that I loved two men? Two brothers? It was a disaster that left me reeling, my heart breaking inside. Two men who were far better to me than I deserved, and I loved them both. Mona had been right, there wasn’t going to be a happy ending to this.

“I’m not avoiding looking at you, if that’s what you’re suggesting,” I lied. “It’s…” I stopped because I had no clue what to say.

“… that we’re just now having that awkward morning after,” he supplied, his eyes narrowing.

Well, yes, there was that.

I got up to take my dish to the sink so I wouldn’t have to answer right away. Unfortunately, Kade was still waiting when I finished, and he wasn’t sitting at the table anymore but was standing right behind me.

I turned off the faucet, staring at the window above the sink. I watched our reflection while his eyes were solely on me. His hands settled on my shoulders, his brow creased as though he was in pain. His palms skated down my bare arms to my hands where he slotted our fingers together.

Mona had been right. I hadn’t even realized that my feelings for Kade had grown so much. Though if I was honest, I should have realized I never would have slept with him in Vegas if I hadn’t known, deep down, that I loved him. I just hadn’t wanted to face it then, any more than I wanted to face it now.

Kade pressed a kiss to my shoulder, crossing my arms in front of me so he could hold me. His lips moved toward my neck and I closed my eyes, leaning back against him and tipping my head to the side. A soft sigh escaped me at the touch of his tongue, warm and soft, to the skin that had been scraped and abraded by the metal collar.

“Let’s get you to bed,” he said softly in my ear.

My pulse jumped, though I knew he didn’t mean anything by it.

Kade kept my hand in his and walked me upstairs to my room. Even after sleeping all day, I was still tired. I worried about Blane and what he’d endured since they’d arrested him. I worried about what would happen when, and if, this was all over. If I’d thought it best for me to leave before I’d realized how I felt, now it was imperative.

“Has it been on the news?” I asked. “About Blane?”

“Yep,” Kade answered, turning the bedside lamp on. “It got leaked almost immediately.”

“Damn it,” I said with a sigh.

“Don’t worry. The public has a notoriously short memory,” Kade said. He dug in my dresser drawer, pulled out my white nightgown, and handed it to me. “Here you go.”

“Turn around,” I said.

Kade’s smirk made my heart beat faster, but he did as I said. I unbuttoned and shed the dress, not bothering to try and put on panties or a bra before donning the nightgown. It was enough of an ordeal to raise my arms to put through the straps and pull the gown over my head.

“You really should be more aware of your surroundings.”

I jerked my head up. “Wh—?” I began, then I saw that he’d been watching me in the mirror. I flushed as he turned around, not a trace of remorse on his face.

“You’re shameless,” I said with a raised brow.

“You’re gorgeous.”

I flushed even more and quickly looked away as I climbed into bed. I pulled the covers up over me.

“I guess I’ll flunk my classes,” I said. “I missed a final today and have two tomorrow that I won’t be able to take.” I knew I wasn’t going to miss Blane’s arraignment, no matter what—and besides, it wasn’t as if I’d spent a lot of time studying the past few days. All the money and time I’d spent on those classes had been wasted.

“Don’t worry about that,” Kade said, flicking off the overhead light before lying down next to me on top of the covers. He bent his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling.

Easy for him to say.

Kade reached for the bedside lamp.

“Wait,” I said, grabbing his arm. He looked at me, questioning.

“Um, do you mind leaving it on?” The thought of being in the dark terrified me enough to swallow my embarrassment at asking for a nightlight like a child.

I couldn’t read the expression that crossed Kade’s face, but he gave a nod and lay back down.

“Will you stay with me?” I asked, hating that fear had prompted the question but unwilling to face the night alone. Or without Kade.

Kade looked at me. “Absolutely.”

I abandoned any pretense that I didn’t want to be close to him, scooting over until I was pressed against his side. His eyebrows climbed, but he didn’t say anything, just wrapped one arm around me as I rested my head on his shoulder, my arm lying across his chest.

What would become of him? He’d said he couldn’t stay away from me, but us being together wasn’t an option. How could I possibly be with Kade when my feelings for Blane were still so confused? Blane said he wanted me back, but how could I go back to him when I also loved Kade?

I loved them both, but Kade had been wrong when he said one of them would have me. That wasn’t going to happen. Not when I knew it would drive them apart for good. I couldn’t—I wouldn’t—be the catalyst for that.

Convincing them was going to be another story.

The next time I woke, sunlight streamed through my window. I glanced at the clock. It was early, which was good since I needed to get ready to appear at Blane’s arraignment.

With a pang, I noticed Kade was no longer in bed with me. I figured he had probably known I’d be okay once the sun came up, but it still would have been nice to have him by my side.

I showered and blew my hair dry, my aching arms making it take longer than usual, then stood in front of my closet in a towel, trying to figure out what to wear. Though they were healing nicely, there were still the cuts on my chest from James. So something to cover up the scabs would be good.

A knock at the door interrupted my perusal. I opened the door to find Mona standing there with a tray.

“Breakfast,” she said with a smile.

“That’s so sweet of you,” I said, stepping back so she could come in. “Thank you.”

“It’s no trouble,” she said, setting down the tray. I saw her eyes flick over my neck and chest when she turned around and I self-consciously hitched the towel higher to hide the J.

“What are you going to wear?” she asked, brushing by me as she headed for the closet.

“I’m not sure,” I confessed. “Do you have any suggestions?”

She picked out a deep pink tea-length dress with fitted elbow-length sleeves. It had a vintage feel to it and, though it wasn’t something I’d normally wear, it would probably work well for where I had to be today. “And you can wear this, too,” she said, opening a drawer and pulling out a pale nylon scarf printed with pink flowers.

I thanked her and she left. I drank the water she’d brought, only had one cup of coffee, and ate some of the yogurt and fruit she’d brought for me. Half an hour later, I was adjusting the scarf around my neck, glad to see it concealed the marks from the metal collar.

I headed downstairs and found Kade in Blane’s den, sitting in front of the muted television. He was dressed nicely, too, and my breath caught at the sight of him in black slacks and a black button-down shirt. He didn’t wear a tie and had left the top button of his shirt undone.

“How do I look?” I said stepping in front of him and doing a pirouette. “Am I suitably pure and innocent enough to be Blane’s fiancée?” I smiled wryly at the joke, since the last thing I felt was pure and innocent.

The look on Kade’s face was enough to wipe the smile from mine.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my heart plummeting. “What’s happened?”

Kade didn’t answer for a moment, then he said, “Your friend Tish called you.”

I frowned. “She did?” That reminded me. “Where’s my cell?”

Kade pulled my phone from his pocket and handed it to me. “She wanted to let you know that your boss, Romeo, was going to go to the cops with something he’d found.”

I looked up from the phone, alarmed. “What did he find?”

“Apparently, unbeknownst to you or the other employees, he’s had video cameras installed for monitoring. And one of them is located in the storeroom.”

I stood in shock, staring at him.

“In reviewing the footage,” Kade continued, “Romeo felt it should be turned over to the police, but he thought you should make that call. He felt uncomfortable, given the content, about talking to you himself, so he had her bring this by.” He picked up a DVD that I hadn’t noticed was on the table.

Shit.

“So does everyone know?” God, that would be awful. No, James hadn’t raped me, but the realization that everyone I worked with might know I’d been cornered like that—attacked like that—made me want to crawl into a cave and not come out.

“I have no idea,” he said. “She didn’t say.”

I eyed Kade. “So what’s the matter?” I asked. “You already knew what happened between James and me.”

Kade stood, coming so close to me that I had to tip my head back to look him in the eye. “Arriving after the fact,” he said stiffly, “or hearing about it from someone else, isn’t the same as watching every moment on a fucking video.” The anguish was stark in his eyes. “Blane should have killed him.”

“No, he shouldn’t have,” I said. “Or else that would be on the video, too, and then where would we be?”

Kade turned away and I caught sight of the television. William Gage’s photo had flashed on the screen and I frowned, reaching for the remote control and unmuting the TV with a sinking feeling.

“… found deceased in his home this morning,” the voice-over was saying, “from an accidental fall down the stairs while in his wheelchair. He’d been ill with terminal pancreatic cancer…”

I muted the television again, not wanting to hear any more. Kade had completely ignored the story, pouring himself another cup of coffee from the carafe on the sideboard.

I thought I knew what had happened and who had done it, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel remorse, only relief.

“Did you do that?” I asked. “Did you kill him?”

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to,” Kade said.

I swallowed hard. While I didn’t regret William Gage’s death, I did regret that Kade had killed him because of me, but I knew that was the last thing Kade would want to hear.

“If James gets arrested for what he did to me,” I said, changing the subject, “won’t that provide a pattern of behavior that will help us prove what he did to Kandi?”

“Yes, but you’d need to file a complaint.”

“I can do that.”

Kade turned around, fixing me with a piercing stare. “You’re going to file an assault charge… against the district attorney? Don’t you realize what they’ll do to you? The press will rip you apart. They love James, and now his poor daddy just bit the dust. As Blane’s fiancée, they’re going to paint you as the conniving slut, no matter what that video shows.”

I raised my chin and squared my shoulders. “If it’ll help Blane, then it’s worth it.”

Kade shook his head. “Your loyalty is admirable… and stupid.”

“I don’t ditch my friends just because it’s convenient,” I said, stung.

“Is that what you and Blane are? Friends?” He walked over and grasped my left hand, holding it up so I could see the diamond sparkling on my finger. “Is this just for show, or is that just what you keep telling yourself?”

“Are you two ready to go?”

I turned to see Mona peeking in the doorway. “Gerard and I are heading out now.”

I pulled my hand from Kade’s. “We were just leaving,” I said, picking up my purse and tucking my phone inside.

“We’ll see you there.”

I turned to Kade. “Are you driving me or what?”

He was and we pulled up to the courthouse thirty tense minutes later.

My stomach was doing flip-flops while we waited inside the courtroom. Reporters had snapped photos of me and shouted questions outside, but Kade had hustled me past them, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes.

Charlotte had stopped briefly on her way to the front of the courtroom to tell us not to worry, that she was sure the arraignment would go fine and the judge would set bail.

There were several other cases ahead of Blane’s and I grew more anxious as we waited, chewing a nail and shifting in my seat. Kade took my hand, lowering it to my lap and holding it there. He was a solid presence at my side and I gripped his hand tight with both of mine.

When Blane at last stepped into the courtroom, my breath left my lungs in a choked gasp. His hands were cuffed in front of him, which seemed incongruous with the suit he wore, but the bruises and cuts on his face were what caught my attention.

“It’s okay,” Kade whispered to me. “He’s all right.”

“But… he’s not,” I whispered back. “Look at him.”

“A few bruises, that’s all,” Kade said. “He’s alive and nothing’s broken. He’s fine. Trust me.”

As though he felt my gaze on him, Blane glanced up and our eyes met. Something close to shame crossed his face before his expression smoothed and he turned to face the judge.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him as the hearing commenced. Charlotte entered a plea of not guilty and the judge initially declined to set bail. Charlotte argued the point, citing circumstantial evidence and Blane’s place in the community, and the judge relented, setting bail at five million dollars.

Blane didn’t look back as they led him away, and I realized I was squeezing Kade’s hand hard enough to leave fingernail marks, though he hadn’t said a word.

“Now what?” I asked Kade.

He was already on his cell phone. “Now we post bond and get him the hell out of there,” he said. “I’ll be just a second.”

Kade left the courtroom so he could hear on his cell while I paused to hug Mona, who looked as relieved as I felt, though I was working hard to hold it together. I assured her we’d bring Blane home. Gerard put his arm around her shoulders and led her out the doors.

I picked up my purse and turned to go as well, only to find James standing much too close.

He grabbed my arm and jerked me toward him. “That getup isn’t fooling anyone,” he hissed in my ear.

A few people stood talking nearby, but I didn’t want to make a scene. I could imagine how my attacking the DA prosecuting Blane’s case would play in the news, and it wouldn’t be good or helpful to Blane at all.

“Let go of me,” I gritted out.

“You were supposed to suck my dick, bitch,” he hissed. “Now I’m going to put Kirk away for life. You can count on it.” His grip on my arm was painfully tight.

“Is that what you said to her? Because I was real curious.”

James turned to see Kade behind him. Though Kade’s lips were twisted into the semblance of a smile, the look in his eyes was deadly. His gaze fell on James’s hand on my arm.

“Let her go, dickhead.”

“Dennon,” James sneered, “on bodyguard duty?” He let go of me and got in Kade’s face. “You know, she’s a real spitfire, but her tits are fantastic.”

I was absolutely sure that if we hadn’t been in a public place, Kade would have killed James right then and there. As it was, I could already see James’s death sentence in Kade’s eyes. He was just biding his time.

“It’s a real shame about your dad,” Kade said with mock sympathy. “Fell down the stairs, didn’t he? Such a tragic… accident.”

The subtext of Kade’s comment seemed to slam into James and his face turned red with rage. “You motherfucker,” he spat. “You killed him.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kade said with a shrug. “Accidents happen.” His voice matched the ice in his eyes when he said, “You should be real careful one doesn’t happen to you.”

It was unmistakably a threat. James seemed to know it, too, because he shut his mouth, the red in his face fading.

Kade placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me out of the courthouse and to his car.

“Thanks for your help,” I said, still shaken from the unexpected confrontation.

“James is like a rabid dog,” Kade said. “He needs to be put down.”

“Not by you,” I said quickly. I couldn’t shake the feeling that with each person Kade killed, a little of his soul was eaten away by darkness. I was afraid that eventually the darkness would consume him.

“If not me, then who?”

Kade’s eyes met mine, but I didn’t have an answer.

The police station was only a couple of miles away and we drove there quickly. “How are you going to pay them five million dollars?” I asked as we walked inside.

Kade snorted. “It’s not five million. It’s ten percent of five million.”

Oh. In defense of my ignorance, I’d never had to bail someone out of jail.

We’d arrived before Blane had even been brought back and Kade went to pay the bail while I waited in the lobby. The blue plastic chairs were no more comfortable than the other times I’d sat in them. The minutes seemed to crawl by as I watched the clock.

“I see Kade’s taking care of the bond,” Charlotte said, sitting down next to me.

“Yes. Hopefully, it won’t take too much longer.” I put aside my antipathy for her only because she was Blane’s lawyer and was trying to help him. Regardless of how much she disliked me and how heartily that animosity was returned, it didn’t matter because both of us were after the same goal—to prove Blane’s innocence.

Just then, Blane walked around the corner, Kade at his side. I jumped to my feet, but he was already headed my way, his long strides eating up the space between us. In the span of a breath, he had me in his arms.

He’d been gone for only two days, but it had felt five times that. I clung tightly to his neck and swallowed down the lump in my throat. The warm, familiar feel of him was so dear to me.

“Save the reunion for later,” Kade said. “Police stations make me nervous.”

I pulled back from Blane, but he didn’t let me get far; his arm stayed locked around my waist, anchoring me to his side.

Kade handed Blane a pair of sunglasses. “Ready?”

Blane gave a curt nod. “You take that side,” he said, sliding the glasses on.

Kade moved to my other side so that they flanked me. Charlotte led the way as we went out the doors.

The bevy of reporters made me falter in surprise, even more of them than had been on the courthouse steps this morning.

“Keep moving,” Blane said. “Don’t stop.”

Charlotte was speaking to the crowd, which drew some but not all of the attention away from us. Flashes went off continuously, blinding me with their light as questions were fired at us from every direction.

“Mr. Kirk, how do you see the future of your campaign now that you’ve been charged with murder?”

“Was Kandi Miller aware that you’d reconciled with your fiancée?”

“You say you’re innocent despite the evidence. Who do you think could have done this to her?”

“Miss Turner, how does it feel to be engaged to a man accused of murder?”

There was a car waiting at the bottom of the steps and Blane opened the door for me. I climbed in as quickly as I could and saw him say something to Kade before getting in as well. Kade closed the door behind Blane and me, cutting off the shouting reporters. The driver stepped on the gas and we shot down the street.

The tinted windows gave us privacy and I released a pent-up breath. Then my breath was gone altogether as Blane dragged me onto his lap, tossed his sunglasses aside, and kissed me.

It wasn’t a gentle, tender kiss, but one filled with the ache of being parted as his tongue slid hotly against mine. Blane crushed me to him, his hands touching me everywhere he could reach—as though to reassure himself that I was really there.

I tore my mouth from his. “Blane,” I gasped.

Both of us were breathing hard. His hand cupped the back of my neck as his forehead pressed against mine.

“I’m sorry you were there, that you had to see me… like that,” he said.

“What do you mean? Like what?”

“Handcuffed. In court.”

The shame I’d seen on his face earlier made sense now.

I leaned back, but he wouldn’t look me in the eye. I laid my hand along his smooth cheek. “Look at me,” I said softly.

His gaze reluctantly lifted to mine, and I could read the anguish in their depths. If there were two things Blane prided himself on, they were his honor and his reputation—and both were being called into question with this case.

“I know you,” I said, “and I know you didn’t do this. Nothing is going to change that, and nothing is going to change the fact that you’re a man of courage and integrity.”

I surveyed the bruises on his face, lightly brushing a finger over the cut on his lip. “What happened in there?” I asked. “Kade said he was going to help. We didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“It was what I expected,” Blane said evasively. “Kade’s help was very… timely.”

And I knew he wasn’t going to say anything more about it.

I thought I should probably get off his lap, but I couldn’t make myself let go of him and his hold on me didn’t let up.

“Were you all right while I was gone?” he asked. “Did you stay at my house?”

I ignored the first question and evaded the second. “I promised you I would.”

Blane’s fingers toyed with the scarf at my neck and I stiffened, hoping he wouldn’t try to take it off. No way did I want to tell him what happened. He had enough going on and it didn’t matter anyway.

Kade was waiting at the house when we arrived. Mona greeted us at the door. She didn’t say a word, just hugged Blane. His face softened as he hugged her back, brushing a kiss to her forehead. She let him go and gave my hand a squeeze as we walked by, a look of shared understanding passing between us: Blane belonged here, not in a jail.

Blane led me to the den, where he tossed his jacket on a chair as he walked behind his desk.

“Where are we?” he asked, loosening and then removing his tie.

Kade sat in one of the leather wingback chairs facing Blane, who remained standing. “Jared said he has news. He’s going to be by any minute.”

Blane nodded. “What happened while I was gone? What’s Kathleen hiding from me?”

“What—nothing!” I spluttered. I should have known that Blane, an expert at reading people, would have seen through my vague answers.

“Gage tried again,” Kade said, ignoring me. “We’re lucky she’s alive.”

The we seemed deliberate and the two of them locked eyes for a moment, something passing between them that I didn’t understand.

The doorbell rang and a few moments later, Mona showed Jared into the room.

“We’ve examined the phone records for both James and Kandi,” he said as he took a seat. “The number of calls between them should be enough to prove they had a relationship.”

I frowned. Kade had said the calls Kandi had made were to an unlisted burner phone, untraceable. Now there were documented calls between the two of them? But I kept my mouth shut.

“Any calls the night of the murder?” Blane asked.

“Not that I’m aware of,” Jared said.

“You probably want to have that checked again,” Kade interjected. “I have it on good authority that not only is there a call from James to Kandi, there’s also the fact that the cell tower his phone used is within a half mile of Kandi’s house.”

Blane sent a sharp look Kade’s way but said nothing.

Jared’s expression was grave as he handed Blane a folder.

“The DNA tests are complete,” he said. “Unfortunately, there was nothing to tie James to the scene, but these came back positive.”

“What are they?” Blane asked, thumbing through the folder.

“The semen tested as a positive match for you.”