Page 17 of Kane

I thought about Savannah. Her mouth. Her eyes. Her fire. The way she curled into me each night like she belonged there.

I thought about the books in the bag. The fact that I knew her favorite authors.

And how I wasn’t sure I’d ever met a woman I wanted more.

I didn’t want to give her back.

Not sure I could.

But I didn’t say that.

Instead, I looked up at my brothers and said, “We cross that bridge when we come to it.”

They nodded, trusting me like they always did.

But for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure what the fuck I was going to do next.

Even as we moved on to other things—new shipment logistics, race scheduling, intel on a crew sniffing around the Tallahassee circuit—I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

The woman upstairs in my bed.

And the growing part of me that wanted to keep her there.

Forever.

7

SAVANNAH

The scent that had already become familiar was the first thing I registered when I woke up. Hints of cedar and clove, with an undercurrent of leather, lingered—warm and undeniably masculine. It clung to the pillow and sheets, along with the edge of my sleep-fogged brain.

Somehow, it was stronger than when I fell asleep last night. Same as it had been the past four mornings. At first, I thought maybe it was just lingering cologne left behind from Kane. But the smell never faded. Instead, it grew sharper and more impossible to ignore each time I woke up.

I breathed in slowly, my eyes still closed as I tried to shake off the haze. My limbs were heavy with sleep, and the bed was too comfortable to leave.

I’d gotten more rest being a Redline Kings hostage than I had in months. Maybe years.

I had no responsibilities in this room, except for the studying I had gotten done since Kane brought my study guide and notes. No laptop, though. He hadn’t given in to that request, no matter how often I asked. Even without the Wi-Fi password, giving me a computer was apparently a risk he wasn’t willing to take.

With no work obligations—or electronics to distract me, aside from the television he brought in the second day—I’d worked through the entire study guide and finally felt prepared for my exam. If I got out of here in time. Or ever.

Something I was beginning to doubt as the days ticked past.

I didn’t even know if Kane had been able to get in touch with my brother. He wouldn’t tell me anything, and he was the only person I’d seen since I was brought here.

He brought me all of my meals and stayed to eat breakfast with me three times. Not yesterday, though. I didn’t want to admit it—not even to myself—but I had missed that time with him. And not just because he wouldn’t let anyone else around me.

Whatever game he was playing, I didn’t understand the rules. Only that the stakes felt higher each day.

One thing was clear. Kane wasn’t treating me like just leverage.

I just didn’t know whether that made things better…or worse.

The lock on the door clicked, and my eyes popped open as I sat up. Kane stepped inside, broad-shouldered and imposing as ever, a tray laden with food balanced easily in one hand and carrying a bag with words “Bookshell Cove” on it. My stupid heart gave a little kick, and I hated that my body reacted this way every time I saw him. Which was much more often than I expected.

“Morning.” He set the tray next to me on the mattress, then set the bag on the nightstand on my other side.

There were two plates and a bowl with heaping servings of eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit. It was way more than I could finish, so I assumed he was going to join me until he turned toward the dresser.