Page 13 of Kane (Ghost Ops #4)

Chapter Eight

It only took four hours, three dealerships, and a lot of growling on Kane’s behalf before he pronounced a vehicle up to his standards. It was a twelve-year-old Hyundai Santa Fe with more than a hundred thousand miles. It was silver, boxy, and nothing like her sleek Porsche.

But it started up, purred, and drove well.

It also had the added advantage that she could sleep in it if she had to.

Best of all, the total price was only three hundred over her budget.

She refused Kane’s offer of help, knowing she could scrape that much together before they came back with a cashier’s check tomorrow.

She lived frugally and saved religiously, two things she’d never done before leaving New Orleans.

“You know,” Kane said as they drove along pitch dark roads on the way back to Sutton’s Creek, “you could have probably gotten a loan for part of the price, made payments for six months, and then paid it off entirely. That’s a good way to establish credit when you’re young and starting out.”

“Thanks, Grandpa, but I prefer to pay cash.”

“What happens when you want to buy a house someday?” he asked, ignoring the grandpa crack entirely. “If you don’t have credit, you won’t be able to get a mortgage.”

Daphne blew out a breath. “What if all I want is a tiny home? And I save the money for it?”

“Guess you could do that.”

“Do you own a home?”

“I see what you’re doing. The six of us have the range and the two houses on the property. You know that.”

“Yeah, but you don’t own a home of your own. Though I guess you probably make payments on this big beast.” She slid her hand along the leather armrest. The Yukon was top of the line with leather, wood trim, and big displays with touch screens.

“Nope. Got it used and paid cash.”

She folded her arms over her chest and gave him a look. “And you think I need to buy a car on credit?”

“I didn’t say I never bought any thing on credit, or that I don’t have a credit score. All I’m saying is you need a credit score.”

“Nah, I’m good. If I don’t have the cash I don’t need the thing, do I?”

He snorted. “You’re unlike any woman I’ve ever met.”

She wasn’t sure whether to take that as a compliment or if it was the usual thing where he tried to keep her in a box of his own design.

“Why? Because I don’t want a Chanel purse or designer jeans?

” She’d had both, and she’d left them behind.

“I don’t think you can really generalize that to all women, by the way.

Do you think Rory ever wanted a designer anything in her life?

She’s beautiful and her clothes suit her, but none of what she wears has a designer label. ”

“You don’t want those things either but you know the labels and you know if Rory’s wearing them or not?”

“I watch television,” she said with a sniff. “And I read celebrity gossip sometimes. I wouldn’t say I know every designer there is, but I know the more popular ones.”

She knew designers because she’d had a closet full of clothes, handbags, and shoes. She’d defined herself by those things at one time. Before she’d realized the true cost of that lifestyle.

“Okay, I give up,” he said. “But I’m telling you, Sunshine, one of these days you’re going to need a credit score for something. You’re lucky the Suttons didn’t want one before they rented the apartment to you.”

“Lucky, or I found the right apartment and the right people? There’s always a way, Kane.”

She didn’t know that for sure, really, but arguing with him was turning into a sport these days. Most of the time she enjoyed it. She didn’t want to think about what that meant.

“What did that guy say to you today anyway?”

The question was so unexpected that she couldn’t stop herself from stiffening. Worse, he saw it because he chose that moment to glance at her.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. I told you before. I just didn’t like the look of him—or the way he looked at me.”

“Daphne.”

“Kane.”

His hands flexed on the wheel. “Don’t you trust us by now?”

Her throat tightened. “Of course I do. But you’re trying to make a big deal out of nothing. What do you want me to say? That he leered? Looked down my shirt? Hell, you did that this morning and I didn’t flip out.”

He groaned. “Jeez, told you not to mention that.”

“I’m not mentioning it. I’m just pointing it out to tell you it happens. The dude didn’t say or do anything other than stare creepily. Sometimes a woman doesn’t want to be stared at, but when you’re serving the public, you have to be nice.”

“Don’t be nice. Tell guys like that to fucking get lost.”

Daphne shook her head. “Not how you run a business, dude. You’re nice to the women who ogle you. And don’t tell me they don’t, because I’ve seen it happen. Also, don’t you dare tell me it’s different because you’re a man. I’ll put my foot up your ass the next time I get a chance if you do.”

“You fucking kill me sometimes.”

“Yeah, well you annoy the hell out of me. Guess that makes us even.”

He was silent for a few minutes. It was too good to last.

“Is that why you liked Trigg? Because he didn’t leer at you or make you uncomfortable?”

Daphne sighed. Today was Kane’s chatty day, apparently. But if she didn’t answer some of his questions, he’d keep bugging her. Better to answer the easy ones. Maybe he’d forget about the difficult ones.

“Warren is a good man. Yes, I liked him because he treated me like I was special. He didn’t make me uncomfortable. He’s respectful and kind, and though I know I’m not the right woman for what he wants in his life, I’m still sorry we broke up.”

“You’d go out with him again if he asked.”

It wasn’t a question, but she answered anyway. “He won’t ask.”

“But if he did.”

“If he did, I’d say yes.”

In truth she didn’t know what she’d say, but she was feeling just prickly enough to tell him she would. Just in case he didn’t like the answer.

“So long as he’s a good guy, I guess I can understand it.”

“He is.”

Too good, actually. He lived his truth, followed his religion, and deserved somebody who shared his values. Daphne had always known she wasn’t that person. Didn’t mean she hadn’t wanted to try, though.

She craved a normal life, thought she could have it if she tried hard enough to be somebody different.

But she was always going to be an O’Malley, no matter how far she ran. That was the kind of stink you couldn’t wash away.

By the time Kane drove up behind the Sutton building, it was almost ten o’clock. Daphne gathered the folder with her car paperwork and started to thank him for going with her again, but he turned off the engine.

“What are you doing?”

He pushed his door open. “I’m going upstairs so I know you get into your apartment safely.”

“You don’t have to do that, Kane. Just wait for me to unlock the back door and get inside the building.”

He put a foot on the pavement. “Going up, Sunshine.”

He shut the driver’s door before she could respond, then walked around and opened her door before she could hop out.

Kane had been opening car doors for her all evening, and it was disconcerting.

Not that she minded it, but for a man who’d treated her like his annoying little sister for so long, it was decidedly weird.

She slid to the pavement and he shut the car door.

She led the way to the building, turning to face him when she stood on the top step.

He was a step below her, which put their eyes on the same level.

Her heart thumped at being so close to him.

Especially after that morning and the way he’d responded when he looked down her shirt.

She’d spent months wondering why he didn’t seem to find her attractive, why he hit on every woman he encountered except her. She still wondered, but at least she knew he’d liked what he’d seen. She wasn’t as repulsive to him as he would have had her believe.

“Thanks for your help, Kane. I’m really happy to have my own car again.”

“You’re welcome.”

She waited for him to get the hint. Instead, he gently took the keys from her hand and inserted one into the lock. The correct one, she noted. How did he know?

He twisted it and tugged the door open. “After you.”

“You don’t have to go upstairs with me. This is good enough.”

Because it was already awkward between them.

If he went upstairs, it’d be even more so at her door.

Did she invite him in? Shut the door in his face?

If she invited him in, and he said yes, then what?

Offer him a beer? Suck his dick until he saw stars?

Shove him onto the couch and ride him like a bucking bronc?

Yes, please.

She wanted to do it even more than she had before.

Was it because she knew he had a heart in there?

That he wasn’t just a charmer who saw women as conquests to be made?

He’d had a wife, and he’d lost her—and that made Daphne want to hug him tight and stroke his hair before losing herself in his arms.

“Sorry, Sunshine, but it’s my duty to make sure you get inside safely.”

She pushed the visual of a gloriously naked Kane from her brain. She was letting sympathy tell her lies about how it would go, and that was not cool. Kane was still Kane. He was still annoying as shit.

“Okay, fine. But this is overkill. The outer door is locked. Blaze and Emma live on the second floor. Plus there are security cameras in the hallway and Blaze gets alerts. Do you really think it’s necessary for you to go up three flights of stairs just to watch me unlock my door?”

“Yup. Now get moving.”

“Where are you on other nights when I come home alone?”

His gaze narrowed. “You often go home alone in the dark?”

“I did last night after book club.”

“So maybe don’t do that again, okay? At least not until Nathan Fader leaves town.”

Daphne’s insides liquified, and not in a good way. “You know his name?”

“Of course I fucking know his name. The dude made you uncomfortable.”

“Kane, so help me God?—”