Page 22 of Kaz (Salvation Kings MC: New Freedom Chapter #2)

Miles

HE FOLLOWED Kaz down the stairs, staring at his hand in Kaz’s.

It was strange. It also filled him with immense joy.

It was a relief to finally know the truth.

To know that there had been no cheating.

It fucking hurt that Kaz felt like he had to lie.

That Kaz felt like he wasn’t good enough for him.

He could understand why. He hadn’t exactly been kind to Kaz when they were younger.

He hadn’t set out to make him feel like less than, but it was pretty fucking clear he had. They’d both been idiots.

A few of the others were up and lounging around the living room when they stepped off the stairs. Kaz turned toward him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll make us some breakfast.”

He nodded, rendered mute by his action as much as his words.

He watched as Kaz walked into the kitchen, a strange sense of relief coursing through him. If Kaz was this open about them, perhaps he was telling the truth. Perhaps, he didn’t have to worry about it. About any of it.

He sat down on the couch, heat rising to his cheeks at the knowing looks he got from the others. At least his sister wasn’t there. Except that reminded him that they had spent the night in his and Emma’s room, and she hadn’t shown up at any time. Not that he knew of, anyway.

He was about to get up when Kian sat down in the armchair across from him.

“Good night?” Kian asked, brows wagging suggestively.

Miles rolled his eyes with a deep sigh. He’d known this would happen.

“Had to have been a great fuck considering I had to wipe dried come off the kitchen cabinets this morning.”

Miles blanched, staring at Kian for a few seconds before he dropped his head into his hands with a groan.

“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered under his breath.

He might as well grab a shovel and start digging.

Kian’s low laugh didn’t make him feel any better. Flipping the man off, however, did. At least a little.

He drew in a deep breath and lowered his hands, gaze on Kian who looked much too amused still.

“Do you know where Emma is?”

He would prefer she heard it from him. That he tell her… tell her he was back with Kaz. If the words didn’t get stuck in his throat, that was. He still had a hard time believing it himself.

Kian’s brows jumped, and he gave Miles a look he couldn’t place.

“Don’t tell me she was involved, too?”

Bile rose in his throat, and he gagged, much to the asshole’s amusement.

“Fuck no,” he hissed, glaring hard at Kian. “I just don’t know where she is.”

“She left last night.”

“What?” He straightened in his seat, a ripple of concern rushing through him.

Kian shrugged. “She said a friend called. Needed her.”

He blew out a breath and sat back. Travis. Had to be.

Kian’s gaze landed on something behind him, but before he could move, a soft voice sounded.

“Hey, can we talk?”

Miles looked up to see Jane standing before him, an unsure look on her face as she regarded him warily.

He swallowed against the lump in his throat.

“Sure.”

She motioned with a tilt of her head toward one of the doors off the living room.

He followed her into the room, looking around for a moment to take in the king-sized bed, the red curtains, and the gray carpet he was pretty sure was supposed to be beige.

He knew this was the only bedroom on the first floor, and it wasn’t Kaz’s.

His was upstairs. At the end of the hallway.

With a master bathroom he had grand plans for.

“I’m sorry,” Jane said, her voice low and a bit shaky.

He met her gaze with confusion.

“For my part in how yours and Kaz’s relationship ended back then. I used to be real handsy, and I touched the guys inappropriately. If I hadn’t, you might not have thought that Kaz and I were a thing.”

He shook his head. “Don’t you dare take the blame for that. Kaz is the one who lied. Who let me believe the lie.”

“Kaz was just―”

“I know.”

Jane nodded, her brows drawn together as she nibbled on her bottom lip, and he got the sense that something else was going on. As guilty as she must’ve felt for her part in the breakup, that was fourteen years ago. Whatever had her nerves so fractured now, it was something else.

“What’s wrong?”

She blinked, long lashes fluttering, and then she met his gaze, tears in her eyes. She shrugged and walked to the window, looking out into the backyard. She stood there for a while, and he let her, remaining silent and giving her the time she needed to find the words.

“I’ve never told anyone this before,” she started, her voice low.

She turned around, meeting his gaze. “Solo was my first. I asked him because I wanted my first time to be with someone I trusted and felt safe with, especially considering my past. Wilder is like a brother to me, and Kaz is my best friend. Besides, Kaz has only ever had eyes for you.” She smiled softly at that, but it faded as she continued.

“I thought nothing would change. I thought we’d just go back to being friends like before.

I certainly never expected anything else from him, but he started to look at me with shame in his eyes.

Except for the times where he’d look at me like he wanted to bend me over the nearest flat surface and make me scream his name. ”

Miles pressed his lips together, hating the resigned look on her face.

Jane sighed and dropped down on the bed. Miles stepped closer and sat down next to her, knowing that there was likely more.

“We’ve fucked several times since, including last night. When he dragged me away from Maddox, I told him I planned to get fucked and if he wouldn’t do it… Well, he did, and then he pissed me off like always. Why are men such assholes?”

“If I knew, I’d tell you.” Miles grabbed her hand, squeezing gently. “What he’s doing isn’t fair to either of you.”

“I know,” she said with a sigh. “I’m just..

. I know the real Solo. I want him. I think I’ve always wanted him, even if I tried not to when I was younger.

I can’t stop thinking about him, but I don’t know how to get him out of this shame spiral.

I don’t even know why he’s ashamed. I know it’s not that he’s ashamed of me. He would never.”

She met his gaze and they both muttered, “Men,” setting off a low round of chuckles between them.

He felt something settling into place inside him as he watched her dry her tears and smile up at him. Perhaps it was the absence of the guilt he’d carried for so long. Perhaps it was the anticipation of a new friendship blooming.

“I just told Kaz if he fucked up again, I would cut his balls off and feed them to him.”

Miles choked, staring at her wide-eyed.

Her brows lowered as she said, “I mean it. He better not fuck up. You both deserve to be happy, and I always thought you were perfect together.”

Miles opened and closed his mouth, his throat dry though he managed to mumble, “Wilder said he’d never seen him happier than when we were together.”

“True. Very true.”

Her smile widened, and she was grinning at him as she wrapped her arms around him. He rested his head against hers and put one arm around her waist, his other hand rubbing her arm.

She smelled like Kaz’s shampoo, which made him grin because he had a feeling Kaz was the one using her shampoo and not the other way around.

He’d always loved the way Kaz smelled. Even when he hated him and wanted to avoid him.

That mix of citrus and leather always brought with it a sense of calm.

Of belonging. That’s what Kaz had been to him last time.

A pillar. Someone he thought he could lean on.

Someone who understood like no one else did.

He wanted so desperately for that to be true now. For Kaz to be the one he could lean on. For him to be the one Kaz leaned on. He wanted more. More than last time, and it scared the ever-living shit out of him because if he jumped into this perfect thunderstorm, he wasn’t sure he’d survive.

“If it isn’t my two favorite people.”

Miles snapped his head up, his breath caught in his lungs at the sight of Kaz. The man held a tray before him, a shoulder resting against the door jamb. He wore an easy smile that had Miles’s heart speeding up, his black hair falling over his forehead as his eyes gleamed wickedly.

Jane pulled away from Miles, a sheepish look on her face.

“Sorry for stealing your man,” she teased, batting her lashes innocently at Kaz.

Kaz huffed and pushed away from the doorway to step inside, his smile teasing.

“You’re not sorry,” he said to her.

Jane shrugged, and Miles covered his mouth with his hand to keep Kaz from seeing his smile. Not that it helped. Kaz zeroed in on Miles, mischief finding his gaze.

“And you’re no better, are you?”

“Of course not,” Jane said and stood, turning to throw a wink at Miles. “Or he wouldn’t be my new best friend.”

Miles gave her a smile he hoped conveyed his appreciation for her trusting him and that he wouldn’t tell anyone what she shared. She would need to decide who to tell herself, though he had a feeling Kaz and especially Wilder might not take the news very well.

He couldn’t contain his laugh when Jane patted Kaz’s ass on her way past him and said, “Go get him,” in a stage whisper.

Kaz grumbled under his breath, but as he met Miles’s gaze, there was nothing but affection in those gray eyes.

Jane closed the door on her way out, and Kaz put the tray down on the bed next to Miles, then sat down on the other side of it. The tray held two plates stacked full of food. Sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, you name it, it was on there.

“Did you make that?”

“Surprisingly, I do know how to cook,” Kaz teased, smiling wryly at Miles.

Miles hummed. “That remains to be seen, doesn’t it?”

“Well, if you don’t like it, I’ve got something else you can put in your mouth.”

Miles pressed his lips together, his amusement fighting with the desire filling him.

“Don’t even…”

Kaz grinned and plucked a piece of bacon off his plate, taking a bite and moaning low at the taste. The sensual sound washed over Miles, and he dropped back on the bed, slinging an arm across his face while he mumbled, “Not playing fair.”

“Fair? Sweetheart, this is me being nice.”

He lifted his arm and found himself locked in Kaz’s darkening gaze. Kaz was looking at him as if he was the food. As if Kaz wanted to devour him. Was it wrong that he wanted him to?

He shook his head, moving backward up the bed as Kaz grabbed the tray and placed it on the floor.

“Kaz…”

Kaz’s stormy eyes snapped to Miles’s gaze, sending his pulse racing. Kaz followed him up the bed, his lips spread in a wicked smile as he lowered his head and kissed him. He groaned against Kaz’s mouth, hands grabbing onto the man to pull him closer.

He met Kaz with as much vigor as the other man, knowing that there was no escaping this. Knowing that his heart already belonged to Kaz. It always had.