Page 30 of The Fight For Survival
"Well... shit," Cade murmurs
"I didn't mean to betray your trust, Cade. I feel like a piece of shit for doing that to you. Ihavebeen avoiding you, but only because I thought the distance would make my feelings disappear."
"But they didn't."
"Not one bit."
"I'm not mad, Bray," Cade shocks me by saying.
Snapping my head to him, I asked wide-eyed. "Why not?I'mmad."
"Because Mia is easy to fall in love with. She's light and laughter. Beauty and kindness. It's not your fault."
The weight on my chest lightens at Cade's forgiveness. I walk over to him and pull him into a hug, causing him to chuckle. Letting go, I ask, "where do we go from here?"
"I'm not sure," Cade shrugs.
It's not the best answer, but I think we will be okay. The big question now is. How do I get these damn feelings for Mia under control?
Mia
It'sbeenamonthsince Kane left. Again. We got his number from Damon. Apparently, Kane was offered a permanent spot fighting at Noxious, and he turned it down, deciding to go back to Texas. It really hurt, but more than anything, It just infuriated me.
We spoke on the phone a few times, but he kept asking me to stop calling him. He told me we were all better off without him. He said he was tainted, toxic, and ruined. I don't understand why he thinks so little of himself.
It felt like we bonded again after I told him about Chase, and we grieved him together that night. So for him to leave without saying goodbyeagainisn't acceptable, and I wanted to have it out with him in person because I wasn't getting anywhere over the phone. After Kane stopped taking my calls, I had Cade step in. Damon had given Cade his number for the shop records, and after some persuasion, or should I say begging, we got their address.
They live in a small town in Houston. So here I stand after a 4-hour plane ride outside Kane and Damon's house, a nervous wreck. Cade wanted to come with me, but he had too many clients booked in at the shop.
Bracing myself and crossing my fingers that this goes to plan, I ring the doorbell. I fidget while waiting. It feels like forever before it opens. When the door finally opens, Kane looks at me in utter disbelief, and his face noticeably pales.
He looks as handsome as ever. He must have just gotten out of the shower because his silky dark hair is wet, and his black button-up shirt is undone, showing off his hard upper body. His denim jeans sit low on his hips, giving me the perfect view of his sexy adonis belt. A little bit of dark hair ran from his belly button, disappearing into his jeans. I have a sudden image of licking it.
What the hell is wrong with me? you didn't come here to ogle the man, Mia.
Kane walks out, closes the door so there's only a gap, and speaks. "Mia...what...How?" He clears his throat and tries again. "How did you find me?" he asks, accusation in his tone. I'm suddenly regretting coming here, but I've traveled nearly fifteen hundred miles to get here, so I stand tall, pushing the uncertainty away, and reply. "I need to talk to you, and you stopped taking my calls. Can I come in?"
He seems wary and keeps looking behind him. Then it clicks. He has a woman there. The ache in my chest surprises me, and I try to push the feeling of jealousy away, but it freaking hurts.
"Now is a bad time. You should have just called."
"Like I just said, you don't pick up my calls," I reply, crossing my arms, getting irritated now. Unexpectedly the door gets pulled open, and a woman with bleached blond hair appears. She has a long coat on, and I hate to think what she has or hasn't got on under there. She comes outside, holding her heels in her hands, and brushes up against Kane, causing a flare of jealousy to burn in my chest.
"Call me, hun. I had a really nice time," she tells Kane, running her too-long fingernails down his muscular arm. Then she's gone.
Kane runs a hand down his face in frustration before looking at me with a hint of remorse. Me? I'm suddenly enraged. Pursing my lips, I barge past Kane and go inside his home. I look around the large entrance. To the left is an ample window lighting up the space. To the right is an arched doorway that leads to the sitting room. The walls are cream, and the floors a dark oak. Heading into the living room, I go over to his tanned-colored couch and stand there with my arms folded. Feeling Kane follow me into the room, I spin around, glaring at him.
"So, is it a good time now, or have you got any more women hiding away in here?" I criticize hands on my hips. I know I have no right whatsoever to judge or be pissed, but I'm not exactly thinking rationally. I have never felt so out of control of my emotions like this. Even walking in on Cade and Damon that night, I was never really jealous. A little shocked but mostly turned on.
"Why the hell are you angry? This is my house. I can have however many women here as I damn well please," he raises his voice with each word. "Well, she didn't look like your type. How many of those sorts of girls do you go through?" Fucking hell, where is my filter today?
Kane invades my personal space and grabs my shoulders. His smell invades my senses. He carries a spicy scent from the cologne he wears, mixing that with his own scent. You have heaven in a bottle.
"How would you know what my type is?" His eyes narrowed.
"I guess I don't," I murmur quietly.
Kane's grip on my arms tightens as he seems to let out all of his frustrations at once.