Page 33 of When He Fights (Protector & Defender #3)

Tyler exhaled. “Oh, I’m sure he would. In a heartbeat. Totally seems like his style.”

Kane leaned toward her even more.

She jumped to her feet. And leaned toward him. Since she was nowhere near his size, her lean wasn’t nearly as intimidating as his.

“You were fleeing ,” Kane reminded her. “As in…leaving town. That was when I stopped you with my motorcycle. And, by the way, fleeing the area was your original plan. We are simply going back to it now. You don’t get to argue when it was your plan!”

“I can argue anytime!” A huff. “And the plan has changed. Everything has changed since that day.”

“Why? Don’t you still want to protect your friends? Aren’t you still worried that they will be threatened if you stay here?”

“I’m worried they will be threatened if I leave!

I’m worried Logan will turn his attention on Zuri.

” She had to call Zuri and let her know that she was all right.

Ana was sure the shooting at her house had made the news.

Where in the hell even was her phone? It hadn’t been in the go bag.

Ana was highly suspicious that Gray had confiscated her phone.

“I’m also worried Logan will come hard after you, Kane.

He tried to kill you with that hail of gunfire, and he’ll come at you again.

Especially if you are the red flag that is just waved in front of him when I’m gone. ”

Kane eased back. The man shrugged.

She wanted to scream. “I happen to care if you live or die.”

“Good.” That was it. Just that grunt from Kane.

He was clearly trying to make her insane. “You aren’t facing the threat alone!”

“Baby, I am used to handling threats. It’s what I do. You’re not used to them. You’re used to playing music and teaching yoga and driving that cute-ass Jeep around town with your army of ducks near the front window. You don’t need to face off with Logan. He will hurt you.”

“The plan was to use me as bait! Gray’s plan, remember?”

“Ahem.” Tyler cleared his throat. Loudly.

She whipped her head toward him.

“I believe that was Gray’s plan before you were nearly fed to sharks.

And before Gray realized that he and Kane were targets, too.

Now they are the bait, and you’re the witness that I am about to relocate out of town.

” Tyler’s lips pulled down. “Our five minutes are probably up. Let’s take your sandwich to go. ”

“I am not going anywhere. ” How much clearer did she need to be? “I ran before. Logan escaped prison and came after me. I’m done running.”

“Ana.” Kane spoke her name softly. Almost sadly. He slowly exhaled. “You were right.”

Her head turned back toward him.

“I would kidnap you.” Said with zero remorse or regret.

“I’d handcuff you. I’d throw that sweet ass over my shoulder, and I’d take you out of here.

I’d put you in Tyler’s vehicle, and I’d make sure that you got out of town and to a safe location.

See, that’s why I told you that you didn’t really want to be with me.

Because I’m an asshole. A bastard to the core.

I would kidnap you and never have a single regret. ”

She marched around the table. Stabbed a finger into his powerful chest. “Oh, be sure, I would make you have regrets.”

“You’d be alive, sweetheart, and that’s the only thing that matters to me.”

“Uh, excuse me,” Tyler interrupted.

“ You matter to me,” Ana snapped at Kane as she ignored Tyler. “Do you get that? Did you miss it when I told you that I loved you last night? You know, when you were giving me the nonstop orgasms and I was holding onto you for dear life?”

“I should not be here,” Tyler said. “Should not be.”

Kane’s eyes glinted. “I didn’t miss it. I never miss a damn thing about you. But I do get weak when you’re near me.”

She sucked in a breath. “What?”

“The only reason that prick Logan is still breathing? Because I didn’t want you to see what a monster I can be.

So I stopped. I didn’t pull the trigger even though your blood was soaking your shirt.

” Rage vibrated in his words. He backed away.

No, correction, moved away. Moved a good five feet from her.

Ana’s hand fell back to her side as she stared at him.

His nostrils flared as Kane continued, “And when we were at your place and you were playing the harp, I was so caught up in you that I didn’t see the warning signs.

I should have heard that truck approaching sooner.

I should have realized I was presenting a target.

We were presenting one. I was slow, and you almost paid the price for my inattention. ”

“You were the one who got cut by the glass! And no one got shot.”

“Not that time. But if you’re close, I am weak.”

That was just—that was?—

“You have to leave so I can stay safe.”

She bit her lower lip. Swallowed.

Silence.

Kane kept staring at her. “You leave. I do my job.”

“And then what?” Ana asked. “You come and find me and we live happily ever after? That how it’s all going to be in the end? I wait where it’s safe. You take the risks. Then you come for me?”

“If you want me, I will always come to find you.”

“Wanting you has never been a problem for me. It’s the loving you that has hurt.” She stiffened her spine. “Because in the end, it comes down to this—you don’t trust me.”

“What?” He blinked. Took one more step away from her.

“You don’t trust me. You didn’t trust me two years ago because you didn’t think my feelings were real.

And I suspect you feel the same way now—that if I see you do something that’s too dark or dangerous, I’ll turn away from you.

That I won’t love you anymore. Newsflash.

That’s not how real love works. With real love, you love the person completely. Dark spots and light.”

“You didn’t love Logan when you found out what he really was.”

She sucked in a breath. “You’re not Logan. You’re not a demented killer who gets off on someone else’s pain.”

“I am a killer. I’m a liar. I’m a cold-blooded bastard. You deserve far better than someone like me.”

“I happen to think you’re a hero. A fighter. A good man who has needed to do bad things.” Screw this. She advanced toward him.

“I should have waited in the hallway with the Feds,” Tyler muttered. He reached for her mid-advance, trying to stop her before she reached Kane. “Ana, we have to go. Your transport is waiting outside the hotel.”

Fine. Fine. Right. Whatever. The transport. The big escape run. Yes, got it . She shrugged off Tyler’s hand and finished making her way to Kane. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and demanded, “Do you think—for one, single second—that Logan has ever protected anyone in this world?”

His lips remained firmly closed. That was an answer, wasn’t it?

“Do you think—for one, single second—that Logan has ever fought to protect innocents? Do you think he’s taken bullets for anyone?

Do you think he’s willingly stepped into hell in order for someone else to survive?

Do you think he has ever made a sacrifice for someone else?

Ever put someone else’s safety over his own? ”

Kane’s lips pressed together. A bit harder. Tighter.

“He hasn’t,” Ana informed Kane. Her hand lifted. Pressed to the softness of his beard. She freaking loved that beard. I freaking love him. “But you have. Over and over, you have. You’re doing it again, right now. Sending me away so that I’ll be safe while you take all the risks.”

“Told you.” Gruff. “I can just fight better when you aren’t near. You distract me.”

“You distract me, too. Full disclosure, you also infuriate me.” She pulled in another deep breath.

He hadn’t said the big words yet, not exactly.

Not actually said, I love you. But he’d come close.

He’d told her, I’d live and die for you.

Those deep and dark words that had completely made the planets realign for her.

Because when Kane said those words, she knew what he meant.

So Ana threw caution to the winds, and she flatly announced, “You love me.” There. Done. Bold as could be.

She waited for a denial. None came.

But his head did turn. His mouth brushed over her fingers.

A sensual charge poured through her entire body.

“You loved me two years ago,” she whispered. “Yet you still sent me away.”

His gaze held hers. So many emotions swirled in his hazel stare.

“You love me now,” she realized with utter and complete certainty. “And you’re still sending me away.”

“Because you have to be safe. Sending you away is the best way to ensure your protection. If you’re not safe, then I’m not sane.”

Tyler cleared his throat. Poor guy. How many times had he cleared it already? He also heaved a sigh. “We have to go, Ana. My phone is blowing up with texts from Gray.”

It was? She hadn’t noticed. If there had been any telltale dings as the texts arrived, she’d missed them.

“Turner made bail,” Tyler revealed. “Gray wants to tail him. He wants Kane there with him, and our ride—as in, yours and mine because I’m your escort—is waiting outside. We have to go.”

She didn’t want to leave Kane. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

“I’ll always come to you,” Kane told her. “Nothing could keep me away.”

Tears filled her eyes, and Ana had to blink quickly. “I’m holding you to that promise.” One hundred percent, she was. Ana did not want to leave him. She didn’t want Kane facing the threat without her. She wanted to grab Kane and run with him.

But…

She understood.

She did.

He was worried about her. He couldn’t track Logan and guard her at the same time.

Couldn’t hunt and protect at once. She was leaving.

The only reason she was leaving, though, was because she couldn’t protect him.

She didn’t have fighting skills. Hadn’t been trained by the military and special ops.

Lethal fighting and operational deployment were not exactly her skill sets.

So she would back away. She would allow him to focus.

She would hate it with every breath in her body, but Ana didn’t intend to make the situation harder on anyone.

“Come for me, Kane. I’ll be waiting for you.” Ana surged up onto her toes and threw her arms around him even as Kane was reaching down for her. He lifted her up. Kissed her frantically. Deep. Hard. Passionately.

“Jeez.” A disgruntled exclamation from Tyler. “I’d tell you two that you should get a room, but, apparently, you had one.”

Kane let her go. Slowly. Her feet touched the floor. Then he…

He reached into his back pocket. He wore jeans. A blue button-down. He pulled a wallet from his pocket and reached inside.

Kane handed her a worn, folded piece of paper. Voice gruff, he explained, “My mom—she was always big on me writing notes to people. An old-school stickler about things like that.”

Ana frowned at the paper, turning it over in her hands.

“Thank you notes. Apology notes.”

Surprised, her gaze rose to collide with his.

“I was serious when I said I’d write a note to the doc, apologizing for being an ass.” A sheepish smile flashed on his lips. “My mom would haunt me forever if I didn’t.” The smile vanished. “After you got your new life two years ago, I wrote you a note.”

Her grip tightened on the paper.

“Two years ago,” he repeated. “You wonder how I felt then? It’s in the note.”

“A note you never sent.”

“Yeah, mom would not be pleased with me.”

Her lower lip wanted to tremble, so she clamped her lips together.

“I considered getting Gray to give it to you a dozen times. But then I always thought…” He rolled his shoulders in a shrug that was far from casual. “Some things are just better delivered in person. So I’d drive by your place every now and then, hoping to get a glimpse of you.”

Tyler had backed away. She didn’t spare him a glance.

“That’s what kept me going. You. Glimpses of you.” Kane clasped his hands behind his back. “I’d live and die for you, Ana.”

She almost crumpled the note in her fierce grip. “Don’t you dare do the dying part. I will be super pissed if you die on me.”

“Fine. I’ll live for you, baby, and I’ll kill for you, too.” His hand rose. Skimmed over her jaw. “See you soon, sweetheart. That’s a promise.”