His gaze slides away from me as he takes another drink. “Don't know it.”
“Then how do you explain your blood all over one of their jumpsuits?”
He’s out of his chair so fast, I expect him to go for his knife, but he stomps over to me like a grizzly bear. Every line of his body screams violence, and I’m a second away from tossing my drink in his face when he stops, a shit-eating grin stretching his face. “How did itsmell, brother?”
It’s the last thing I’m expecting him to say. Yes, it smelled amazing, but Lily’s perfume has captivated me since we met. I’m still trying to frame my reply when he cocks his head, his eyes burning into mine. “Where is she, Jake?”
No one, not even my own mother, calls me Jake. Just Kane, and it takes me a moment to shake the impact away. “Shouldn’t I be askingyouthat? Because I’ve got some pretty concerning visuals about how your blood and Lily’s slick ended up on the same jumpsuit.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Lily’s slick and your blood. Tell me how the hell that happened?” Not that I’d begrudge them a good, hard fuck, but the blood is a step too far. “You didn’t hurt her, did you?”
Kane’s eyes widen until I can see the whites, and then they narrow, but not before I catch a flash of hurt. “You think I fucked that bitch?”
“Watch your mouth.”
Kane stretches to his full height, which is admittedly, a few more inches than my own. “Just tell me where you saw her.”
“Saw Lily? Two nights ago, right here…” The words die on my tongue at the scorn in his gaze. Itburns. Because up until a couple of years ago, Kane never turned that look onme. I take a breath, pushing down the sting of his rejection. “Just tell me what’s going on, Kane. I’m hearing some disturbing rumors, and I’m getting sick of the riddles.”
Instead of sneering at me some more, he steps back, already shaking his head. “You're too thick-skulled to hear the truth, so why waste my fucking breath?”
Fuck. The disappointment in his voice makes me grip his arm, my heart pounding as I realize he’s about to walk out of here. Again. “I’ll listen. Just tell me what’s going on between you and Lily.”
“No,” he growls, shaking me off with insulting ease. “I’m done explaining the fucking obvious to you.” He turns a shoulder, but he doesn’t stomp to the door, his head lowered like he’s studying his boots. Or my blood-free antique rug. I’m trying to think of a way to get him to sit back down when he blows out a frustrated breath, his gaze searing into mine. “Are you really this dense? Can’t you see that she’s played you?”
It’s pointless expecting more from him, but the rush of frustration makes my head pound. “Don't start this again, for fuck’s sake. I know you don't like Lily...”
“Iloathethe bitch!” He slams his drink down on the corner of my desk, reaching up to grip my shirt collar. He almost jerks me off my feet, and I realize he hasn’t just got meaner since I last saw him, he’s got a whole lot stronger. “But I’m not the one about to fuck up my life by bonding her.”
I don’t know if it’s his contempt or rough handling that brings my own beast to the surface. “Enough!” I all but roar. “I told you to shut your mouth. Lily and I are a done deal. I’ve put inthe paperwork, and as soon as we can get a free weekend, I’m bonding her. If you don’t want any part of that, it’s your choice. But I chooseher, Kane…” He jerks back, pain flashing in his eyes, and I look down at the dark stain spreading across his shirt. “Wait... are youshot?”
“Damn.” He follows my gaze, huffing through his nose. “You made me bust my stitches, you dumb fuck.”
“Jesus, Kane!” It’s my turn to grab him, and I reverse our positions, parking his arse on the edge of my desk. I can feel my heart hammering in my ears as I storm over to the sideboard and grab a wad of thick, white napkins. “What the hell happened? Was it Jackals’ business? I’ll fucking kill Fox and his goons…”
That gets a rude snort from Kane, who grabs the napkins and presses them to his side. “Yeah, before you put a hit out on the MC, you should check your backyard.” At my confused look, he clicks his tongue. “The Carrillos? They run the slick factory where that jumpsuit came from, and they're also the assholes who popped me. Not that I didn’t deserve it for killing half theirgoons.”
He smirks at the word, while my brain tries to melt out of my ears.“What?”
“It was self-defense.” He tilts his head, considering it for a moment. “Pretty sure that applies if they tortured me for three days in their basement, hung me from a meat hook, and then tried to shoot me in the face.”
I grip my head, because ripping my hair out of my scalp is less painful than this conversation.
“Who showed you that jumpsuit?” he asks suddenly, all humor melting from his face. “Was it someone from the studio?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to say no, but as deep as our rift goes, Kane and I never lie to each other. “Yeah, Rowan Vale.” I scowl at the memory, caught between shame at the way I treatedhim, and fury at the accusations he spat in my face. “He's Lily's employee... Although, he's a bit of a nightmare according to her.”
“Because we should trust that bitch for a character reference.” I glare at Kane, but he surprises me by reaching out and gripping my shoulder. “Join the dots, Governor. Your precious porn queen has been stealing slick. That scent that has her leading you around by the dick,isn't hers.”
I gape at his audacity, but he just pulls something from the pocket of his dusty black coat. My hindbrain reacts before I can steel myself, and I grip his wrist, dragging the scrap of fabric to my nose. It smells like Lily, but a hundred times more potent, and my dick goes so hard I nearly bite through my tongue. “What isthat?”
Kane is watching me like a man waving a sirloin under the nose of a starving dog. “Have you ever wondered? Has she ever smelled off to you? Did you ever think her perfume was as fake as the rest of her?”
“She's my scent mate,” I mutter, still staring at the fabric. It’s Lily, only…more.
It’s not the first time I’ve told him that, but it’s the first time he’s looked at me with pity instead of rage when I claimed Lily as my own. “Is she though, brother? Or has she tricked you into thinking she is?”
