Kane waited with flowers. The girl at the counter had told him to stop while he was ahead, but he wanted to go all out. He had promised her that much and hoped to offer more. It was nice to feel this normal, just a guy waiting to take his girl out. He clung to that as cars pulled from the lot, leaving his lonely bike in a single space. He wondered if she might be inviting him to find her as the lights darkened, and he straightened up the length of his back.
When the door finally creaked open, Kane saw a slight red head passing through the door. As he clutched the bouquet , the woman stepped towards him. He could feel her breath on his neck, and Kane was nearly shocked when she patted his cheek.
“Stay with her,” the woman said. “She’s going to need you now. More than ever, I think.”
As the woman wandered into the twilight, Kane tried to make sense of her words. When he last seen his Angel, she was smiling, happy. If something had changed that…
His mind turned to Noel. The idea that he had hurt her again filled him with rage, and he raced to the door, thinking of nothing but holding her close.
“Oh!”
She was there. Here. Kane dropped the flowers and took her into his arms. Angeline calmed for a single second, but then her hot tears spilled across his chest.
It wasn’t like her.
“Angel? Don’t cry,” he said.
Kane brought her closer and kissed her temples.
“I’m back,” he reminded her. “It’s all good and—”
“No it’s not!”
Angeline pushed him away. As she struggled to catch her breath, she slunk down the brick façade of building. Kane watched her crumple and swiftly fell to her side.
“Come on,” he said. “It’s—”
“It’s no good!”
The force of her cry sent him back, and he watched as she tried to stand.
“Angel?”
She was hardly on her feet, still seeming to slip to the asphalt, when Kane gathered her in his arms. Even as she struggled, Kane held her close and whispered into her ear.
“We’re home,” he said. “So no tears. Okay?”
Angeline lingered in his arms. Kane held her, stroked her arms. As he nodded into her hair, Kane felt sure that he had stilled her sorrow.
“Okay?”
Kane took her face in his hands with a small smile. He thought that she was more beautiful than ever. His Angel, under his hands, and they had nothing to fear if they had each other.
“Kane?”
Angeline cuddled close and kissed his chest. He smiled and imagined taking her back to the grass. Better yet, a proper bed. He longed to curl her into soft sheets and make more promises. All she had to do was believe in him and –
“I’m carrying his child,” Angeline said.
Kane drew back but did not let her go. What was she saying? Why would she…?
“We can’t forget,” she said. “He... Noel has me now.”
Shaking his head, Kane’s eyes filled with tears. She was supposed to be his again. All his. But Noel’s mark had trumped his tattoo, and his first though was to push her away and jump back on his bike. He would speed off and forget. What other choice…?
“I’m sorry,” Angeline said as dared to rest in his arms. Kane held her as she sobbed against his chest. He hated the idea of Noel putting her in this position, and he nearly ran when she sadly looked into his eyes.
“You can hate me now,” she said.
Kane saw the way in which Noel had taken her, felt the lie, and now there was the consequence of all of their actions. Noel would think nothing of claiming the child and starting to set it on his path, a path that Kane knew was dangerous.
“A kid?” he said. “His kid?
Angeline’s tears bathed his hands. She wouldn’t want any baby in danger, and now Noel’s child demanded his protection.
Kane took her into his arms.
“Okay,” Kane said. “We’ll handle this. I’ll handle it.”
She cried closer to him, and Kane touched her hair.
“You’re safe,” he promised. “And…”
When he hesitated, she lifted her eyes to his. He didn’t know if he could keep them safe.
But he would try.
Kane was stuck by her soft beauty. With her curls swirling around her cheeks, Kane felt that he could never love anyone but her. She had Noel’s child inside her. It was his chance to run and forget.
“Am I?” Angeline asked.
He folded her closer and felt her breath on his skin. She needed him. And he had to keep holding her. Even as she shook under his arms, Kane dared to bring her face closer to his.
“I love you.” He touched her belly with a sigh. “And this is our child,” Kane continued. “So no more tears.”
Falling into him, Angeline was still.
“Can you just trust me?” he asked.
Kane waited for her to calm. And when she did, Angeline sighed into him and faintly nodded.
“I think so,” she said.
In time, she would be sure.