Chapter 14
The door opened and Kane stepped back, his hand gesturing for Cara to enter. Her stomach fluttered. Hell, forget the butterflies, it felt more like a nest of angry bees. The entire ride from the nursing home here had her more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. She had packed an overnight bag before leaving the house that morning, knowing if she hadn’t shown up at the clubhouse, Kane would have in all probability retrieved her. She’d rather save herself the embarrassment and show up unescorted. No sense making him go all cavemen on her.
Cara squared her shoulders and stepped beyond Kane without a word, her soft soles nearly soundless as they struck the wooden floor. A quick glance about, to her good fortune, told her they were completely alone. Thank goodness for small favors. Better to get settled before any of the other members descended on the club and discovered her presence.
“Dare I hope you’re the only one here.”
“For now,” Kane said, shutting the door quietly behind her.
She hadn’t heard his footfalls but knew he stood very close, felt the heat of him through her clothes as his breath whispered across her nape. “Did you intend on pissing me off earlier?”
Cara turned and looked up at him, his expression absolutely murderous. She steeled her resolve and wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her cower.
“It’s my job, Kane. You need to let me do it.”
“If you’re so fucking sure I killed Tab, then why the hell are you here without your shadow?”
“Because, honestly, I have no one else to trust. You’re it. Is that what you want to hear? That my life may very well depend on you? Besides, you said you would retrieve me if I didn’t show up. I thought I’d save you the effort.”
Kane appeared too damned pleased with himself that he was her only option for protection. At least he no longer looked at her as though he wanted to add her to the growing number of victims.
“Does anyone know that I’m staying here?”
He shook his head, then ran a large tanned hand through his unruly black hair. “Looks like you’ll be tonight’s surprise.”
“Who all lives here at the clubhouse?”
“Just me, Kaleb and Grayson. With any luck you’ll only have to contend with the three of us tonight. There’s been no meeting called, so hopefully the rest of the Sons will be otherwise occupied.”
“And how many bedrooms are there?”
“Three.”
That was probably something she should have inquired about before her arrival. Certainly, he didn’t think— “I’m not sharing your bed, Kane.”
Kane rolled his eyes, then reached for the bag she had slung over one shoulder. “Get over yourself, Detective. I’ll be sleeping on the couch. Even if I had intended to fuck you, this afternoon’s visit squashed any desire I might have had.”
Cara wasn’t sure if Kane jested. But either way, she was glad to have dodged that bullet for the time being.
“Remind me, then, to piss you off the next time you think to change the status of our relationship.”
Living under the same roof, she planned to steer clear of him, arriving at dusk and gone by dawn. The less time she spent in the man’s exasperating company, the more she’d not have to worry about exposing her vulnerability. She almost laughed at the irony. The clubhouse was to be her safe haven from this unknown killer, this primordial Kane had referred to. But who was going to keep her heart safe from Kane?
She certainly hoped Kane was correct that his OMC brothers would be an impassable barrier, making sure the two stayed polar opposites. Because just being alone with him threatened to break down her walls, not to mention what it did to her libido. Cara had a bad feeling that if she were ever stupid enough to sleep with Kane, he’d crush her far worse than the man who was instrumental in forcing to leave her job and home in Eugene. After all, Kane had said from the beginning women were only good for feeding his needs. She’d do best to remember that.
Cara wasn’t about to be a one-night stand or another notch on Kane’s bedpost. If she had wanted a relationship without emotions, she could have stayed on the PD in Eugene and put up with Robbie Melchor. Just the thought of the overbearing, obnoxious, lousy excuse for a man sent her blood to boiling. Robbie had not only ripped out her heart, he had pissed all over it. She’d never forgive him for their last meeting. Cara shuddered at the remembrance. The word “no” had never entered his thick skull. He took what he wanted.
Cara had kept the incident to herself, shutting herself off emotionally, knowing no one would ever believe the decorated officer had raped her. It would’ve been his word against hers. She had heard he moved up the ladder to the Oregon State Police and hoped he wouldn’t be part of task force sent to Pleasant to take over their investigation. Cara doubted she’d be able to be in the same room with him and not go for his balls. No, she’d doubtlessly give Kane permission to rip out his throat and drain the son of a bitch dry.
“Cara?”
She blinked, focusing back on the present: her current problem and temptation standing only a few feet away.
“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
Not about to share her memories and past history with Kane, she said, “I have a job to do, Kane. If my partner wants to question you again, or any of your MC brothers for that matter, then that’s what we’ll do. I may not have a choice in the matter of where I’m staying at the moment because for some fucked up reason an ancient vampire wants to make me food, but that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. How about we skip the pleasantries and you kindly show me to my room.”
She yanked her overnight bag back from his grip. “I’m tired and morning will come way too early as it is.”
“It’s a Saturday, Detective. You feeling the need to go into the office on a Sunday?” He raised one brow. “You must have one hell of a social life.”
“My social life is none of your business. My room?”
Kane’s hand indicated the back of the club. “Down the hall, second door to the left. Make yourself comfortable.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll make myself scarce. Maybe you won’t even have to tell your brothers of your decision to offer me protective custody. I’ll be long gone before they even crawl out of bed tomorrow.”
Cara gave him her back and headed for his quarters, but his answering laugh caused her to stop and glance back.
“Mia Bella, I won’t have to tell them you’re here. They’ll smell you the minute they hit the door.”
“Smell me?” Cara resisted the urge to put her nose to her armpit. “I showered this morning.”
“Trust me, Cara, your scent isn’t unappealing. But that wasn’t what I meant. I was talking about the scent of your blood.”
“Oh,” she mumbled. Jesus, they could smell the blood running through her veins? “Then you deal with them. Goodnight, Viper.”
Cara entered the second door to the left, closed it and leaned against the cool wood. She was way out of her league. No way in hell would she leave Kane’s quarters before the rise of the sun. Becoming someone’s midnight snack was not on her bucket list of things to do. Besides the less time she spent in the sexy vampire’s company, the better off she’d be.
A king-sized bed sat flush against the far wall, its sheets rumpled and unmade. Cara’s gaze traveled to the indention in the center of the mattress, causing her to think of Kane lying there. Did he sleep naked, a sheet tossed over his center? Just the thought had Cara fanning her face as her heart picked up its beat. Thinking of the man in his natural state was doing nothing to help her craving of the unattainable. Okay, so maybe it was attainable, but definitely off limits.
Three large pillows reclined against the oak-paneled wall, making up for the lack of a headboard. A couple of other pillows tossed on the mattress bore his head print. Kane appeared to be a restless sleeper, if the tossed sheets and bed pillows were any indication. Cara really didn’t want to hazard a guess at how many women had shared his bed. Best not to even speculate or she’d be looking for a new place to sleep. Kane had said he used Draven’s office for his sexual liaisons. Did that mean she was the first female to step foot within his room? It certainly didn’t appear as though he did a lot of entertaining from here. Maybe he hadn’t tidied up because he hadn’t believed she’d actually show.
Truth of it? She was too damned scared not to.
One set of dresser drawers sat to the left of the bed against the side wall, nothing decorating the top. No pictures, nothing personal. To the right was a small bedside table, a silver lamp with a red shade and a black book the only items to adorn the surface.
Cara tossed her overnight bag onto the mattress and approached the end table. Tales of Edgar Allen Poe was stamped in gold on the hardbound black leather. Cara picked it up and thumbed through the gold-edged pages, before cradling the book in her hands and glancing behind her. A large bookshelf lined the wall next to the opened door to the bathroom. Books crammed its surface in no particular order. The fact that he read at all surprised her and had her wondering what else she didn’t know about the man.
Unzipping her bag, she pulled out her white button down nightshirt and plaid sleep shorts, laying them next to her bag. Very conservative and not the least bit sexy. She didn’t need to be prancing around a vampire den wearing anything less. She might have chosen her flannels, had the weather been any cooler, an outfit that wrapped her neck better than a wool scarf. Cara was thrilled Kane’s room had an adjoining bathroom, giving her no reason to leave his room at all when she decided to freshen up before crawling into bed and calling it a very long day.
The knee length pencil skirt and dress shirt she had chosen for tomorrow’s trip to the office needed to be hung. Cara looked for a chair or anything to drape them across, coming up empty. The man apparently didn’t believe in extravagances. Cara opened the small closet door where a variety of tees and vests nearly filled the steel rod. She spied a few extra hangers and helped herself. The soft material of one of Kane’s black tees brushed her knuckles, causing her to want to take it to her nose and see if the material smelled of outdoors and man.
Instead, with a groan, she closed the door and leaned her forehead against it. Yep, she had just hit pathetic. Cara turned to the bed and flopped down. Even though exhaustion nipped at her heels, she wasn’t about to get much sleep, not knowing that Kane lay just beyond the door on a couch entirely too small for his long, muscular body. Not my problem. After all, he had been the one to insist she stay beneath his roof, even if it was for her own good.
The outside door banged off the wall, causing her to jump, followed by booted feet entering the living area. Some of Kane’s brothers had no doubt returned, causing her stomach to somersault. Curious on how exactly Kane would handle the situation, Cara crept to the door and opened it a crack.
“Now what the hell have you done, brother?” Kaleb demanded.
“Since when is it your business what I do?”
“When it involves this club. Don’t pretend to be stupid. I smell her all over this room. I’m betting she’s still here.”
“That detective bitch?” The words came from a second voice, probably Grayson. “You save seconds for me, Viper?”
Furniture screeched across the floor and knocked about, then something slammed hard against the bathroom wall. From the strength of the thud, Cara was betting Grayson had just been pinned to the wall separating the bathroom from the living area.
“Jesus, Viper, get a grip. I was only joking. You may want a piece of that, but I sure in the hell don’t. She’s a pig … figuratively speaking, before you decide to actually push me through the fucking wall.”
“Don’t even joke where she’s concerned, Gypsy,” she heard Kane hiss.
“You want to tell us what the deal is, Pres?” Kaleb asked, his tone accusatory.
More rustling could be heard, doubtlessly Kane letting loose of Grayson. “I told you we needed to keep an eye out for her. That’s what I’m doing.”
“Yeah, an eye out. Not invite her into our fucking home. The rest of the Sons aren’t going to like this one bit, bro. You know we need to vote on this kind of shit. You’ve been taking advantage of that P patch a lot lately.”
Footsteps sounded off the wooden flooring. Cara could imagine Kane pacing. “I went to her place this morning to check up on her.” The footfalls stilled. “The primordial’s scent was all over her damn room. We don’t keep an eye out for her and she’s dead.”
“And we should care, why?” Grayson asked.
“Because we aren’t fucking animals, Gypsy. She’ll stay in my room. I’ll take the couch.”
“Be sure that you do, brother,” came from Kaleb.
“As I said, Hawk, my business is none of yours. If I decide to fuck her then I don’t intend to ask your permission.”
“It’s club business when it involves that bitch. She’s trying to pin these murders on you … us! And you think we need to make sure she’s safe and cozy? Quit thinking with your dick.” Grayson’s voice raised. “Why not get it the hell over with then toss her out. I don’t give a rat’s ass what that primordial does with her.”
“Watch yourself, Gypsy,” Kane threatened. “Anyone touches the detective and they answer to me.”
“Is that a threat?” Grayson asked.
“I don’t make threats.”
Booted footsteps came her way, causing her to back farther into her room when she heard a door slam.
“Be sure that fucking her is all you do,” Kaleb said, his tone hushed.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean, Hawk?”
“The canines better stay to yourself. You know the rules. You step over that line and I’ll cut the P patch from your chest myself.”
Several seconds later another door slammed, followed by silence. Cara hedged past her doorway and back to the living area where Kane stood in the middle of the room, hands on hips, head hung so his hair hid his expression. She must have stood there a few seconds before he growled, “Wanting something, Miss Brahnam? If not, I suggest you make yourself fucking scarce.”
Cara turned, ran back to his quarters and slammed her own door.
Well, that certainly went well.
* * *
“Are you fucking serious?” Rosalee squealed through the cell’s ear piece.
Alec held the phone away and grimaced. He knew she wasn’t going to take the news of Cara Brahnam moving into the Sons’ clubhouse well.
“I’ll still have access to her. She can’t be with Kane or the Sons twenty-four-seven. Stop going all dramatic.”
“I swear to the god you believe in, Alec, that I will be in the States before you can formulate a plan to stop me if, you don’t do something soon.”
Alec rolled his eyes, not that she’d see. Sometimes Rosalee could be a royal pain in his ass. How the hell had Kane put up with her as long as he had? Because then she wasn’t a bitter vampire bent on revenge. Just a few short years with her and Alec was ready to throw his hands up and say fuck it. Let her fight her own battles. He wasn’t some imbecile she could order around so easily. After all, he, too, was an original.
“Stop threatening me, Rosalee. You and I both know you don’t want to be anywhere near the States when I take down Kane. He’d suspect you the minute he laid eyes on you, if not figure a way to kill you on the spot.” He bit back an expletive, and instead added, “and stop ordering me about like a fucking child.”
Alec took a deep breath. What he really felt like doing was a disappearing act and letting Rosalee mop up after her own mess, which Alec already knew she wouldn’t. No, she’d find someone else to screw, and get them to do her dirty work. Besides, he wasn’t quite done with Rosalee yet. His goal was her stepfather’s respect, and damn if he wasn’t going to get it … one way or the other.
“Alec? Are you still there?”
“I’m here, Rosalee … where the hell did you think I went off to?”
She made an unbecoming sound into the phone, but left his question hang unanswered.
“Look, this is nothing more than a snag in our plan. Kane will still pay.”
“You best hope so, Alec—or you better not step one foot back into Italy.”
“Idle threats, my dear. You can’t stop me. You may be older than I, but we still stand on the same ground. Your stepfather actually likes me; he wouldn’t allow you to turn your revenge on me.”
“My stepfather allows me anything I desire.”
And that’s why you’re such a spoiled brat.
No one would dare cross her stepfather, except her step-uncle, if indeed Vlad Tepes were still alive and the rumor of the empty tomb to be believed.
“Come now, Rosalee, you know you wouldn’t harm a hair on my head. Who else would put up with your tirades? I said I would take care of Kane and I will. In my own time. I do have a plan. I’m not the complete idiot you think me to be. But first, I’ll toy with him. Have a little fun.”
“Toy with him how?”
“You do want him to suffer, no?”
“Of course I do. That’s what this is all about. Kane humiliated me, stomped on my heart. Sent me back to Italy and my stepfather as if I was a nuisance. I was forced to suffer alone. I lost my son—we lost a son and he didn’t even have the decency to help me grieve.”
Alec was about to ask her if she even had a heart but thought better of it. If she had one when she met Kane, the arrogant vampire had most certainly ripped it to shreds.
“Rest assured, when I’m finished Kane will wish he were dead.”