Barely Breathing(41)

“Or ‘kill’?” I smiled and ran my fingers over the pendant.

“Yeah, that’s good too, since I’ll kill ‘em if they touch you.”

“Oh, Kane.”

“You can’t say that here, Viv,” he said in a low tone. “You know what that does to me.”

“Well, you had me naked and willing this morning,” I reminded him.

“Fuck.” He rolled his eyes up at the ceiling.

“This is so beautiful. Thank you.” I leaned up and kissed him. “Will you put it on me?”

“Yeah.”

I took the necklace out and handed it to him, sweeping my hair up to make room for him to clasp it. He fumbled with it for a few seconds.

“The f*ck is this thing?” he grumbled. “It’s the smallest shit I’ve ever seen. I can’t even get my thumb on it.”

“I’ll have Cara do it.”

“Okay.” He handed it back to me. “I have to go, I’ve got a meeting at the bank.”

I turned to look at him. “I’m so glad you came by. I feel so much better.”

He kissed me softly. “Me too. Can you have dinner with me at the club tonight? To celebrate?”

“Celebrate what?”

“I’m about to buy out one of the other Six investors. I’ll own a one-third stake after this meeting.”

“Kane! That’s fantastic. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just did.”

“I mean sooner. That’s the best news.”

He shrugged. “I meant to, but you distracted me with your body.”

“Yes on dinner. I can’t wait.”

“Maybe, uh . . .” He stroked a hand over his beard, his nervous habit. “Maybe we can also talk about me trying to see Brooklyn?”

My heart leapt with excitement. “Yes, we can.”

“Come whenever you can. I’ll see you then.”

He kissed me again and left, giving me a crooked, heart-melting smile on his way out the door.

I sat back down, opening the chocolates and sighing happily as the first one melted in my mouth.

“So,” Cara said, appearing in my office with a huge grin. “He came to see you here?”

“Yeah. He was in a mood when he left this morning, so he came to apologize.”

“With a Tiffany box?” She was eyeing my desk. “Damn, girl, you’ve got him wrapped around your little finger.”

“I’m really into him, too, you know.”

“The paralegals were hitting on him in the lobby. It was so funny.”

It didn’t sound funny to me. I felt a stab of possessiveness. Still holding the necklace, I held it out to Cara. “Will you put this on for me?”

She came around my desk and took it. “K? Oh, no. No, no, no. That is too sickeningly sweet.”

“Shut up and put it on me.”

“I can’t believe things are this serious between you guys.”

“I don’t know why not. He’s the best man I’ve ever been with.”

She made a skeptical humming sound. “You just seemed like an odd match. But I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks. What about you? Are you still seeing that guy from the club?”

“I am.” She fastened my necklace and came back around to the front of my desk.

“When do I get to hear about him?”

“Soon.”

“Okay.” I held out the box of chocolates and she took one. “Sit.”

She did. “Holy shit, that’s good.”

“I know, right?” I took a deep breath. “So I’m going to need your help with something.”

“Okay.”

“This is confidential.”

She nodded and waited for me to continue.

“Kane has a daughter he’s never met. She’s nine. It’s a long story. She lives with her mother about an hour from here. He wants to request some sort of visitation. Will you—”

“Of course. And pro bono, of course. I’ll do whatever he needs.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m gonna need another chocolate.”

I handed her the box. She’d just agreed to take on a case that would’ve billed thousands for nothing, so it was the least I could do. This had to work out. I’d planted the idea of Kane trying to meet his daughter, and if it blew up, I’d feel responsible. For now, all I could do was hope Cori was receptive to Brooklyn meeting him. And more importantly, that Brooklyn wanted it, too.





Kane

WHO THE HELL IS THAT guy?

I paused and took a second look at my reflection in the mirror above my bathroom sink in the club. How long had it been since I’d actually looked at myself? I’d avoided it for so long because what I saw was a man who was pissed off at the world and hated himself.

But something was different now. For one, I had a head full of short, dark hair. Shaving it bald had been part of making myself unapproachable. A guy with tats, a bald head and a permanent scowl who’s as likely to rip you a new * as say hello isn’t someone people even want to make eye contact with.

And my appearance hadn’t changed much, besides the hair. But I saw something so much different in the mirror.