Tearing her mouth from his, she gasped for air, panting and moaning as Blane pounded into her. He couldn’t think, couldn’t have moved out of her arms if a gun had been pointed at his back. She fit him perfectly, and when she came again, crying out his name, Blane couldn’t withstand the intimate grip of her body tugging on his cock. His orgasm crashed over him and he kissed her, wanting to feel her tongue against his as her passage milked him until he was spent.
Blane took a moment to catch his breath, but realized he was probably crushing her and rolled away. As he went to dispose of the condom, he noticed pale streaks of blood on his hip. Shit. He must’ve been wrong about those cuts on her thighs.
A strange sensation went through him. Maybe it was too many years spent as a SEAL in the brutal day-to-day grind of war. Blood was life and death. He’d had the blood of his friends and enemies on his hands, literally and figuratively. Blood was sacred, the shedding of it not to be taken lightly. The mark of Kathleen’s blood on him, blood she’d shed while giving herself to him, spoke to the warrior still inside Blane and something shifted. He didn’t question it. It just was.
Turning back to her, Blane gathered her in his arms, lightly kissing her brow, her cheeks, her lips. Brushing Kat’s hair back from her face, Blane searched her eyes. Leaning slowly down, he kissed her as tenderly as he knew how. When he rose again to look at her, he smiled a bit, rewarded with a shy smile in return. Words seemed unnecessary.
It felt like the most natural thing in the world to tuck her against him, her bottom cradled by his hips, and drape his arm in the curve of her waist. In a few moments, she was fast asleep.
Blane lay next to her for a while, unable to sleep. The problem of Kathleen and what to do with her, how to keep her safe, weighed on his mind, as did the foreign emotions she’d stirred inside him.
After a while, he heard his phone buzzing. Still in the pocket of his pants, its vibration was muffled by the fabric.
Carefully easing back from Kat so as not to wake her, he got up. Digging his phone out, he saw it was Kade texting him.
Need to talk. I’m downstairs.
Blane pulled on his pants and didn’t bother with a shirt. Kat lay in his bed, still sound asleep. Going to her room, he got her purse and placed it on the bureau in his. She wouldn’t be needing a separate place to sleep any longer. Silently closing the door behind him, he padded downstairs to the den, pushing his fingers through his hair to arrange it properly. Just-fucked hair on a woman was sexy. On a man, it was just tacky.
Kade was sitting on the leather sofa, drink in hand and staring into the burning embers of the fireplace. He glanced up as Blane entered.
“Sorry to disturb, brother,” he said, not sounding overly sorry. “Thought you’d like an update.”
Blane poured himself a drink and took the seat opposite Kade. A small hard drive sat on the table.
“It couldn’t wait ‘til morning?” he asked.
“If it could, do you think I’d be over here?” Kade said. “And what’s with the girl? She said you were her boyfriend.” Kade’s contempt was clear, the look he shot Blane one of sardonic amusement. “Really? Are you going to give her your letter jacket to wear?”
A thread of pleasure twined through Blane. Kat had called him her boyfriend?
“She works for the firm and bartends,” Blane said. “I didn’t realize she was the same one you were talking about the other day. I’ve been trying to protect her, keep her out of it. But her neighbor—friend—was Mark’s girlfriend.”
“The one Jimmy killed?”
Blane nodded. “I was hoping she’d tell me what she knew, give me the drive, but then you found her so . . .” Blane shrugged, taking a healthy swallow of the scotch.
Kade frowned, glancing away from Blane to the fireplace as he took another drink.
“I’m pretty sure I told you not to come here,” Blane continued. “It’s too dangerous if you’re seen. No one can know we’re working together.” Regardless of how invincible Kade seemed to think himself, worry gnawed constantly at Blane that his little brother would get hurt.
“You have so little faith in me that you’d think I’d let someone see me?” Kade scoffed. “Please.”
Blane sighed, gulping the rest of his scotch in one swallow. “Did you find it?” he asked.
“No,” Kade said, still staring into the dancing flames. “It wasn’t on there. And I think your pretty little girlfriend is hiding something from you.”
“What? Why?”
Kade finally looked at him. “Because all that was on that drive was gay porn. More than I ever wanted or needed to see.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Blane said. It couldn’t have been for nothing, the danger Kat was in, the danger he and Kade still faced.
“Would I kid about this?” Kade shot back. “Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think. And why the hell didn’t you tell me you were involved with her? I could have shot you in that alley.”
“Because it wasn’t any of your business,” Blane said automatically. He was thinking of what could have happened to that code, the only evidence Mark had, the thing he’d died for. “She doesn’t even own a computer, Kade, and I doubt she’d know what to do with it if she did. You probably just missed something.”
“I didn’t miss anything,” Kade said. “And we need that code or we’re screwed.”
“I’m well aware of that,” Blane said. “Has Frank contacted you about it yet?” He left out the part where Frank had threatened him and given him only a 24 hour window. Kade didn’t need to know. It was enough to keep himself alive, he didn’t need to be worrying about Blane.
“Yes. He said he’s getting impatient. There’s too much riding on this election. You and I both know that.”
They were both silent, thinking.
“So let’s go see your girlfriend,” Kade said. “Make her tell us what she knows. You know where she lives, right?”
“She’s not there,” Blane said, wishing he’d poured a bigger shot of scotch in his glass.
“Then where is she?”
Blane shifted his gaze to meet Kade’s. “In my bed.”
Kade looked surprised for a moment, then barked a laugh devoid of humor. “I swear, you’re more ruthless than I am sometimes, Blane,” he said, shaking his head. “I guess those scratches on your shoulders must be from her. I trust now she’ll tell you anything you want to know?”
Before Blane could answer, a crash sounded outside the room. Kade was up and moving to the door, gun in hand, before Blane. He threw open the door, staring into the hallway beyond. Blane stepped up behind him in time to see Kathleen turn tail and run.
Shit.
Kade took off after her, as did Blane, but she was quick. Beating them to the back door and flinging herself outside.
“Kat! Wait!” Blane called, but she ignored him. He couldn’t let her escape. He didn’t know what she’d heard or what she believed, but she was safer here than on her own, if she didn’t break an ankle first.
They were gaining on her, thank God. Where was she going anyway? She didn’t have her purse or car keys.
Kathleen turned suddenly, and Blane abruptly realized she had a gun in her hand, and it was pointed right at them.
Blane shoved Kade to the ground just as shots rang out, the bullets flying over their heads, then Kat turned and ran. Blane scrambled to his feet, sprinting after her, only to see a car idling at the street. Kade was right behind him and they were nearly on her when she dove into the car and it took off. Kade raised his gun and Blane shoved his arm down.
“Don’t shoot her!” he barked.
Standing in the street, his chest heaving, Blane stared after the car as it disappeared into the night, taking Kat away from him.
Seventeen Years Ago
Blane vowed Christmas would be different now that Kade was here. He went all out, taking Kade with him to cut down a tree before decorating it. They shopped for new decorations since the ones Blane had w
eren’t meant for a kid to handle. Blane practically bought out the toy store, getting anything he thought Kade might like in the slightest. Electronics and games, sporting equipment and a BB gun were all gaily wrapped and stuffed under the tree until it looked as though there were ten kids in the house instead of just one.
But Kade seemed only half-heartedly interested no matter what Blane did. He got that Kade probably hadn’t had anything close to a normal Christmas in years, but damned if he knew what else he could do. Mona made cookies, dragging Kade into the kitchen despite his protests. He’d emerge, hours later, with flour on his shirt and a small smile on his face.
On Christmas morning, it took hours for Kade to open all the presents. When he was finished, he was dumbfounded at the pile of new belongings in front of him.
“Why’d you get all this?” Kade asked, bewildered. He couldn’t imagine how much it had all cost. A small fortune, he guessed.
“Because I wanted to,” Blane said with a shrug. He reached for something electronic and started prying it out of the box. “This looks cool, right?”
Kade just looked at him. Blane had already given Kade a place to live. He didn’t need to buy him shit. But he looked as happy as could be, setting aside the toy he’d opened and working on another, a remote-controlled helicopter.
“If you use this inside, make sure Mona isn’t around,” Blane said, using his switchblade to open the box. “She’ll kick your ass.”
Kade glanced at the boxes Blane had opened that contained his gifts. Mona had taken Kade shopping, buying some things for Blane. A new wallet, a couple of ties, a new baseball glove. All of it seemed desperately inadequate to show Blane how he felt, how glad he was to be here, despite his terror that Blane would one day change his mind.
Kade was watching Blane, who pretended he didn’t notice. Finally, he looked away, picking up the remote for the helicopter and putting the batteries inside.
Blane dug in his pocket for the small box he’d stuffed there. He handed it to Kade, who looked questioningly at him.
“I got this for you, too,” he said.
He fidgeted as Kade opened it, anxious that it was dumb, that Kade was too young to understand. The fireplace crackled, filling the silence as Kade lifted the lid on the small box and gazed inside. He didn’t speak.
“It’s a key,” Blane said.
Kade’s eyes lifted to his. “I see that.”
“I mean, it’s a key for here. To the house. I realized you didn’t have one, and . . .” Blane hesitated. “I just wanted you to know that you’re always welcome here, no matter what.”
Kade’s expression didn’t change, not that Blane was surprised by that. Emotions weren’t something Kade willingly expressed. But his eyes, the eyes that were older than his years, they looked at Blane and saw what he was really saying with the gift.
“Thanks,” Kade said, his voice a little rougher than usual.
“Merry Christmas,” Blane replied. He would have liked to give Kade a hug, but he refrained. After the disastrous doctor visit, he hadn’t tried to touch Kade again. Now Kade sat on the couch opposite Blane in his pajamas. He looked good, healthy. Mona’s cooking had put meat on his bones and Blane had taken him to get his hair cut. He was a good looking kid.
They sat in comfortable silence together, examining their loot, the lit tree in the corner festive while the fire danced in its grate. It was the happiest Blane could remember being in a long, long time.
“It wasn’t always bad, you know,” Kade said out of the blue.
Blane glanced over at him, a question hovering on his lips, but something made him keep quiet.
“There was this one family,” Kade continued. “A guy and his wife. They were young, but couldn’t have kids. They both thought they should do something for older orphans so they didn’t go for the usual baby or toddler. I caught their eye. No clue why. And they took me home with them. I was eight, maybe, I guess. They were nice and sweet and I couldn’t believe my luck.”
He stopped talking then. Blane both wanted and didn’t want to know what had happened. Since Kade hadn’t stayed, there was obviously not a good ending to the story and he didn’t know if he could take hearing another tale of the abuse and neglect his brother had endured. The thought shamed him. Kade had gone through it, not him. The least Blane could do was listen.
“What happened?” he forced himself to ask.
Kade looked over and shrugged. “The guy lost his job before the adoption went through. The state then declared they were unfit because he was unemployed and took me back. I didn’t see them again after that.”
Again, his tone and expression were so bland that he could be discussing the weather, whereas Blane had to swallow, twice, to keep his voice even.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Blane said.
“Shit happens,” Kade replied. “But it was nice while I was with them. They did the whole Christmas thing, Santa Claus, filled the stockings, the works. I just wanted you to know,” his gaze found Blane’s and held it. “It wasn’t all bad. Some was okay. Some was good.”
Blane had to clear his throat and looked back at the fireplace, blinking rapidly. Kade was too perceptive. He knew Blane was blaming himself, buying all these things to try and make up for how very much he’d failed Kade. Now he was trying to comfort Blane, make him feel better with this story. The irony wasn’t lost on him.
“Thanks for telling me,” Blane said. “I’m sorry—”
“Don’t apologize,” Kade interrupted. “This is new for you. I get it. But listen to me when I say this.”
Blane glanced over.
“Man, it’s not your fault.”
And Blane realized this was Kade’s gift to him. A ten year old boy was providing absolution and forgiveness for things that never should have happened to him. He didn’t know what to say, how to react to this child, his brother. He just knew he’d do anything to protect Kade, the fierceness of his love a revelation.
Blane forced a smile. “You’re a good man,” he said. “A better one than me, that’s for damn sure.”
Kade grinned. “Does that mean I can drink with you now?”
Blane laughed. “No. But we can go sneak some of those cookies Mona has set aside. I won’t tell if you won’t.”
It was late that night and Kade couldn’t sleep. The scene earlier today with Blane still weighed on his mind. He hoped Blane had understood why he’d told him that story. It wasn’t to make him feel worse. Kade just couldn’t stand to see the guilt in Blane’s eyes when he looked at him. Yeah, some bad shit had happened to him, but things were looking up now, thanks to Blane.
Restless, Kade got out of bed and headed downstairs. Another couple of cookies sounded good. Mona might have a fit, but puppy dog eyes and a smile went a long way toward forgiveness with her.
Kade was munching on the cookies when he stepped into the library. To his surprise, Blane was still up. He opened his mouth to speak, but a second glance had him keeping his silence.
Blane was sitting on the couch looking at something he held. He didn’t seem to notice as Kade eased closer.
Blane sniffed and swiped a hand across his face, then seemed to notice Kade for the first time.
“Hey,” he said. “Is everything all right? Did you need something?”
“What’s that?” Kade asked, motioning to the framed photo Blane was holding.
Blane glanced down. “It’s my mother,” he said, handing the picture to Kade.
“Did she die?”
“Yeah.”
“When?”
“A few months ago,” Blane said, sniffing again and clearing his throat. He got up and went to the sideboard, pouring himself a drink.
Kade studied the photograph. The woman was pretty. Long, blonde hair, blinding smile. She looked delicate somehow, and not just because she was petite.
“She was pretty,” Kade said.
“That she was,” Blane sighed, taking the frame from him and setting it gently on the t
able.
It struck Kade then that he and Blane had something in common. They’d both lost their mothers. He remembered with vivid clarity the morning he’d woken to find his mother cold in her bed, her eyes open and staring at the ceiling. He’d sat beside her for hours. Until he’d been forced to answer the phone, its ringing incessant as his mother’s boss called asking why she wasn’t at work.
The pain, old but still remembered, struck him now and sympathy made him reach out and rest his hand on Blane’s shoulder. Blane was a big guy and Kade’s hand looked awfully inadequate, but he left it there despite the fear of rejection that clawed at his stomach. What if Blane laughed at him? Pushed him away?
Blane looked up in surprise when he felt Kade’s touch. He hadn’t ever touched Blane of his own volition, had only allowed the one touch in the doctor’s office, when he’d been so terrified, he’d barely known what was happening.
But Kade had lost a mother, too. The sadness in his eyes as he looked at Blane spoke of a grief they both now shared.
Blane managed a small smile, reaching up to squeeze Kade’s hand resting on his shoulder.
“You have me,” Kade said simply.
The words, so honestly given, made Blane’s chest constrict.
“No,” he corrected him. “We have each other.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Now what?” Kade said.
“She’ll go to her apartment. We can pick her up there,” Blane replied. Though how easy that was going to be, he didn’t know. Kat had looked terrified, running as if her life depended on it. This wasn’t exactly how Blane had planned on the rest of the night going.
He went upstairs and finished dressing, meeting Kade back in the den. “I’ll drive,” he said. A few minutes later, they were on their way to Kathleen’s apartment.
Turn On A Dime - Blane's Turn (The Kathleen Turner Series) Page 18
