Page 42 of When He Fights
Kane locked down his emotions.He made sure his expression didn’t alter though he did wonder why in the hell his friend had just outed him that way.Thanks one hell of a lot, buddy.Was no confidence sacred these days?
“What I meant…” Gray rushed to say into the stark and uncomfortable silence, “Is that Kane came back in your life.He moved into your house.It probably looked to Turner—and to Logan, if he’s close and watching—like the two of you were fucking.That might have enraged Logan enough that he gave the order to kill you.”
She settled back down on her heels.“Sure.Right.I totally misunderstood what you meant for a moment there.Got it.Not like Kane is dying to fuck me.”
Oh, sweetheart, I am.He ached for her.He wanted to kick out Gray and take her right the hell then.
“That’s one option,” Gray said.
Kane blinked.Was the man a freaking mind reader?What?—
“The option that Logan didn’t want any other guys near you because he thinks of you as his.His possession.His to punish for your betrayals.That’s an option for motivation.When you took up with Kane, he decided he’d get his puppet Turner to attack.”Gray sucked in his right cheek.“And option two is that he just told Turner to keep an eye on you.To make sure you didn’t flee and vanish before Logan could work his master escape plan.”
“A done deed.He’s escaped,” Kane pointed out flatly.
“Yeah, he has.”Gray shoved his hand through his hair.“And that’s why I said…maybe Logan wanted an up close view.The aquarium is over 80,000 square feet.That means there were plenty of places where Logan could have been hiding.In all the confusion after the attack and the swim in the tank, if Logan was there, waiting, watching, it would have been easy enough for him to sneak out without anyone noticing.”
Ana’s gaze collided with Kane’s.“I didn’t see him.”
Kane hadn’t been looking for the bastard.He’d been too focused on her.
“But I was just trying to get you out of the water.I…I barely looked around,” she admitted.
He’d been trying to keep her safe.
A shuddering breath escaped Ana.“So Logan could be right under our noses.”
“Yes.”Gray didn’t even blink.
“Good to know.”She took a step back.
“If Turner gets bail, and it’s stillifbecause the judge could surprise me, then I’ll keep a team on the jerk,” Gray promised.“Turner very well may lead us straight to Logan.For now, we need to continue with the cover as we have it.You two are reunited lovers.Because of the attack, Kane, you’ll be extra protective when it comes to Ana.With her every moment.”
“Damn straight,” he agreed.
“And wewillcatch Logan.We will stop him.”
Ana didn’t speak.
Gray closed in on her.“I know this isn’t ideal.”
She raised one eyebrow.
“You have choices,” Gray told her.“I am not going to make you stay here.You want to run?Fine.You can run.Kane will go with you, or I’ll get a different guard to accompany you if you decide to flee Gulfport.You can be out of this city in an hour.Or you can stay here.We can continue with the current cover story and our operational plans.Youdecide.You choose what you want to do.”
“I want—” Ana stopped.Exhaled.“I want to sleep on it.”
Gray nodded.
“I am scared, and I’m shaking, and I just—” She finally stopped hugging herself.Her hands fell to her sides.“I’m sleeping on it.I’ll tell you my decision when I wake up tomorrow, all right?”
“I’m a phone call away.”His head turned.His sharp stare landed on Kane.“Buddy, a word before I leave?”
Great.Now he was probably going to get a lecture.One of those,we-don’t-drown-a-perptalks that could be so irritating.
But Kane just nodded.and he followed Gray out of the house.Not the front door.The back.And Kane lingered on the small porch.He wasn’t about to go wandering too far away from Ana.Hedidpull the door shut behind him so she wouldn’t overhear this chat.
“You good, man?”Gray wanted to know.
