Page 29 of Kane's Bounty
Kane watched his brother’s shoulders. He thought he detected some stiffness in them and maybe sensed a bit of trepidation from the older Lakeland. “It’s okay with me. He knows what our relationship is.”
When he didn’t go on, she said, “Well.”
“I barely remember him from the orphanage. He was gone by the time I was five years old. The people that ran the place talked about how happy they were to have gotten rid of him and at a great price.”
“Price? They sold him?”
“Of course.” He’d worked for years to suppress the anger he had for the people from the orphanage. He almost managed it. Almost. “They profit from the company taking on a gifted child.”
“So you grew up apart. Does he remember?”
The word, yes, rang loudly in Kane’s head. He looked at the cockpit. “He was older, and as they said, gifted. He remembers.”
“How did you reconnect?”
“He found me when I was finishing my training.”
“Have you spent a lot of time together?”
“When we can or if there’s a need, we see each other.”
“Like today.” She sounded sad.
“There have been other times that were not quite so rushed.”
There was a long pause. He could feel her reluctance to say what was on her mind and he was sure Joshua could feel it too. “If he’s a spy, what makes you think we can trust him?”
“He’s my brother.”
She looked toward the cockpit. “Brothers betray each other. It happens all the time.”
“You’re right, it does, but not with Joshua and me.”
“Okay.” She didn’t question the matter further. Instead, she curled her feet up under her firm, round ass and leaned her head over onto his shoulder.
He really had no idea what the tightness in his chest was from. When he looked down at her creamy skin resting against his shoulder and her dark eyelashes soft against her cheek, he thought his body might burst.
He looked toward the cockpit door and Joshua had turned around in the pilot’s seat. He looked back at them with an expression on his face Kane couldn’t place. Then his older brother smiled and turned back toward the clouds ahead.
* * *
They didn’t talk much onceJoshua landed the plane. A car was waiting at the private airport. There was no driver, just the car with the keys in it. Kane opened the front door on the passenger side and held it for Lena.
He felt her trepidation, but she got in the car next to his brother and didn’t say a word. Once he was in the backseat, Joshua drove them from the airport to a small waterfront house twenty minutes away.
The place was Spartan. A couch, a chair and a very small coffee table. The galley kitchen was completely empty except for coffee and a coffeepot. The bedroom had a twin bed, but no sheets, pillows or blankets.
“What is this place?” she asked.
“Safe house,” Joshua said.
“It could use a woman’s touch.” Her voice was full of sarcasm.
Joshua closed the door and locked it. He waited until she sat down on the couch before he put his hands on his hips and faced her. “Lena, tell me about these stones that everyone is looking for.”
Kane wasn’t surprised the government knew about Lena and the stones. In a way, it was good news. If they knew about the stones, then they probably also knew she hadn’t taken the money.
Lena stood up as if she was ready to bolt for the door. “What do you know about them?”
