Page 84 of Kane's Awakening
Fuck. I have to get out of here.
Too late.
“Kane?” he asked, playing dumb. The bastard knew who I was. “Wow, it’s been a while.”
Yeah, for good reason, asshole. You broke my fucking heart and left me when I needed you. You ruined me.
I didn’t say any of that. I couldn’t say anything.
“You don’t know who I am?” he asked, misunderstanding my silence. “I haven’t changedthatmuch, but goddamn, Kane.” His blue eyes gave me a once-over before focusing back on my face. “You sure have.”
“I have to go,” I finally managed to say, snatching my phone and towel and stepping away.
“Don’t rush off.” He gripped my bicep to stop me and his fingers dug in a little. A smile was on his lips, but the look in his eyes was one I’d hoped I’d never see again. Cold and taunting. “That’s kind of rude, don’t you think?”
I froze. Just like that, I was back to that scared boy again. Years of building myself up and toughening my heart all destroyed with one icy glare and tight grip. The things I’d imagined I’d say to him were forgotten as I reverted back to my old self.
“There’s the Kane I remember. So submissive,” Devon said, gliding his knuckles across my jaw. He then jerked his hand away as he clearly remembered where we were.
“Is everything okay over here?” Zack asked, approaching us and cutting his eyes at Devon.
The distraction was what I needed to break away.
“Yeah. Everything’s fine,” I answered before brushing past Devon and heading for the counter to discard my towel and grab my card.
I’d worn my gym clothes, so I didn’t have to change before leaving. Thank god. I busted through the doors and out into the parking lot, trying to get to my truck as fast as possible. I’d come at a busy time, so I’d had to park at the side of the building instead of up front, so it was a bit of a walk.
And it was more private.
Right when I reached for my door handle, a hand came out and clasped around my wrist, gripping it so tightly, I suspected there’d be a nice mark to remember it by.
Devon shoved me backward, and my back slammed against the door. My breath hitched in my throat as he came forward and glared at me. I was bigger than him, but that didn’t seem to make a difference with how he made me inwardly feel.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you keep running from me, Kane?” He placed one arm beside my head and he kept hold of my wrist with the other. “It’s pissing me off, to be honest.”
I tried to answer, but couldn’t find the words. My mouth dried, and I swallowed, which only made it dryer. With my heart racing, I started feeling lightheaded, too.
“Say something!” He slapped his hand against my truck, and I flinched.
Man up, Kane, I coached myself.Don’t let him weaken you again.
He seized my chin and forced me to look him in the eyes. His fingers dug into my jaw.
Frozen in place, I couldn’t break free from the prison I’d created in my own mind. No matter how much I’d fortified the walls around myself, Devon broke through with a single grabbing of my arm, and I couldn’t overcome the fear and sadness he brought out in me.
Then something changed.
My thoughts jumped to Ryker—the gentle way he’d held me when I’d had my episode at Fun World, the softness of his lips as he kissed me, and the warmth of his arms as he wrapped them around me, as if protecting me from myself.
Devon gripped my face tighter.
I punched him.
It shocked me just as much as it shocked him by the look of it. He stumbled back and wiped at his nose, smearing blood across his top lip and cheek.
“You fucking hit me,” he stated the obvious, staring at me with wide eyes.
“No shit, Sherlock,” I said, shaking my hand at the sting. “Don’t fucking touch me like that or I’ll do it again.”
