Page 26 of Fool Me Twice

“I’ll do everything I can. I promise,” Hart said, eyes moving to the door in question. “Maybe you should call him out so he doesn’t get spooked?”

Cane walked over to the door and banged on it before he could finish his sentence. “Kid, get your ass out here.”

“Cane!” Hart hissed. “You’re going to scare him half to death.”

Cane rolled his eyes and said louder, “I’m not here to kill you.” He looked back at Hart. “Happy?”

Hart pursed his lips. “You need to work on your social skills.”

The door slowly opened, much the same way Soph had opened the front door. The same blue eyes peered through, looking mournfully at Cane before shuttering at the sight of Hart just beyond him.

Hart was starting to develop a complex.

He understood the reason, of course. They didn’t know him and Cane had helped them. But Hart was great with people. He was likable. He was an upstanding member of society. Cane was none of those things!

Raph shuffled out of his room, barely able to look Cane in the eye as he moved to his sister’s side. His light brown hair was matted to his head with sweat, but it looked like it curled just slightly at the ends. He was just as tall and thin as his sister. She whispered in his ear and then both their eyes swung Hart’s way.

“You think I’m cursed?” Raph asked, sounding as hopeful as his twin.

Cane made himself comfortable in the armchair in the corner and pulled out a cigarette. He looked relaxed on the outside, but Hart could feel the tension he was pumping into the air. “All yours, sweetheart.”

Hart glared at him before turning back to the twins. “It’s a possibility. If you consent, I can check—”

“Yes!” Raph interrupted, stepping forward. “Anything.”

Hart had to agree that in the face of this much sincere devotion, it must have appeared strange that Raph would suddenly go against the one thing Cane expressly forbid him from doing.

Hart cautiously walked farther into the apartment and set his bag down by the sofa. He started pulling his things out, looking at Cane as he brooded like a bad dream.

“Might be best if you give us some space,” he said, making it sound like a suggestion but very clear it wasn’t one.

“I’m not leaving,” Cane said.

“I need him relaxed if we want this to work,” Hart said. “You’re not exactly a calming presence.”

Cane crossed his arms over his chest in slow motion, determined to show just how much of a pain in Hart’s…behind he was.

“Cane,” Hart said warningly.

Cane shook his head. “I’m not letting him out of my sight.” He glanced at Raph, who shrank under the attention like a misbehaving puppy. “I don’t want him getting any more fun ideas.”

“I didn’t…” Raph started, but was cut off by Soph who suddenly burst out, “It wasn’t our idea! We promise!”

Hart frowned at the words, and based on Cane’s expression he caught the slip of her tongue too. She covered her mouth with her sleeve and Raph threw her a worried glance.

“Ours?” Cane asked, deceptively calm as he got back up. “We? That’s not the first time you’ve slipped up today, Soph.”

She took a step backward, eyes darting around, shaking her head. Tears were gathering at her lash line as Cane advanced.

Raph put himself between them with a jutted jaw. “She had nothing to do with it. It was all me…”

Cane snorted and pushed him aside easily, like swatting a fly, and Hart decided the only course of action was to put himself in Cane’s path. Cane was a bulldozer, so he was up in Hart’s space in no time, crowding close, hot breaths huffing down his neck and making him shiver.

“Cane.” He placed a hand on Cane’s chest and could actually feel his heartbeat under his palm. It was pounding. “You’re not helping. Restraint is the greatest display of power.”

“I don’t give a shit,” Cane growled into his face. “I want answers and I want them now.”

“Then let me do my job and you’ll have some. Or do you suddenly think they betrayed you after all and aren’t cursed?” Hart raised an imperious brow.

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