Page 25 of Enticing Kane

Maggie’s mind raced, trying to find a way out. She knew she couldn’t give him the artifact, couldn’t let him have something so powerful, so dangerous. But she also knew that she was outmatched—alone and unarmed against a man who had no qualms about killing.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself. “You think you can just take it?” she asked, her voice steadying as she met his gaze. “It’s not that simple.”

The man’s smile faltered, suspicion flickering in his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Maggie’s mind worked furiously, spinning a lie that she hoped would buy her time. “The artifact is locked,” she said, her voice calm and confident. “It’s designed to be accessed only by someone who knows the code. Without it, it’s just a piece of metal. Useless.”

The man’s eyes narrowed, and Maggie could see the doubt creeping in. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Maggie challenged, lifting her chin defiantly. “Do you really want to risk it? You could kill me, take the artifact—but then you’ll never unlock its secrets. Or, you could let me go, and I’ll help you access it.”

The man hesitated, his grip on her arm loosening slightly as he considered her words. Maggie’s heart raced, knowing she was walking a fine line. If he called her bluff, it could be the end. But if she could just keep him off balance long enough...

Before he could make a decision, a burst of gunfire erupted nearby, followed by a shout. The man’s head snapped up, his grip tightening again as he glanced around, clearly agitated.

Maggie took the opportunity to act. She swung her backpack off her shoulder, using it as a weapon to slam into his chest with all her strength. The surprise of the attack caused him to stumble back, giving Maggie just enough time to twist out of his grasp and run.

KANE

Kane moved with a ferocity he hadn’t felt in years, his body operating on pure adrenaline as he fought his way through the militia forces that swarmed the ruins. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the desert in deep shadows, but the fight was far from over. His heart pounded in his chest, every breath a raw reminder of how much he had at stake.

Maggie.

The thought of her—alone, vulnerable, somewhere in this warzone—drove him to push harder, faster. He couldn’t lose her, not after everything they had been through. The memories of their time together, their connection, the way she had looked at him with trust and affection—dare he call it love—it all fueled his determination. He couldn’t let her down.

Kane ducked behind a crumbling wall, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he reloaded his weapon. The sounds of gunfire and shouting filled the air, the chaos of battle all around him. He had faced countless enemies in his time, but this felt different. This wasn’t just about survival—it was about protecting his woman, about ensuring that the artifact she had uncovered didn’t fall into the wrong hands.

With a quick glance around the corner, Kane spotted a group of militia fighters advancing on his position. He gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on his rifle as he prepared to engage. But before he could move, an explosion rocked the ground, sending a plume of sand and debris into the air. The fighters were thrown off balance, giving Kane the opening he needed.

He moved swiftly, his training kicking in as he took down the first two fighters with precise, controlled shots. The others scattered, their disorganization a stark contrast to Kane’s focused resolve. He advanced, his eyes scanning the ruins for any sign of Maggie. She had to be close—she had to be.

But as he pushed forward, another figure emerged from the shadows... Carter. Kane knew that it wasn’t just the local militia. He’d known someone had to be backing them.

The man had a cold, calculated look in his eyes, a twisted smile curling his lips as he stepped toward Kane. He was armed, but it wasn’t the gun in his hand that sent a chill down Kane’s spine—it was the look of pure, unbridled determination in Carter’s eyes. This was a man who had nothing left to lose.

Kane stood in the center of the dig site; his gun aimed steadily at Carter. The air was thick with tension and smoke, filled with the sounds of guns being fired and people screaming and dying. But for Kane, it had narrowed down to just the two of them and their breathing. The two men locked eyes, each one sizing up the other, both aware that this confrontation would only end when one of them was no longer standing.

“You’ve made a big mistake, Chaplin,” Carter said, his voice low and menacing. His own gun was pointed directly at Kane’s chest, his finger hovering near the trigger. “You should’ve stayed out of this—just fucked the pretty archeologist, turned over the artifact, and taken her home. Now you’re just another loose end.”

Kane tightened his grip on his weapon, his jaw clenched. He could see the cold calculation in Carter’s eyes, the ruthlessness of a man who had long since abandoned any semblance of honor. “It’s over, Carter. Drop the gun, and maybe I’ll let you walk out of here.”

Carter’s lips curled into a sneer. “You really think you can take me down, Chaplin? You’re out of your league.”

Before Kane could respond, Carter moved with lightning speed, his leg snapping out to the side. In a blur of motion, Carter knocked Kane’s gun from his hand, the weapon falling uselessly to the ground just out of reach.

For a split second, Carter had the upper hand. His gun was already coming up, the barrel aiming directly at Kane’s head. Time seemed to slow as Kane’s instincts kicked in, adrenaline surging through his veins.

Without hesitation, Kane pivoted on his heel, using the momentum to close the gap between them. As Carter’s finger tightened on the trigger, Kane’s hand shot out, grabbing Carter’s wrist with a crushing grip. The gunshot rang out, the bullet going wide as Kane twisted Carter’s arm sharply, forcing him to drop the weapon.

The gun hit the ground with a dull thud—the sand absorbing any sound—and Carter let out a grunt of pain, his face twisted in rage. But Kane didn’t give him a chance to recover. With a swift, practiced move, Kane brought his elbow down on Carter’s forearm, disarming him completely.

Carter staggered back, his expression a mix of shock and fury. Kane stood over him, his chest heaving, his eyes blazing with cold determination.

“Like I said, Carter,” Kane growled, “it’s over.” Kane turned to retrieve the two guns before finishing this with Carter.

Carter shouldn’t have had the strength to get back up, but he was relentless, clamoring to his feet and lunging at Kane. Carter’s hand reached for a knife sheathed at his side. Kane saw the glint of steel in the dim light, knew that one wrong move could end everything. With a surge of adrenaline, he turned back to Carter, grabbing his wrist and twisting it with all his strength.

The knife fell to the ground, and Carter let out a snarl of rage. But before he could recover, Kane drove his fist into Carter’s throat, the force of the blow sending him crashing to the ground. Carter gasped for breath, his eyes wide with shock and pain as he clutched at his neck.

---