Page 12 of Kane

Too bad she’d never believe it. Wholesome beauty didn’t go very far around here.

He nodded toward the closest bedroom, not doubting for a second she would follow. Sure enough, she appeared a step behind him when he cleared the ten-by-twelve room, and she closed the hollow, fake-wood door once she crossed the threshold.

“Want me to give you something to be thankful for, baby?” She batted her thick fringe of lashes, but they both knew her heart wasn’t in it.

He didn’t have the patience to beat around the bush. Besides, it was kinder to put his cards on the table. “I think it’s time we make a clean break.”

She blinked, then lowered herself to sit on the rumpled sheets atop the double bed. “This is because I let myself in at your place.”

Speaking of which. “How did you even get inside to begin with?”

Her fingers tangled in the sheets, and she stared at them like they held the secrets of the universe.

“Charlene.” His sharp tone issued a warning, and her eyes flashed up to meet his.

“I took Scottie’s key.” She cleared her throat. “Off his keyring.”

Heat climbed his neck. He fought the urge to lose his shit and simply held out his hand. “Give it to me,” he said quietly.

Biting her lip, Charlene reached down the top of her bodice and pulled a long chain from between her generous, unnaturally round breasts. The key was threaded at the bottom. She frowned as she lifted the chain over her head and put it, along with the key, in his waiting hand.

“I knew I was losing you,” she whispered. “I thought if I could be there when you needed me, you might see how good it could be between us.”

He shoved the key into his jeans’ pocket. Any sympathy he might’ve had for the girl evaporated the moment she admitted what she’d done. “Geez, Char. It’s only been a few weeks. You can’t lose something you never had.” Deliberately, he turned his back on her and headed out the door.

Scott glanced up from the table. “Quick work.” He snickered. “You know they make pills that can help if you’re having trouble in the bedroom.”

Wisely, the prospect busied himself rubbing chalk on the end of his stick. Getting between two brothers was a lose-lose proposition.

He lifted his middle finger. “If you’re worried about how well my dick works, feel free to suck it, brother.”

Scott raised his thick, dark eyebrows. “Maybe if I could find it, I’d take you up on your offer.”

They pretended to glare at each other for a few seconds before they both relaxed into smiles. A few feet from his brother, he leaned his hip against the table. “It was time to cut her loose. She was getting too attached.”

“So? As long it’s her mouth attached to your junk, who gives a shit?”

Scott’s bedroom door policy was wide open, with a welcome mat for any woman who wanted to come inside. His brother wouldn’t understand the way Charlene’s longing looks made his mouth dry up. But the man did understand the concept of respect. Maybe too well.

“I found her in my bed the other night. Uninvited.”

Scott lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug, then turned his attention back to the table, lining up a shot.

“She stole your key to my apartment.”

The shot went wild, the white ball bouncing hard on the table. “The fuck, you say?”

He dug in his pocket and tossed the key and chain onto the table. “The only women I want in my bed are ones I invite there.”

“You toss her out of the clubhouse?” Scott pressed his lips together. It was a whole different ballgame when she crossed one of his lines.

“Nah. I just told her we were done.” It seemed cruel to excommunicate her from the club simply because he didn’t want to fuck her anymore. Frankly, he had no idea why any woman wanted to be Property of the MC anyway. It was a life lacking in respect from anyone you shared your body with, but hell, it was their choice to make.

Scott’s expression turned sly. “Maybe I’ll let her work off her transgressions on her knees.”

“Knock yourself out.” The smell of frying meat wafted in from outside. He had forgotten about the turkeys. Turning toward the door, he tightened the ponytail at the base of his neck. “I’m gonna go finish helping Cue. Take better care of my key, asshole.”

Scott’s belly laugh followed him as he returned to his post at the fryer.

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