Page 61 of Rise In Arms

I pull on Kane’s hand as he leads me into the club’s main room. Music is blasting, and there are people everywhere. Men with leather cuts like Kane’s, and from what I can see, some of their women too.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Kane turns to face me, cupping my cheek, his gaze moving over my features. We’d showered together after a second round of intense sex, and after an argument about what I’m wearing, finally headed out to the party. Fortunately, Hawke had delivered mine and Hazel’s bags from Quill’s house, and I was grateful I didn’t have to wear the same outfit again. At one point I’d tried to tempt Kane to stay in bed all night, but he finally convinced me to head out to the party with him.

I don’t know why I’m feeling so out of place—it’s not like me at all—but ever since I got here, I feel like I’ve been fighting to be here. Not that the boys have made me feel unwelcome, if anything I’ve felt the opposite, but the whole Honey situation has made me realize that if I was to stay here with Kane, there may be other women around that don’t want me here. He had a life before me, I get that, but I still can’t help but look at all the women here in the club and wonder are there more where Honey came from.

“Come on, babe,” Kane says when I don’t reply. “You’re with me tonight, no one is going to hurt you, and no one sure as hell is going to make moves on you. If they do, you tell me. No brother is getting their hands anywhere near you.”

I smile then nod, feeling more settled at his reassuring words. “Okay, let’s go.”

“That’s my girl.” He leans in and kisses me softly before turning to face the crowd again, leading me toward the bar to get a drink.

“Juice? Water?” Kane asks when we get there.

I shrug my shoulders. “I could really do with a shot right now.”

Kane rolls his eyes, and I crack a smile. “Oh, come on. Is it really that bad?” Without giving me a chance to respond, he turns to the woman behind the bar. “Get me a beer, and she’ll have a juice,” he says.

“And who do we have here?” the blonde asks. She’s wearing a singlet top with the Blood Brothers logo on it. She looks to be in her late forties, tall with big breasts, but her smile seems genuine, so I sit on the stool and smile back.

“My name’s Charity.”

“Daisy,” she offers, then looks from me to Kane. “This the girl that’s running away from her man.”

I feel Kane go tense beside me, and he growls, “I’m her man.”

Daisy’s eyebrows raise. “Sorry, Trigg, thought she was your sister’s friend—you know, the one who’s running from that fighter.”

I feel my throat tighten at the mention of Blake. It’s all well and nice to be here with Kane, living in a fairy tale with a hot biker, but at the end of the day I’m here for a reason, and that is to hide from Blake, and to get protection.

“Hey, you two.” I turn to face Hazel and smile. “There you guys are, where have you been all day?”

I continue smiling at her, feeling my cheeks heat with memories of where we’ve been. She looks at me then Kane, and then back at me. “You didn’t.”

I turn and hide my face in Kane’s chest, laughing with embarrassment that we’re so easily caught out.

“You did! Ew, Charity, that’s my brother!” I feel Kane’s rumble of laughter against my cheek and turn to face Hazel. “Well,” she continues, still eyeing us, “you look happier than ever. Both of you.” Then she punches Kane’s shoulder. “You’d better take care of her.”

Kane runs his hand down my back until it comes to rest at the small of it. “I will, sis, that I promise you.”

She smiles and nods at Kane, then turns to me. “Good, now let’s dance, my song is playing.”

Laughing, I take her flapping hand, and just as I’m about to follow her, Kane pulls me back against him, his cock hard and pushing on my asscheek. He kisses my neck then whispers in my ear, “I’ll be watching you, don’t be too long.”

I turn around to look at him over my shoulder, and smirk. “Good, I’m glad. And I’ll try.”

He kisses me, his tongue licking at the seam of my lips, and I open for him, allowing him to delve into my mouth. Goose bumps erupt over my body when his hands slide up under my short denim skirt, where he runs featherlight strokes along my thighs.

I feel a pull on my hand again and break away to see Hazel rolling her eyes at us. “Come on, Kane, let her go. Geez, haven’t you had enough already?”

I laugh and peck Kane’s mouth one last time. “I’ll be right back.”

He smacks my ass before I follow Hazel onto the makeshift dance floor. We sway our hips and move to the music like we have not a care in the world. I look over at Kane who’s still by the bar, watching me, his look telling me exactly just how much he wants me.

Someone taps him on the shoulder after a few minutes, and I recognize it’s Jasmine. She looks beautiful as always, wearing black jeans, high-heeled black boots, and a red top that accentuates her curves. Kane turns to face her, and I watch as they hug and then begin to talk. I keep dancing with Hazel, who’s had a few drinks already by the look of it—her eyes are closed, and she’s swaying to the music with her arms above her head, her hips moving in a seductive way. I continue swaying my own hips, running my hands down my body now and then and looking over at Kane.

At one point, he reaches up and pulls Jasmine’s hair back away from her face, and the gentle gesture seems a little too intimate for my liking. He also hasn’t tried to look at me once since Jasmine arrived. They look… close, and I have to say, I’m kind of jealous at how comfortable they are together. Kane laughs then, his head falling back as Jasmine laughs along with him at whatever they’re finding amusing, her hand resting on his shoulder. He turns and talks to Daisy, then hands Jasmine the beer that Daisy places on the bar. Jasmine takes a drink of it, and I feel my stomach drop when he reaches out and swipes along her chin with his thumb, wiping away some beer that’s missed her mouth. I search the room for Quill, wondering what he would think of their intimacy, and then Quill is beside his wife, lifting her up and away from Kane and giving her a kiss that proves to everyone in the room whose woman she is.

I can’t help but watch Kane as he looks down at the floor, rubbing at his jaw with the hand not holding his beer. He looks… hurt? What the hell is going on?

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