Page 84 of Things We Burn

But he must’ve known about Kane. Though I knew the two had a complicated relationship, Knox wouldn’t willingly abandon Kane like this.

He’d turn up. Even if I couldn’t trust Brax, I could wait for that.

That's all I could do.

I was completely powerless.

The realization made me wobbly on my feet, but fuck if this asshole was going to see me as weak. So I kept my chin high and my gaze on his when I told him, “I’ll be expecting to hear from you. Soon.”

The grin remained. That knowing grin. That taunting grin. “Of course,” he replied placidly. “You have a good day. Take care of yourself. Be careful. I know that this city can be dangerous at the best of times, especially with someone in your … condition.”

A threat. I didn’t know why or really how, but it felt like a threat.

I didn’t balk.

“I can take care of myself.”

“I’m sure you can,” he said sarcastically.

I turned my back, my step not faltering until I got home.

Brax was true to his word, something I hadn’t expected.

I did hear from him promptly.

The next day.

I’d expected him to fuck with me. Make me wait, even if he did get in touch with Kane as soon as he could.

He was a small man who wanted power. And this was the most he’d ever had. I’d seen him watch Kane, seen him covetwhat Kane had. I’d trusted Kane’s judgment, thought that there was a reason Brax was around, although I never trusted him.

I had to hold on to that trust in Kane, although it was hanging by a thread.

I didn’t let any of my unease show on my face as I went back to Brax’s offices. Didn’t let him see evidence of the sleepless night I’d had, the worry and fear churning in my stomach.

His words had bounced around my brain all night. Had made me question everything. As if I hadn’t already been questioning everything.

I wouldn’t say I had many plans for my life outside of running my own kitchen, owning my own restaurant one day. Well, that was the plan. The main and only plan.

There hadn’t been dreams of a man, a wedding, and most definitely not of a white picket fence. No plan to create a new family. I had a complicated enough relationship with my family as it was. No way was I going to try to make one of my own. I wasn’t capable of that.

Then again, I hadn’t thought I was capable of falling in love.

Yet I’d fallen hard and brutally for Kane.

I’d avoided feelings because I knew the power of them. Knew that losing love could ruin you. No way would I give away that power.

Then came Kane.

He made me feel safe. He made me feel like I wasn’t going to lose him. That he wasn’t going to ruin me.

Then there was the arrest. The trial, which was bad enough. The blame I carried around with me was almost devastating. It had caused me to be constantly sick to my stomach, throwing up everything I ate. Or at least I had thought it was the guilt.

In a million years, I wouldn’t have thought that it might be a baby.

Ourbaby.

We were careful.

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