Page 82 of Cold Carnage

No matter how much sense it made to push her away for good, every fiber of my being rebelled against it.

Maybe it was time to face what I’d been running from all along: the possibility that needing someone didn’t make me weak.

But for now… for now, I just needed to breathe and figure out what came next.

A tentative knock rattled the door, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Yeah?” I croaked, my voice rough from the tension.

“Mr. Kane?” a nervous voice asked. “I have someone at the front of the store claiming to be your brother?—”

My heart skipped a beat. Brendan was here? Panic surged through me as I thought of Paige. Where was she?

I burst out of the dressing room, muscles coiled tight with urgency. The store’s bright lights felt harsh as I scanned the area. Then I saw them—Brendan and Paige locked in a heateddiscussion near the entrance. My pulse quickened, knowing the paparazzi were still lurking outside. Brendan was going to ruin this day if I didn’t step in.

Brendan’s face twisted in anger, his hands gesticulating wildly. Paige stood her ground, arms crossed and jaw set, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.

I moved quickly, closing the distance between us in a few strides. “What’s going on here?” My voice cut through their argument like a knife.

Brendan turned to face me, his expression hardening. “What the fuck do you want?” He sneered. “Knight in shining armor, here to rescue you, Paige?”

Paige glanced at me, eyes flashing with defiance and a hint of relief. “I was handling it,” she muttered under her breath.

“Clearly,” I said, sarcasm lacing my words. I turned back to Brendan, stepping closer until we were nearly chest to chest. “You need to leave.”

“Or what?” he challenged, his voice dripping with mockery.

“Or you’ll regret it,” I replied coldly, my eyes never leaving his.

He laughed bitterly but took a step back. “Always playing the hero, huh? Just like Dad. And here I thought there was nothing between the two of you. Well, nothing anymore."

A flicker of pain shot through me at the mention of our father, but I didn’t let it show. Not now.

“Get out,” I said again, my voice steady and unwavering.

Brendan glanced between Paige and me before shaking his head with a bitter smile. “Fine. But this isn’t over.” He stormed out, shoving past a group of onlookers who had gathered nearby.

The moment he was gone, I turned to Paige. “You okay?”

She nodded slowly, still tense but softening under my gaze.

The tension between us shifted slightly, something unspoken passing through our shared glance.

Paige took a breath, her shoulders rising and falling with the effort. Then she turned on her heel and headed back to the store manager. She wore a serene smile, as if the altercation with Brendan had never happened. How did she manage that so easily?

But I caught it—the fleeting pain in her eyes, like a shadow crossing the sun. Whatever Brendan had said to her had struck a chord. I clenched my jaw, anger simmering beneath my calm exterior.

When Paige finished up with the manager, I stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"I need a ride."

She blinked, momentarily thrown off. "What?"

"I rode with Asher," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "The asshole left already."

Paige gave me a long look, searching my face for something. Maybe trying to decide if this was another one of my games or if I genuinely needed help. “Isn’t your car right there?” She pointed to my car in the parking lot.

I didn’t respond, didn’t look. Instead, I kept my gaze focused on her.

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