Page 45 of Fast Fury

“So then you know he’s part of FAST Bravo, huh?”

At that, Kai drew in a shocked breath. Abby stared at Hani, uncertain, before her gaze shifted to Kai.

“Ah, you didn’t know that. Well, I’m not surprised.” Hani turned slowly to face his cousin, a derisive smile in place, using it as armor, and clucked his tongue. “How come you didn’t tell her? Don’t trust her? Or me, for that matter.Tutueither, since you didn’t tell either of us. But Abby? That’s not very forthcoming and honest of you, is it? Doesn’t bode well for a new relationship between you two. Didn’t you think she’d wonder what you got up to when you’re gone all the time?”

Kai’s nostrils flared, his eyes narrowing in warning. “Shut. Up.”

He eyed Abby, let his gaze rake over her body in a way that was blatantly disrespectful. “Or maybe he was just looking for a good fuck while he was here. I hope you made last night worth his while.”

“You son of a bitch,” Kai snarled, and came at him.

Hani tensed, brought his hands up to try and deflect the punch he was sure was coming. Kai grabbed the front of his shirt instead and wrenched him forward until only his toes touched the ground.

Hani gripped the thick wrists holding him prisoner, his throat tightening at the fury and hurt in his cousin’s eyes. “Get your goddamn hands off me.”

“Who told you,” Kai growled, the muscles in his shoulders standing out beneath his T-shirt, fists twisting the fabric of Hani’s shirt. “Who told you about my job?”

“Doesn’t matter. Point is, you lied to us all, didn’t even tell your own family what you really did for a living. Because even though we’reohana, you still don’t trust us.That’sthe truth, and we’re better off without you.”

“It’s got nothing to do with trust, you stupidasshole.” Kai shoved him away.

Hani stumbled back and fell into the picnic table, catching the edge across the middle of his back. Pain radiated down his spine. He welcomed it.

Quickly righting himself, he shot Kai a look of pure hatred. “Or maybe you had an ulterior motive, huh? Playing it cool when you come home for a ‘visit’,” he said, using his fingers for air quotations, “when you’re really here to keep tabs on me and report back to your bosses.”

“Why, you got something to hide?” Kai grated out, his voice like gravel. “Is that why you’re packing now? Why you got so spooked last night when that car backfired? Huh? Someone after you?”

Shame curled inside him. He stuffed it down, kept the sneer in place as he jerked his chin at Abby. “Fuck you, Kai. Take yourhaolebitch, get outta here and leave me andTututhe fuck alone,” he snapped, spinning on his heel before Kai could reply. He stormed off to his truck, his legs unsteady with every step.

Kai didn’t try to stop him. Didn’t call out or come after him.

By the time Hani reached his truck, he could barely see the driveway through the sheen of tears in his eyes.

Chapter Thirteen

The tension inside the car finally registered when Kai pulled up to a stoplight just outside of Kehei.

He’d put the top up on the convertible before leaving Jonah’s place because it was so early and still cool out, but since then he’d been too lost in his own head to notice Abby’s uneasiness. So deep inside his head he hadn’t realized he’d driven for a solid fifteen minutes without a word to her, leaving her so uncomfortable that she’d had to resort to staring out her window rather than look at or try to speak to him.

Drawing a deep breath, he glanced over at her. Her hands were folded together primly in her lap rather than twined with one of his, and she was doing everything but crawl into the backseat to give him space.

After what they’d shared last night and again this morning, it made him feel like a gigantic asshole. “Sorry for ignoring you, and for what you overheard with Hani.” For his cousin being an asshole to them both.

Abby swiveled her head to look at him. “It’s okay.” She searched his eyes. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

She nodded, and although she didn’t look convinced, she let it go. “Okay.”

He wasn’t fine, it was eating at him from the inside like acid. “Hani’s…changed,” he said finally as he drove, feeling the need to explain. “He never used to be like that.” Kai didn’t even know who the hell that rude punk had been earlier this morning, but that wasn’t his cousin.

Those gorgeous blue eyes filled with empathy. “Can I do anything?”

The gentle offer increased the ache in his chest. “No. Just…sorry I haven’t been good company on the way here.” He reached out to take one of her hands, twined his fingers through hers.

She shrugged. “You’re upset. I’d be the same way.”

At least Abby wasn’t mad at him for the silent treatment bit. Shelley would have been. She would have been angry that he’d shut her out for the past fifteen minutes, and made sure he’d known with hurt, sidelong looks and verbal jabs. Abby hadn’t done any of that.

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