Page 126 of At the Edge of Surrender

I was pretty sure the thud of my heart was deafening when he did.

What were these people going to be like?

I mean, look at Kane.

Okay, strike that.

Clearly, I liked looking at him a little too much.

But seriously, there was something there. An undercurrent. Danger rippling through his aura, verified by the innuendos that fell from his mouth.

Not to mention Theo. The pure menace that radiated from him.

Is that what they would all be like? Was I bringing Maci into some kind of horrible situation where she’d witness horrible things or was this a positive, these men who would gather around her and protect her with everything they had?

Nerves scattered, and I nearly came out of my skin when a hot hand suddenly landed on the top of my bare thigh, fingers digging into the flesh that was exposed by my shorts.

Kane leaned across the console, his voice rough as he murmured, “Don’t spin out, Little Warrior. Pretty sure they’re going to love you, too.”

“My only concern is Maci and how they’re going to treat her,” I rasped low.

Accept her.

Be positive influences for her.

Love her.

Emerald eyes twinkled. A softness subduing the stark. “These are the best people you’re ever going to meet.”

“Hurry it up, slowpokes. I gotta meet my new best friend,” Maci shouted, and Kane whisked away from me, stealing my breath as he went, my lungs bottoming out as he tossed open the door, climbed out, and went to Maci’s side.

The door swung open, and he unbuckled her and swung her up and into the air as he pulled her out. Maci howled with laughter, one second before she was on her feet and her hand was wrapped up in his.

He led her to the front of the car, that penetrating gaze on me as he waited.

Blowing out a sigh, I forced myself to unlatch my door and get out.

Warmth skimmed the air, and I could hear the faint trickling of laughter and voices coming from the backyard.

“Right this way,” Kane said with a gesture of his hand.

The same hand that he settled on the small of my back as I passed him.

A shiver tripped down my spine, and I faltered a step.

God, he was really trying to do me in.

Maci trotted along at his other side, their hands swinging between them, the child rambling away in her excitement.

“Do youfinkhe likes dolls? Because I got a lot of dolls. But I got books, too, and some games. I bet he really likes games.”

I finally managed to draw in a breath when Kane pulled his hand away when we got to the door.

He didn’t knock. He just pressed down on the latch and pushed it open, and he stepped aside to usher us in.

I took a tentative step into the great room of a modern house.

A huge kitchen sat off to the left, and an open living space was out in the middle that overlooked the yard beyond.

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