Page 69 of Beautifully Broken Control

Cain’s smile turned gentle, his eyes roaming over my face. “Or maybe you’re my good luck charm.”

28

Cain

“You’re cheating.You have to be cheating.”

Kennedy arched a single brow in my direction as she counted the brightly colored Monopoly money. “And just how would I be cheating?”

“You stole extra cash from the till when I got us drinks. Or you’re using weighted dice. I don’t know. But there’s no way you’ve won three games in a row by this much.” I glanced down at the board, my poor little shoe game piece sitting on the Boardwalk space Kennedy owned with two hotels. That move had wiped me right out. “It’s just not possible.”

Kennedy laughed and, for once, it wasn’t followed by a wince. Just a couple of days of rest and healing, and she was doing so much better. But it was that sound, given so freely, that was music to my ears. “You’re just going to have to live with the fact that I could probably run your empire better than you.”

I scowled. She wasn’t wrong. “Stealing the food right out of my mouth, I tell you.”

The color drained from Kennedy’s face, and I could’ve kicked myself. She cleared her throat, placing the money back on the couch cushion between us. “I probably got a little more bloodthirsty than I needed to.” She laughed again, but this time, itwasforced. I hated the slightly jagged edges of the noise. And the absence of the lightness that I’d grown addicted to.

“Kenz.”

“Hmm?” She didn’t look up to meet my eyes.

“I know.”

“Know what?” She stayed staring at that damn game board as though it held the answer to climate change, world hunger, and everything in between.

I moved the board from the couch to the coffee table. “I know who your father is.”

“Oh.” Her voice was so damn small. Apologetic. Unsure. “I wondered when you didn’t ask any questions after the gala.”

“I wanted to give you time. That scene with your brother was intense. And I hoped you’d open up to me on your own.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “But I didn’t. So, you went looking.”

I lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “I did.”

Kennedy let out what sounded like a cross between a growl and a sigh. “Nothing’s private anymore, is it? I’ll never get that fresh slate I want because there’s Google and YouTube, and my worst moments are just there for anyone to see. They can watch them on repeat if they want to.” She blew out a breath, sending the wisps of hair that framed her face fluttering. “But I guess I’ve bought that.”

Guilt churned in my gut. I didn’t think I’d ever had a second’s remorse for digging into someone’s past. It was how I armed myself. Protected myself. I could control almost anything when I had enough information. But this felt all sorts of wrong, to know so much about Kennedy without her permission. Things she’d rather I not know. “I’m sorry.”

She leaned back against the pillows behind her and pulled her knees up to her chest. “Why?”

“It hurts you. I never want to be the cause of your pain.”

Her gaze locked with mine and held for several seconds before she looked away, out the window at the lake. “Can we go out to the dock?”

I’d tried to restrict Kennedy to the living room and her bedroom, with one brief hour on the back deck yesterday. But I knew she was getting antsy. “Sure.” I pushed to my feet and reached out a hand to her. She paused for the briefest of moments before slipping her palm into mine. I pulled her to her feet. “Go slow, okay?”

“I’m not going to try and run a marathon. Just go to the backyard.”

“All right, smartass.”

Her lips tipped into a small grin, but she said nothing. The late-afternoon air was pretty much perfect, and I kept Kennedy’s hand in mine as I led her down the steps, across the grass, and onto the dock. I told myself it was in case she lost her footing, but even I didn’t believe the lie. Her hand felt too good to let go of. Too warm and vital and real.

Kennedy slowly eased herself down onto the dock. The movement was a bit jerky, and I didn’t miss the twist of pain on her face. I wanted to bundle her up and carry her back inside, but it wasn’t what she wanted. She needed this right now, and it was within my power to give it to her.

She stared out at the sun lowering in the sky, just beginning to paint the horizon with different colors. “It does hurt me that you know.”

That truth was more of a blow than I thought it would be. That I’d caused her pain. That she wanted to hide from me when I wanted to know everything about her.

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