"I met with a few different women at the beginning but after a few months, he set me up with Alana."
My body noticeably jerks as her name rolls off his tongue.
His fists clench in front of him as if he's physically holding himself back from coming closer to me.
"I knew of her. She's married to one of his closest men."
"He wanted you to sleep with one of the wives of his members?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Honestly, I didn't ask. I just did what I was told. He was making it look like I had a legit job for the authorities and as long as I wasn't on the streets dealing, then I just went with it. I figured he wasn't putting out or their relationship was over and they'd just not made it official or whatever. It wasn't really my place to question it."
"No, you just had to make her come," I deadpan and he pales.
"Anyway, it turned into a regular thing. I'd take her out to dinner when Victor called big meetings or him and his men went out of town to keep her entertained. Anyway, when Kyle was released, I told him I was done as per our agreement and walked away, hoping he would stay good to his word."
"I already know he wasn't, this isn't news," I snap.
"I've seen her twice since I started at MKU."
My teeth grind as he admits that and my nails dig into my palms.
"The first time, nothing happened. Actually, you messaged me, and I left. It was…" He lowers his gaze for a moment. "It was the night in the library."
I gasp. "Y-you were with her before you—fuck, Kane."
"I didn't touch her. I sat opposite her at a table and spent most of the time thinking about you."
My cheeks heat at his words and I fight not to react to that statement.
"And the second time?"
He tugs at his hair until I'm sure I'm about to witness him pull it from his scalp.
"Last Wednesday."
I stare at him. "The night you disappeared."
"Fuck, Let." He pushes from the couch and starts pacing back and forth. "I couldn't see you after that. I fucking hated myself but I couldn't see any other way. I needed time to figure a way out, I couldn't just say no. No one just says no to Victor."
Don't I fucking know it.
"What did you do, Kane?" I ask, my voice not sounding like my own.
"We went to dinner, and then… and then I took her to a hotel on the other side of town."
"Oh my God," falls from my lips as a whimper. "You slept with her?"
Pain and regret pour from him as I wrap my arms around myself in the hope I can keep my weakening heart from shattering right here, right now.Did he lie to me on Sunday?
"No, I didn't sleep with her," he says confidently, repeating what he’s already told me. "But I did… I did give her what she needed."
The noise that rips from my throat isn't one I've ever heard before as the shards of my heart I was desperately holding on to shatter.
"Princess," he breathes, pain twisting his features as I stare at him as if he's someone I don't even know.