Page 227 of Midnights
The way he says my name sends another shiver through me. I can feel the heat pool between my thighs, and I tell myself I need to keep it together before I end up slipping in the puddle I'm about to make on the floor.
I drag my gaze up to his, only then realizing just how close we’ve gotten. His intensity holds me captive, and it feels overwhelming. “I really love it, actually,” I admit. “I wish I could describe how it feels.”
“Try,” he urges, like he’s daring me to bare more of myself than I’m ready to.
I hesitate, knowing right now, my thoughts are a tangled mess. “It feels like home,” I begin softly. “Like everything’s alive. It feels like magic. The trees, the air… even the animals. It’s like the whole place is whispering secrets, and I can’t explain it. It just feels different. You know?”
I lower my gaze, feeling like I sounded ridiculous, but he grabs my chin and tilts my head up to look at him. There’s something raw there that steals the air from my lungs.
“Aye,” a faint smile tugs at his lips. “I know exactly what ye mean. Scotland has a way of weaving itself into your soul. It’s not just a place, it’s a feeling. The magic is real, even if most people can’t see it.”
His words sink into me, wrapping around my heart and squeezing tight, and suddenly I’m all too aware of how exposed I feel. Everything feels too raw, too open, and I’m not sure what I want to do about it.
The door creaks open, breaking the moment as two staff members enter, shifting the energy in the room. The soft clinking of dishes fills the space, but my pulse still hasn’t settled. I take a slow breath, willing my nerves to calm, but then I notice Kane reach into his coat pocket.
My stomach flips and my eyes lock onto his, my body on high alert as he pulls out an envelope.
“You can read it whenever you’re ready,” he tells me, his eyes searching mine. “Or do you want me to tell you what it says?”
I hesitate, feeling like that envelope is a ticking time bomb. If I open it now, it’ll shatter whatever spell this moment is. “Can we… can we do this a little later? Is that okay?”
Something crosses his face, but it’s quickly replaced with a smile that makes my chest tighten for a whole different reason. “As you wish.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding as my shoulders relax. I can’t help the way my chest tightens at the sincerity in his tone. “You know, growing up here wasn’t what you think. Don’t get me wrong, it had its moments. But it also came with its own challenges.”
His voice carries a quiet weight, and I find myself leaning in, drawn to the honesty behind his words.
“My parents were always gone, handling their stuff. So, most of the time, it was just me, Cam, and my sister. We made our own fun, but trouble always had a habit of finding us.”
“What kind of trouble?” My curiosity's clear despite my best efforts to keep it casual.
The warmth in his eyes is so unexpected it almost makes my heart ache. “We’d spend hours playing hide and seek, trying to outdo each other with the best hiding spots. This place is full of hidden passageways, forgotten rooms, old journals, and trinkets left behind. It was like a treasure hunt every day. We were always snooping in places we shouldn’t have.”
He chuckles, and it sounds about as unguarded as I feel. It makes him seem less like the force of nature I’ve come to know and more… human.
I can’t help but smile, picturing a younger version of Kane tearing through this place, all mischief and curiosity. It’s a side of him I can't quite imagine.
“Sounds like quite the adventure,” I giggle softly. “But why do I get the feeling you were the reigning champ of hide and seek, too?”
His eyes glint with amusement as he leans back slightly. “Champion? That’s putting it lightly. No one could ever find me. I was basically a ghost.”
I roll my eyes, fighting the grin that threatens to break free.Of course he would say that.
“Wait,” I lean in slightly, my curiosity piqued. “Are there really secret rooms and passages here? Or are you just messing with me?”
“Of course,” he replies. His tone is light but it carries a note of challenge in it. “Wouldn’t be much of a castle without them.”
A thrill of excitement rushes through me at the idea, and my mind spins with possibilities. “I knew it.” I slap his arm. “You’re holding out on me. You could be hiding a dragon in one of those secret rooms, and I’d never know.
He laughs. “Dragons? No, sadly, it’s mostly dusty books, old furniture, and occasionally a few ghosts.”
My eyes narrow playfully. “You had me at ghosts.”
He chuckles again, but then my brain catches up to everything he just said. “Hold up… a sister?”
He raises an eyebrow, clearly amused by my outburst. “Yes, I have a sister. She’s the blonde who came out to speak at the ball.”
My jaw drops as realization hits. “Oh my God, she’s stunning!” I feel a pang of embarrassment thinking about my assumptions at the ball.Okay, more than just a little embarrassed about that. Tiny misunderstanding.“Do you two get along? Does she live here too?”
