Page 15 of Kane: One Night with a Biker

“Do it, Kane. I know you want to. It’s payback for the life I stole from you.” My dad rose back up on his knees.

I stared down at him, finally fully aware of everything I’d let him take from me. I couldn’t have stopped him from taking my mother, but I’d let him have way too much power over me through the years. Because of him I’d shut down my heart. I’d closed myself off to love and light.

Now it was my turn to choose. I could either follow in his dark footsteps and give in to the demons that haunted me. Or… or I could choose love. I could choose Abilene. It wasn’t too late for us.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed. It was time for me to take control of my future.

14

ABILENE

We arrived at the cemetery behind a half dozen police cars. Blue and red lights flashed through the darkness. My heart stopped beating as I feared the worst.

It seemed like an eternity until Devin talked to someone who had the authority to let us pass. I half fell, half crawled out of the cab of the truck as I located Kane in the crowd. He sat on the back bumper of an ambulance and held his head in his hands.

His name ripped free from my chest, and I forced my legs to carry me toward him. He looked up, his face an unrecognizable mask of pain.

“Abilene?” He rushed toward me, catching me in his arms as I collapsed against him. “What are you doing here?”

I couldn’t get the words out. “Devin. He thought. Are you? What happened?”

His hand smoothed the hair away from my cheek, and he rested his chin on my head. “It’s okay, little bird. I found my dad and called the authorities. They tried to take him into custody but he didn’t go willingly. It’s over.”

I ran my palms over his chest, his sides, his face. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” He pulled back and held my gaze. “You saved me, sweet girl.”

“How? I wasn’t here for you.” I clutched him against me, soaking his shirt with my tears.

His palm smoothed up and down my back. “Your love saved me. For twenty-three years, I dreamed about this day. Of taking my revenge on my dad. Of paying him back for stealing my mother’s life.”

I sobbed. He’d lost so much. It wasn’t fair.

“But you showed me another way. I came here tonight ready to end it, ready to end him.”

“But you didn’t,” I choked out.

“I didn’t. I realized what I’d be giving up if I did. I’ve barely found you, Abilene. I couldn’t stand to lose you. So I chose us.”

“You chose us,” I parroted back to him, my heart so full of love for this amazing man that it threatened to burst.

“I chose us.” He put a finger under my chin and nudged my head up to meet his gaze.

Tears streaked my cheeks, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was this man and this moment.

“Mr. Mitchell,”—an officer stopped next to us—“we’ve got your contact information, so you’re free to go. We’ll probably need you to come into the station in the next few days, but you’ve been through a lot tonight. You should head home and see about getting a good night’s sleep.”

“Thanks, officer.” Kane wrapped a possessive arm around my shoulders and turned me toward his motorcycle as the officer walked away. “Did you hear that, little bird? Sounds like I need to get home and get a good night’s sleep.”

“Sorry, but that’s not part of our agreement.”

His jaw dropped in mock shock. “What do you mean? I thought I was signing up for peaceful nights, plenty of rest, and three meals a day.”

“If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ve got the wrong girl,” I joked. “I expect you to put in long nights if you want to be with me.”

“I’ve always felt like sleep has been highly over-rated,” Kane admitted.

“Does that mean we have a deal?” I held out my hand.

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