I bend down and press my lips to her forehead. She leans into my touch and wraps her arms around my waist. When I stand upright, she rests her head against my chest and takes a deep breath of my manly scent.
I wrap my arms around her shoulders and cup her head, trying to comfort her. She may have grown up in the life, but tonight was scary for her. I can feel the tension seep away from her as her breathing evens out and she snuggles further into my embrace.
“Let’s go to bed,” I urge her softly.
She nods but makes no move to free herself from my grasp. So I scoop her up into my arms and carry her to my bed. Alannah doesn’t protest as I slide us both between the sheets. I help her out of her lab coat and then pull her down onto my chest, stroking her spine until she falls asleep.
Sleep doesn’t find me. I keep replaying the events of the warehouse, the hospital and the things Alannah told me. So many things don’t add up, and that tells me there’s more shit to come. If I were on my own, it wouldn’t matter, but the tiny woman cocooned in my arms is in danger because of me.
And for the first time in my life, the unknown scares the shit out of me.
I wake up to delicate fingers tracing the ridges and planes of my torso. Alannah’s head is on my chest, and her warm body is wrapped around mine. I allow her exploration and soak in how good it feels to have her hands on me.
The further south she moves, the harder my dick gets. And when her fingers graze my waistband, I can’t hold back any longer.
“Little lower, Doc,” I growl with sex in my voice.
Alannah freezes her movements, popping her head up to look at me. Her hair is a mess around her face as her gaze locks on mine. There’s no hunger in her big blue eyes though, only questions. This is why I stay away from people. I don’t have any answers.
“How’s your head feeling?” she asks, ignoring my raging hard-on and the fact that she caused it.
“I’m fine.”
Okay, maybe I’m not fine, but she doesn’t need to worry about me. If she thinks I’m better, she’ll leave. And she needs to leave. Caelan can keep her safe, and I can stay underground for a while until the spooks lose sight of me.
“I should get you to Caelan,” I say, sitting up and basically shoving her off me.
“You shouldn’t be on your own,” she huffs, pushing her hair out of her face as she sits up in her rumpled purple dress.
Now that I look at her, I take in the fact that she’s not in scrubs, and she was wearing heels last night. Not the usual get up for a surgeon.
“What are you wearing?”
“Weird question,” she huffs. “Don’t change the subject.”
“Are hooker heels and dresses the new doctor uniform? If so, I’m gonna spend more time hangin’ out at the hospital.”
“If you think bein’ a dick to me is gonna run me off, you clearly didn’t know my dad well. I grew up with men like you, Kane. You’ll have to do better than that.”
“And if you think that was me bein’ a dick, you have no fuckin’ clue who I am or how I work,” I growl, leaning into her face.
Then my fucking traitorous head gets fuzzy, and I fall back onto my pillow with my eyes closed.
“Fine my ass,” Alannah grumbles.
“Your ass is fine,” I flirt.
She snorts before climbing out of the bed. I’d like to watch her hips sway, but I don’t want to open my eyes.
“Take these,” she instructs from the side of the bed a few moments later.
I sit forward and gulp down whatever she handed me before flopping back again. She’s been waking me up every hour to check on me for the last twelve hours. We’ve talked to Caelan twice. The spooks have been around, but not making too many waves. They scoped out Alannah’s house and talked to hospital administration. Then they went on the wild goose chase to find Drake Worthington. That should keep them occupied for a day or two.
I need to call Sorcha and make sure she’s okay. There’s no reason for her to be tied to me or for them to go after her, but I’m still worried about her safety.
“Do you mind if I grab a shower?” Alannah asks timidly.
I crack my eyes open to find her nervously thumbing the hem of her dress.
“Why are you wearing a dress, Alannah?” I ask again more thoughtfully this time.
“I had a date last night,” she answers softly.
That causes a reaction in my stomach that’s not at all pleasant. And entirely unwelcome.
“Sorry I fucked your night up. Do you need something to wear?”
“I have an overnight bag in my car. I’ll just run down and get it. If you think you’re all right on your own for a little while?”
“I’m good,” I lie.
She has a fucking overnight bag in her car? She missed more than a date.
I listen to her descend the metal stairs and wait until she comes back up, all the while cooling my temper. I kill people for a living. It shouldn’t be surprising that I’ve got a temper. The thing is, I’m actually a pretty calm person. I don’t kill with emotion. I don’t fly off the handle and end people.
Alannah Carey’s fucking with my head. I’m blaming the concussion. Brain trauma causes strange behavior and apparently, it causes me to be a psycho, territorial caveman. Awesome.
“I’ll be quick,” she calls out from the bathroom.
“No rush,” I grunt, trying not to imagine her naked in my shower.
When the water begins to flow, I climb out of bed and demand my brain to function normally and my dick to calm the fuck down.
Chann knocks and then hurries up the stairs into my living room. Then he’s hugging me. This isn’t uncomfortable at all. I stand still until he gets over his bizarre reaction. When he releases me, I take a few steps away.
“You’re gonna have to put your pussy away now,” I snark, trying to bring us back to our normal banter.
“I thought you were fuckin’ dead, man. I sat on the street and watched the rescue team search for hours. Fuckin’ hours, Kane. I didn’t know if I wanted them to find you or not. Then when they did, I didn’t know if you were gonna make it or be some sorta vegetable or just fuckin’ different from havin’ your head caved in by a motherfuckin’ building. You can give me shit, but just give me a minute,” he snarls.
Now I feel like a dick. He’s my only friend, and he was scared.
“I’m fine, Chann. Thanks for havin’ my back,” I reply kindly, slapping his shoulder a few times. “Where’ve you been?”
“Caelan’s got everyone tryin’ to figure out who put the hit on you. Some dumb motherfucker sent him a condolences card right before the warehouse came down. It was a hit. They knew you were comin’. He’s been offing motherfuckers left and right, tryin’ to find out how they knew you were comin’.”
“The guy that blew the place said if he killed me, his family wasn’t gonna have to worry about money ever again. It’s gotta be another family for that kinda scratch,” I say, flopping onto my couch with Chann following.
“Caelan thinks it was an inside job,” he mutters, thinking things through.
“Who can make that kinda move?”
Chann shrugs and lays his head back. He hasn’t slept based on the dark circles under his eyes. His hair’s a mess, and he looks a little pale. My friend’s been out for almost twenty-four hours trying to avenge me. It fills me with equal amounts of pride and guilt.
A high-pitched scream in the bathroom has us both sprinting in that direction. I throw the door open and find Alannah scrambling on top of the black marble vanity, trembling from head to toe.
“What the fuck?” I shout.
“Spider!” she wails, pointing at the floor.
Chann busts out laughing behind me as I discover the tiniest fucking spider I’ve ever seen scampering away from the crazy lady. I scoop it up and hand it to Chann.
“Put it on the terrace,” I order as he chortles.
More of Sorcha’s Kool-Aid. Never kill an innocent creature.
She has no problem with me murdering bad people for money. She believes the evil roaming around the world is stuck, and I’m sending it on its way. I do her gods’ bidding. But if I killed a spider, she’d lose her mind. Yes, I’m aware how fucked that logic is. And yes, I still live by it.
Alannah secures the black towel around her chest before cautiously slipping off, her eyes searching for more spiders.
“Doc, you’ve gotta be shittin’ me with this. You operate on people. Blood and guts don’t freak you out, but a fuckin’ spider makes you scream like your life’s in danger?”
“They creep me out,” she responds with a shudder.
Now I’m laughing. Hard. It makes my head hurt like a motherfucker, but her dripping wet and hiding on the vanity is hilarious.
She scowls at me before shoving my chest.
“You want me to stay in here to protect you?” I tease.
“No,” she grumbles.
I pull her body against mine and kiss her wet hair. She doesn’t hug me back, but I let it go. I laughed at her, so I’m not surprised she’s pissed at me. It doesn’t mean that wasn’t funny.
I release her and pull the door shut as I leave, spotting Chann grinning at me from the terrace with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I walk out into the frigid air, barefoot and shirtless. The cold and the heat don’t affect my skin. I’m always the same temperature no matter the weather. I do enjoy the icy burn in my lungs from the cold though.
“That shit was fuckin’ funny,” Chann mumbles around his smoke. “I swear she’s hotter every time I see her. I’ve been tryin’ to nail her since I was a kid.”
There’s that proprietary feeling again. Damn you concussion. Fuck off already with your shit.
“You think you can get her back to Caelan for me? Some government spooks showed at the hospital for me. I need to lay low for a while. Maybe get outta town,” I explain.
“The skin thing?” he asks cautiously.
“Yeah,” I grunt, cracking my neck. He’s never asked me about my skin before. I’m not in any condition to talk about it, so I hope he doesn’t push.
He nods and takes a few drags.
“You got somewhere you can go?” He doesn’t push.
“I’ve got a few places,” I lie.
I’ll go to Sorcha’s. Then I can keep my eye on her and see anything coming for miles. She lives on fifteen hundred acres outside of the city. There’s not much on the land other than her house nestled in a forest and tall grass. Nature in its natural form just like Sorcha likes it.
Chann clears his throat nervously as he flicks his butt off the roof.
“Caelan wants you on Alannah. He’s worried with the hit that someone’s comin’ after him, which means comin’ after his family. He already sent Cait to Chicago. Government spooks know about Alannah?”
I nod, realizing I’m not getting rid of her. She’s got danger coming at her from two ways now. Fuck.
“I need a car. Government has Worthington’s information. Pay for somethin’ in cash and meet me back here in an hour. Once I’m in the wind, I won’t be in contact for a while. I’ll call you when I think the coast is clear with the spooks.”
He lifts his chin at me and then follows me inside. I walk over to my safe and pull out forty grand for him. Chann shoves it in his coat pocket before asking, “You need me to get you anything else?”
“Girl shit for Alannah. She’ll need clothes and stuff like that. I don’t wanna stop at any stores, and I’m sure as shit not goin’ to her place.”
“Uh.” He looks at me uncomfortably.
“Doc!” I shout at the bathroom door.
She quickly pokes her head out with a crinkled brow.
“What size clothes and shoes do you wear?”
“Again,” she points out, “that’s a weird question.”
I don’t respond. I simply wait for her to answer.
“I’m a size two and I wear size six shoes. Why?”
“Do you need tampons or other shit like that?”
“Kane, is your head feeling okay?” she asks with concern.
Her shoulders are still bare as she shields her body with the door. I’m guessing she’s naked or half-clothed. Otherwise, she’d be over here examining me.
“I’m fine,” I say through a mischievous grin.
“Care to explain the weird fuckin’ questions then?”
“Not really. Can you just answer them and finish getting dressed?”
Chann has a hand over his mouth to smother his snickering. Alannah and I sound like an old married couple. He’s highly entertained.
“I don’t need tampons,” she grumbles and slams the door.
It makes my ears ring, but at least I got answers.
“An hour, Chann. I’ve gotta get movin’.”
He bumps my fist and hurries out of my place.
Time to call Caelan.
“What?!” he roars into the phone.
“Boss,” my deep voice greets him calmly.
“Kane, you good?” he responds, instantly cool.
“We’re fine. I’m gonna split for a while though. Between hits and government spooks, I think it’s best I go to ground. Takin’ Alannah with me.”
I don’t ask. I tell him. I’m not one to ask for permission from people. I do what I want, the way I want.
“I could use you right now, but I’m thinkin’ you’re right. Until I find the rat in my family, you need to get gone. Keep my niece safe, Kane,” he orders gruffly.
“I will,” I assure him. “I’m not gonna be in touch until I’m sure the spooks are off my trail though. Have they made any contact with you?”
“Some douche showed up at Cait’s sayin’ her daughter was in danger and wanted to know if she’d heard from her.”
“Fuck,” I huff.
“Cait’s good. I filled her in, and she told the spook she hadn’t talked to Alannah that day. When Cait asked if she should call the cops to report her missing, the motherfucker said it wasn’t necessary since they were dealing with it.”
“Did they say who they are?” I ask, hoping like hell they did so I can track these fuckers.
“FBI. They’re not fuckin’ FBI. I checked with our guys on the inside,” he snarls.
“Right.”
“I’ve gotta get back to it. I’ll email you when I find the rat.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Caelan.”
“Kane, you don’t have to thank me for this. You’re like a fuckin’ son to me. Someone tried to kill my kid and now I’m gonna tear them limb from fuckin’ limb. Keep yourself whole.”
I swallow thickly at his admission. I know I’m important to him, but I always believed it was for my skills. This concussion is turning me into a pussy. I shake it off and grunt, “Will do.”
He hangs up, and I go about crushing another phone. I’m running through burners like crazy with everything going on. Chann will bring me more. He always thinks about shit like that.
“Hey,” Alannah says from behind me.
I spin to find her watching me thoughtfully. She’s in a snug blue sweater that covers her ass with tight jeans on her slender legs. Her still damp hair is in a braid over her shoulder, and her perfect face is make-up free. Fuck me she looks good enough to eat.
“Where’re you takin’ me?”
The answer that pops in my head first is to my bed. Fucking concussion.
“Somewhere safe. Your mom’s in Chicago with Dolan. With the spooks, it’s best you stay with me.”
“I’m glad my mom’s safe. I didn’t even think to call her with everything goin’ on. And couldn’t you have just told me all this earlier instead of askin’ me about clothes and tampons?” She quirks a brow at me and crosses her arms under her tits, pushing them up for me to get a better look.
“I could’ve, but I don’t work that way, Doc. I’ll explain shit to you when I need to. Otherwise, for the foreseeable future, just answer when I ask.”
“Jesus, you’re like my dad come ba
ck to life,” she huffs.
“Does that surprise you?”
“My dad wouldn’t have held my mom all night like you did. So yeah, it does a little.”
I wouldn’t do that either. I’ve never done that. Hookers aren’t meant for cuddling. Alannah Carey is meant for cuddling and a whole lot more.
“It’s not the first time I’ve held you, Alannah. You had a fucked up night and needed to feel safe. Don’t mistake that for me bein’ anything other than what I am.”
“And what exactly are you, Kane?” she asks indignantly.
“A man. A killer. An enforcer for the O’Donnell Clan. A person who doesn’t like answerin’ fuckin’ questions. And a whole bunch of other shit,” I growl, leaning down into her face.
“I’m not scared of you. Keep tryin’ to freak me out all you want. It won’t work. I told you this already. You got anything else you wanna try out on me?”
“You keep runnin’ that smart mouth, and you’ll see what kinda shit I wanna try on you,” I purr, dragging my nose along her jaw before pausing at her ear. “Please keep pushin’ me.”
She snorts.
Snorts.
That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting.
“I’m not a hooker so I doubt I’ll tickle your fancy,” she snarks, moving away from me.
“You been checkin’ up on me, Doc?”
“I’d have to be deaf and blind not to know about you, Kane. I’m rarely around the clan and yet your name is always abuzz. The illusive enforcer who treats himself to a hooker after a kill. They make bets to see which one you’ll take next. Apparently, you’re a generous customer. Or do you get it for free?”
“What do you think?”
I’m getting pissed off. Really fucking pissed off. She shouldn’t know about shit like that. I am what I am. I’m not ashamed of it. But Alannah standing here talking about whores and if I pay for them, makes me sick to my stomach. The fact that she doesn’t seem to give a shit makes it even worse.
“I’m guessin’ all services for Kane are on the house.”
“I’m a good tipper,” I retort flippantly.
“STIs all around!” she says excitedly.
Misunderstood Miracles Page 3