His Last Redemption

by Clarissa Yip

  His eyes widened and he shook his head. “I wouldn’t have stopped you from marrying anyone.”

  Her fists curled. She was tempted to throw her body across the short distance and pummel his broad chest, but she took a step back and let out a ragged breath. She needed to calm down. It wasn’t his fault that another person had left her. It wasn’t his fault that she was alone. Why did she even care? Daniel hadn’t loved her, just as Kane had never loved her. And all she’d ever wanted was to break free from the mistake of her marriage so she could go on with her life. Alone with no more heartbreak.

  Tension drained from her body. “Sorry. I’m just a little frazzled from the funeral.”

  His expression softened and he lifted a hand to her arm. She shifted back another step. She didn’t want him to touch her, didn’t want to feel anything. It was too late. There was no way she’d allow him to affect her any longer. Why had he come back?

  Everything would have been fine if he’d stayed away.

  “I need to go. I’m tired.”

  His jaw tightened. He pierced her with a sharp stare, eyes narrowing to slits. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve changed. You’re not you. You never used to be like this.”

  She crossed her arms. “Like what?” Rage started to pulse in her chest, pushing against the already-building angst. She needed to keep cool. She needed to stay in control. It was all she had left.

  He shoved a hand through his hair, letting out an angry grunt. “It’s like you’re holding yourself in. The Lauren I remember threw fits when things didn’t go her way and put everything on the table when something bothered her.”

  “The Lauren you knew?” She scoffed. “You don’t know me, so don’t pretend you care.”

  She started to walk away, but his hand latched onto her forearm and pulled her around.

  “No. I do know you. And this isn’t you.” His rough tone sent a shiver down her spine.

  She jerked her arm from his grip. The bare threads of control slipped from her grasp. Her hand raised and her finger jabbed him in the chest. “This is me. I’m not the idiot I was back then who believed in happily ever afters. I’m not the lovesick fool who needs a man to complete her life, nor do I need anyone else. No, and I have you to thank for everything.”

  Kane smoothed his palm over the spot she’d poked and grinned. His blue eyes lit up, matching the clear sky. “Okay. I knew you were hiding somewhere under all that ice.”

  Her face dropped. His words rang in her ears. She pivoted around and stalked to her car. She couldn’t believe her outburst. Keep cool, Lauren. You have control. You’re strong.

  Who was she kidding? Her cheating husband was murdered. Her heart was numb. The need to get as far as possible away from Kane lengthened her strides. Before she could pull the driver’s-side door open, Kane stopped her with his arm. A gasp slipped past her lips at the hard wall pressed to her back.

  “Stop running. Is it that hard to talk to me?” His breath brushed her ear. His cologne teased her nose, reminding her of the numerous times she refused to sleep without something that smelled like him. She still had his old sweatshirt in her closet.

  Her mind reeled and her heart sped. She had to get away. “I need to get to the store.”

  Heat radiated from his large form, and all she had to do was lean back against him. She let out a whimper. Everything seemed to be falling apart. As if the past few years were catching up with her. She groped for strength, but couldn’t find any. She thought of her mother. After her mother died in the car accident, her life had changed. Then she’d met Kane.

  If only she could depend on Kane like she used to. But she knew better. She couldn’t. Hadn’t she proved to herself that she didn’t need anyone? Tears pushed at her eyes and she bit her lip to stop the sobs threatening to break loose.

  “Lauren.” Muscular arms wrapped around her. Her body sagged against him, head hung back and tucked into his neck, seeking forbidden comfort. “You’ll be fine.”

  Her eyes squeezed shut and a lone tear slid down her cheek. Her forehead rubbed against the light stubble of his jaw. She couldn’t bring herself to move from the heat of his body. A sense of security and safety enveloped her. It wasn’t going to last, but she reveled in the feel of him. He tightened his hold for the barest second, as if forming a shield to protect her. She drew in a deep breath, seeking the strength radiating from Kane.

  Fingers stroked her hair, and her arms curled up, hands latching onto the biceps laid across her breasts. She hugged him to her, feeling his muscles contract under her grip.

  His chest heaved, pushing against her back. “I missed you so much.”

  Her eyes shot open, and her head jerked to look up into his face. His gaze roved over her features to her breasts and back up. Her breath caught. Did he just say he missed me?

  He lowered his mouth toward hers. Her body froze but heart rate accelerated. Her brain screamed for her to move away. Instead, she held herself still, waiting, anticipating the firm feel of his lips and his masculine taste. His warm breath teased her face like sunlight. She lifted a little, eager for his touch.

  Then she stumbled backward. Warmth gone, his arms dropped and he moved away. Lauren whirled around.

  Kane took a step back and ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry.”

  Outrage formed in the back of her throat. She pressed her lips together and stared at him in shock. He wanted her. She knew it. Then why was he holding back? Panic and chaos returned. She jerked the car door open and threw herself in the driver’s side, jangling her keys into the starter. Just as she reached to close the door, Kane stepped in. She glared up at him.

  “You’re upset.”

  Her jaw dropped, then clamped shut as she breathed in through her nose, willing calmness. “I’m leaving.”

  “Are you okay to drive?”

  No. She nodded. “I’ll be fine. Thank you for asking.”

  Kane frowned. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “I’m not.” Her gaze slid to the burial site, then back to his face. “My husband just died. I’m mourning and I’m probably not thinking straight.” She pulled on the door, but Kane kept his grip on the frame, stopping her from slamming it shut.

  “Please drive carefully. Call me if you need me.”

  She bit the inside of her cheek. Need him? Where was he when she needed him most? Where was he the nights she’d cried herself to sleep when she realized he wasn’t coming back? He was the one who had walked away from her. Why would she need him for anything? “Thank you.”

  His eyebrows furrowed as he closed her door. She gave him one last glance before she put her car in drive and maneuvered onto the street. In the rearview mirror, she saw him watching her drive off.

  Her heart ached.

  The buzzing of her cell phone drew her thoughts from Kane. With one hand, she dug into her bag and found her BlackBerry. The caller ID read “private” and she frowned, thinking of the prank call she’d received last week. She didn’t need little nuisances.

  She pressed talk. “Hello.”

  “Lauren, are you okay?”

  Gabe.

  She let out an aggravated sigh. “I’m fine, Gabe. Thanks for asking. Are you still at the cemetery?” She looked around to make sure there were no cops driving by while she held her phone to her ear.

  “I left. I saw you with that detective. Is he bothering you?”

  A bubble of laughter rumbled in her chest. More than you think. “No. He’s an old friend.”

  “Oh.” He paused. “I can bring dinner over later tonight if you’d like some company.”

  Tension gripped her insides. She didn’t want to deal with anyone, especially Gabe. “I’m really tired. But thank you. It’s nice of you to be concerned. I just want to relax. By myself,” she added.

  Waiting for his response, she turned on the stereo to a classical rock station then heard, “Okay. I’ll call to check on you later.”


  She held in her groan. “Thanks. Bye, Gabe.” She hung up before he could say another word and carelessly threw her cell phone on the passenger seat, returning her free hand to the steering wheel.

  Slouching in the seat, her mind wandered back to Kane. He should never have returned. As long as he stayed away, she’d been fine. But then he didn’t concern her anymore. With Daniel gone, she had nothing to stop her from building her bridal empire.

  She needed no one.

  …

  After a few hours of keeping herself busy, Lauren took a hot shower and curled up in the big armchair by the window of her bedroom. A book lay open on her lap, but her eyes refused to register the fine print across the pages. After every dish was put away, laundry folded, curtains ironed, and marble surfaces swept of dust, she couldn’t find anything else to do. Even categorizing the spices in her kitchen cabinet wasn’t enough to erase Kane’s image.

  Her trip to the store had been short-lived. The girls had literally pushed her out after she’d located the inventory list. And now here she was, with nothing to do. Exhaustion seized every muscle in her body, but Kane kept her mind running. Why had he really come back? There was nothing for him here except for his family—the family he’d never bothered with. She’d met his mother a few times and had once dreamed that Maria would one day be her mother-in-law. The qualities she’d found in Maria reminded her of her own mother, giving her determination to help patch the mother-son relationship between Kane and Maria. Lauren’s meddling had only pushed Kane further away.

  Her head dropped against the back of the chair. She didn’t understand him. Family was a gift, but he saw it as a nuisance. After the death of her own mother, Kane had been wonderful helping her out of her mourning. Until he’d gotten tired of her.

  His disappearance after their last time together should have told her it was over, but she hadn’t believed it. She shook her head to herself. Why did she continue to dwell on the past?

  Here she had a chance for a new beginning. Her divorce was no longer an issue. She was free. It was what she wanted, right?

  The silence of the house rattled her nerves. She was alone as usual, but for some reason she was actually aware of the fact. A knot sat in the back of her throat and no matter how many times she’d tried to ignore it, the feeling wouldn’t go away. Maybe she was coming down with something, but the constant prickling at her nape bothered her.

  Lauren threw the book onto the table with an agitated sigh. She needed to get some sleep and go to work early in the morning. Still no word from her loading dock manager. The hassle of having to hire someone to fill his spot was bound to take up some of her time. Mack used to be responsible and dependable, until he’d started drinking and partying, but she didn’t understand his sudden disappearance without a word. She’d called him many times and gotten no answer. Her business wasn’t going to wait for him to return. She at least hoped he was doing okay. She wasn’t an unfair employer, but if he did come back to work, there was no way she’d hire him again after the mess she had to deal with over the past week along with Daniel’s funeral. The stress of the day was catching up with her.

  As she reached up to turn the lamp off, the sound of shattering glass fired through the room from downstairs. Startled, she ran to the door and peeked her head down the darkened hall. She swallowed the lump of fear, wishing she’d left the lights on downstairs. After two steps down the hall, she stopped. More shattering glass met her ears.

  A burglar? Her body froze. What to do? What to do?

  Panic settled in her gut. She ran back and looked around her bare room for a weapon. Besides basic furniture—the bed, the armchair, lamps, and the nightstand—she didn’t have much. She’d cleared out the room since finding Daniel in their bed with another woman. And she’d done nothing to make her house any more livable than it was after Daniel moved. There was no need. Her bedroom was only a place to sleep. Her mother’s house no longer felt like a home.

  Dragging in deep breaths, she tried to think if there were any baseball bats or hardware tools lying around up on the second floor. Another loud bang gave her heart a jump. She threw herself into the room and closed the door, turning the lock.

  She tried to think. She needed to call 911 or the cops or something. Her gaze jumped everywhere around the room and finally settled on her purse. Dumping the contents onto the bed, she grabbed her cell phone, then stopped when she spotted the white card.

  She punched in Kane’s number.

  The phone started to ring, just as she heard more glass shatter. The burglar wasn’t very quiet. She groaned as she thought of her patio doors. Why the hell would a burglar want to rob her? She had nothing but furniture in her house. Nothing valuable except for her mother’s memorabilia, which were still in the attic. She hadn’t had the heart to go bring her mother’s belongings back into the house after Daniel left. Hysteria whirled in her chest like a raging storm, stifling her ability to breathe. Why hadn’t she installed a security alarm in her house? Because you were too busy trying to work yourself to death. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

  Air rushed from her lungs once she heard Kane’s deep voice.

  “Kane. There’s a burglar in my house.”

  “Lauren?”

  “Yes. There’s a burglar in my house.” She enunciated each word. Her heart slowed a bit.

  “Hold on,” he said.

  After a quick pause, she heard him shout something in the background.

  “Where are you?”

  She slumped onto her mattress, her legs suddenly giving out. “I’m in my bedroom.”

  “Put a chair up against the door, then come back to the phone. Hurry,” he ordered.

  Lauren placed the phone on the bed and raced across the room to grab her vanity chair. She wedged the back of the chair under the doorknob and almost tripped to the floor, making her way back to the bed. She fumbled to bring the cell to her ear. “I’m back.”

  “Good. Now go into the bathroom and lock the door.”

  Lauren rushed to the master bathroom and threw the door closed, twisting the lock right away. Slumping against the wooden panel, she glanced around for a safe spot and crawled into the shower stall, settling herself in the wet corner. She hugged her knees to her chest and rocked back and forth all the while pressing the phone to her ear. “Now what?”

  “Stay on the phone with me. I’m on my way. I just got in the car. I already dispatched a call.”

  She let out a relieved breath. “Thank you.”

  “It’ll be okay. I’m only a few blocks away. An officer should be there before me.”

  Tears welled in her eyes. Relief clogged her throat but was quickly pushed aside by her fear as the noises downstairs grew louder. “Thank you.” She didn’t know what else to say. Calling Kane had been the only option when she’d seen the card.

  “You knew I’d be there if you called.”

  “I know.” And it was the truth. No matter what had happened in the past, Kane would do anything to protect her if he was able. His sense of duty and justice came first.

  A loud bang outside her door gave her a start. She jumped.

  “Lauren!”

  Another bang drew her attention. Prickles crawled over her skin. The hairs on the back of her neck rose. Another loud bang. This time closer.

  “Lauren, you there?”

  She nodded even though he couldn’t see her. He repeated her name. She saw an image of her mother, smiling at her, petting her hair, and telling her she could do anything. Then Kane walking away. Her heart squeezed in pain.

  “Answer me. I’m almost there.” She heard the urgency in his tone. It didn’t do anything to ease her nerves. The sound of splintering wood crashed through the outer bedroom door. Her body trembled. She closed her eyes as she drew in a deep breath.

  “I think I’m going to die now.”

  Chapter Five

  “Dammit!” The line had been disconnected. He called again and again, but no answer.

 
Kane jerked the car to a sudden stop when one of the city’s patrolmen shot across the street after a dark figure who leaped over a fence into another yard. His chest tightened as Lauren’s last words played in his mind. I think I’m going to die now.

  Not if he can help it. He shared a quick look with Ryan before his partner whipped the door open and chased after them. Kane got out of the car and drew his 9mm Beretta from his holster, tearing up the driveway to Lauren’s house. He tried the front door and found it locked. Quickly making his way around the house, he stopped at the shattered fragments of glass all over the concrete floor. Definitely not a normal break-in. The shards crunched under his shoes as he slipped through the opening and moved to the living room, his senses alert. He took in his surroundings, his eyes making a quick sweep. Nothing seemed out of place or disturbed, except for the broken glass door, but it was too quiet. His heart pounded loudly in his ears.

  Calling out Lauren’s name, he made his way up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Once he reached the landing, a chill settled in his gut. The last door down the hall had a gaping hole that allowed light to break into the darkness. Procedure and control kept him in line, even though all he wanted to do was quickly find Lauren to ensure she was safe. He kicked open each wooden panel as he passed, meeting with more silence. He didn’t sense anyone in the empty rooms, and his guard eased. Stopping at the master bedroom, he spotted the little ax on the floor. No burglar would break into the house and only damage this one place unless he was after something specific—or someone.

  “Lauren!” he called out again. No answer. Fear gripped his gut. He reached through the hole and dislodged the chair from the doorknob, then undid the lock and threw the door open. He looked around the room, noting nothing but the sparse furniture. He’d never seen the room so empty. Reholstering his gun, he rushed to the bathroom and tried the doorknob with one hand. Rasping his knuckles against the wood, he felt the knob turn. The panel whipped open. Lauren gasped and relief surged through him. His gaze ran from her white night slip, her bare shoulders, the rise and fall of her pert breasts, to her long legs, needing to ensure himself that she was in one piece.