The Cane Series: Complete 4-Book Box Set

by Williams, Shanora

  “You’re welcome. I still want you to think about a going-away gift you’d like before you go. This was a gift from me because your parents were talking about how badly you wanted one and how they didn’t want to spend so much money on your first laptop. They agreed to let me get it for you as a gift, but I’m sure there will be something special you’ll need more. Just let me know, all right? Also, don’t forget to thank them.”

  “Okay. I won’t.” I sucked on my bottom lip before releasing it. “You’re the best, Cane.” Something possessed me to say that. I shouldn’t have because it made me seem desperate and lame, but I was glad he took it with a grain of salt.

  “Nah, I just like to see you guys happy. That’s all.”

  Something he’ll never know is that I spent all night using my new laptop to write about how thankful I was to have him in my life.

  Cane was a great man—a blessing—and he didn’t even realize it. He underestimated his love and even the goodness in his heart. I could tell by the way he carried himself, almost like he felt something was missing and wanted to fill the void.

  Maybe something was missing, and that something was his family. He never spoke of them, and I had a feeling there was a reason for it. I also had a feeling they were still around. Was he hiding them? Was he ashamed of them?

  I noticed a lot about him—things he didn’t want people to catch on to. His giving ways were a good distraction for the people around him, but they could never fool me.

  I knew Cane cared about me. I knew he loved to spoil me, as well as Mom and Dad, and even his employees.

  But at the end of the day, I always wondered why?

  Why did he feel the need to give so much to the people who simply enjoyed his presence and his time?

  What was he trying to change or run away from?

  7

  KANDY

  June 7th, 2018

  Diary!!! I’m back!

  Today was SO AMAZING! Oh my gosh! I’m trying to figure out how to form it all into words. So, today was a big day. I GRADUATED! No more high school for this girl! Gah, I’m so glad to be done with it, and not only that, but I have a scholarship in my back pocket. I feel like a freaking boss!

  Today was super busy, and I’m so tired writing this (it’s like 1 a.m. right now) but I need to get my thoughts down before I lose the high.

  So, Cane told my parents a few weeks back that he wasn’t sure he would make it to my graduation ceremony because he had important business in San Diego the same day. I was bummed to hear it, but I understand how busy he is so I couldn’t be too upset. There I was, standing by the stage waiting to be called, wishing he was there. My mind kept circling back to him and I don’t know why. I should have been thinking about my future and the memories I’d made, but instead I was thinking about him.

  Well, I walked the stage, right? And I hear my dad’s EXTREMELY loud voice (even though they tell you not to cheer too loudly when the names are called – lol) and I see Dad with Mom sitting right beside him, and on the other side of Dad is Cane. I’m so glad I didn’t trip in my heels while staring. He looked so amazing. He wore a tan suit with a sky blue tie and handkerchief to match. I mean it—amazing. Probably cleaner than I’d ever seen him before.

  After graduation, I hugged the hell out of my parents when I realized that I’d be gone soon and would be far away from them. Of course Dad gave a pep talk, which only started up the waterworks for Mom and me.

  Cane gave me a hug next, and he also gave me this beautiful bouquet of flowers. I asked him how he’d made it to the ceremony—that I thought he would be away for business. He told me he wouldn’t have missed my graduation for the world. I’m sure it’s safe to say that I cried even more hearing those words leave his mouth. I couldn’t help it. It was an emotional day.

  Cane had dinner with us at a nice restaurant in Atlanta. Mom and Cane had drinks, Dad didn’t.

  I loved everything about today. But you wanna know what the best part of it was? Cane didn’t check his phone or watch once. Not once, and I know because I watched him. There were no calls from Kelly, and if there were, he’d clearly ignored them. He laughed with us. Drank with us. Teased and smiled at me. He put my big day first, and let business come second. That makes me unbelievably ecstatic.

  I guess what I’m saying is that I can’t believe I’m this important to him. Really not sure what I’d do without him.

  I’m so happy, diary. My life is good. Seriously. What could go wrong?

  8

  KANDY

  I truly didn't know why I wanted Cane so badly. There was something about him—something that made the pit of my belly flutter with frenzied butterflies and my blood pump with fiery desire.

  He was irresistible, and I loved that he didn't treat me like a child. I loved that he was always there for me. I loved when he teased me. I loved his gifts and his presence. Everything about him pushed me into hyperawareness.

  His touch.

  His smell.

  His laugh.

  Everything.

  There was so much joy in my life and so many good things happening between him and my family, that I began to take most of it for granted. I hate that I did.

  I had slept over Frankie's house for a girly sleepover. I normally did the sleepovers with her when Mom and Dad had to work late on the weekends.

  We’d graduated three days ago and were ready to take on the world. It was funny—in school, we didn't care too much about popularity or fitting in. At the end of the day, we were our own crazy duo, and we loved it.

  I will admit that Frankie was boy crazy. She had a new boyfriend every month. If I thought I was a rebel, she put me to shame. She'd dyed her hair a bright green, even when her mother had told her not to. She didn't have a father figure in her life, and her mom traveled for work often, which may have played a big role in why she wasn't very disciplined. She grew up spending a lot of time on her own, had set her own routine. She was smart and sweet when she wanted to be (had to be with a full-ride scholarship to University of North Carolina), and she loved her mother to death but, well, most of the time, Frankie just didn't give a fuck.

  I opened my MacBook, going to YouTube to watch a new music video by Laura Welsh. “I still can’t believe he bought you that expensive-ass Mac!” Frankie flopped down beside me, belly flat on her twin-sized bed.

  I looked over at her. Her dark brown, almond-shaped eyes were pinned on the screen, the naturally tanned skin on her face covered with a green organic facemask.

  "It was a gift,” I laughed.

  "Well, next time he’s feeling gifty, tell him to buy me one too!" She bumped my arm.

  “Have you asked your mom for one?”

  She gave me a dull glare. “You know my Mom isn’t going to buy a damn Mac, K.J."

  She had a point. Her mom ran a popular traveling and food blog and had articles featured in magazines and popular websites. Didn’t matter that her mother made thousands monthly, she was still deep-rooted and refused to drop big bucks on expensive devices for an eighteen-year-old.

  Frankie was the only person to call me K.J. She'd been calling me that ever since fifth grade. She claimed she didn't like the name Kandy, because it was too sweet for my bitchy personality, so K.J. it was.

  “How did Cane make it to your graduation anyway?” she asked. “You never filled me in about that.”

  I stopped scrolling, crisscrossing my legs and sliding the laptop back a bit. Frankie sat up with me.

  "I don’t know. He might have wrapped up early on what he was doing or had someone else handle it.” I shrugged.

  “I think he’s fucking into you,” she guffawed. “Why else would he just magically show up? Graduations are important, yeah, but business is business.”

  I rolled my eyes, fighting a smile. "He was being nice, Frank. He told me he wouldn’t have missed it for the world. He ate dinner with us, didn’t rush the evening or act like he had to be somewhere. He wanted to be there for all of us.” I said that, bu
t deep down, I felt he was really there to make me happy more than anyone else.

  "You should have told him to kiss you. A graduation kiss. Totally harmless.” Her tone was nonchalant as she shrugged and then climbed off the bed. She walked to her bathroom and turned on the faucet.

  "You are crazy!" I busted out laughing, climbing off the bed and following her, pressing a hand to the frame of the door. "Ever since that night, it’s worse, though. No matter what I do, I can't get him out of my head, Frank. It's been like this ever since I was a little girl. I've always been attracted to him. It's fucking weird because he's supposed to be, like, family to me."

  "He's sex on a stick, K.J. He's super successful and handsome and he gives you chocolate and notebooks. It’s also hot as fuck when a guy shows up unannounced. That is any woman's dream. There's nothing weird about liking someone like him."

  Hmm…yeah. When she put it that way…

  Someone pounded on the door and Frank turned quickly when her brother, Clay, barged in. Clay was tall, well-built, and shirtless. His blond hair was damp, like he'd just gotten out of the shower. If Clay wasn't such an asshole and always grabbing his crotch to show off, I would have found him hot.

  He wasn't really Frankie's brother. They had been adopted siblings since she was six and he was eight. She was the adoptee.

  "Where the hell is the charger for my Beats Pill, Frank?" Clay snapped, tossing her pillows off the bed. He turned for the stuffed animals on her recliner next, snatching them up and throwing them on the floor.

  "I don't have your stupid charger, Clay, now get the hell out of my room!"

  "You do have it! I know you do. It goes missing every time I have a girl over, and then it magically appears the next morning. I know you keep taking it!”

  Frankie marched his way, pressing her hands to his chest and shoving him backwards until he was out of the door, slamming it in his face right after. Of course, she struggled—she was half his size—but she managed. I could tell she'd done this way too many times before. They always fought and bickered. It was hilarious sometimes.

  I broke out in laughter. "You guys are nuts, you know that?"

  She locked the door and rolled her eyes, huffing as she went back to the bathroom to finish washing her face.

  While she did, I sat in the middle of her bed and busied myself with my laptop again. A whisper crossed my mind, and I went to the browser to type in Quinton Cane. The first page to show up was Tempt's website, so I clicked it.

  There were many pictures of new wines, more awards the company had won, and even Instagram images of people eating the chocolate, but then one image appeared as I scrolled further down and it stopped me.

  It was Cane, holding one of his bottles of wine in the air. It was typical Quinton Cane fashion not to smile for a picture, but nonetheless he still looked breathtakingly amazing. He wore a navy blue suit with a silver tie. His beard was trimmed neatly, the lengthier part of his tapered hair combed in perfect, smooth waves.

  He looked so handsome.

  A sprinkle of the caveman mentality and a dash of gentleman.

  The look fit him well.

  I clicked through more pictures as Frankie ranted on about how annoying Clay had been lately, and how she had to break it off with a guy because Clay kept threatening him.

  Her voice was mostly a buzz while I scrolled though. I was stuck on stalking Cane, loving how clean and handsome he looked in suits. Loving the times he rarely smiled, and how he took photos with his employees, like he truly cared and appreciated them. I’d witnessed his love for his employees. It was genuine.

  Later on that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I kept going through my phone, scrolling to his name listed in my contacts.

  "I'm only a phone call away if you ever need me, little one."

  I knew he’d answer, and I had the urge to call, especially when Frankie fell asleep with reruns of the Kardashians on…but I didn't do it.

  I wasn't that bold. Plus, what was I going to talk to him about? My pajamas?

  9

  KANDY

  Around 3:00 a.m. in morning, there was a buzz beside my head. My phone was ringing. Foggy-minded and bleary-eyed, I picked it up with a groan. Mom’s name and our favorite selfie was on the screen.

  "Mom?" My voice was thick with sleep as I answered.

  "Kandy, honey?" I was so tired I didn't even realize her voice was laced with worry and heavy with emotion. "Baby, I need you to wake up and listen to me."

  I rolled onto my back, running a hand over my face. "What's going on?"

  "Y-your father has been shot."

  With those words alone, my back was off the bed, the fogginess clearing and the bleariness vanishing.

  "What! Shot? How?"

  "It was while he was on duty. H-he's being taken to the hospital. One bullet hit his thigh and the other pierced his neck. They said he bled a lot. I'm on my way to the hospital right now so I can't get you, but I called Cane. He's on his way to pick you up. Just be calm and stay with him, okay?"

  "Okay. I'll get ready.” I climbed off the futon, and Frankie groaned, popping one eye open to glare at me. She pushed up on one elbow and rubbed her eyes. "Dude, what the hell are you doing?"

  I grabbed my sweatpants and tugged them on with haste, snatching up my bag next. "That was my mom. She said my dad was just shot on duty."

  "Oh, shit!" Her eyes stretched wider. She climbed off the bed too. "Is he okay?"

  "I-I don't know. She said one bullet hit his thigh and the other pierced his neck. She sounded worried." I don't know how I was still so calm. My heart was pounding now, beating like a drum in my chest. My chest felt like it’d been crushed by the foot of an elephant and all oxygen seemed to have been sucked from my lungs. Still, I kept moving.

  My phone vibrated in hand. I looked at the screen, and it was Cane calling. I rushed to the window and saw his black Chrysler parked at the curb.

  "I'll come back for my things later," I told her.

  "Yeah, babe. It's fine. Go," she insisted, watching me rush to her door. I hurried down the hall and hustled down the stairs, swinging the front door open to get outside.

  I don't remember if I closed it behind me or not. I just remember Cane standing by the passenger door of his car, holding the door open for me, his face pale, and eyes wide with worry. I’d never seen him that way.

  I jumped in and the door was immediately shut.

  He was behind the wheel before I could even give myself a moment to take a deep breath. He pulled off, gripping his face with his free hand and dragging his palm down.

  "Damn it," he hissed beneath his breath.

  "Why are you driving so slow?" I frowned at him and then checked his speedometer. The speed limit was 45, but he was going 35.

  He kept quiet, not looking my way.

  "Cane!" I shouted. "Hurry and get me to the hospital! I need to make sure my dad is okay!"

  He stopped at a light.

  "Drive through the light! This is an emergency, and he's a cop! If you get pulled over you can tell them who my dad is! I know most of the cops here! Just go!" The tears were like fire in my eyes as I tried to fight them off.

  I wasn't in the mood for his asshole-ish ways that night. I wasn't in the mood to pretend-argue, or bicker, or do anything fun and exhilarating with him right now. I just wanted to be with my dad.

  He was shot twice. He needed me right now. His only child. His little girl.

  "I'm not taking you to the hospital, Kandy. Your mother told me not to."

  "What?" I snapped. "Why the hell not? I deserve to be there! He's my dad—"

  "Which is exactly why you shouldn't go," he stated, voice harsh. "He’s already at the hospital and going straight into surgery. You’d just be sitting there. Your mother has to be there for him when he makes it out.” He let out a tight breath. “You'll wait at my place until we hear from her. She wants you with her, trust me, but she knows you’ll be better off waiting outside the hospital. I’ll
take you there as soon as I get the say-so.”

  I scoffed, blazing hot tears sliding down my cheeks. "This is so fucking stupid. I want to be there with him!"

  Cane kept driving, not even responding, and when he went past the exit to get to the hospital, I wanted to fucking wail. I bit hard on my bottom lip until I tasted blood. The tears continued falling, landing in my lap, my heart still drumming.

  "You can hate me and be mad at me all you want, Kandy. I'm doing what's best for you right now," he murmured.

  "You don't even know me. How could you possibly know what's best for me?"

  "I know more about you than you think I do."

  The speed of his car decreased, and he took a left turn, pulling into a gated community. He said something to the security guard at the box, something I didn't bother listening to, and the gates drew apart.

  He drove until we reached a creamy white home with a black roof. Gold lights illuminated the exterior of the house, as well as the trimmed rose bushes in the front. If I hadn’t been so distressed, I would have admired how elegant it was, but in that moment, I didn't care about any of it. I didn't care that I was being selfish. I didn't even care about the fact that Cane and I were alone again. I needed to be with my father.

  Cane killed the engine of the car. "Coming?" he asked softly.

  "No."

  He breathed heavily through his nostrils. "You can't sit out here all night, Kandy.” He was agitated now. I didn’t care.

  "Then take me to the hospital! I don't care what she wants! I don’t care if I have to sit there all night! This is what I want!"

  "You know I can't do that."

  "Well screw you, then," I snapped.

  "Are you fucking kidding me?” he bellowed, like he was truly fed up. “Derek wouldn't want you there, Kandy! Your mother told me to keep you here with me, so stop being a fucking brat, get out of the goddamn car, and come into the house already!"