Save me. Consider this a distress call.
Trembling on top of me, Kane lifts his face from my neck and stares down at me, a slight pinch between his brows, as if he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing. The silk blanket slides with him as he collapses onto his back beside me, breathless from our rough fucking.
It’s safe to say I feel like I’ve gone ten rounds in the boxing ring. The tenderness between my legs stings in his absence, but it was worth it. God, it was worth it.
“That was?—”
“I know.”
He laughs quietly, dragging a hand down his face. “My cock is about to fall off.”
Now it’s my turn to snicker, the sound surprisingly airy and light. “Your cock can go again in about five minutes. You’reSuperman. My vagina, on the other hand, is out of commission for the next month.”
He rolls onto his side, propped on one elbow. “I’m Superman?”
I shove him back, though I have no strength left. He’s smiling down at me in a way that makes my chest clench and my lips curve upward. That’s what makes him so dangerous. He makes me want to smile, and that’s exactly why I need to stay away from him.
But it’s a lost cause because I don’t want to deprive myself of this giddy feeling.
For once, there’s a glow at the center of my chest instead of that familiar hollow ache.
“Tell me something about you, Kane.”
His smile fades, but he masks the shift by brushing damp strands from my cheek. “My mom would really like you.”
I sense an opening. “Your mom?”
He hums, stroking his thumb over my cheek, back and forth, like I’m something precious. “She knows there’s a girl.”
My heart thuds harder, and I shift so he won’t see the smile threatening to slip free.
“Tell me about your mom.”
He runs his fingers through my hair, his soft smile dimming as he lowers his guard. “She’s my world,” he says, his voice rough with emotion. “She, uh…” He clears his throat, brows knitting. “She struggles with depression.”
My heart slows to a dull thud. I want to say something, but my throat feels thick, so I stay quiet. Sometimes reassurance isn’t what’s needed. Sometimes listening is enough, and I think this is one of those moments.
“She wasn’t always sad,” he continues softly, still threading his fingers through my hair as if the motion grounds him. “Sheused to be full of life.” A ghost of a watery smile touches his lips. “You should’ve seen her. She was radiant.”
“Babe,” I whisper, and his brows crash together, his jaw twitching beneath my fingers as I trace his sharp stubble. “She’s still here, beneath the sadness. She still shines, like the sun behind the clouds.”
“I don’t think this storm will pass,” he admits, ducking his chin to his chest to hide his glassy eyes, though I catch the rapid blink.
“What happened?” I ask as he settles beside me and pulls me into his chest.
“A lot of shit.” He buries his nose in my hair before lying back and staring at the ceiling. “My father’s world killed her light.”
I don’t pretend to understand what he means by that, but I know he’s hurting, and I want to listen.
“She lost her sister a couple of years ago.” He sniffs, the pulse ticking madly in his neck. “It was sudden.”
That must be the worst way to lose someone. I can’t imagine not getting to say goodbye to my mom. Watching her decline over the past few months has been unbearable, but at least I get to be there with her. At least I get to say goodbye.
“She wasn’t strong enough after that. And Cash and I weren’t enough anymore.”
I push up onto my elbow. “Don’t say that, Kane. I don’t know your mom or your circumstances, but listening to you talk about her… You are close to your mom. Trust me…” I press my forehead to his temple when he turns away. “She knows you love her, and she loves you. How could she not love her boys?”
Kane sits up abruptly, giving me his back. He wipes his cheeks as I clutch the silk sheet to my naked chest, wondering if I overstepped. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.
