Kayne’s jaw clenched.The construction crew must have forgotten to close it.That meant they’d disabled the alarm.He’d have to deal with them tomorrow.Anja ran over to secure it.“Next time, you announce yourself.”
Aiden nodded, rubbing his arm where Kayne had grabbed him.“Yes.I will.I’m sorry.”
Chloe gave him a small, reassuring smile.“We’ve just had a day.Bad timing all around.”
Aiden let out a weak laugh.“Yeah.Bad timing.”
As they headed for the front door a few minutes later, Kayne glanced back toward the locker room hallway, now empty and quiet again.The air felt settled, but not right.He’d learned not to ignore that distinction.
He didn’t miss the way Aiden lingered a beat before leaving, or how his shoulders relaxed only after Chloe turned away.Kayne didn’t know who Aiden Kerr really was, but his instincts were already tagging the encounter.
Another name.Another variable.Too many of those lately ended badly.
Chapter Eighteen
Chloe was dimly awareof the sheets beneath her and the press of Kayne’s weight braced carefully on one arm.His other hand cupped her jaw as he kissed her slowly and unhurriedly, in a way that suggested nothing outside this bed existed or mattered.She kissed him back, slower than she meant to, savoring the way his breath hitched when she dragged her thumb along his lower lip.For a few blessed seconds, her brain shut up.No drones or threats or lurking stalkers.
Just Kayne.
Then his phone beeped intrusively, effectively breaking the spell.
Kayne stilled instantly.The kiss broke clean, as if someone had flipped a switch.His body went taut above her, every line of him alert now, eyes focused somewhere far beyond the room.
“That’s not a text,” she murmured.
“No,” he said, reaching for the phone.“It’s worse.”
“What is it?”Chloe asked, her voice still tender from kissing him.
He rolled away just enough to read the screen, the glow painting hard lines across his face.Chloe watched the shift happen in real time.The warmth drained out of his expression, replaced by something colder.Deadlier.
“Security system alert,” he said.“Tamper notification.”
Her stomach dropped.“At the club?”
“Yes.”
