“Go away, Kane,” I croaked, voice still caught in sleep. I rolled over, facing the wall and pulling the scratchy blanket up to my chin. Closing my eyes tightly, I hoped he would give up—which I knew was stupid.
Without warning, the blanket was yanked away. My body reacted, thrashing and nearly toppling the cot over. I tried to sit up but instead found myself gasping as Kane hoisted me into the air and tossed me over his shoulder.
“Put me down!” I shouted, striking his back as hard as I could manage.
He slapped my ass and chuckled, as if my meager blows felt like love taps. “Keep at it. Can’t remember the last time I had a good massage.”
“Dammit, Kane. Put. Me. Down.” My words sounded about as fierce as a stray cat’s mewling.
I felt the warm rush of blood to my cheeks as he continued to chuckle, the sound vibrating against my stomach. All my life, I’d just wanted to survive. Now, I wanted to surviveandbe a force these Alphas couldn’t reckon with. I wanted muscles. I wanted the ability to hurt them. I wanted to pay them back for all the bullshit treatment. Yet, I couldn’t even free myself from Kane’s grip.
Squirming and kicking, I screamed in frustration. “This isn’t funny!”
“It’s a little funny,” he shrugged easily, my weight popping up and down against his shoulder.
“You’re as bad as the rest of them,” I breathed out, realizing that Kane was never going to be my lifeline.
“We didn’t become a pack by being polar opposites.” This time, he pinched my right ass check brutally, making me gasp. That was going to leave a bruise.
The rough fabric of his jacket rubbed against my bare legs. That’s when I realized I was only wearing the mesh basketball shorts and stained band shirt—some group called Oblivion Haze that I’d never heard of. I hit Kate again, balling my hand into a fist and striking his spine. Triumph flooded me when he let out a very, very quiet grunt of surprise. But he didn’t stop striding through the house and toward the front door.
It was chilly outside, making my skin pebble.
“Kane, I don’t even have shoes on. Please just put me down.” I tried to reason with him, knowing even as I said the words it was a futile effort.
“Don’t need shoes where we’re going.” He opened the front door and strode outside, still carrying me like a sack of potatoes.
“We’re outside, and it’s cold. I at least need a jacket,” I pushed.
He ignored me, beelining for a waiting truck with the passenger door open. He tossed me inside devil-may-care. I scrambled to straighten and sit up, intending to make a last-ditch effort to get proper clothing. Kane spoke first.
“I think we’re overdue for some fun, Lucy.” He reached for the belt buckle and pulled it across me.
“Fun?” I scoffed, glaring at him as he leaned across me to click the buckle. “You think this is fun? Kidnapping me and tossing me around like a rag doll?”
“I think it’s the very definition of fun.” He pulled back, halting so our faces were inches apart.
I was tired and angry, but the proximity to him still made my toes curl. Kane, just like the other Alphas, smelled unique. Car leather after it’s been oiled. Pine needles in snow. The freshness of soap hovering just above motor oil. Without meaning to, Iclosed my eyes and breathed him in. My inner Omega unfurled, scent perfuming the air. My emotions made it shift and change—with frustration, exhaustion, anger—but desire was still the heart note.
When I opened my eyes, Kane had moved close enough that his lips nearly brushed mine. His face looked uncertain. I flinched when he ducked his head lower, pressing his nose gently against the crook of my neck. He inhaled. And, before I could react, he planted a light kiss.
I pushed him away, holding him at arm’s length. He let me do it, pressing his back into the dash behind him. Still, that look of confusion remained.
We stayed frozen like that for several moments.
Then I cleared my throat and broke the spell. “Where are we going?”
His gaze stayed steady at first. Then, as if coming up for air after a deep-sea dive, he took a life-affirming breath.
“Otto’s,” was all he said before pulling himself out of the truck, closing the door, and walking around to the driver’s seat.
When Kane slid into the driver’s seat, his earlier mania had faded, replaced by stoicism. The truck rumbled loudly when he cranked the engine, and the gravel crunched beneath the tires as he pulled away from the house and towards the gates. Soon, the less populated area where DemonX’s compound was transitioned into the jarring neon of downtown. Though I was nervous, and had no idea what an Otto’s was, I found myself fascinated by Las Vegas. I felt disappointed when the flickering neon became moonlit desert highway.
During the drive, I visualized all manner of very good,and very bad, destinations. When he finally turned into a salvage yard, I felt my heart sink. Why would he bring me here? To a car graveyard with crushers and endless empty trunks perfect for… hiding a body. My pulse quickened, and I gripped the edge ofthe seat. Before I knew it, we were parked and Kane was at the passenger door, pulling it open.
“It’s dark, Kane. I don’t want to go in there. Can’t we do this during the day?” I bit my lower lip, worry flushing through me.
“Night’s the best time to look,” he countered, lifting his left hand into view. He held two of head lamps.
