Page 12 of Drowning

Seven chuckles softly and takes a seat on my other side, his muscular arms resting against mine. "You know you can't just disappear like that, especially with Damon on the warpath."

I sigh and lean back, the adrenaline and alcohol in my system beginning to wear off, leaving me exhausted and aching. "Yes, I understand. I fucked up."

Kane's piercing gaze meets mine, and his concern is evident. "How about we get you home? We'll deal with the fallout together. I'll let you be my backpack tonight," he saysflirtatiously, licking his thick lips with his long, thick tongue that makes me clench my thighs to stop the ache between them.

But it only intensifies it.

I manage a faint smile, thankful for their presence. As we stand and start walking towards the bikes, I know that facing Damon is going to be hell, and I hope that I won't have to. But having Kane and Seven by my side gives me the courage to face the approaching storm.

But will they be enough?

Kane and Seven split up just down the street from the house I share with my brother—our parents' home. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around Kane, hugging him as tight as I can while my cheek rests against his back.

As I breathe in, an overwhelming scent of sandalwood and whiskey fills my nose, causing my insides to tingle. But I love it; it's comforting. The ride woke me up, bringing back all of my feelings of guilt, terror, and sorrow.

Kane cuts his bike off and dismounts as we pull into the driveway, helping me off the back like a gentleman, because he is.

"Oh, you don't have to walk me. I'm fine." I smile, tucking a dark curl behind my ear as he walks me to the door, anyway.

"You fucking know me better than that, Little One," he said, taking my hand and walking me into the quiet house.

I know my brother is here, even though his bike isn't in the driveway. So as we climb the stairs, trying to be quiet, I try to pull my hand out of Kane's, but he refuses to let go. I don't fight it. In the dark, I smile, knowing he can't see me. But as we enter my room, I flip the lights on and dim them down, wiping the smile off my face.

I sit down on my bed and pull my boots off as Kane sits down right beside me, our arms touching. A shiver hits me, and my heart begins to race for reasons I'm not quite sure of.

"So, you ended things with fuckface, huh?" His green eyes bore into mine, searching for the depth inside.

"Yeah, I needed to," I admit softly, not wanting to get into everything.

But Kane, being the grown, wise man he is, won't leave unless I talk to him. There's times I've loved our talks and times when I didn't. He was always the person I could go to when I wasn't seeing eye-to-eye with my father. His advice was always spot on, and he helped me see things more clearly than I had. Kane, my father's best friend, stepped up and took over the role after my father died. And I'm fucking thankful for it.

"Say the word, and I'll fucking kill him," he simply says, keeping a straight face.

"Kane, as much as I want him dead, I would never ask you to do that." I shake my head, the hair on the back of my neck stiffening.

"No man can put a frown on your face and bruises on your fucking body and get away with it, Emerson," he growls, his chest heaving heavily.

He moves closer, scorching heat emanating from his toned, bulky body. My gaze moves across it, noticing his nipple piercings through the white wife-beater he's wearing. A not-so-subtle cough escapes his mouth, accompanied by a smirk that tugs at the corners of his lips.

"My eyes are up here, Little One. Now, be a good girl and fucking look at me," he demands in a seductive, stern tone that has confusion filling my head.

I slowly look up, taking in every inch of him from his chest up, until our gazes finally meet. Kane slides his large, tattooed hand under my chin and raises it slightly before firmly grasping it.

Then he brings his mouth closer to mine... and closer... until our lips are only a few inches apart. I swallow hard, attempting to maintain my composure and keep my body from trembling with excitement.

Is he going to kiss me? Shit, would I let him kiss me?

"Emerson, sweetheart, I love you. It fucking kills me that he has ever touched you. But I'm not mad at you, okay? You should never be afraid to talk to me, your brother, Seven, or anyone else—because we all want to hear what you have to say." He reaches his thumb toward my lips and softly sweeps it across my lower one as he tugs his between his perfect white teeth.

"I know, Kane. It's just difficult for me to admit that I need help or that I made a mistake that needs to be corrected. I don't want to be that weak girl that Damon turned me into anymore. I want to be able to stand on my own two feet and deal with my problems like a fucking strong woman." I take a deep breath, feeling a little weight lifting off my shoulders, but I'm still being weighed down.

He smiles as he traces my lip with the calloused pad of his thumb. He then leans in and presses his lips against mine, breathing heavily as his tongue slides into and around my mouth. I pause briefly, unsure of how to proceed. It's my father's best friend, who's twenty years older than me. But as my shy tongue brushes against his, I throw caution to the wind and plunge into a black hole of pleasure. It's wrong on so many levels, but rules were meant to be broken, so why not fucking break them?

He cupped my face in his hands, holding it in place as he deepened the kiss and eased me onto my back, my hands running up and down his sides. It's hard not to feel his dick pressing against my stomach, but I focus on the kiss and the way he devours my mouth as if he's craving it. But just as I start to get lost in the smooth, quick movements of his tongue and electrifying touch, he pulls away, his lips glistening with my spit.

"Kane," I whispered, my heart pounding in my ears.

"Shh, Little One. Get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow, but just so you know, before the summer is over, I'm going to make you fucking mine." He gently squeezes my hand before releasing it. "I'll let you get some rest. But if you need anything, just call me, okay?"