Chapter Seventeen
“There she is,” she barely heard someone yell.
Someone grabbed her left arm, and she lashed out with her right, but it was blocked, and then she was pulled into hard arms and a chest she knew by heart. She started to struggle when Kane’s scent filled her senses. Instead of settling her, it made her wild to get away from him.
“No, let me go…” she screamed and fought.
The arms tightened almost painfully. “Stop right now, baby girl. Everyone has been worried.”
She laughed. “No fucking way.”
“Language, little one,” Kane said in a threatening tone.
She leaned back to look him in the face. “You’re actually talking to me about my fucking language after I just about got one of your friends killed? Are you for real?”
He sighed and lifted her in his arms.
She started to struggle again.
“Listen to me,” he said in a hard voice she’d never heard. “If you don’t stop fighting me, I’ll pull your pants down right here and give you the spanking you’re asking for.”
She studied his face and knew by the look he wasn’t kidding. She’d go with him, and then, when she had a chance, she’d take off again.
He carried her to an SUV, lifted her into the back seat, and then followed her inside. He kept a hand on her, afraid she would leap out the other side, she guessed.
“Damn, she fights like a gutter rat,” a voice said from the front.
She turned and wasn’t surprised to see Draven scowling at her from the front seat.
“That’s because I am a gutter rat.” She turned away, ignoring them trying to talk to her. Blocking out everything they said to her.
Kane sighed and kept his hand on her.
They drove into the garage she’d run from and pulled up by the elevator.
“Let’s go,” Kane said and drew her out of the vehicle.
Draven had already opened the elevator and was waiting for them. The three stepped in and were silent on the ride up to Kane’s apartment.
Kane still had a hand on her upper arm and towed her over to the sofa. “Sit down. I’ll be right back.”
She stared out the window. Draven walked by her and sat in a chair adjacent to her. She could feel his gaze on her but ignored him.
Kane came back with an ice pack, sat beside her, and pressed it to her eyes, making her flinch away from him. “Easy. We need to get the swelling down.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She tried to push it away.
Kane growled. “Keep it up, baby. You’re walking a thin line right about now.” He looked at Draven. “When is the detective supposed to be here?”
“Soon. You don’t have time to punish her.”
She glared at him and then looked back to Kane. “Why the hell does he need to be here?”
Kane sighed. “Why does his presence bother you?”