Read Online After Midnight: (A Penguin Special from Signet Eclipse) (Killer Instincts) by Elle Kennedy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elle Kennedy
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“That is
not
the woman I know.”
It wasn’t the woman he knew either, and his chest felt tight and achy as Noelle continued to rip into him.
“I didn’t put up a fight about her leaving my team to shack up with you because I thought you might be good for her. I thought maybe, just maybe, she’d finally experience some semblance of happiness after years of torture and abuse.”
His throat closed up. “She
is
happy.”
The blonde took a menacing step forward, jabbing him in the center of the chest with her index finger. “She’s goddamn devastated, you moron. She thinks you wish she was a different person.”
Emotion clogged his chest, so painful he couldn’t draw a breath. “Get out of my way,” he mumbled.
“No.”
Just as Kane’s hands curled into fists—goddamn it, he might actually
hit
the woman—Morgan came up beside him and clapped a firm hand on his shoulder. “Noelle,” he said sharply. “Go. I’ll handle this.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Will you?”
Morgan nodded.
There was a beat of silence as two pairs of blue eyes, one pale as ice, the other dark as midnight, locked in a long stare that had Kane gritting his teeth impatiently. Understanding seemed to pass from one to the other. Then Noelle’s shoulders relaxed, and she gave a nod of her own.
“Fine. You deal with him. But he doesn’t see Abby until you’ve knocked some sense into him.”
“Got it covered,” Morgan said gruffly.
Satisfied, she brushed past them. “See you around, Jim.” She’d barely taken three steps when she tossed him a smirk over her shoulder. “Don’t forget to sleep with one eye open.”
“I always do, baby.” For a moment, an indefinable flicker crossed Morgan’s eyes, before he turned to Kane with a serious expression. “C’mon, join me for a smoke.”
“I quit,” he mumbled.
“Fine. Then you can watch
me
smoke.”
Morgan didn’t give him a chance to argue—he grasped Kane by the arm and marched him right back outside, stalking toward the wrought-iron bench near the hotel entrance.
“Sit,” Morgan ordered.
With extreme reluctance, Kane sank onto the bench and rested his clammy hands on his thighs.
Morgan loomed over him like a prison guard, reaching into his pocket for a pack of Marlboros. He lit up a cigarette, blew out a cloud of smoke, and fixed Kane with a severe look.
“She wants to terminate the pregnancy, huh?”
The blunt question brought a pang of pain to his heart. “She’s considering it.” Bitterness crept into his voice. “Leaning toward yes, from the sound of it.”
Morgan just nodded.
“What, and you’re cool with that?” Kane demanded, unable to fight the feeling of betrayal.
“It’s her choice,” the boss replied with a shrug. “And you bullying her isn’t gonna help you get what you want.”
Christ. The helplessness returned, jamming in his throat. “I want this kid, man.”
“I know.” A pause. “She probably does too. She’s just scared. You know Abby—she’s like a skittish kitten. Capable of being sweet and warm, especially once you’ve earned her trust, but if you push her, she’ll claw your eyes out.”
“I know.” He breathed out a heavy sigh. “I think I freaked her out even more when I suggested we buy a place in Michigan, near my folks.”
Morgan barked out a laugh. “Abby in the suburbs? Good luck with that. And
you
in the suburbs? Oh man, you’re a total dumbass if you believe either one of you would ever be happy there.”
His boss’s visible amusement gave him pause, making him picture the life he’d painted for Abby earlier.
Really
picture it—and when he was done, he felt like a total fool.
Lord. They’d
hate
that life. Abby wasn’t his mother, content to putter around the house scrapbooking and doing chores, and he wasn’t his father, happy to work a boring old nine-to-five and come home to play Scrabble with his wife in front of the fireplace. He and Abby were warriors, damn it.
“Oh fuck. I
am
a
not
the woman I know.”
It wasn’t the woman he knew either, and his chest felt tight and achy as Noelle continued to rip into him.
“I didn’t put up a fight about her leaving my team to shack up with you because I thought you might be good for her. I thought maybe, just maybe, she’d finally experience some semblance of happiness after years of torture and abuse.”
His throat closed up. “She
is
happy.”
The blonde took a menacing step forward, jabbing him in the center of the chest with her index finger. “She’s goddamn devastated, you moron. She thinks you wish she was a different person.”
Emotion clogged his chest, so painful he couldn’t draw a breath. “Get out of my way,” he mumbled.
“No.”
Just as Kane’s hands curled into fists—goddamn it, he might actually
hit
the woman—Morgan came up beside him and clapped a firm hand on his shoulder. “Noelle,” he said sharply. “Go. I’ll handle this.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Will you?”
Morgan nodded.
There was a beat of silence as two pairs of blue eyes, one pale as ice, the other dark as midnight, locked in a long stare that had Kane gritting his teeth impatiently. Understanding seemed to pass from one to the other. Then Noelle’s shoulders relaxed, and she gave a nod of her own.
“Fine. You deal with him. But he doesn’t see Abby until you’ve knocked some sense into him.”
“Got it covered,” Morgan said gruffly.
Satisfied, she brushed past them. “See you around, Jim.” She’d barely taken three steps when she tossed him a smirk over her shoulder. “Don’t forget to sleep with one eye open.”
“I always do, baby.” For a moment, an indefinable flicker crossed Morgan’s eyes, before he turned to Kane with a serious expression. “C’mon, join me for a smoke.”
“I quit,” he mumbled.
“Fine. Then you can watch
me
smoke.”
Morgan didn’t give him a chance to argue—he grasped Kane by the arm and marched him right back outside, stalking toward the wrought-iron bench near the hotel entrance.
“Sit,” Morgan ordered.
With extreme reluctance, Kane sank onto the bench and rested his clammy hands on his thighs.
Morgan loomed over him like a prison guard, reaching into his pocket for a pack of Marlboros. He lit up a cigarette, blew out a cloud of smoke, and fixed Kane with a severe look.
“She wants to terminate the pregnancy, huh?”
The blunt question brought a pang of pain to his heart. “She’s considering it.” Bitterness crept into his voice. “Leaning toward yes, from the sound of it.”
Morgan just nodded.
“What, and you’re cool with that?” Kane demanded, unable to fight the feeling of betrayal.
“It’s her choice,” the boss replied with a shrug. “And you bullying her isn’t gonna help you get what you want.”
Christ. The helplessness returned, jamming in his throat. “I want this kid, man.”
“I know.” A pause. “She probably does too. She’s just scared. You know Abby—she’s like a skittish kitten. Capable of being sweet and warm, especially once you’ve earned her trust, but if you push her, she’ll claw your eyes out.”
“I know.” He breathed out a heavy sigh. “I think I freaked her out even more when I suggested we buy a place in Michigan, near my folks.”
Morgan barked out a laugh. “Abby in the suburbs? Good luck with that. And
you
in the suburbs? Oh man, you’re a total dumbass if you believe either one of you would ever be happy there.”
His boss’s visible amusement gave him pause, making him picture the life he’d painted for Abby earlier.
Really
picture it—and when he was done, he felt like a total fool.
Lord. They’d
hate
that life. Abby wasn’t his mother, content to putter around the house scrapbooking and doing chores, and he wasn’t his father, happy to work a boring old nine-to-five and come home to play Scrabble with his wife in front of the fireplace. He and Abby were warriors, damn it.
“Oh fuck. I
am
a
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