Page 37 of The Enforcers: KANE

And when Wolf came out, Wolf wanted blood.

He’d hoped, in the back of his mind, maybe it would be different with Rachelle. Wolf knew her—Wolf had loved her. Maybe she was the one woman he wouldn’t want to hurt.

Clearly he’d set his hopes too high.

He was about to go inside when Rachelle came out of the cabin, running lightly down the steps. He got out of the truck and opened the passenger door for her. He rested his hand on the top of the door for a moment after she got in, wanting to say something. But there was nothing to say.

In the end he just closed it quietly.

The drive home started out silent. Rachelle looked at him quizzically once or twice, and finally reached over and turned on the radio, picking a pop country station and letting it play softly.

She didn’t seem upset. He didn’t know what she was thinking, but she wasn’t mad.

She was probably just thinking he had grown up into an epic loser who didn’t know how to kiss a woman so she would enjoy it.

After a while, Rachelle tentatively reached over and put her hand on his thigh. Her touch was light, but it somehow made his tense muscles start to relax.

“I had a nice day,” she said.

“You did?” he blurted out. Oh, very smooth, Kane. Very not pathetic.

“Yeah,” she said, with a little laugh. “I like your pack.”

His pack. Not him. “They’re fucking crazy,” he said.

Rachelle shook her head. “They’re nice,” she said. Kane snorted. “And they really care about you.”

Right. “Now I know you’re lying,” he said. “They call me Sir Stick-up-his-ass.”

Rachelle giggled faintly. “Do they really?”

“Not to my face,” he admitted. “But it’s not like they don’t know I have shifter hearing.”

She grinned. “I think it’s cute that you’re so serious.”

Kane sighed. “Cute” wasn’t optimal, but at least it was better than her thinking he was a bloodthirsty monster who hurt women.

“Great,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. “They think I have a stick up my ass. You think I’m cute. Nobody respects me.”

“Join the club,” Rachelle said. “My date doesn’t respect me either. He’s only after one thing.”

His heart stabbed with pain. She didn’t really think that, did she? He’d tried so hard to hold back, to act like a boyfriend instead of a crazed wild animal.

He glanced over, and she winked at him.

A warm feeling of relief filled his chest. “Technically, I was after two things,” he said. “And I still think they’re beautiful.”

“Look me in the eye and say that,” Rachelle murmured.

Kane found himself smiling. He put his hand over hers and she twined their fingers together.

After a few minutes he looked over and she was leaning her head back on the head rest, eyes closed, smiling too.

Huh. Maybe Wolf hadn’t scared her off after all.

Chapter 11

Rachelle fell asleep about halfway back to town. Kane gently pulled his fingers out of her grasp and took out his phone, dialing Noah at the casino.