Captivated (Club Destiny 4.5)

“Get in the cab and go home. You need to sleep it off, man,” Kane advised, sounding much more like himself than just moments before.

Justin turned to walk away, but Kane grabbed his arm, releasing his grip on her and Lucie immediately backed away. That’s when she noticed the cab parked at the curb. Kane physically turned Justin toward the yellow car, opened the back door and forced him inside. He then leaned in through the front passenger window, talking to the driver, pulling his wallet from his back pocket as he did. Money exchanged hands and then the cab was on its way.

Kane turned back to her, took her hand in his and then led her back inside the loud bar. God, she was beginning to hate karaoke night. If she had more guts, she’d mention as much to Luke McCoy, but she knew she wouldn’t.

Once inside, everything resumed as normal without another word between the two of them. Lucie didn’t know if Kane was angry with her, but she wasn’t going to ask him. If all went well, she’d get through the next three hours, go home and crawl into bed and resume the crying jag that sleep had finally interrupted last night.

Lucie had just grabbed her purse and was trying to make it across the room without attracting Kane’s attention when she heard him call her name from behind the bar. She stopped, turned slowly and faced him. With about twenty feet between them, she couldn’t see his expression clearly, which was just fine with her. She’d embarrassed him enough for one night.

“I’ll call you when I get there,” she told him before he prompted her.

He nodded his head but didn’t say another word, so Lucie turned toward the parking garage, moving as fast as her tired, aching feet would take her.

Fifteen minutes later, she was locking her apartment door behind her, grateful that Haley was with her mother for the night. After having gone an entire week without seeing her granddaughter, Carolyn had insisted that she get to spend some alone time with her only grandchild. Lucie hadn’t been able to argue.

Now, she wanted to fall into bed and resume her crying jag while no one was the wiser. Hopefully by morning she’d feel human once again, and she would finally be over Kane Steele.

Not that she actually believed that would happen, but she could hope.

She moved to the kitchen, grabbing a diet soda from the refrigerator and a protein bar from the pantry. She leaned against the counter while she ate, trying not to think about all of the events of the night. She still couldn’t believe what Kane had told Justin, but then again, she knew he was just trying to diffuse the situation, which he did rather well. For the last few hours, she had warned her heart not to get too excited because he hadn’t meant the words he said.

Still, her stupid, naive heart had hoped.

Tossing the wrapper in the trash can, Lucie downed most of her drink before flipping off the kitchen light. She was moving through the living room when a knock on the front door damn near had her heart jolting from her chest. Slowly, and as quiet as possible, she moved to the door and peeked through the security hole. There, distorted by the oblong shape of the peephole was Kane looking awkward, yet still handsome.

Lucie quickly unlocked both locks and opened the door, stepping back so he could enter. It was the middle of the night, and she didn’t want to piss off her neighbors and have them call the cops on her. Since this was becoming a frequent occurrence, she was surprised it hadn’t happened yet.

Once he was inside, she shut the door, locked it and turned to face him. Thankfully, she hadn’t been crying because she wasn’t sure she could face him if she had.

“We need to talk,” Kane said, thrusting one hand through his hair in that adorable way he did as he stared back at her. He seemed irritated. Or maybe he was just concerned. She had no idea.

“About?” she asked because she had no idea where this could possibly be going.

“Is Haley here?”

“No, she’s at my mother’s.”

“Mind if I take a shower?” he asked, and Lucie had no idea what to say. Hadn’t he just said they needed to talk? Now he wanted to take a shower? She was confused, but she nodded her head anyway.

Kane disappeared down the short hallway, the bathroom door closing behind him. God, what she wouldn’t give for two bathrooms. She really needed to take a shower because she reeked of cigarettes and beer and the last thing she wanted to do was face Kane while she smelled like a damn brewery.

Ten minutes later, he returned wearing only his jeans, sans his boots, socks and shirt. Damn, the man looked good. Before Lucie could consider what she wanted to do to him while he stood there half naked, she excused herself to the bathroom so that she could take her own shower.