My last glimpse of Blane was his back as he stood on the grass, the Capitol building framed to his left and his body silhouetted against the setting sun.
KADE & KATHLEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Kade collected our luggage from the hotel and put it in the trunk of his Mercedes, then he took me to a quiet restaurant on the outskirts of DC and fed me. Not that I was in the mood to eat, but my body was complaining very loudly of an empty stomach, leaving me little choice in the matter.
Still, I picked at my food, pushing it around my plate as I worried about Blane. Kade was outside making a phone call and I finally gave up, setting aside my fork with a sigh.
The image of Keaston’s blood on the wall, the back of his head blown away, kept replaying in my mind. I struggled with how I should have felt versus how I really felt. I’d never thought of myself as the kind of person who would be . . . glad about someone’s death. And yet the only thing I was sorry about was the effect killing his own uncle had had on Blane. What did that say about me as a person? I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“Not hungry?” Kade asked, sliding back into the booth across from me.
“I ate some,” I said with a weak smile. “What was your phone call about?”
“Needed to arrange some paperwork for you,” he replied. “We’ll pick it up in New York.”
“What kind of paperwork?”
“A passport.”
My eyebrows flew up. “Are we going somewhere?” I’d never been out of the country before.
Kade lips twisted in a half smile. “Maybe,” he teased, which made me smile, too. “It’s a surprise.”
“Will Blane be all right?” I asked, my smile fading. Kade’s grin also melted away.
“He’ll be fine, princess,” Kade said, reaching to take my hand in his.
“Shouldn’t we stay? Help with the funeral? Something?” I hated leaving Blane to deal with that alone.
“If we stay, it’ll just make him worry about you,” Kade said reasonably. “He’ll be better knowing you’re out of town and safe.”
I nodded, knowing he was right.
The waiter came and Kade paid the bill, then we were back in the car and heading out of town.
“Try to get some sleep,” Kade said. “It’s a four-hour drive to New York.”
He was right. I was exhausted. The emotional turmoil of the day had taken a toll. I slipped off my shoes and curled up in the seat, turning my body toward Kade. The glow from the dash softly lit his face, easing the hard edges and planes. I knew he was trying to keep things light, but I could also tell he was worried. Whether he was worried about Blane, me, or all of the above, I didn’t know.
But I wasn’t worried about my safety. Kade would protect me.
I reached up, my fingers brushing his cheek, and he glanced my way. One corner of his mouth lifted in a soft smile as he took my hand and pressed a kiss to my knuckles before resting our joined hands between us.
The warm feel of his palm against mine, the strength of his presence beside me, comforted and soothed me. Eventually, the gentle motion of the car lulled me to sleep.
The slowing and then stopping of the car woke me. I sat up from where I’d been slumped and glanced around.
“Are we there?” I asked Kade sleepily.
“Close enough.”
It was after midnight. Kade got out of the car and I heard the trunk open. Climbing out, I realized we were in the parking lot of a motel that was more the usual for Kade than the posh one we’d stayed at last night. I heaved an inner sigh. I’d known it was too good to last.
Kade had a duffel bag on his shoulder and was carrying my suitcase.
“Come on,” he said, taking my hand in his. “And I know what you’re thinking.”
“I don’t know about that,” I replied with a snort.
“This’ll be the last dump you have to stay in, okay?”
I shot him a look and he rolled his eyes. “Old habits die hard,” he said. “I’ll just feel better if we don’t leave a name behind. Cash only. Easy in, easy out.”
Well, it wasn’t like I could argue with that.
He rented us a room and I collapsed onto a bed, eyeing the thin bedspread with distaste. I watched with interest as he changed out of his suit and into his usual jeans and T-shirt, throwing his leather jacket on over that. He tucked his gun into the back of his jeans and added his knife to the holster at his ankle.
“I’ve got to go out,” he said, sitting next to me. He handed me the smaller of the two guns he usually carried. “I won’t be gone long, but just in case.”
I nodded, not liking the idea of him leaving at all. “Can’t I come?” I asked.
“Not where I’m going,” Kade replied. “I’ll be back soon.” He tipped my chin up and gave me a light kiss, then he was gone.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep until Kade returned, so I took a shower and slipped on a T-shirt, sliding under the covers and flipping channels on the television. An hour went by, then another. I worried and was starting to panic when I finally heard the lock turn and Kade walked in.
I flew at him, my arms wrapping around his neck while his went around my waist.
“You were gone a long time,” I complained.
“Sorry about that,” he said. “We had a . . . disagreement on price.”
I decided I really didn’t want to know how Kade had solved the “disagreement,” I was just relieved he was back and in one piece.
“Brought you something,” he said.
His hands had dropped from my waist to my satin covered rear, bared by the little T-shirt, and my thoughts were drifting elsewhere. “Hmm?” I asked.
Kade reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small container and holding it up for me to see.
My eyes lit up. “You got me rocky road ice cream?”
“Is there any other kind?”
I laughed in delight, snatching the ice cream and sitting cross-legged on the bed to tear open the lid.
“You might need this,” Kade said, handing me a plastic-wrapped spoon.
The ice cream was the perfect temperature between frozen solid and melty, and I wasted no time digging in. Kade discarded his jacket and weapons while I ate, then settled onto his stomach beside me.
“Wanna bite?” I mumbled through a mouthful of ice cream.
He opened his mouth and I fed him a spoonful.
“How’re you doing?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I said horrible things to Keaston, pushing him and Blane into a confrontation where Blane had to pick his uncle or me. I should feel bad, but I don’t, which pretty much says I’m a terrible person.”
“You’re not a terrible person,” Kade chided me. “Keaston tried to kill both of us, numerous times. You’re human. I’d be worried if you were all broken up about him dying.”
He had a point.
Kade poked me. “Don’t I get another bite? I did have to go to three places before I found rocky road.”
I frowned. “I’m feeling a little selfish with my ice cream,” I said archly. “You did buy it for me, you know.” My spoon scraped at the bottom and I shoved the last bite in my mouth, choking on a laugh as Kade made a grab for the container. It fell to the floor and Kade had me on my back, his fingers beneath my shirt and tickling my ribs.
A sudden noise outside made my laughter die. “Was that gunshots?” I asked worriedly, glancing at the window. A neon sign across the street blinked. Dogs started barking and I heard the distant sound of sirens. “Maybe we could find a bad motel in a slightly better neighborhood?”