Kane (Arizona Vengeance 8)

“You know…” she says, lowering her voice and giving my dad a sly glance. “Your father and I were close friends before we became lovers.”

“Ewww,” I exclaim in horror, clapping my hands over my ears. “No, Mom. Just no. You can’t use the word lovers in reference to you and Dad. No. No. No.”

Rolling her eyes, my mom merely gives her attention to Kane. “I’m just saying, the foundation you two have built over the years is invaluable. That strength and bond you already shared will keep you going while Mollie travels for her blog or Kane travels for hockey. Long-distance will be hard, but you two have so much going for you.”

There’s no stopping the smile that was on my face, amused at my mom’s antics and clear happiness for me and Kane, from disappearing. Because she’s a mom, she notices it immediately.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

I look across the table at Kane. While his expression might not reveal much to the normal person, I can see it within his eyes. He’s giving me the mental push and encouragement to tell my parents what happened to me.

“Well, first… I’m taking a break from traveling,” I say as a means to sort of ease into the subject. “I’m going to stay with Kane for a while.”

My dad tilts his head, ever the curious individual. “Are you thinking of giving it up or is this just a break?”

When Kane and I exchange a glance again, my parents notice it. I do nothing but shrug to my father’s question.

My mom moves from joyous mother to over concerned mama bear in a nanosecond. Always astute, never letting me get by without revealing a truth, she demands. “What happened? And don’t deny it. I can see it written all over your face.”

I reach for her hand and squeeze it, a pitiful attempt to give her pre-comfort. “Something did happen to me on the road.”

A small sound of distress comes out of my mom’s throat—a warble that sounds like a dying bird. Her biggest concern has always been that I’m a woman and could be an easy rape victim. I know that’s where her mind went.

I rush to reassure her. “It’s not what you’re thinking,” I say quickly, but it doesn’t lessen the worry in her expression. “But I was attacked by—um, let’s just call him a disgruntled ex. He’s not even an ex. A guy I had a fling with who wasn’t happy when I called it quits.”

I go ahead and spill all the details, ripping off the band-aid holding back the terrifying information every parent must dread. Their child being in life-threatening danger. I quickly explain about the attack and Samson saving me, then the need I felt just to settle down somewhere. They didn’t once question my choice to go to Kane rather than come home to them. I think they’re still too satisfied we’re together to rock that boat.

There are long moments in the conversation where my parents get pissed at the situation and feel the need to rant. I let them do it while Kane sits quietly as he listens. My mom cries, and I hug her hard.

“What do the police say?” my father asks.

It’s Kane who answers that one, because he’s beyond frustrated that nothing is being done. “They’re doing nothing. Matthew couldn’t be found in their initial search, so they’re just sitting on their asses with a warrant in hand, hoping he’ll just show up somewhere.”

This starts a new round of fretting from my mom, while Dad and Kane bitch about the police, who, in my opinion, have done all they can at this point.

“Do you think he’ll come after you again?” my mom asks. “Because maybe you’re better off staying here with us until this is all over.”

I reach for my mom’s hand again, staring meaningfully at my father. “I know you’re worried, but I want to stay with Kane. We’re starting something good, and, well, I want to be with him. Besides that, I don’t want you in danger.”

“Fuck danger,” my dad says, using a very uncharacteristic use of the “F” word. “I can protect you.”

“No offense, but you’re a geologist, Dad. And a pacifist. You don’t own a single weapon.”

“I’ll arm myself if I have to,” he grumbles.

It’s Kane who steps in to reassure my parents. He had agreed with me that we would not worry them with my “did I or didn’t I” see Matthew occurrence, which was good. If we had, they probably would have tied me to my bed to prevent me from leaving.

“Mollie has an entire group of people looking out for her now,” Kane explains. “She’s going to have someone with her at all times. She has Samson, and she’s a badass gun-toting woman. Plus, I’m hoping she’ll travel as much as she can to away games with me. Maybe that will even satisfy some of her wanderlust at the same time.”