Loving Mr. Cane (Cane 3)

Even though I was psyched to be going back to school, and glad that I could still live with him instead of on campus, the entire situation about Kelly bothered me, so a few days after hearing El Jefe’s ultimatum—when Cane had to spend a weekend in Texas—I did something I knew he would never approve of: I packed a bag and drove to Atlanta.

I had no idea what I was doing, or why the urge to go was so intense, but after doing extensive research and looking into the case, I was at Douglas & Howard Mental Health Facility.

“Good Lord, what am I doing?” I muttered to myself, staring ahead at the building. It was a large building, well-kept, made of red brick. All of the hedges were trimmed, and a few patients walked around in yellow uniforms. “This is so fucking stupid,” I said, but it didn’t stop me from shutting my car off and getting out. I placed a flat hand over my brow line to block the sun beaming down on me.

Kelly was in that building…

I don’t know what possessed me to come all this way, but I was there. Right fucking there, and it was too late to go back now.

“Fuck it,” I breathed, and I marched ahead, straight to the entrance. I swung the door open and met up to the front desk, requesting Kelly Hugo. I signed a few forms, and was told I’d have to wait thirty minutes until the next visitation hour started…so I did.

And then the announcement was made. A buzzer went off and a security guard escorted the guests into a room with spotless, white tables and dark blue chairs. Several patients walked inside, all of them wearing the yellow scrub uniforms.

I took a seat at a table in the middle, my pulse swimming in my ears. I looked all around me, mostly at the guests who smiled as their loved ones sat across from them. Some of the patients smiled back, most didn’t. When I looked at the door they were coming through, I finally saw her.

She wore yellow scrubs like all the other patients, her brown hair pulled up in a loose, frizzy bun. Her face was makeup free, just like it was the day she stabbed me. The man who had signed me in pointed to where I was sitting, and she looked at where his finger led. When she saw me, her eyes narrowed, her head cocking slightly. The man walked away, but she just stood there, probably wondering why I was here. I bet I was the last person she thought would visit.

Finally, she walked to the table I was sitting at, grabbing the chair across from me and pulling it out. Not once did her eyes leave mine.

“Hey, Kelly,” I said, not smiling. Not wavering.

“You are really fucking bold,” she replied with laughter in her voice. She planted her elbows on the table, leaning in slightly. “Of all the people I thought would be my first visitor…it’s you.”

I shrugged. “You’re probably expecting me to be afraid of you or nervous about being here…but I’m not. I really only came to see if you were still alive.”

She frowned. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

I looked her over. “How does it sound?”

“Like a threat,” she hissed.

I pushed my lips together. “I’ve never been good at making threats.”

Kelly shook her head, eyes rolling. “Why are you here?” she snapped. “You got your money and your restraining order, which is clearly being broken right now. What else could you possibly want from me?”

“I don’t want anything from you. Like I said, I’m just checking to see if you’re alive…and to face the one thing that has given me nightmares for weeks.” I clenched my fist under the table. “Cane is really pissed about the slap on the wrist you got and how you’re playing the mental card. I am too.”

She chuckled. “Oh, so you’re with him again? Even after what was done to you because you were too close?”

I didn’t answer. Only looked her in the eyes.

“Are you proud to be his whore? Because that’s all you are. A whore who sucked a taken man’s cock.” She leaned forward a little more. “You know, just because I’m in here doesn’t mean that he isn’t still mine. I know so much about Quinton—so much that he has no choice but to keep me around so that I’ll be quiet.” She gave me a smug look. “Has he shown you the notes I’ve given him?”

“Only one, and it was all I needed to see. I’m sure he’s burned the rest. Just proves you’re batshit.”

She laughed and pointed at me. “You’re cute. Coming in here, trying to act like you’re better than me just because you have him for a moment. Let me explain something to you,” she seethed, her upper lip peeling back. “I had him once, and I can have him again. You are a young, stupid girl who doesn’t know shit about men, and when he realizes how fucking naive and worthless you really are, he will drop you right on your ass.”