Loving Mr. Cane (Cane 3)

I studied her, almost with pity. “You really are insane. It’s no wonder you’re in here. See, you’re so crazy that you can’t even see how much he actually wants to be with me. You’re so blinded by your own ignorance, that you can’t see what’s right in front of you. Cane and I got back together a little over a month ago, and it has been absolute bliss. I’m not saying this to brag, but just to let you know that even though you think he belongs to you, he has always been mine. Since the first day I met him, he was mine. Way before you even knew him.”

She stared back. “I can’t wait until the day I get out of this place. Then you’ll see who he truly belongs to.” She pushed out of her chair and pressed her palms to the table. “What I did to you was just the start. Trust me, I am capable of things that are a whole lot worse.”

I held her eyes and thought she was about to say something else, but I was so, so wrong. Instead, she spat on me. Right on my cheek. I gasped, and she laughed as a guard yelled “Hey!”

“Enjoy him while you can, you stupid bitch.”

I wiped her spit off my face and pushed out of my chair as the guard grabbed her arm and dragged her back to the doors. Throughout the entire walk, she looked back at me with that same stupid, smug grin.

That fucking bitch!

Livid, I shoved my chair in and marched out of the visitation room. I was so pissed that I ran right into someone’s chest on my way out.

“Shit! Sorry!” I gasped. The person caught me by the upper arms, and when I looked up, I met a familiar shade of golden-brown. “Holy shit,” I breathed.

Clark looked down at me, wearing a sports cap and a black jacket. “What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.

“What are you doing here?” I whisper-hissed.

A slow smile spread across his lips. “Got business to take care of. Jefe’s orders. Finally some action. I suggest you leave now.” He pushed me toward the door, and I stumbled a bit as he marched down the hallway, taking a look around before cutting a corner and disappearing.

I didn’t bother sticking around. I rushed out of the building and to my car, breathing rapidly.

I sat in my car, expecting him to come right back out. I believe an hour passed before I heard the sounds of police car sirens and ambulances. They got louder and louder, and I pulled my eyes from my Instagram feed to look around, spotting them rolling through the entrance and to the building. The EMTs rushed out of the ambulance, taking a stretcher with them and running inside.

I held my breath as the cops cleared patients from the yard and moved them to their rooms.

And then I saw Clark.

He wasn’t walking out of the front door like I’d expected, but slipping out a side exit marked for staff. He hopped a fence and then took off, disappearing into a line of trees.

“Holy shit. No,” I breathed. “No, no, no, no.”

I gripped the steering wheel, waiting for the EMTs to come back outside. When they came rushing out, I saw a patient in yellow scrubs lying on the stretcher. She was still, eyes closed. Her face looked pale, and her lips blue.

“Oh my God!” I screamed, because it was Kelly on that stretcher.

And if I weren’t mistaken, she already looked dead.

Chapter Twenty-Five

KANDY

I drove home in a frenzy and was lucky I’d made it back alive, given my mental state. I still couldn’t believe what I’d seen, and I prayed Cane had nothing to do with it.

I was in such a rush that I didn’t even stop by my parents’ house, like I’d planned on doing. Mom had texted me that morning, but I was nervous and driving, so I didn’t respond.

I made a mental note to call her once I was settled, though I was curious why she didn’t just call me herself.

It was dark when I got back, and as soon as I reached the front door of the house, I burst through it, slamming it behind me like someone was chasing after me.

“Yo! What the fuck!” Lora yelled, rushing around the corner. When she spotted me, her brows furrowed even more. “Kandy, what the hell is going on?”

“Did you know?” I demanded, rushing toward her and gripping her shoulders.

“Know what?” she yelled, pushing my hands away.

“About Kelly! Did you know, Lora?”

She blinked rapidly. “Kelly? What are you talking about?”

“I went to see her.” I sniffled. “And when I was leaving, I—I saw that—that guy! The one who came with Jefe! I saw him going into the clinic, and when he came back out, an ambulance showed up. They had a stretcher, Lora, and Kelly was on it! She looked…she looked dead!”