I was volunteering and then working at the club. He’d yet to mention me working there, but I was pretty sure it was on his mind. And I was pretty sure he wasn’t happy about it.
I wanted to ask him more about Emmitt, about what happened to his mom, about the animosity between him and his father. Had it stemmed from Emmitt’s death? But it wasn’t the time, and I didn’t want to push him.
“Are you with the band today?” I asked as he led me into the bathroom.
“Yeah, we’re working on a new song for the album. I don’t know if I’ll be at Compass, but Luke or Roman will be there if I’m not.”
I stopped before he reached into the shower to turn on the water, and he turned to look at me. “Thank you, Killian. For sharing Emmitt with me.”
He pulled me into his arms and while holding my chin, he kissed me.
It was a drunk butterfly kiss. A kiss that went from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. A kiss that gave me the piece of him he’d kept from me.
Killian Kane had let me in.
I smiled when I read the text from Savvy.
When are you coming?
Fuck, I liked that. I liked that she missed me and it had only been eight hours since she left my bed. I’d dropped her off at the apartment then went to Logan’s to record for the day. She was going to work on her résumé which made me fuckin’ happy. I’d tried again to give her money to open her own studio, but Savvy had simply laughed.
I’d spanked her ass then fucked her from behind.
She was at Avalanche with Frankie and the girls from Compass celebrating Bree’s breakup with her boyfriend. I guessed that was a good thing.
I typed back.
On my way, baby.
“You’re serious about her,” Logan said.
Eme was out of town for a couple days at a horse clinic she was giving, so Logan had decided to come with me to Avalanche.
“Yeah.” For three weeks, I’d woken to her scent as I held her in my arms. Fuck, getting this chance with her… it was all I’d ever wanted and didn’t think I’d get. And now the images I’d carried with me were real. “Always have been. Just couldn’t get there. But this shit with my dad… I can’t have it touch her.” I dragged my hand over my head. “What you went through with Emily… Christ, I don’t know how you both survived it. My father doesn’t come close to yours, but if he touches her… I don’t know what I’d do. Fuckin’ kill him and end up in jail.”
“We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen, Kite. What Eme went through because of me… fuck, it will haunt me for the rest of my days. It killed me. Every fuckin’ day it killed me. But nothing wins against love. It wins every single fuckin’ time.”
“He’s losing his horses,” I said. “Emily said the SPCA is doing a thorough investigation.”
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had removed another horse, Faith, from his stable. Emily had the mare at her and Logan’s farm along with TK, my informant. He was more than happy to leave my dad’s stable and now worked for her; she was teaching him her way to be with horses. A natural way.
Word was my father was giving up polo and his horses were for sale. I thought I’d feel happy about the fact he was crumbling, but it was more of a relief for the horses. There wasn’t the satisfaction I’d expected to feel that he was scrambling to keep his nightclubs alive. Because the fact was, I no longer cared. All I cared about was Savvy, and I wanted this to end. To walk away from the club business. Forget my father.
“You have Shield on her?” Logan asked as Luke pulled up to the pub.
“Roman is at her apartment when she’s there, but she’s at my place most of the time.”
His brows lifted. “You at least put up some fuckin’ pictures and make it look normal? Maybe buy a throw pillow or two.”
I snorted. “She has me.”
Logan chuckled as he opened the door and got out. I followed.
Savvy wanted a home. Fuckin’ kids. Notches in the trees. Pictures. Things I couldn’t give her. I’d live wherever the fuck she wanted, but I couldn’t walk into my house and see memories in picture frames.
I had to be able to walk away. Not from her. But from a place. It was my control knowing everything was disposable.
Logan texted Matt, and he opened the back door of Avalanche for us.
“Matt.” I shook his hand, and he slapped me on the back before he did the same to Logan.
“You hear from my sister?” he asked Logan.
“They landed in Florida about an hour ago.”
As we walked down the hall toward the bar, Matt asked about the spread the magazine was doing on the band next week. We had to fly to New York for a couple days for the photo shoot and interview, and I planned on Savvy coming with me. Although, she didn’t know it yet.
My eyes scanned the crowd searching for Savvy, and when I saw her, my chest swelled. Fuck. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes danced as she laughed at something.
I froze as I stared at her. Needing a moment to just watch her without her knowing I was. Like I used to do in high school.
Fuck, it was hard to believe she was mine. That she’d placed all her good bits in my hand and trusted me with them.
Christ, I wanted to pick her up and toss her over my shoulder and take her home.
Home.
I’d never called a place home before. But Savvy made it home.
“Kite?” Matt said.
I jerked my eyes from Savvy to Matt who held a beer for me. “Thanks.”
He nodded to the group of girls. “Didn’t realize the woman you’re dating is best friends with Mars.”
I frowned. “You know Mars?”
He nodded. “Met her at my gym a few weeks ago. But it wasn’t the best introduction.”
“Scaring off the women again, Matt?” Logan said, grinning.