Kane's Perspective

Something in my gut told me exactly where Lucy would go.


Though I was still turning Lucy's mother's words over in my mind, trying to understand.

I sprinted to the entrance of the forest where I'd abandoned Lucy all those years ago, bending over with my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath.

The sun was already setting. I needed to find her before nightfall.


"Lucy!" I plunged into the forest, my voice echoing among the trees. "Lucy, where are you?"

The forest seemed much bigger than I remembered. I searched until my throat was raw, but found no trace of her.


Darkness enveloped the forest completely, with only the moon's silver light filtering through the branches.

"Lucy! Answer me! Please, Lucy—"

Panic clawed at my chest as I pushed deeper into the woods. Had I been wrong again?

"Lucy..." My voice broke, desperation setting in.

She was pregnant, alone, and upset. What if she'd fallen? What if she was hurt?

I slammed my fist into a tree trunk, barely registering the pain as skin split over my already bruised knuckles.

"It's all my fault... I was a coward... Even if you hate me, I should have told you the truth..."

"Kane?"

I froze, my heart stopping. There she was, standing in a shaft of moonlight, looking like a woodland spirit.

Without conscious thought, I crossed the distance between us in three strides and crushed her against my chest.

I held her tightly, my racing heart gradually slowing, her small body warm and solid against mine.

Eventually, Lucy squirmed in my embrace. "Kane? W-what are you doing here?"

She tried to push me away, but I only tightened my arms around her, irrationally angry that she'd scared me so badly.

"Why shouldn't I be here? You don't own this forest."

"What's your problem?"

There she goes again with that question. As if I'm the one who's not making sense.

I ignored her protests as she wiggled against me, her movements sending electricity through my body.

"Stop squirming—"

"Then let me go—"

"Not happening."

She struggled harder, her body rubbing against mine in all the wrong—or right—places.

Damn, if she weren't pregnant, I'd show her exactly what she does to me right here—

"Kane Lyons! You absolute jerk!" Lucy shouted, her voice echoing through the trees.

Fine, she was genuinely upset.

I reluctantly let her go.

Her cheeks flamed as her eyes dropped briefly to the obvious reaction she'd caused.

I shrugged unapologetically. "I warned you not to move around like that."

Lucy stepped forward and slapped me, though with much less force than the last time.

She was adorably flustered, her face crimson: "Are—are you insane? What about Selena? What kind of guy gets turned on while hugging someone else?"

Girlfriend? I blinked in confusion, then suddenly remembered Lucy might have seen me with Selena after the game.

I couldn't help grinning. "You've got it all wrong. Selena is our team manager—she's been helping us train for months. That hug was just team celebration."

Her blush deepened. "Then—then—you still shouldn't be reacting to me like that! What are you, some kind of pervert?!"

I caught her wrist and pulled her close, my voice dropping to a serious tone: "Why shouldn't I react to you? Lucy, you're the only woman who's ever made me feel this way."