Chapter 4

"Kane. Please…I'm sorry. Please…just let me go. I promise I'll never bother you again." Lindsey pleaded, as Kane carried her back down the hallway toward his room.

When she received no response, she began to struggle even harder against him, flailing her legs as she tried her best to kick him. But her position severely restricted her movements and the only thing she got for her troubles was a sharp smack to her bottom, which caused her to yelp in pain.

Lindsey watched helplessly as the stairs disappeared from her sight as Kane carried her back toward his room. He stopped long enough to close and lock the door before heading back toward the bed. Grabbing her by the legs, he swung her backwards, dropping her none to gently onto the mattress. This time Lindsey flailed her hands out behind her to try and break her fall, crying out when she landed awkwardly and felt a sharp pain shoot through one of her wrists.

Clutching her injured arm, she struggled to sit up, watching in horror as Kane dropped his knees to the mattress and began to inch his way toward her. Lindsey scrambled to get away from him, propelling herself up the bed until she felt her back come in contact with the headboard. Looking wistfully toward the door once more, she realized that there was no way she could ever get it unlocked and opened before he caught her again. She was completely at his mercy, trapped there in his miserable, darkened room until he decided to let her go.

She quickly turned her attention back to the big man who was now hovering over her. He slowly straddled her lower body so that she was caught between the headboard and each of his huge legs. Then leaning forward, he placed both of his hands on the headboard above her head and lowered himself down to her level once more.

"Where did you think you were going? I wasn't finished with you yet." he ground out in a low voice.

Lindsey cringed beneath him as she clutched her injured wrist closer to her chest.

"Please Kane…" she whimpered, closing her eyes and turning away from him again. "I'm sorry. Please…just let me go."

"Not until you tell me what I want to know."

Kane paused for a moment as he stared down at the small woman who was trembling beneath him, an evil smirk crossing his face.

"You didn't really think you were going to get away with this so easily did you? You know what they say about playing with fire…." he added, letting his voice trail off.

"I want to know who put you up to this…what kind of game you're trying to play." he continued, his voice cold and distant. "I'm not above hurting you to get what I want. Don't make things any harder on you than they have to be."

Lindsey racked her brain frantically as she tried to think of something to tell him.

"I don't know what else to say." she whispered, still refusing to look at him.

"Nobody sent me here. I came on my own. Nobody else even knows that I'm here." she added, instantly regretting the fact that she'd let that last part slip.

She quickly glanced up at Kane to see if he had noticed, and to her horror she saw his mouth curve into a small grin.

"So nobody else knows you're here." he repeated with a slight chuckle, as he dropped one of his hands and captured a small strand of her hair, running it through his fingers. "I guess that means that nobody will know what happened to you if you don't show up tomorrow."

Lindsey flinched away from his touch, her stomach churning at his words. She wondered exactly what he had in store for her.

"Please…Kane. Please let me go." she pleaded again, already knowing that it wouldn't do any good.

"I don't think so." he replied, his voice dangerously low. "You haven't told me what I wanted to hear yet."

Despite her fear, Lindsey felt herself starting to get angry. She didn't know what kind of game he was trying to play with her, but she had just about had enough. So what if she had stumbled into his home uninvited. So what if she had accidentally hurt his feelings. So what if he had been hurt so many times that he wouldn't…couldn't…believe her. None of that gave him the right to hold her there against her will. He had no right to treat her that way.

"Tell me." he repeated, leaning closer into her in an attempt to intimidate her even more. "Tell me why you're here…or I…will…hurt you."

The threatening tone of his voice was the last straw, and despite the fact that he was towering over her, she sat straight up and met his gaze.

"I've been trying to tell you why I'm here, if you'd stop being so damn stubborn and listen to what I have to say, you big oaf!" Lindsey yelled, giving Kane a hard shove in the chest as she let her anger overrule her better judgment.

She cried out at the contact and clutched at her injured wrist again as another pain shot through it. Although she knew she couldn't budge him, her actions achieved the intended result when Kane pulled back in surprise.

"I came here to apologize to you for the way I acted that night when you tried to help me!" she continued, feeling the tears of frustration start to fall as she spoke. "I was actually concerned that I might have hurt your feelings that night! Yeah…like you actually have feelings. I can see now that I was right for leaving the way I did. God knows what you would have done to me then if I hadn't!"

Lindsey collapsed back against the headboard in exhaustion as she cried. She hated the fact that she had let him frighten her so easily. It was obvious that he was enjoying her display of fear and she hated giving him that kind of satisfaction. Then, realizing what had just happened, she silently berated herself. That was certainly not the smartest thing that she had ever done.

Although she wondered what he was thinking, she couldn't force herself to raise her head and meet his gaze. She could only imagine the depth of the anger she would find there after her little outburst. She sat there quietly, nursing her injured wrist as she waited for something to happen. She was sure that he wouldn't just let that little mistake slide by.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lindsey finally saw him remove one of his hands from the headboard and she closed her eyes and cringed, waiting for the pain that she was sure would soon come. But she flinched in surprise when, instead of pain, she felt one of his fingers trail gently down her cheek, tracing the path of her tears.

She managed to choke out a strangled sob as he touched her, waiting for his show of tenderness to turn to violence.

"I'm so sorry." she whispered softly between her ragged breaths, her anger gone, the fear returning in its place. She didn't have the strength to fight with him anymore. "I'm sorry for running away that night. I was just so scared. I didn't know that you were just trying to help me. I'm sorry Kane. I swear I didn't mean to hurt you."

Her eyes still tightly closed, Lindsey felt Kane remove his hand from her face and she waited patiently, knowing that he would tear into her at any moment. She nearly jumped out of her skin, when she felt his breath against her ear and her eyes widened in surprised when she heard him speak to her again.

"Why should I believe you?" he replied, this time in a surprisingly softer voice that sent chills straight down her spine.

"I..I don't know." Lindsey stuttered , when she had finally regained her composure. "I don't know what else I can say to make you believe me. Just that I'm sorry it ever happened."

Kane pulled away again and Lindsey forced herself to meet his gaze once more. She looked up at him helplessly, noticing that the look in his eyes had softened a little. She wondered if maybe she had finally gotten through to him.

The two of them continued their standoff, each of them measuring the other to see who would give in first. With each passing moment, Lindsey grew more hopeful that Kane would finally let her go. She could actually see the anger fading from his large frame but still, she refused to let herself relax, knowing that everything could change in the blink of an eye.

Maybe he had finally seen the error of his ways. Maybe this was just the calm before the storm. Either way, Lindsey knew she had to be prepared for whatever might happen next.

The two of them continued to stare at each other for what seemed like an eternity before Lindsey saw Kane lean in towards her again and she held her breath, waiting to see what he would do.

"Why did you run that night? I did nothing to you." he asked softly, the pain in his voice making her heart constrict.

"I'm so sorry Kane. I was just so scared. I didn't know where I was or what had happened to me. I was so surprised to see you. I thought that you…."

"You thought that I was the one who hurt you." Kane stated plainly, finishing her thought.

Lindsey dropped her gaze and silently nodded her head.

"I thought you were different from them." he added after a moment, which caused Lindsey to lift her head and look at him again.

"I am different from them Kane. I never meant to hurt you. If I had known that you were only trying to help me…I..I would have… stayed." she replied softly.

"Would you have stayed?" he asked, seemingly surprised by her last remark.

Lindsey nodded again, chewing on her bottom lip nervously as she waited to see what his reaction would be. He continued to stare down at her silently for several moments, before she finally saw him move again. She watched warily as he slowly raised his hand to her face and this time Lindsey forced herself to remain still, closing her eyes when she felt his fingers on her cheek.

Kane carefully gauged her reaction to him, amazed when she didn't pull away or try to stop him. Feeling bolder, he cupped her face in his hand as he continued to stroke her cheek with his thumb. Opening her eyes, Lindsey stared up into his light blue ones, confused by the mixture of emotions that she saw there. There was still anger…and hurt…and something else that she could only describe as…desire?

Her heart began to pound faster as she wondered about the thoughts that were running through his mind. The feel of his thumb brushing across her lips brought her back to the present moment and she glanced down at his hand momentarily before turning her gaze back to his face.

Reaching out cautiously, she brought her own hand to his face, running her fingers over the dark leather that kept him hidden from her view. She moved hesitantly, fearful that the wrong movement would somehow set him off again, surprised when he made no attempt to stop her.

Gently, she brushed his long hair back from his face so she could get a better look at him, her eyes traveling down the leather, coming to rest on his full, sensuous mouth. Kane watched her face closely as she examined him, searching for any sign of disgust or fear. Following his lead, Lindsey lightly brushed her fingers across his lips, and for one brief moment, Kane felt a surge of hope that maybe she wouldn't turn away again. Then he saw her brows draw together in a frown and his hope was gone, knowing that at any moment she would go running away from him again in fear.

"Kane? You said that you thought I was different from everyone else. Is that why you helped me that night?" Lindsey asked softly, breaking the silence as she gazed up into his eyes again, searching for the answer to the question that had plagued her for so long.

Kane was silent for several moments, and Lindsey started to get concerned that maybe she had made a mistake by bringing the subject up again. Then she saw Kane slowly nod his head in response and she felt herself relax once more.

"Everyone thinks that I am a monster. They all fear me. They all hate me. They think they know who I am" Kane ground out slowly when he finally spoke, the self-loathing evident in his voice.

"They don't know me. You… don't know me" he added, dropping his head and letting his hair fall into his face once more.

Lindsey gazed up at his hidden face, the shame stabbing deep into her heart.

"Maybe you were wrong about me Kane. Maybe I'm not so different from them after all." Lindsey replied, surprised that she was willing to admit so much to this giant of a man who was kneeling before her.

"I've heard the stories about you…about your past. I believed they were true. I'm just as guilty as they are…for thinking the same things about you."

Lindsey watched him carefully as she spoke, cringing a little when he raised his head and met her gaze, seeing the anger flare in his eyes again at her words.

"I believed all those horrible things about you Kane. That's why I ran that night. That's why I was so afraid to be alone with you." she continued nervously, hoping that the big man would keep his emotions in check this time. "I see now how wrong I was. I really don't know anything about you, except what I've seen tonight...which I have to admit wasn't very pleasant. But…I would like to know you Kane. I want to know what kind of person you really are."

Lindsey watched the different emotions play across Kane's face as she spoke, the anger in his gaze gone just as quickly as it had appeared. She could see the surprise, the wonder, the skepticism filling his eyes, his mouth drawn into a solemn frown as he contemplated her words.

"You will run away. They always leave." Kane finally stated, so matter-of-factly that Lindsey's heart nearly broke at the sound of his voice.

"No Kane. I promise. I won't run this time." she replied softly, reaching out to cover one of his large hands with her smaller one.

Surprised by her own actions, Lindsey carefully tested the skin underneath her hand, noticing how smooth and incredibly warm it was despite the cold air that was swirling about the room. Kane watched her fingers as she caressed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, the jolt of electricity that shot through his arm at the contact catching him completely off guard. But despite the shock, he was unable to pull his hand away, completely mesmerized by the strange new sensations that her touch seemed to be stirring within him.

Unnerved by his silence, Lindsey became fearful that maybe he didn't appreciate her being so bold with him, so she released his hand, intending to pull away from him. But at the loss of the contact, Kane quickly reached out and enclosed her hand in his. His grip tightened painfully for a brief moment, until he realized he was hurting her again, then he loosened his hold slightly as he raised her hand and brought it back to his face. Lindsey offered no resistance as he placed her palm against his leather-covered cheek and following his cue, she began her hesitant exploration once more. She trailed her fingers cautiously over his forehead, down the bridge of his nose and across his cheeks before moving them down and under his chin, lightly brushing against the worn strap that kept his mask secured to his face. At the feel of her fingers on his bare skin, Kane gave a sudden gasp, causing Lindsey to pull back in fright, fearful that she'd done something wrong.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"she stated, letting her voice trail off when Kane grasped her hand and carefully placed it against his neck again.

With her good hand pressed against his skin and her injured hand still clutched against her chest, Lindsey struggled to change positions, moving to sit on her knees so she could reach him better. Then watching his face carefully for any sign of disapproval, she began to run the back of her hand down his neck and throat, enjoying the feel of the smoothness against her skin, feeling strangely aroused by the power she seemed to have over him at the moment.

Kane closed his eyes and tilted his head backwards, giving her greater access to him. This type of contact was so new to him, but yet he found it to be so…comforting. No one had ever touched him in this way before. Nobody had ever been this….gentle. Fighting the emotions that were suddenly coursing through his body, Kane willed himself to be still and simple enjoy her touch, knowing that these incredible sensations would be over with way too soon. Knowing that at any moment, she would finally come to her senses and stop.

As she continued her soft caresses, Lindsey's eyes focused on Kane's bare throat and she suddenly found herself wondering what it would be like to taste him. Closing her eyes, she tried to shake the thoughts from her mind, knowing that it would not be in her best interests to try something so foolish. But the soft sounds of pleasure that were escaping from his lips did nothing to dispel her thoughts and the temptation finally became too much. Noticing that his eyes were still closed, she leaned forward slowly, enclosing her lips around his throat and sucking gently as she stroked the skin with her tongue. Kane emitted a strangled cry of surprise at this new sensation and grasped the back of her head, holding her tightly to him as she sucked and nibbled on his warm flesh.

Aroused even more by his actions, Lindsey licked and kissed her way up his throat and along his jaw line, pausing briefly when she reached his lips. Then, figuring she had nothing else to lose, she leaned in and flicked her tongue against his mouth before gently pressing her lips against his. She was surprised to feel Kane part his lips beneath hers, accepting her in as her tongue darted past his teeth and into the warm recesses of his mouth. Kissing him deeply, she was immediately caught up in the passion of the moment, the incredible feelings that were welling up inside of her making all rational thought flee from her mind.

Overwhelmed by the sensations her touch elicited within him, Kane quickly took control of the situation and before Lindsey knew what was happening, she found herself flat on her back, her hands clutching tightly to his shoulders as he laid down over her and continued to plunder her mouth.

Forced to finally part so they could breathe, Kane pulled back and looked down into her face, bracing himself for the fear and revulsion that he knew he would see. Gazing down at her, he was surprised when she raised her hand to his face and caressed him for a brief moment before pulling him down into another heated kiss.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Lindsey questioned the sanity of her actions. Surrendering herself to this man, letting her guard down, forgetting the danger that she had placed herself in. It seemed so ridiculously absurd. But her needs and desires quickly overruled her common sense and she pushed the thoughts away, wanting only to concentrate on what was happening at the present moment. And at the moment, Kane was slowly driving her out of his mind with his powerful kisses. And based on the hardness that was pressed incessantly into her upper thigh, it seemed as though he needed this just as much as she did.