CHAPTER ELEVEN: MISUNDERSTANDINGS

"Where have you been?" he asked his tone cold. She flinched at it and stepped back.

"I took Rose and Jacob out for a meal. Why? What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he replied, shortly.

"I… I missed you, Kane," she said, softly. This was not how she had imagined he would be with her after a week away. Kane looked across at her and his gaze softened a little. He stood up and crossed the room, folding her in his embrace.

"I missed you too," he said. He kissed her, gently on the lips, but then withdrew, to look down at her, his expression unreadable. "Eloise, please, don't go out again without telling me where you are going."

"Why?" she asked. "Is this something to do with where you've been all week? Are you in trouble?

"No, I'm not in trouble," he said, softly. "It would take a lot for me to get in trouble, trust me."

Something about his tone did very little to reassure her though and she shivered.

"Did you have a good meal?" he asked, suddenly. Eloise stepped back from him and looked up at him, her eyes darkening slightly. But then she decided to play things his way and forced herself to smile.

"It was lovely. They are a nice couple. We should have done it ages ago really. They'd never had Chinese before."

"You took Jacob to a Chinese?" Kane chuckled. "He's never eaten anything other than roast beef and Yorkshire pudding before."

"He enjoyed it," she said, with a shrug. Kane laughed again, shaking his head.

"Good. I'm glad you took them out. They deserve it. They work hard." Eloise smiled as she thought of the couple's delight in the restaurant she had taken them to and Jacob's attempts to use the chopsticks. They sat down and she regaled him with tales of her evening. Kane laughed and seemed to listen, but then the telephone rang. He leaned back and picked up the receiver and she saw his body tense. He gestured for her to leave the room and Eloise got to her feet, watching him, as she closed the door behind her. She leaned against the doorframe for a moment, but couldn't hear anything; he spoke too quietly.

"Listening at doors?" She started violently and turned to see Mark behind her.

"Kane's back," she said, ignoring his question. Mark nodded.

"I gathered," he said. "Tell you where he's been?"

She shook her head, wordlessly, her eyes still fixed on the door. Mark sighed. Working for Paul was hard enough; Kane must be insane to have brought a woman into the equation.

"Come and get a drink, Eloise," he said. "Kane won't be happy if he catches you eavesdropping."

Eloise followed him into the living room, where he went straight to the wine cabinet. He took out two glasses and waved a bottle of red at her. She nodded and then sat down, feeling suddenly very tired.

"Thanks," she murmured as she took the glass from Mark. She looked up at him, thoughtfully. "He's told me that I can't go out anymore unless he knows where I am. Any idea why that would be?"

"None at all," said Mark, meeting her eyes. She narrowed hers and then shook her head.

"I guess you wouldn't tell me if you did know would you?" she said.

"You seen underneath that damned mask yet, Eloise?" he asked, suddenly. Eloise looked puzzled. She then shook her head.

"He won't take it off," she replied, softly. "Goes really quiet when I ask. I can't bear the way he looks at me when I ask him to remove it."

"Do you think he really is scarred, Eloise?" asked Mark, suddenly. Eloise looked at him through wide eyes. The idea that there was nothing but a normal face under that mask had never occurred to her.

"What do you mean? He wears the mask for the fun of it?" she said, confused.

"Well not exactly, no, but do you think it's as bad as he makes out? You do know that even if it really is hideous he can afford to have it treated. He can actually afford to have plastic surgery done whenever he chooses to."

"He has to do what's right for him, Mark," she replied, softly. "Neither of us can pressure him into doing anything he doesn't want to do. It wouldn't be fair."

"It isn't fair that he hides himself even from you either," said Mark, cajolingly. Eloise shrugged.

"It's his decision, Mark," she said, softly. "I won't do anything to hurt him."

"Hurt who?" Kane appeared in the doorway, looking slightly flustered. Eloise got to her feet and crossed the room, to give him a hug. Kane responded, but coldly. She took a deep breath, fighting back the sudden wave of hurt. Perhaps he had decided during his week away that he preferred to be alone; that he didn't want to be with her. She withdrew from the weak embrace and looked up at him, but his eyes were fixed on Mark.

"I… I'm really tired. I think I'll go to bed," she said. "Good night."

Eloise sat in her bedroom alone, her knees hunched up to her chest and tears rolling down her cheeks. He didn't want to be with her any more. It was just like when Rico left her. He had been on the phone all the time, away for no reason that he could explain and suddenly so cold with her. Kane was being the same. He didn't want anything to do with her anymore, she was sure of it. A whole week and not even a phone call. And when he did return he was simply angry because she had not sat in and waited for him. But she hadn't known he was coming back or she would have been here. The fact that he had been concerned for her escaped her momentarily. Instead, all she could focus on was his anger and his coldness. That cold embrace that had meant so much to her. She had needed him to tell her he cared for her and instead he had reprimanded her and ignored her. He hadn't even said goodnight to her. She took a deep breath and tried to control the tears. Maybe it was just that he had a lot on his mind at the moment. And maybe he'd found someone else. Mark had spent most of the night reminding her of how wealthy their family was. With all that wealth, why would he want her?

There was a light tapping on the door. She looked up and hastily wiped her eyes, before getting to her feet and crossing the room to the door. She unlocked it and opened it, to reveal Kane standing in front of her. He was only wearing his shorts and of course his mask. There was a slight smile on his face, which vanished at the sight of her tears.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned. "What's happened?"

"Oh, nothing," she sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I guess I was just being silly."

Kane crossed the room in a single stride and sat down next to her on the bed, drawing her to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and he felt how warm her face was. He sighed deeply and held her tighter.

"Eloise, what is the matter?" he asked. Eloise looked away from him and Kane gently took her chin between his thumb and his finger and turned her face towards him. She glanced up at his mask and sighed.

"Where were you last week, Kane?" she asked, finally. Kane released her and she saw the ghost of a scowl in his eyes.

"I already said we can't talk about that," he replied, shortly. She flinched at his tone of voice and he noticed it and sighed deeply. "I wish you wouldn't do that."

"Do what?" she asked, glancing across at him, nervously.

"You flinch, every time I speak to you. I wish you wouldn't." His tone was even, but she knew he was upset and that caused the tears to prick at her eyes again.

"Is there someone else?" she said, suddenly. Kane stared at her, open mouthed for a moment and then laughed out loud. She stared back at him for a moment, but then dissolved into sobs. Kane watched, alarmed as Eloise moved away from him, to the other end of the bed and curled into herself, weeping bitterly. He went to embrace her, but she pulled away from him.

"Eloise, there is no one else. It was business, that's all. Please, I would never hurt you."

Eloise didn't respond; she was too far into her own thoughts to acknowledge he was there. Never hurt her? Rico had said that once. He would never hurt her. Just days later she had taken her first trip to casualty with her concerned boyfriend. Silly girl had walked into the cupboard door, knocked herself clean out for a few seconds. That eye needed looking at. He was so charming that they believed him, didn't notice that she squirmed every time he came near her, that she didn't dare meet his eye. Months later he had walked out, found himself another woman. All men were the same. They were all out to hurt her. Including this man sat beside her, adamant that he wouldn't hurt her. Suddenly, without warning, Kane grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap, cradling her against him.

"Eloise, you are the most precious person in my life; the only person in my life. I will never hurt you. I would never cheat on you. What on earth makes you think I would, or that anyone else would want me anyway? Honestly, El, I'm a grumpy freak in a leather mask for goodness sake! Who else would want that other than you? Come on, please stop crying."

She heard him out and then stopped fighting to get up from his lap. She sighed and rested her head against him. Kane held her close and felt her breathing regulate, as the sobs faded. He had no idea what had brought on this sudden mood, but it worried him. Finally, she sat up and looked at him, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," she said, softly. "But I was so excited you were back and then you just told me off for going out. Next thing I know I'm being thrown out of your study so you can take a private phone call and when you come in I try to hug you and you were just so cold. I'm sorry. I guess I overreacted."

"That's how you saw it?" he said. "Oh, Eloise, I'm sorry. It's just when I got back here and you weren't here, I was worried. I guess I was kind of snappy. The phone call… It was Paul. He wanted to talk business. I didn't want you getting bored waiting for him to get off the line; you know what he's like. He annoyed me because I wanted to spend the evening with you, not talking to him. That's why I was kind of cold I guess. It was him I was upset with, not you. Come on, Eloise. You're the only one I care about. No one else matters."

Eloise sighed as he drew her close again and kissed her. She felt the leather of his mask beneath her skin and brought her fingers up to touch it gently. Kane felt her touch and almost withdrew, but then he drew her in tighter, kissing her so hard that she soon removed her fingers from his mask, entwining them in his hair instead. She suddenly withdrew and her eyes searched his masked face.

"I'm sorry, Kane," she murmured. "I've been an idiot."

"You are never an idiot, Eloise," he replied.

"I am. I just… sometimes I compare you with Rico and I know I shouldn't, but he was so awful to me. I know it's silly of me but he hurt me so much and I just can't face the idea that anyone could hurt me like that again."

"Eloise, I would never hurt you like that," he replied. "You must know that."

"I… I didn't mean the physical hurt. I meant the way he made me feel when he walked out. I took so much from him and he still left me…"

Kane did not know what to say. He stared at Eloise wordlessly for a moment and then drew her to him again, hugging her tightly, sensing this was what she needed. To feel him close to her, to know that he cared. The words escaped his lips before he could stop them.

"Eloise, I love you," he said, softly. Her eyes widened at his words and she sat up.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I love you," he repeated, louder. He watched as a smile spread across her lips, her face lightening at once. Suddenly, she kissed him, full on the lips and embraced him tightly.

"I love you too," she said. "I just never imagined you would say it first."