“Do you blame her?” Kane yelled. “The dog probably saved her life, and you want her to abandon him?”

  I placed my hand on his arm. “It’s okay. I’m not hurt. That’s why I don’t want to go inside.”

  He stared at me, looking at every inch of my face. He raised a hand to the bruise on my cheek. “But you are hurt.”

  “It’s just a bruise. It’ll heal. I’m okay otherwise. Just shaken.”

  Kane looked at the nurse. “Well, you heard her. I’ll take her home.” He looked down at Target. “Guess you’re going home with us too, huh.”

  Target growled low in his throat but didn’t seem as threatened when Kane held out his hand for him to sniff. After a few seconds, he gave him a tentative lick.

  The dog’s attention changed focus when a paramedic rolled Joseph out of the back of the ambulance. He whined, and I led him over to say goodbye. It was heartbreaking and almost impossible to watch as the good dog nuzzled his good friend. The kind paramedic stayed outside until Target seemed to be ready. With a last whine, he turned away to stand with me again.

  “Where will you be taking him?” I asked the paramedic before they rolled Joseph away.

  The policeman assigned to the case answered for him. “Coroner will collect him for an autopsy to determine cause of death so that, when we find the person who attacked you both, we can press charges.”

  It made heartbreaking sense.

  “Where will he be…” I swallowed down the emotion that wanted to assault me again, “buried?”

  The policeman shook his head. “His remains will be in the morgue for thirty days, and if no one claims him, he’ll be cremated and his ashes buried then.”

  A sob escaped.

  Strong hands came down on my shoulders. “We’ll claim him and give him a proper burial. I’ll see to it.”

  I sagged back against Kane. “Thank you.”

  Kane’s phone rang, and he kissed my hair before stepping away. Target whined as Joseph was rolled inside the hospital. “I know, boy. I miss him too.”

  Not really listening to Kane, I tuned in when he said, “No, come to my place. We’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

  I lifted an eyebrow when he turned to me. “Feds?”

  When he nodded, my stomach sank. I dreaded going through everything again.

  Kane kissed my hair. “Don’t worry, we’ll do this together.”

  With Target by our side, Kane led us to his car. When he slipped behind the wheel and closed his door, I remembered something. “Why were you even here at the hospital?” I glanced down at his leg. “Are you okay?”

  He blew out a breath before reaching over and taking my hand. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you everything later.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  Kane

  In the space of a few weeks, I’d gotten a girlfriend turned fiancée, and was in the middle of planning a rushed wedding so I could get hitched before my beloved grandmother took her last breath. My dick had been viewed by nearly five million people, most of which had given it a thumbs up, thank you very much. I was still very disappointed that I’d missed my first road trip — hell, first game — since signing on to the majors.

  And now I had a dog.

  A big-footed brown dog that looked part Labrador, part Weimaraner, and part terrier. And he was awesome, especially when he got to lay in the bathtub and get his belly scrubbed. He hadn’t once peed or pooped on the floor, and every shoe in the house was still intact.

  At first, Target seemed depressed and wouldn’t leave Eliana’s side, but it didn’t take him long to come creeping over to me. Especially when I started sneaking him dog treats on the side. I’d swear he winked when he took them, a little our secret, Dad expression in his honey-colored eyes.

  It was the last day of the road trip, and I was itching to get back on the field when the Beasts returned to New York the next day. They’d lost two on the road, taking us back out of being a series contender, but I felt positive that we would get our place back as wildcards at least.

  The bruise was now purple and yellow, but the muscle was stretching fine. I was nearly back at top speed when I ran the bases at the stadium today, and although the thigh stung when I pushed off to dive for a ball, it didn’t affect my movement. I was ready.

  As far as the crazy shit stuff went, Eliana and I were both laying low as we waited for the agents assigned to our case to discover something new. The autopsy showed that Joseph died from a blow to the back of his brain, which caused a bleed that he had been unable to survive. But he’d survived long enough to open that door and let Target loose. The good boy had done the rest.

  For the past two days, I’d received threatening emails asking for money in trade of videos. I’d ignored them. Eliana and I had decided to ride things out and deal with anything that came our way. Rhett Hamilton and Katrina Delaney agreed, and we had their, and my family’s, full support.

  In record time, a public service announcement was created regarding revenge porn and the damage it did to innocent people. The Beasts’ social media pages had been ablaze with public support. And many more women had come forward to share their stories. In fact, Eliana was at the stadium at the moment, filming another announcement, Target in tow. Along with the bodyguard, Deke — who she thought was a driver.

  Overall, things were going great.

  That was why it surprised the hell out of me when Eliana’s mother came to visit.

  “Kane, darling, it has simply been too long,” she declared as she swept through the door I held open.

  “How did you get up here?”

  She simply laughed and waved her hand, wandering around the living room. “My darling daughter resides here, of course. Are you telling me I can’t visit on a whim?”

  Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. And I’m going to have someone’s balls downstairs.

  “What can I do for you, Alize?”

  I gritted my teeth when she laughed again. She shrugged off her coat and tossed it on the sofa, revealing a tight neon blue wrap dress underneath. She preened, and I knew she was expecting me to say something complimentary. I didn’t.

  With only a slight tightening of her mouth, she continued to walk around my living room, touching leather and carefully studying my art. At the wall of glass, she pressed both palms to the newly cleaned surface. With what appeared to be a practiced maneuver, she bent at the waist, giving me a clear view of her scantily clad ass, and looked down. “Oh my, you could get a nosebleed from up here.”

  “What do you want, Alize?” I asked.

  She turned and batted those baby blues. “Have I already worn out my welcome?” I said nothing, and she huffed. “I was actually in search of Eliana. I’ve missed her and wanted to catch up. Can you fetch her for me?”

  “She isn’t here.”

  The baby blues widened, and her bottom lip pouted out. “I’m so disappointed. I’ve heard rumblings of some terrible things that have been happening to her, and you of course.” Her eyes flicked down my body, and I reached for the t-shirt I’d taken off earlier and pulled it over my head. “I just wanted to provide some sisterly support or advice.”

  Sisterly? She has to be kidding.

  “But this is actually better, Kane.” She came my way. “I feel we got off on the wrong foot, and I would adore the opportunity to clear the air. I truly do want to have a positive relationship with Eliana and you. Can we talk?”

  Against my better judgment, I said, “Sure.” I wanted to know what she was up to.

  Instead of going to the seating area, she glided toward the bar. “Shall we have a drink?” she asked over her shoulder, “I’m happy to serve.”

  A double for myself.

  “No, I’ll get it,” I said quickly and cut her off. “Seriously, have a seat. What would you prefer? Wine. Whisky. Scotch.”

  She inclined her head regally and turned on her heel. “Scotch with a drop of water, please.”

  Turning to the bar, I poured the drinks and added the water. So that I didn’t touch her, I set the glass on a coaster then took a seat in a chair on the other side. Taking a long drink, I set my glass down with a thunk. If I’d continued to hold it, I might have ended up throwing it at her head.

  Alize lifted her crystal tumbler to her lips and took a delicate sip, then wrinkled her nose. “Might I trouble you for two drops of water? This is stronger than I’m accustomed to.”

  Inhaling through my nose, I stood back up and headed to the bar again. Not caring how much I poured, I watered it down this time.

  Retracing my path, I noticed she’d shifted and was sitting closer to the edge. With a simpering smile, she took the glass from the bottom while I held the top. She waited until I was seated before lifting it. “Cheers.”

  Close to snarling now, I tossed the rest of mine down. “Cheers.”

  She smiled and settled back into her seat. “Now, Kane. I’m rather worried about Eliana and all of this sex scandal nonsense going on. For me, I’m of the opinion that any press is good press, but I know that not everyone thinks as I do.”

  Thank God.

  “Eliana has always had such a delicate nature. Too soft skinned for the modeling or acting business, even if she had inherited my looks and skills. So, I can’t even imagine how this has affected her. I’m very worried.”

  I snarled at the insult to Eliana and looked carefully at the older woman, blinking to see her clearly. Despite the verbal spar, she actually appeared to be sincere. Not that I trusted anything about her.

  “Your daughter is much stronger than you realize, Alize. It was a shock, for all of us, but you should be proud of how well she’s holding up.”

  “Are the police close to discovering who did this?”

  I blinked again and rubbed my eyes. “No, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation is involved and they are working hard to solve the case.”

  She licked her lips, reminding me of a serpent as the pink tongue darted between her cherry red gloss. “My understanding is that Eliana’s college boyfriend is now deceased. Such a pity. I always liked that young man. So strong and handsome. Of course, I never knew exactly what he saw in my mousy little girl, but he seemed quite taken with her.” Alize laughed, and the sound was like a gong inside my head. “Until he dropped her for that little slutty cheerleader.”

  “El-e-an-a is nooot mouse…” I shook my head and scraped my tongue against my teeth — it felt thick and unwieldy, “m…mousy.”

  Alize blurred, and I shook my head again. She leaned forward. “Are… you… all… right?”

  Pressing my hands to my ears, I tried to make the words stop echoing. I stood up, thinking that would help. The world went sideways, then Alize’s arm was around my waist, and I was leaning hard against her. “Here… let… me… help… you…”

  Then I was walking.

  Down the hall.

  Into the bedroom.

  Onto the bed.

  Alize hovered over me, her white-blonde hair like a curtain around my face.

  I blinked and…

  ***

  “Kane!”

  “Eliana!” My throat was raw from calling out to her, my legs shaking from exertion.

  “Kane!”

  She was screaming now, shouting my name over and over and over, but I couldn’t find her. Occasionally, I could see her strawberry hair, but when I went in that direction, she was gone.

  “Kane!”

  I turned and ran, then rebounded off glass. I was in a maze of glass. I’d been running the halls for hours.

  Tick. Tick. Tick.

  The giant clock over my head was counting down. Only five more minutes to find her.

  “Four,” the man in the black mask said, and I began to run again.

  “Kane!”

  I needed to find her. I couldn’t lose her. Eliana had become my everything. Business didn’t matter. Baseball didn’t matter. Only her. Her.

  “Three.”

  Panic dumped a new load of adrenaline into my system, and I lowered my shoulder, using it as a battering ram to break through. I rebounded again, and the masked man chuckled.

  “Two.”

  There! I saw her again. Her fists hammering glass, her mouth open in a silent scream. Keeping my eyes on her, I ran, afraid to take my eyes from her, fearing she would disappear. One hand touching the glass as a guide, the other out front, seeking something solid so I could turn. I was like a blind man who could fully see.

  “Kane!”

  She began to recede, to fade. The harder I ran, the farther I seemed to be from her. I hit another wall, then another before finding the opening and sprinting in its direction.

  “One.”

  I was in the right passageway this time, I knew it, but Eliana was losing hope. Her fists were bloodied as she sank to the floor, tears running like a river down her face.

  “Thirty seconds.”

  “No,” I screamed, not recognizing my voice as it tore from my throat. I was getting closer. Twenty feet. Ten. Five. One.

  Bam. I rebounded off another glass wall after hitting so hard my nose shattered from the impact.

  “Fifteen seconds.”

  I turned around and hit another wall. Turned to my left and hit another. To my right was another. Sticking my hands out, I turned in a circle. All the openings were gone. I was trapped, Eliana only inches away on the other side.

  “Ten seconds.”

  She was on her feet, her palms pressed to the glass. I stood in front of her and pressed mine to hers.

  “I love you,” I yelled as the masked man walked up behind her.

  Her blue eyes begged me to save her as she whispered, “I love you too.”

  “Three.”

  He was close.

  “Two.”

  He was there, his hand encircling her throat.

  “One.”

  He squeezed, and Eliana’s mouth opened to scream my name…

  ***

  “Kane!”

  Hands were on my shoulders shaking me, and I tried so hard to float up out of the darkness and into the light of her voice.

  “Baby, wake up!”

  I blinked, and Eliana was there. Alive.

  “Kane, wake up. It’s me. Wake up.”

  I shot straight up in my bed, heaving in a breath as if my lungs had been starving for air. So fuzzy. Why couldn’t I blink the sleep away?

  What was happening to me?

  “Kane?” Eliana’s voice was gentler this time, her blue eyes blurry but there, leading me from the darkness. “What’s going on? Are you sick? Drunk?”

  As I was trying to unwind myself from the blankets, I realized I was naked. Everywhere. Eliana gasped, and I looked down and saw what she saw. A used condom barely hanging onto my limp prick.

  I inhaled and nearly choked on the fumes of the scotch that seemed to surround me. I didn’t understand what was going on.

  In the distance, a toilet flushed, and a door clicked.

  As one, Eliana and I looked up. And there, in the doorway was Alize, fully naked too.

  Eliana gasped and took several steps backward. Beside her, Target growled.

  Very slowly, Alize made an attempt to cover herself. “Sorry, darling. He just wouldn’t let me say no.” A smile played on her lips. “He’s very convincing.”

  I tried to get up. I tried to stand. I tried to reach for Eliana as she turned away and ran.

  But all I could manage to do was puke.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  Eliana

  My fists hurt as I pounded on Zoe’s door. Her eyes were wide when she opened it. “What’s wrong?”

  I couldn’t talk, so instead, I just barged through, not stopping until I was at the kitchen sink, splashing water on my face. Soft hands were on my shoulders, holding my hair back as I washed the misery away.

  When I turned off the faucet, those same hands guided me to a chair. I sat and Target, the good boy that he was, sat on my feet.

  “What happened?”

  Even after walking for hours, I still couldn’t believe the words that were about to come out of my mouth. “I caught Kane sleeping with my mom.”

  Zoe’s mouth opened, but she was as speechless as me for several long moments. “When? Where?”

  I held up a hand. “Don’t you dare ask me why.”

  She didn’t. Instead, she got up and poured me a tall glass of wine. I gulped half of it down in a single long drink.

  “Okay, tell me what happened.”

  “It was after the revenge porn public announcement shoot. Target and I walked in the door, and I expected to see Kane there. His first physical therapy of the day was over, and he didn’t need to go back for another couple of hours. I’d stopped to get Chinese and thought we’d have some lunch.”

  “And…?”

  “He wasn’t in the living room or kitchen. I checked the weight room and his office. He wasn’t there either, so I went to the bedroom to see if his keys were there. Instead, I found him.”

  Zoe’s hand was over her mouth. “Oh, El. Found him how?”

  “Asleep. Well, that’s what I thought at first. But he was sweating and shaking, like he was having a nightmare. I went over to him, and I noticed these scratches, they were almost like claw marks on his chest. And there was a hickey on his neck.”

  I closed my eyes, reliving those moments in full detail.

  “Zoe, he started screaming, and I tried to calm him, but he grabbed me. I shook him, trying to make him wake up. There was this smell, like alcohol was everywhere. Like it was coming out of his pores.”

  “Then…?”

  “Then he opened his eyes, but it was like he couldn’t see me. He started fighting off the covers, trying to get out of bed…” I inhaled deeply, breathing back the sob that wanted to escape. “There was a condom, Zoe. It had clearly been used, half on and half off him.”

  I could hear the flush of the toilet. The turn of the knob. My beautiful mother. Her beautiful body. Marks on her breasts.

  “Alize opened the door and stood there naked. After a few seconds, she tried to act embarrassed, but I could tell she was just gloating. When I was dating Brett back in college, she told me I could never keep a man like him happy. She told me the same about Kane.”