Bad Blood

Chapter 7

Despite everything, despite the terror and the chaos, Emily realized one truth she couldn’t escape—she loved Kane.

It was a love that made no sense, a love born from a whirlwind of emotions she hadn’t been able to control. He had hurt her, yes. He had crossed lines that should never have been crossed. And yet, beneath the surface of all his anger and confusion, she had seen glimpses of the man he could be. The man who cared for her in his own broken way.

She didn’t know when it had started. Maybe it was the way he always seemed so lost, so different from the image he portrayed. Or maybe it was the moments when his mask slipped, and she saw the pain beneath. Kane was damaged, shaped by a world of violence and power, but there was something about him—something that had reached her in ways she couldn’t explain.

As the days passed, Emily found herself thinking about him more, the emotions she had tried so hard to push down only growing stronger. Her heart raced every time she saw him on campus, even though they hadn’t spoken since that night at the factory. Kane’s eyes always found hers, his gaze lingering, filled with unspoken words. She could feel the tension between them, the pull that neither of them could ignore.

Emily fought with herself, torn between logic and emotion. How could she love someone who had kidnapped her, who had put her in such danger? But then she remembered the way he had saved her, the way his hands had trembled when he untied her, the regret and pain in his eyes. He had been desperate, yes—but he hadn’t wanted to hurt her. He had been lost, just as she had been.

One afternoon, Emily made a decision. She couldn’t keep running from her feelings. She needed to confront Kane, not just to get answers, but to tell him the truth—her truth. She loved him, despite everything. And maybe, just maybe, that love could save him from the darkness that had consumed him for so long.

She found him alone one evening, sitting by the edge of the campus, away from his usual group of friends. Kane looked different, quieter, more withdrawn. His usual cocky demeanor was gone, replaced by something softer, something broken.

Emily’s heart ached at the sight of him.

“Kane,” she said softly as she approached, her voice steady but full of emotion.

He looked up, surprised to see her. His eyes widened for a moment before he quickly masked his expression, but Emily saw the flicker of vulnerability in his gaze.

“Emily…” His voice was rough, uncertain, as if he wasn’t sure what to say.

She stood in front of him, her hands trembling slightly, but she didn’t let her fear stop her. “We need to talk.”

Kane nodded slowly, gesturing for her to sit beside him. They sat in silence for a moment, the tension between them thick, neither of them knowing how to begin.

Finally, Emily spoke. “I’ve been thinking a lot about everything that happened… about you.”

Kane’s jaw tightened, and he looked away, his hands clenched into fists. “I know I messed up, Emily. I’m sorry for what I did. I never wanted to hurt you.”

“I know,” she said softly, her heart pounding. “But it’s more than that, Kane. I… I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

He turned to look at her, his expression a mix of confusion and pain. “Why? After everything I did, after what I put you through… why would you even want to look at me again?”

Emily took a deep breath, gathering her courage. “Because I love you, Kane.”

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. Kane stared at her, his eyes wide, disbelieving. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

“I don’t know when it happened,” Emily continued, her voice shaking slightly. “Maybe I saw something in you that you couldn’t see in yourself. I know you’re broken, and I know you’ve done things you regret. But I also know that you can change. That you want to change. I see the good in you, even if you don’t.”

Kane shook his head, his hands running through his hair, disbelief written all over his face. “Emily, I’m not… I’m not good for you. I don’t even know how to love someone the right way. Look at what I’ve done. I hurt you. How could you love me after that?”

“Because I see who you really are,” Emily whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “And I believe in you.”

Kane’s face crumbled, the mask he had been wearing for so long finally falling away. He looked at her, his eyes full of anguish, and for the first time, Emily saw the boy beneath the gangster—the boy who had never been taught how to love, how to be vulnerable, how to be good.

“I don’t deserve you,” he said, his voice breaking. “I’m not what you think I am.”

Emily reached out, gently taking his hand in hers. “You deserve a chance, Kane. A chance to be more than what the world expects of you.”

Kane looked down at their joined hands, his body trembling with emotion. He had spent his entire life building walls around himself, walls of anger and control. But now, here was Emily, offering him something he had never known—love, without conditions.

He didn’t know if he could change, if he could become the man she believed he could be. But for the first time in his life, Kane wanted to try.

Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at her, his voice barely above a whisper. “I love you too, Emily. I don’t know how to show it, but I do.”

Emily smiled through her tears, her heart swelling with hope. “We’ll figure it out together.”

And in that moment, for the first time, Kane allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he could be worthy of the love she offered so freely.