LADY OF IRON

• 16 •

~ A little shake here, a little stability there ~
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The silence in the car might as well have been tangible as Ron steered it, headed home. Kadron and Nessa sat in the back. Nessa glanced at Kade who sat so stiff and tense she knew he was still angry.

She cowered a bit in her sit afraid to get closer, though she sort to comfort him. They sat on opposite sides with the middle seat between them. In as much as she wanted to offer solace, a sense told her he needed space to cool off.

Keeping her eyes on the empty streets outside the cold glass chilled her cheek. Still quite drunk, it helped center her and she thought back to what happened in the club.

Stupid rapist, she hoped he experienced something unpleasant, and that was putting it mildly. Nessa shuddered to think of what could have happened. Even more, her mind strayed to her protector. Immediate action, no second thoughts. He settled it with his fists all raw caveman energy. Nessa admitted an attractive aspect of it existed but the brutal end of it got her thinking twice.

However, was she scared of him?

Today she saw different sides to Kadron. The relaxed guy as he hang out with friends, the playful way he showered her with unrestrained attention and her ferocious defender.

Seriously, that may be an understatement.

That last guy made her heart skip and not in the usual way. That guy beat a much bigger man to a pulp with no inclination to cease. Unlike anything she ever saw his movements like a wounded animal, utterly dangerous.

When Nessa caught a glimpse of his face after Kade pushed her back, the mask of a lethal individual promising delivery of a fatal imposition. Eyes wild and feral, mouth turned up in an enraged scowl, nose flaring and skin contorted in a sneer.

Still handsome as ever, but she would never want to be on the receiving end of that face. She itched to touch him, her hand twitching but resisted the urge. Shifting to find a more comfortable position,she closed her eyes.

Nessa balanced in the air, coming to, before the sound of a closing door woke her up.

"Kadron?" She called eyes still shut.

"Shhhh baby, we are home." He murmured softly.

Home, she snuggled his chest feeling very much like it. Kade carried her into the house and up the stairs after saying something to his sister. Nessa stirred again when he put her down, propping her, on the bathroom counter beside the sink.

He left her for a second, rifling through a drawer before she sensed him close again. Nessa peered at him through slits then closed her eyes. Water poured into the sink and shut off then something cool touched her face.

From the smell of lavender, he used her make up remover wet tissues to wipe her face. She didn't have any of those at his house. . . Nessa looked up into his face to find him fully concentrated on the task at hand.

His gaze flicked to hers.

An expression came over him she couldn't quite place.

He smiled at her.

After helping Nessa brush her teeth, he lifted her by her waist and sat her on the counter again.

"You want to keep the wig on?" He brushed it out of her face his knuckles running down her jaw.

"No." Her arms lifted lazily to remove it.

"Show me." Kade put the towel down, carefully unclipping the hair piece after her first demonstration.