Chapter 39. Between Duty and Despair

I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth, watching as the door swung closed behind Kane. His shoulders were slumped as if carrying the weight of the world, and the usual confident spark in his eyes was extinguished. Seeing him like that stirred something uncomfortable inside me—a mix of guilt and sadness that I couldn't quite shake. Part of me wanted to call him back, to undo whatever hurt I'd just inflicted, but I stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.

Sucking in a deep breath, I turned to face Lottie. Her hair was tousled, and a faint flush coloured her cheeks. She looked both vulnerable and fierce, confusion, pain, and hurt swimming in her eyes. I didn't know what to say; words seemed inadequate. The scent of intimacy lingered in the air, unmistakable. Things strewn haphazardly around the kitchen, and the subtle disarray hinted at the urgency of their recent encounter.

A part of me was admittedly grossed out—no brother wants to walk in on that—but ano