Page 20 of Pieces Into Place

I give her a token smile before hastening to the restroom to catch my breath. Something about his presence unsettles me, and I’m sweating more than usual now. Heat rises from my neck to my chest, underarms and back, and sweat is already soaking through my shirt.

Usually, I have enough time to prepare for seeing him by formulating sarcastic comments, but tonight he’s caught me off-guard. Even worse, I’m captivated by how he looks. It seems this evening I’ll be just as awkward as the kids.

I’m standing in front of the broken mirror, staring at the words “ASS” and “BITCH” that are carved into it, when Kane shows up, filling the doorway with his tall frame.

“Are you alright?” he asks with a hint of worry on his face.

“Are you alright?” I reply, causing him to look confused.

“Me? What do you mean?” he inquires.

“You’re in the female restroom,” I point out. “Going through some kind of mental episode or just plain old-fashioned voyeurism?”

He responds drily, “Voyeurism, definitely. I saw you rush in here and wanted to make sure nothing was wrong.”

I lie, assuring him, “Nothing’s wrong.” Then I narrow my eyes suspiciously. “Since when did you care if I’m OK?”

He pauses before answering, “Since I began working here as school security – until nine o’clock tonight, the safety of everyone is my responsibility.”

“Where was that sense of responsibility when you caused me to fall on my ass?”

“Hey,” he says in a tight voice as his eyes bore into me. “I asked if you were alright, and all you wanted to do was yell at me. Nothing was hurt except for your pride.”

My heart races as I try to move around him.

He steps slightly to the left, allowing me space to slide past him, and before I know it his fingers grip my elbow. His touch sends sparks up my arm and a flush rose up my cheeks. “You know, you make it really difficult to care about your well-being,” he says.

I shake off his grasp and reply sharply, “Good thing you don’t need to care about my well-being then.” With that I spin away from him and stomp off.

The children move around with an air of excitement, whispering to each other in small groups and erupting into laughter every few minutes. Meanwhile, Kane remains a vigilant presence by the door, keeping a sharp eye on all comers and goers.

I find myself glancing over at him from time to time; his tall frame stands firm and determined, arms crossed resolutely across his chest, and he returns polite smiles as people approach him for conversation. I try my best to avoid him after our awkward encounter in the bathroom; there is something about him that seems a little too complex for me to unravel. It makes me uneasy.

As soon as the music fades out, I hastily gather up my things and make a beeline for home, feeling more content in my own space than I had all night.

Chapter eleven

Kane

I arrive at Henry’s chosen meet-up spot, a dimly lit bar where the pungent scent of stale beer and cigarettes lingers. Henry is already seated at our regular table, nursing his own drink.

He slides a cold bottle of beer across the table to me as I take a seat. The condensation from the bottle drips onto my hand as I take a long swig. It’s been a while since I’ve been out drinking, but tonight just might be the night to break that streak.

I’m eager to debrief with Henry about my week, but before I can speak, he says, “You look like you could use that.” We both chuckle.

“I don’t know how much longer I can deal with those kids,” I say, glancing around the dimly-lit room. “Some of them are cute, sure, but most of them are total assholes.”

Henry nods in agreement before taking another sip of his drink. But then my thoughts drift back to Olivia.

“Hey man,” I finally say, breaking the silence. “Do you think Olivia is still in danger?”

Henry takes a deep breath before responding. “Yeah... actually. One of my guys got word that the Profaci’s are ramping up their search for her.”

I lean forward in my seat. “Do you think they will be able to find her?”

He hesitates before shaking his head slowly. “I don’t know... but we will be ready if they do.”

“I don’t get why they are so interested in Olivia Monroe. She’s dull. All she does is work, run errands, and then go home,” I explain to Henry. “I haven’t even seen her exercise or take a walk,” I add.