Chapter 4

After Kane walked me home last night, we spent a quiet evening together. He held me while we watched a movie, not saying a word, but I could feel his tension hadn't completely faded.

This morning, Kane was called back to the station by an urgent phone call. He kissed my forehead with an apologetic look and said, "There's a new development in the case. I have to go. Come straight home after work—don't go anywhere else."

"About Diego..."

"I'll handle it," he cut me off, a flash of coldness in his eyes. "But until then, you need to be extra careful."

When I got off work in the afternoon, walking toward my apartment building with my bag, I was still thinking about Kane's worried expression from this morning. Yesterday's incident was resolved, but I knew he was more unsettled than he let on.

But when I turned the corner and saw three familiar figures downstairs at my building, my blood instantly froze.

Diego was back, with two burly men beside him. Their eyes looked particularly sinister in the twilight, like predators waiting for prey to walk into their trap.

My steps stopped instantly, my heart pounding wildly. Run! That was my first instinct.

But as soon as I took a step, another man emerged from the alley on my left, blocking my escape route.

"Where do you think you're going, baby?" Diego's voice came from behind me, carrying a bone-chilling laugh.

I was surrounded.

"Diego..." I tried to keep my voice calm, "We have nothing to talk about."

"Nothing to talk about?" He slowly approached, the two thugs following behind. "That cop's 'education' yesterday was quite enlightening. You know what? During my time in jail, I thought about you every single night."

I backed away, but there was a wall behind me. "Kane warned you to stay away from me."

"Kane?" Diego sneered. "That cop isn't here now. No one can save you. You think he really cares about you? He's just doing his job."

I reached for my phone in my bag, but Diego was faster. He grabbed my wrist and roughly dragged me toward the depths of the alley.

"Let go of me!" I struggled desperately. "Help!"

"Scream all you want. No one can hear you here," one of the thugs sneered coldly. "Boss Diego said it's time you learned some manners."

My heart was about to jump out of my chest. Where was Kane? What should I do? With my phone under Diego's control, I had completely lost my chance to call for help.

"You think you're so high and mighty now that you're with that cop?" Diego flew into a rage and suddenly slapped me hard across the face.

The burning pain exploded instantly, and tears poured out uncontrollably. He had never hit me like this before, not even during our most heated arguments.

"Diego, we're over!" I cried, my cheek burning like fire.

"Over?" He sneered viciously. "It's over when I say it's over! You're just a fucking—"

Before he could finish, a thunderous crash came from the mouth of the alley.

"BANG!"

Diego was slammed against the wall by tremendous force, blood spraying from his nose instantly. Kane appeared before us out of nowhere, his eyes cold enough to kill everyone present.

"What did you just call my woman?" Kane pressed his knee against Diego's chest, his voice low and menacing like judgment from hell. "Say it again."

"I... I didn't say anything..." Diego was bleeding from his nose, barely able to speak clearly.

The two thugs tried to advance, but Kane just turned to look at them once. That look made them freeze instantly.

"Assaulting a federal witness," Kane pulled out handcuffs, smoothly cuffing Diego. "That's enough to put you away for years. And this time, I'll personally ensure the 'quality' of your prison life."

Diego's face turned deathly pale.

Kane didn't bother with him anymore and turned to me. When his gaze fell on the red handprint on my face, the murderous intent made me both afraid and reassured.

"Does it hurt?" He gently caressed my cheek, his voice becoming tender again, but the violence in his eyes hadn't completely faded.

I choked out, "How did you find me?"

Kane was silent for a second, then said, "I put a tracking device on you. From now on, I'll know your every location."

I was stunned. A tracking device? When?

"On your necklace," he seemed to read my confusion. "Last night while you were sleeping."

That handwoven necklace—I wore it every day, never taking it off...

"You..." I didn't know what to say. This feeling of being monitored should have made me angry, but at this moment I only felt an overwhelming sense of security.

Kane held me tightly, and I could feel his body trembling. "I'm sorry I was late."

"No, you came at exactly the right time." I held him tight, tears streaming down my face. "I thought... I thought no one would come to save me."

"That will never happen," he said in my ear, his voice as firm as a vow. "As long as I'm alive, no one will ever hurt you."

I looked up at him. The murderous intent in his eyes hadn't completely disappeared—that look of wanting to kill the entire world made my heart tremble. But when he looked at me, that tenderness returned.

This was Kane, my Kane. He could be the grim reaper that criminals feared, and he could also be the most tender protector.

Diego was taken away by other officers who had arrived, and the two thugs didn't dare approach us again. Kane took my hand and we walked toward his car.

"About the tracking device..." I hesitated.

"Are you angry?" He stopped walking, worry flashing in his eyes.

I shook my head. "I should be angry. But I'm not. It makes me feel... safe."

Kane breathed a sigh of relief and gently kissed my forehead. "I won't let today happen again. I promise."

Night had completely fallen, and Los Angeles's neon lights began to flicker. But in Kane's embrace, I felt safer than ever before.

The humiliation and fear Diego had given me today all disappeared the moment Kane appeared. I knew that as long as he was here, I would never face the darkness alone.

But I also understood what that murderous look in Kane's eyes meant. To protect me, what kind of demon was he willing to become?

This question both moved me and made me uneasy. But at this moment, held tightly in his protective embrace, I just wanted to immerse myself in this sense of security—being completely protected by the most dangerous man in the world.

Kane, my guardian angel, my dangerous love.