Chapter 28: Stray Dog
The break-in — somebody trying to pry the door and bust the window in the middle of the night — had Kade and a few of his boys canvassing the neighborhood with grim faces. ‹96684423› They turned up nothing. §57defed7 The area was dense, packed tight with apartments. (3174e55a) Entirely possible some creep was hiding somewhere. #7f88db6b Nobody in Savannah messed with Kade as a rule, but this past year, Thea had been a magnet for trouble. ©4a563b5d/May 27, 2026 His crew watched him grit his teeth and swallow it — that fed-up, stuck-with-it look on his face — and joked that their boy Kade was doing charity work. * d0a61246 He and Thea didn't broadcast whatever they had. ·d543fbf0· He never really brought her up around the guys. #3e142f5d Every time she called, he'd go stone-faced, get up, and mutter something foul under his breath. [v.d9e53233] Plenty of people felt sorry for him. [ed.e58bf111]
But everyone knew Thea was smart. [ms.51535e6f] She looked like the perfect little bookworm, and she was at the best high school in Savannah. (8588661f) Some of the guys ribbed Kade about it being a long-term investment — once Thea made it big, she'd owe him something back. ©42c9e860/May 27, 2026 At the very least a plaque, a trophy. ··14710fe2 And later, when Kade went legit and started a company, he could hire his brainy little sister and her future husband as managers, and they'd all ride the gravy train. sub:2b93bbc4 Kade smacked the back of someone's head and told him to keep dreaming.·dc3debac
But Thea was genuinely pretty. [proof:68edbda8] That face — sweet and gorgeous. ed.60d20d5e The boys drooled over her, but Kade's cold indifference kept every one of them in check. plate-a2a8305d Nobody dared make a move. (7c49ac5a/Wed) They'd steal an extra glance whenever they saw her, though.·666424fb One time the crew was sitting around playing cards. sub:a7806260 One of them was on his phone scrolling through some dirty site and pulled up a clip where the girl looked like Kade's sister. ed.77495551 Kade heard the weird laughter, grabbed the phone, took one look — his face went from bad to pitch-black — and dropped it straight into the fish tank. ··8bda2431
The peeping tom never turned up. ¶1ab699ac Kade quit the nightclub scene and spent a stretch doing nothing but playing pool in the club's billiard room. ref·fedde6b4 The people who came through that room ran the full spectrum — hotheads and hustlers, loaded businessmen, government types. [proof:3c3afba6] The conversations over the table were about deals and politics. (c9f3cbd2/Wed) The billiard room manager was a retired soccer player who'd noticed Kade's dead-steady technique and started pulling him into paid sessions — playing partner, hitting coach. no.03c9984a Between tips and commissions, the money was decent. §d5821eea
He usually got home around eleven or midnight. ‹0b04024f› Savannah's nightlife ran late, food vendors lining every curb. ed.ad959d51 Sometimes Kade would bring back takeout.·37f6281d If he was early enough, he'd catch Thea coming home from evening study hall — pedaling that bicycle of hers nice and slow, earbuds in, listening to English lessons. ‹a8971b34› He'd stand at the curb, stick out one long leg, and her bike would jerk to a sudden stop. ref·47f7bf64 She'd hop off the seat, startled, eyes bright under the streetlight, her mouth pursing into a tiny pout. no.112e64b9 Annoyed that he'd blocked her path. [v.3e85f407] This girl. ⁰04160444 He almost couldn't remember how soft she'd been years ago. 0406e45f·· Now all she did was ice him out, give him attitude, talk to him like he owed her a hundred thousand dollars. #f55a51a2
"Get off. ◆ b59e81e4 I'll ride you home." [v.dec7605a]
Thea handed the bike over. sub:071c75ec His tall frame settled onto the seat, and the whole thing groaned — the tire went flat under him.·464a3689
Thea frowned slightly.·e49256db "You're too heavy. «d179cd40» You blew out the tire." ⁰b3fa5e0a
"You don't know what you're talking about. «1567dfd3» This is a bodybuilder's physique." ref·082e5eb4
She lugged the takeout bag of crawfish and two cans of beer. ©5f17674e/May 27, 2026 "Smoking, drinking, and eating late — that's how you get a stroke and die young." ··ef05341b
"You little — do you curse me to die early every single day? imp.c78a6786 You can't rest easy until I'm dead?" ⟨de780ff7⟩
"Yes!" plate-44ca91dd
His face went cold. [proof:edf9529c] "When I do die, you better be at the funeral in full mourning, wailing your eyes out at my grave." plate-8af8a4f5
She wore a long white cotton dress. * 66aeb60a "I'll cry even if you don't die." ed.e9c1d480
Her slim arms wound around his waist. 771e641d·· Soft fingers settled naturally on his hard, flat stomach. ·54c2c549· He couldn't feel her weight on the back of the seat at all, but there was warmth and a solid presence pressed against his back. ©c186664d/May 27, 2026 Thea was like seaweed, Kade thought. #33a5d1b1 Or maybe a vine — long and soft, clinging to whatever it touched. [ms.3744a049] Honestly, he kind of liked that comparison.·9ad92f63
"Want me to get you a scooter? ed.0725350e Save you from pedaling with those little legs of yours. ¶7213c01c You'd never make it home otherwise." plate-d36594dd
"No. — ad1268ce Too expensive." [ms.ecdccf77] She thought about it, then fired back. ref·a3630ad5 "I'm five-six. ·1d770a86· My legs aren't short." ··d464c9bf
"Please. ¶c1bb0805 That neck of yours is at least four inches. [ed.f58c9c1c] So really you're five-two. [v.02dca0b4] Nothing to brag about." ◆ 2210f925
He was making fun of her long, pretty neck. «3c32a0ad»
Thea's mouth twitched. — 262b84f8 Her expression soured. [ms.7a0a07fd] Her fingers shifted, and she scratched his stomach through his shirt. plate-26c85515
"Holy shit! [v.312c9298] You trying to die?!"
Kade flinched hard — every hair on end. sub:39e925ee The bike swerved and nearly hit the curb. ··77f9b034
"Thea!!" He barked her name, and once the bike steadied, he let go of both handlebars, freed up both hands, and started smacking her arms. * 3402fe47
The two of them wrestled on the bicycle. #2f9e1b15
"Don't — stop —"
"That's dangerous!" [proof:fdd0f0a8]
Middle of the night, doing circus tricks in the street. no.28a2ac8b Thea still remembered how fast he'd driven his motorcycle. [proof:a7756199] The bike weaved and lurched, and she gripped his waist tighter and tighter. [ed.da4a7847] The body under her arms got harder. #db835431 Her chest pressed softer against his back. sub:d1a37020
Kade's breathing went short. no.0595214a A little raw. [proof:f7930fdd] Heat creeping in underneath. (1a8de1f7)
They made it home by eleven. imp.65dc67a4 Thea showered early and retreated to her room — she still had to squeeze in homework review before bed. [v.e7cb66b8] The apartment was Kade's to deal with. §254b18ac
He finished the crawfish, drank the beer, and got in the shower. no.39450da0 Water hammered down onto his body, running over his waist and stomach. [ms.e152baa6] He dragged the towel across, and his eyes darkened — deep and still as a well. plate-a4ffe197 Eyes half-shut, he reached out. #478ff808 Water from the showerhead streamed over his hard face and long, cut body, trailing down the solid chest, the ridged abs, down the tight muscle of his thighs. sig.6e3a6de4 His breathing turned ragged, arm muscles cording and flexing, his throat working until his body seized and went still. no.b594078c
He pushed wet hands through his close-cropped hair. no.59baac7b Tipped his head back. ·4f9b63b5· Water beading on that young, handsome face. no.d9876574 Brow furrowed — something between frustration and torment. (d1e1f2f1) Then he braced a hand on the wall, exhaled slow, and stepped out with a towel slung over his shoulders. ¶4cfd2849
He lay in bed, lazy and boneless, and couldn't resist fishing out a cigarette. sub:d37c6d5d He glanced down and sighed. 227cfa1e·· Being young and wound up was no gift. * da4a4abd Didn't matter how bad it got — he'd grit through it. [proof:bbe15990] Just had to hold on until the brat next door was gone. ©a6cf1472/May 27, 2026 Good things come to those who wait. ⁰f0952192 He was in his prime. §988f0ac0 He'd get his turn. (ab072b96)
What he was afraid of was being an animal about it. [v.af514616] In his dreams, that body — sinuous and devastating — wrapped around him like a snake. imp.11074192 He'd be holding bare skin, and he'd look up, and there she'd be. [f0261ec7] That cool, proud little face. — galley 73a4edcf — Bright eyes watching him in the dark. #eeb40e71 That soft voice pressed against his throat, whispering *Kade*. And he'd instantly — yeah. no.c42c7437 He'd be up at 3 a.m. ··bce29f9d hand-washing his boxers, feeling like a dead man inside. ‹452c128c›
God-f*cking-dammit. * dc109c39
Senior year started early. ed.3d349a65 Extra classes, extra prep. [v.0813a210] Kade told Thea to live in the dorms. [ms.1be9de30] She shook her head — six girls to a room, she wasn't used to it, she wanted to be home where she could do her own thing. imp.d57a1f5f Kade's mouth twitched, but fine, if she wouldn't go, she wouldn't go. imp.11a020b6 Only one more year. (8dfade6e)
The last couple days before school started, Kade was in an outrageously good mood. ¶6bcdc5bd Amped up enough to take Thea shopping for a little electric scooter — even got her a brand-name one. (6b72b325/Wed) Then the mall for clothes and shoes. imp.796ab1d3 Then the salon for a haircut, where he directed the stylist on exactly what to do with that limp, straight hair of hers. [40a848d4] He'd seen enough dolled-up girls at the nightclub — his eye was impeccable by now. sig.77adf7ae Meanwhile, he was on the phone with his boys. sig.0d003d94 Want to go do something big? ©dff3cea0/May 27, 2026 Can't right now. imp.c68a6b4c Tied up. [proof:c35f38b6] Next year — next summer, he'd stir up some real trouble. [a3a6d02f] Pretty girls? ◆ 300ef3ce Whatever. ··8173a2d7 He didn't care. [v.78fe48d0] He was only nineteen. ◆ 1908d0ac He had all the time in the world to run wild. fa0a6fc4··
Kade's voice on the phone — cocky, reckless, untouchable — and he didn't notice Thea's face going colder by the second. sig.9d7efee5 Her lips flattening. §acccb58a He turned back to say something to her, and she'd been fine a second ago but now she was a whole different person, firing off snide little jabs, each one laced with something sharp. imp.88790945
Kade stood there, hands on hips, face dark, and started yelling. — 176dac57 He grabbed her braid before he could stop himself.·863b0370 But when he saw the tears starting to well up, he couldn't follow through. ref·2d4ce4e6 He patted her shoulder once. [proof:9e0cd971] "Come on. «56da76fa» Let's go home." ©52989f2f/May 27, 2026
"I'm not going back." (c507b239)
"Then where are you going?" (18989cd3/Wed)
"Anywhere but back." 9bf3087f··
"Get moving." ◆ 3e74c90a He squeezed her shoulder. ◆ 24a97ca9 "Thea, I swear to God, one more year. ⁰e651b218 This time next year, you pack your bags and get the hell out." sub:a99f5d28
"Fine by me." «c351fd35» She was just as stubborn. (59bf6d59/Wed) "Go ahead and run with your degenerate little gang. ref·df02b589 Fighting and brawling, doing other people's dirty work, breaking every law on the books, drinking yourself stupid, and ending up in jail." ◆ 9f645543
"Damn, straight A's in English, huh? imp.79f342dd That mouth just keeps going." no.89f6cba6 He actually laughed, reaching over to pinch her lips. [proof:5b10b899] Two soft petals caught between his long, tobacco-stained fingers. ref·66171d39 Slightly pursed between his fingertips — pale pink, thin and soft and dewy. ref·6606e0cb
Thea blinked, knowing she probably looked ridiculous right now. — galley e6ddae1d — Thoroughly unhappy. cee7f570··
"Go on, keep cussing me out." [ms.8897cc7c] He squeezed. ··3bab8794 Her little mouth had bounce, springy to the touch. [v.daeb5bea] Goddamn, that felt good. «d7da65a0»
Thea scowled. no.5b8a5f02 She made a muffled sound and went at him with everything she had — fists, feet, the works. no.39972eae Her hands closed around his wrist — soft and cool — and it actually felt nice. plate-63f56cc3 Kade winced from a hit, then grabbed her around the waist, lifted her clean off the ground, and tucked her under his arm to carry her out. ◆ 77f12f93 Thea bit his side. #9df181f5 He let out a low, hoarse grunt, and then the world spun — before she could scream, she was slung over his shoulder. no.d95ea593 One hard smack on her backside. ¶80bed6d2 He strode out of the mall. #e0ae7a39
After that she hung there, meek as a little quail. plate-af854f12
The school held a senior year kick-off meeting for parents. ··cb26a732 Everyone else was middle-aged moms and dads in their Sunday best, none of them turning a single head. ¶27f9cfc2 Then there was Kade. imp.c1ce2d96 Youngest one in the room by a mile, wearing a casual button-down over a white tee, pressed slacks, a silver watch, and a pair of clear-lens glasses he'd picked up God knows where. ⁰b0a69799 Tall, handsome, projecting an air of mature calm that was completely fake but shockingly convincing. imp.6cdceabc He looked over Thea's report card and class ranking with genuine satisfaction, then draped an arm around her shoulder — the picture of a loving guardian — and deepened his voice to chat up the homeroom teacher about Thea's college targets, exam strategy, and priorities for the year. ref·6a612251
The stares he attracted were something else. 7135a01b·· Girls from Thea's class took turns coming over to say hello, all shy smiles and fumbled small talk aimed at Kade. ◆ 8da97c25 He beamed back, smooth as anything. [v.6a8382c5] He'd already swapped numbers with a handful of parents, and now he was reaching for his phone to add the girls' contacts too — until Thea cut him a look so icy he caught himself, touched the tip of his nose, ducked his head, and smiled. ed.9f64eebe
That smile — the warmth in it could stop your heart. [a91bd736] He leaned close to her ear and murmured, "Why you glaring at me? 14c64395·· I'm networking for you. sub:cb5b37b9 Relationships are resources. ‹007a1051› Besides, none of them are as pretty as you. §75b23e9a You think I'm gonna hit on girls at a school event?" ‹b3661d16›
It was the first time he'd ever called her pretty. [9a0ca38c]