“Why do I get the impression that there is more going on right now than you’re telling me?”

He unbuckles and kneels down in front of me. “I love you, Willow. Trust in that and trust in me. You know there are things I haven’t told you, but I haven’t kept them from you for any other reason than I had made a promise to someone that I wouldn’t talk about it.”

“Not even to me,” I add. I’m not mad about that. I know how important his word is to him, his integrity that his trust is worth something more than just a word. But it still unsettles me. That being said, I think it would be more unsettling if he had no issues breaking the trust he had asked someone to have in him when our relationship started out with me blindly giving him my trust.

“I’m sorry, baby. When I gave my word, it was before I ever imagined what we have would become a reality. The love we have is the best kind of unexpected, and you have to know how much I hate keeping this from you. I’m telling you, with absolute honesty, that I will tell you everything, but I have to do that without breaking my word. There are too many people who can get hurt, and I refuse to let you be one of them.”

Taking a deep pull of air, I nod. “Okay, Kane. I trust you, and I know you wouldn’t keep secrets from me that would hurt me. Before we leave this spot, though, I’m going to ask something of you that I had when we first started this. Please don’t make me regret giving you my trust, Kane. I love you more than you’ll ever know, but if you’re keeping something from me that affects our lives, I deserve to know.”

His jaw works, clenched in frustration, and he runs one hand through his thick hair. “I promise that it isn’t anything that will affect us and our lives directly, regardless of what the media is saying.”

The air between us ripples with uneasiness. I can see it in his eyes, the love that he has for me, but I also see the apprehension and worry written over his features.

“We’re in this together, Kane. Just don’t shut me out.”

He sighs; one of acceptance and relief that I’m not fighting him on his request to let this be until we get back to his home. “I won’t. Come on, love, let’s go home.”

Despite the uneasy feeling I had while we were landing, the ride to Kane’s Malibu beach house was lovely. William had landed in a small, private airstrip just outside of Santa Monica that Kane owned. A Range Rover similar to the one we had been driving around in while in Georgia and New York was waiting for us, and after Cam and Kane had transferred over our luggage, we began the drive.

Kane pointed out different locations as we drove, and his hand was always in contact with my body somehow; as if he was worried that I would disappear if he didn’t physically know I was with him. The conversation wasn’t forced and neither was his affection.

I wasn’t nervous about what was to come. I know that Kane is honorable in his trust and he isn’t trying to hurt me. It’s just the opposite; he’s looking out for me and us. I can’t be mad about that.

I settle into the soft leather under me and rest my head on his shoulder, my hand settling on his hard thigh, and I enjoy the ride. There’s no need to consume myself with negativity.

It has no place today, the day we begin our lives together.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I hear is Kane cursing next to me.

“What?” I gasp and jerk to sit up, looking around us. Dusk had settled around us, the darkness of night starting to claw its way free, but the only thing I see is a brightly lit home, a few cars, and a whole lot of nothing.

Kane’s house is set away from the beach. He had told me that in order to maintain his privacy, he had bought land that was high above the jutting rocks of one little butted-out piece of land. Enough area was fenced off between the cliff and trees; we were almost on a little island of our own.

He had also explained that he has enough security to give the White House a run for its money. So for the life of me, I can’t understand what would have set him off. The expression on his face coupled with the curses that woke me had me expecting to wake with cameras and reporters in our face.

“We have company,” he says through a clenched jaw.

“Company?”

“My family. All of them judging by the cars.”

He points to his right, and I lean forward to look around his body.

“Okay? And that’s a bad thing? I thought you were excited to see your parents.”

I had spoken with Christian and Rebecca Masters a few times in the last few weeks and nothing in those conversations gave me the impression I should be worried about meeting them for the first time.

His father, just like Kane, has no problem expressing himself, and he’s told me each time we’ve spoken how happy he is that his son is so happy. He’s the father I had always wished I had. Open, affectionate, and supportive.

His mother was hilarious. She opened her heart and let me in as if I was one of her own. I knew from our last phone call that she was looking forward to meeting me as well.

So seeing Kane upset over his family being here is very unlike him.

“Kane? Why is this bad?”

He sighs, frustration and anger coming forward. “Fuck!” His outburst makes me jump, and he turns to me and offers his apologies. “Shit, I’m sorry. I’m not mad they’re here … well, most of them. I’m not upset that they finally get to meet the woman I love, even if I wish we had some time to ourselves. When I said they’re all here, I meant all of my family, Willow.”

“Your brothers?” He nods.

“Kyle?” Again, he gives me a nod. Well, that certainly explains things. I know he’s close with his brother Kole, but he’s made no secret that things with Kyle are strained. He didn’t explain in detail. I could tell it wasn’t something he liked to talk about, so I didn’t push.

“I haven’t seen him in almost five months, Willow. I have no idea why he’s here other than the fact he’s trying to play some part of good older brother to my parents, who as far as I know are blissfully unaware that their sons hate each other.”

I scoot over and wrap my arms around him. “Then let’s go in there and just ignore him.”

His eyes hold mine, and he looks as if he is about to say something, but when he hears a high-pitched feminine call, his attention moves from me toward his front door.

I knew from seeing his mother accompany him one year to the Oscars that she was a beautiful woman. Kane favored his mother in looks. He had her same dark brown hair, blue eyes, and thick lips. But that was all he got from his mother. She was what I pictured when I thought of the quintessential mother figure. She was short, plump, and smiled in a way that almost looked unnatural. The love she had shone through her every movement. And right now, that love was rushing down the four stairs that led up to his front porch and right to the car parked in the front circle.

“My baby boy,” she yells before pulling the door open. “Get out here and give me some love! It’s been too long, and you’ve neglected your mother long enough.”

He laughs against my body and slides out of the backseat, pulling me with him when he grabs my hand. I look up and see Cam laughing at Kane’s mother as she bounces up and down on her feet waiting for her son to give her a hug, her arms wide and her expression full of excitement.

“Hey, Mom,” he mumbles, letting go of my hand and bending down to wrap his arms around her.

“Oh, my big baby boy. Stop denying me the happiness of these hugs and come home more often.”

Kane laughs and tries to pull back but fails when she refuses to let him go.

My own laughter joins Cam when I watch Kane pick his mother up off her feet. Her smile brightens, and he laughs even harder. Her feet dangling in the air as her ‘baby boy’ gives his mother the love she’s been missing.