Free After Midnight: (A Penguin Special from Signet Eclipse) (Killer Instincts) by Elle Kennedy

dumbass.” He groaned loudly.
    Morgan sighed. “I
knew having a married couple on the team was a bad idea. I should’ve forbidden the marriage.”
    “I would have quit if you tried.”
    And that was the God-honest truth. He loved Abby Sinclair
that
much. So much he would’ve sacrificed his job in order to be with her. Hell, he would sacrifice anything if it meant keeping her happy and safe.
    God, he needed to apologize. Needed to hold her, needed . . . he just needed
her
.
    Kane abruptly shot to his feet. “Look, if you want to kick my ass, just get it over with. But do it fast. I need to see my wife.”
    “I’ll give you a pass. This time.” Morgan’s features turned to stone. “Noelle’s not the only one who cares about Abby, you know. If I find out you made her cry again, I’ll string you up and hang you, Kane.”
    He didn’t even acknowledge the threat—he was too focused on sprinting away.
    Urgency lined his steps as he hurried into the hotel. He bypassed the elevator bank, a survival instinct that was fully ingrained in him thanks to his military training—avoid places where you might get trapped. It was just another reminder of who he was and the kind of life he led. The life he wanted to
keep
leading.
    Ha. Living in the suburbs.
    He really was an idiot. No wonder his wife was furious with him.
    He burst into the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time as he raced upstairs. The image of Abby in tears kept flashing in his mind, bringing wave after wave of guilt. He couldn’t believe he’d made her cry. Goddamn it, maybe he
deserved
to be strung up.
    When he entered their suite a minute later, he stopped dead in his tracks. Abby was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her gaze focused on the doorway as if she’d been waiting for him to walk through it.
    Kane took one look at her red-rimmed eyes and splotchy cheeks, and his heart promptly broke. Split right in two. Splintered into a million pieces.
    Choking on the lump in his throat, he took several steps forward. He wanted to say something, but not a single word came out. So instead, he simply opened his arms.
    And his wife flew off the bed and right into them.
    *   *   *
    Abby clung to Kane’s solid chest, welcoming the strong arms that surrounded her.
    “I’m sorry,” he whispered, threading his fingers through her hair as he held her close.
    She pulled back to meet his eyes. Those gorgeous green depths conveyed deep shame, mingling with a cloud of unhappiness.
    “Oh hell. Please don’t cry,” he said roughly. “It breaks my fucking heart to see it.”
    She sniffled, embarrassed that he was witnessing this. Her adoptive father had taught her that crying was a sign of weakness, and she’d worked hard to master the ability to control her emotions.
    “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I’m being hysterical.”
    “Naah, you’re just being a woman.”
    She grinned through her tears. “Asshole.”
    The glint of humor faded fast. “Sorry. I know it’s the wrong time for jokes.” His voice cracked slightly, and he cleared his throat before continuing. “I’m the one who needs to apologize. I reacted like an ass when you told me about the pregnancy. I was blinded by my own happiness, and I just assumed we’d keep the baby and be a perfect little family. I didn’t even stop to consider your feelings about it.”
    “I know.” She went to wipe her face with the back of her hand, but Kane stopped her. He swept his callused thumbs over her cheeks, gently brushing away the tears.
    “I get why you’re scared and uncertain,” he told her. “I really do. And I want to respect you and your wishes, but to me, this is a baby. And I want it.”
    “I know,” she said again.
    “But I would never force you to do something you’re not comfortable with.” He rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb before leaning in for a brief, tender kiss. “And I don’t want you to be something you’re not. I know you won’t be happy driving a minivan