Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Kane

T he following morning, they broke camp and began to move toward the cave that would be their temporary home until Kane thought it was safe to return to the dig or he could arrange an extraction by Cerberus. The wind howled through the narrow canyons of the Syrian desert, carrying with it the scent of sand and the ominous promise of danger. He led the team with the practiced ease of a man who had spent most of his life navigating hostile environments. Every muscle in his body was taut, his senses on high alert as they moved through the treacherous terrain.

He'd chosen this route carefully, guided by old military maps and the intel gathered from the locals. The hidden cave system they were headed toward was supposed to be secure, a place where they could regroup and plan their next steps without the constant threat of surveillance or attack. But the desert was unforgiving, and the path ahead was far from safe.

Kane kept a sharp eye over his shoulder on the group trailing behind him. The team of archaeologists, exhausted but determined, followed his lead with varying degrees of trepidation. Their expressions were a mix of fear and trust—trust that Kane would get them through this in one piece. Maggie's face was set in a mask of focused determination. She moved with surprising agility for someone whose usual environment involved dusty digs and ancient artifacts rather than craggy rocks and narrow ledges.

As they navigated a particularly steep incline, Kane couldn't help but notice the way Maggie carried herself. There was a fierceness in her that he hadn't fully appreciated before, a fire that matched her intellect and passion for her work. She wasn't just Matt Dillon's sister—she was her own person, with her own strengths and flaws. The realization had struck him more forcefully than he'd expected, but he'd quickly pushed the thought aside. He couldn't afford distractions, especially not now.

The Marines had taught Kane many things, but one lesson had always stood out: stay focused on the mission. And the mission right now was to keep Maggie and the rest of the team safe. Anything else—any feelings or thoughts that didn't directly contribute to that goal—was irrelevant.

Even so, he couldn't entirely ignore the way his awareness of Maggie had heightened since they left the camp. The way she set her jaw when the path got difficult, the way she didn't complain even when the going got tough—it all spoke to a resilience that he found unexpectedly admirable. And it reminded him of something he had lost when he left the military: a sense of purpose, a reason to keep pushing forward.

Kane's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden rumble overhead. He instinctively threw out an arm, signaling the group to halt. The ground beneath them trembled slightly, and a few loose stones tumbled down the rocky slope. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the area, searching for the source of the disturbance.

"Everyone stay close to the walls," Kane ordered, his voice low but authoritative. "We're not out of the woods yet."

Maggie, standing just a few feet away, caught his eye and nodded, her expression serious. She wasn't afraid—at least, not in the way the others were. She trusted him, and that trust was a weight on his shoulders. It wasn't just about keeping her alive; it was about living up to the faith she had placed in him, whether she realized it or not.

They continued on, the cave entrance drawing closer with every step. But the rumbling overhead grew louder, the vibrations more intense. Kane could feel it in his bones—something was about to give.

"Move, now!" he shouted, motioning for the team to pick up the pace. They scrambled forward, urgency in every movement.

The ground shook violently, and with a deafening roar, a section of the cliff above them gave way. Kane barely had time to react before a cascade of rocks came crashing down, splitting the group in two. He grabbed Maggie's arm, pulling her toward him and shielding her with his body as the rocks rained down around them.

When the dust settled, Kane's heart was pounding, his breath coming in short, controlled bursts. He and Maggie were separated from the rest of the team, the rockfall having created an impassable barrier between them and the others.

Kane's first instinct was to curse under his breath, but he quickly tamped down his frustration. He turned to Maggie, who was breathing heavily, her eyes wide with shock but otherwise unharmed.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice softer now, more concerned.

Maggie nodded, though she was clearly shaken. "I'm fine. What about the others?"

"We'll have to find another way out," Kane said, his mind already working through the options. "They're trapped on the other side, but they'll be all right. We just need to get out of here and regroup."

He could see the fear in her eyes, but also something else—resolve. Maggie wasn't the type to break down in a crisis. If anything, she seemed to draw strength from it. Most of the subs he knew would have been having a meltdown, but not Maggie. She had more grit than that. In some ways, she reminded him of her younger brother. Matt had that same kind of quiet courage. The fact was he found himself attracted to her in a way he hadn't been to other women for a very long time.

Kane led the way into the cave, his flashlight cutting through the darkness. The walls were close, the air thick and heavy. Every step echoed in the confined space; the sound amplified by the silence around them. Maggie followed closely behind, her own flashlight beam dancing alongside his.

The cave system was more extensive than Kane had anticipated. Narrow tunnels branched off in multiple directions, some so tight that they had to squeeze through sideways. Despite the claustrophobic conditions, Maggie didn't complain. She moved with the same quiet determination that had impressed him earlier, her mind clearly focused on finding a way out.

As they made their way deeper into the cave, the initial tension between them began to ease. They worked together in a silent rhythm, each one anticipating the other's needs. When they reached a particularly steep drop, Maggie offered a rope from her pack, which Kane secured before helping her descend. When they encountered a narrow passage barely wide enough for one person, Kane went first, guiding Maggie through with calm, steady instructions.

It was in these moments, as they navigated the cave's challenges together, that Kane began to see Maggie in a new light. She wasn't just a civilian caught up in a dangerous situation—she was capable, resourceful, and determined. And as much as he tried to remind himself that she was Matt's sister, that he had a duty to protect her and nothing more, he couldn't deny the growing respect he felt for her.

They came to a wider chamber, where the ceiling rose high above them, and the air felt cooler, fresher. Kane paused to catch his breath, his mind still racing with thoughts of the team they had left behind, of the mission, of the danger that seemed to be closing in on them from all sides. But it was Maggie who filled his thoughts the most—Maggie, who had proven herself to be more than just a responsibility.

She approached him, her expression serious but not fearful. "What now?" she asked, her voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space.

Kane took a deep breath, trying to push aside the thoughts that had been creeping into his mind. "We'll rest here for a minute, then keep moving. We need to find another way out, but we can't afford to rush. These caves are old and unstable—we have to be careful."

Maggie nodded, but she didn't move away. Instead, she looked at him, really looked at him, as if seeing him for the first time. "You saved my life back there," she said quietly. "Thank you."

Kane shrugged, trying to downplay the tension that was building between them. "It's my job."

"No," Maggie insisted, her eyes locking onto his. "It's more than that. You didn't have to pull me out of the way—you could have just focused on yourself. But you didn't. You've been looking out for me this entire time."

Kane felt a lump forming in his throat, the weight of her words pressing down on him. He had always been the one to put others first, to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. It was what he did, what he had been trained to do. But hearing Maggie acknowledge it, hearing the sincerity in her voice, made it feel different—more personal.

"I care about the people entrusted to my care," Kane said, his voice rough. "And that includes you."

Maggie smiled, a small, genuine smile that made something inside Kane twist in a way he wasn't used to. "I'm glad you're here," she said simply.

They stood there in silence for a moment, the air between them charged with an emotion that neither of them seemed quite ready to acknowledge. Kane could feel the pull, the undeniable attraction that had been simmering beneath the surface since they first met. But he also knew that crossing that line would complicate everything—especially with Matt in the picture.

And yet, as Maggie took a step closer, her eyes searching his, Kane found himself unable to resist. It was as if all the barriers he had built around himself were crumbling in the face of her determination, her strength, her undeniable pull.

"Maggie…" he started, his voice trailing off as she reached out, her hand lightly touching his arm.

She didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes said everything. There was no fear, no hesitation—just a quiet certainty that this was something they both wanted, something that had been building between them from the moment they were thrown together.

Kane's resolve wavered, and for a moment, he let himself forget about the mission, about Matt, about all the reasons this was a bad idea. He let himself be just a man standing in a cave with a woman who made him feel things he hadn't felt in a long time.

Slowly, he reached up, his hand cupping her cheek. Maggie's breath hitched, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed as she let out a soft sigh.

That was all the encouragement Kane needed.

He bent his head, his lips brushing against hers in a kiss that was gentle at first, almost hesitant, as if testing the waters. But when Maggie responded, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him closer, the kiss deepened, becoming more intense, more urgent.

Kane's other hand slid around her waist, drawing her body against his. The feel of her, warm and solid in his arms, sent a shiver down his spine. He kissed her harder, his heart pounding in his chest, his mind shutting out everything but the sensation of her lips on his, the taste of her, the way she fit perfectly against him.

For a moment, the world outside ceased to exist. There was no cave, no danger, no mission—only Maggie, and the way she made him feel alive in a way he hadn't in years.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing hard, their foreheads resting against each other. Kane's hand remained on her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin.

"Maggie," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I…"

But she shook her head, placing a finger against his lips. "Don't," she whispered. "We don't have to say anything. Let's just… let's just be here, in this moment."

Kane nodded, understanding what she meant. Words could complicate things, could make something beautiful into something difficult. So instead of speaking, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close as they stood together in the dark, hidden away from the world.

For the first time in a long time, Kane felt a sense of peace, of connection. And though he knew this moment couldn't last, he was determined to hold onto it for as long as he could.