Killing, for Kayden, was an art form.
Where others saw violence, he saw craftsmanship. If a painter’s masterpiece was a canvas, and a composer’s was a symphony, and then Kayden’s masterpiece was death. Precise. Inevitable. On the battlefield, it wasn’t just about survival-it was about dominance. His ability to kill with such skill had become his signature, a mark that sent shockwaves through the ranks of his enemies.
How else could he have held off the enemies for three long years-armed with nothing but an old, battered blade?
Three years. And in all that time, even the most hardened soldiers had never witnessed the Defender of the South in action.
They didn’t need to. The stories alone were enough. When the Defender moves, the earth shakes. It was a phrase that had become almost mythic, whispered across campfires and among the ranks. Even now, it still carried weight, a reminder of the destruction he was capable of.
Even with his strength diminished, even if he only had a fraction of his old power, Kayden could still unleash a force that would leave the world trembling.
The soldiers gathered in silence around Britton Foster’s body. Greedy Wolf, his voice steady and commanding, gave the order. “Salute!”
Every man stood tall, backs straight, and saluted the fallen warrior with the respect he deserved.
As the salute ended, rifles were raised, and a volley of gunfire tore through the air. The sharp cracks of the shots echoed off the walls of the abandoned warehouse, filling the space with a deafening roar.
Cheetah, who had only just woken up, took one look at the scene and immediately fainted again, overwhelmed by the intensity of it all.
…
Georgia awoke the next morning. Kayden had made sure of it. He had deliberately slowed her return to consciousness, knowing that if she woke too soon, the trauma of the previous night would hit her like a freight train. So, he had bought her time-time to rest, time for her mind to catch up, time to heal.
Now, as she blinked awake, her body felt rested. Her mind, too, seemed a little more prepared to deal with whatever had happened.
“Kayden, you idiot!” A shrill voice cut through the calm. “Why is Georgia in the hospital? Did you hurt her? Are you jealous because too many men are after her, and you can’t stand it? Is that it?”
Scarlett stormed into the room, her words sharp and relentless. Ever since she’d found out Georgia was in the hospital, she’d been on the warpath. And seeing Kayden there, standing by Georgia’s bedside, only fanned the flames.
“I knew it! Nothing good ever happens when you’re around. What did you do? Are you trying to control her because you’re afraid she’ll leave you now that she’s successful? Is that it?” Scarlett’s voice rose with each accusation, her tone dripping with disdain.
Kayden didn’t say a word. He just stood there, calm, letting Scarlett’s rant wash over him without so much as a flinch.
Scarlett was the kind of woman who never saw Kayden for who he really was. In her eyes, he was still the fool from years ago, someone unworthy of her daughter.
She had no idea how much of the Adams family’s success was owed to him. None.
But Kayden wasn’t going to argue. If he’d wanted to, Scarlett wouldn’t even be standing there right now.
“Mom! That’s enough!” Leah finally snapped, unable to listen any longer. “Kayden’s not like that. Can you just give it a rest?”
Of course, Scarlett immediately turned her wrath on Leah, her anger shifting seamlessly from one target to the next.
Leah rolled her eyes and grabbed Kayden’s arm, pulling him toward the door. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Once they were outside, Leah gave him a quick once-over. Then, in a hushed voice, she leaned in, glancing around as if sharing some kind of secret. “Look, I just needed to get away from Mom-she’s been driving me crazy. But seriously, is it true? Was my sister kidnapped?”
Kayden raised an eyebrow, caught off guard. “Hmm?”
Leah nodded, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I mean, I’ve been reading a lot of detective novels lately, and I noticed the marks on her wrists and ankles. It’s obvious she was tied up. And those bruises on her face? She was definitely beaten. So, it had to be a kidnapping, right? And you-you must have been the one who saved her!”
Leah’s intensity was almost comical, but you had to hand it to her-she really did have a knack for playing detective.
“Oh, and another thing,” she said, shifting gears with the speed of a race car. “What’s the deal with Matthew’s family? Why did they all suddenly pack up and move abroad? Don’t tell me you had a hand in that! Ever since you stopped playing dumb, everything with the Adams family has mysteriously fallen into place.” Leah’s ability to jump from one thought to the next was impressive.
But before Kayden could even think of a response, a shrill voice pierced the air from inside the room.
“Oh my God, Georgia! You’re awake! Thank God, I was so worried!” Scarlett’s dramatic entrance left no room for anyone else to speak.
Leah rushed back into the room as soon as she heard her sister was conscious.
Georgia had finally opened her eyes, blinking as she adjusted to the room’s dim light. Scarlett was already hovering over her, her face twisted in a mix of relief and anxiety.
“I’m fine, Mom,” Georgia said softly, trying to reassure her. “See? Nothing to worry about. Where’s Kayden?”
“Kayden, Kayden, Kayden! Is that all you care about? That idiot’s probably dead by now-why are you even asking about him?” Scarlett snapped, her frustration evident.
The words hit Georgia like a punch to the gut.
Kayden… dead? No… that can’t be.
“I’m right here,” came Kayden’s calm voice from behind Scarlett and Leah. His presence was like a lifeline, pulling Georgia out of her spiralling thoughts.
Her eyes immediately locked onto him, and the lump in her throat grew heavier. “Mom, can you and Leah give us a minute? I need to talk to Kayden.”
Georgia’s gaze never left him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, filled with emotions she hadn’t yet put into words.
Scarlett hesitated, looking slightly taken aback by her daughter’s request, but eventually, with a huff and a muttered complaint, she left the room.
Leah, ever the considerate one, quietly closed the door behind them, leaving Georgia and Kayden alone.
“Kayden… are you okay?” Georgia asked, her voice trembling as tears finally began to roll down her cheeks.
Kayden walked over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed. His voice was calm and soft. “I’m fine.”
Without warning, Georgia threw herself into his arms, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. The memories of the last few days came flooding back-the terror of being kidnapped, the cruelty of the man who had taken her. She remembered the fear, the helplessness… and then Kayden. He had come for her, undeterred, calm in the face of danger, even when hundreds of enemies stood in his way.
But the most important thing? He had brought her home. He had made her safe.
At that moment, it hit her-no one in the world would ever care for her the way Kayden did. It wasn’t just that he had saved her; it was that he had always been there, always protecting her, even when she hadn’t fully understood what that meant.
For the first time, she felt a deep gratitude toward her late grandfather. He had brought Kayden into her life, and now, she saw what he had seen all along. Her grandfather hadn’t been trying to control her fate-he had known Kayden was the kind of man who would never waver, never let her down.
Kayden wasn’t just a good man. He was her man. The man who had quietly created miracles in her life, time and time again.