Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 136048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
“Hey,” I say, twisting the key in the ignition again and cringing at the awful screech of the engine. “I’m on my way home now.”
“Did that noise come from your car or were you singing again?”
“My car,” I say with a heavy sigh, putting the call on speakerphone and dropping it into my lap as I work extra hard to ignore his jab about my singing. But I can’t blame him. I’ve never met anybody more tone deaf than I am. “It sounded fine when I left for work, but I don’t think it’s doing very well anymore. I might drop it in at the shop today.”
“Nah, doll. I’ll take care of it. You just focus on getting home,” he tells me. “I thought you were getting off at four.”
“I did, but—” I cut myself off, realizing I’ve already said too much. I should have just said that I worked late and had a big autopsy that couldn’t be stopped halfway through. He wouldn’t have questioned it, but now there’s an hour of unaccounted time that’s going to leave his mind swirling with questions.
“But what?”
“But nothing. Just got distracted chatting with the night janitor, Vincent,” I say, feeling somewhat better that I partially told the truth, though something tells me if I were to tell him what actually caused my delay, he wouldn’t be quite so chill.
“Alright, just get home. I want you resting,” he tells me. “Your first shift back after emergency surgery is bound to exhaust you, and I don’t want you falling apart on me.”
“As bossy as ever on this fine Tuesday morning, I see.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want to ruin a good thing now, would I?”
The dorkiest smile pulls across my lips, and I roll my eyes, loving this playful side of him. “Absolutely not,” I tell him, noticing sounds in the background. “It doesn’t sound as though you’re at home, in bed, waiting for me to rock your world.”
“You know there’s no place else I’d rather be,” he says, desire thick in his tone. “But it wouldn’t be Blackstone if I didn’t get called out in the middle of the night. I shouldn’t be long, though. This case seems pretty open and closed.”
The slightest relief pulses through me, realizing he won’t be home to see the jumpiness in me or the redness around my throat. Hell, I’m lucky he hasn’t already clocked the fact that I’m not being one hundred percent truthful. After all, there’s nothing Knight Slater enjoys more than calling me out on my bullshit.
“Okay, well, try not to get yourself shot in the ass,” I murmur as I pull out of the parking garage and onto the main road, finally able to head home. “Because if anybody gets the honor, it’s gonna be me.”
“Alright, doll. I’ll make sure my team knows that if anyone is going to shoot a load into my ass, it’ll be you.”
I laugh. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and I freaking love it. Though if it actually came down to shooting a load into his ass, he’d politely decline, not that I have anything that could potentially shoot any sort of load anyway. The whole pegging thing doesn’t thrill Knight. It’s not his particular cup of tea, but he’s more than happy to let me tease him about it. Whatever jokes I throw his way, I just have to be prepared that they will come flying back at me tenfold.
“Gotta run,” he says a moment later, almost sounding disappointed to have to end the call. “Call if you need anything.”
“I will,” I tell him. “Be safe.”
“Always.”
9
KNIGHT
Standing on the rooftop of the tallest high-rise in the heart of Blackstone, I glance down at my phone, watching through my home security cameras as Harper walks up onto the front porch and lets herself in after her first shift back, unknowingly soothing the wildness that rampages through me every time she leaves the house.
I adore the love she has for her work, but the idea of letting her step out into the world terrifies me. What choice do I have? It’s not as though I can confine her to our home for the rest of her life. Apparently, that shit is frowned upon. I have to stand back and let her spread her wings, but there’s no denying it: Harper-Rayn Madden is not only a fiery little vixen, she’s a magnet for trouble, and every step she takes seems to land her in a world of pain. She doesn’t mean to, and it’s not like she’s actively searching for trouble, but it finds her, no matter what.
With Harper safe at home, I slip my phone back into my pocket and focus on the volatile situation I’m about to send my men into. On the thirty-eighth floor of the Titan Building, six armed and dangerous men have barricaded the doors of Blackstone’s top jewelers, holding the full staff of twenty-three people hostage since close of business over twelve hours ago.