I smiled. Tall, dark, handso, and funny. I was in trouble.
Despite my nervousness from not knowing what was going on, Knight put at ease, and I was a little calr when we arrived. He followed upstairs and into the apartnt, closing the door behind us.
"So, Booker said I’m supposed to pack her a bag?" I asked. "Any idea why or for how long?"
"No... let find out." He sent off a text, and then we stood in the entryway, waiting. His phone buzzed. He studied it for a mont before saying, "Booker needs you to pack enough clothes and shit for a week or so."
"What’s going on?" I asked... again.
"Honestly, I don’t know all of it, but Booker’s trying to keep her safe."
I studied him. "If you knew anything, would you tell ?"
He sighed. "Probably not, sugar."
Him calling sugar sent a thrill up my spine, but I ignored it and crossed my arms. "Well, since I don’t know you, I’m not handing over a bag of my best friend’s stuff. So, how about you get on that phone and find out why the hell I’m doing this."
Knight smiled, but I could tell he was trying not to. He pulled out his phone and put it to his ear. "Hey, brother. Kim wants to know why she’s packing a bag for Dani. Yep, refusing to do it until I fill her in." He chuckled. "Yeah." He quickly sobered. "No shit? Okay. I’ll let her know. Bye."
I bit my lip. His expression raised my blood pressure slightly.
"So guy nad Steven has offered her up for so kind of ransom."
I gasped. "Steven...as in her ex, Steven?"
Knight shrugged. "That’s all I know."
"It has to be. That fucking, piece of shit!"
"Booker’s keeping her at his place so he can make sure she’s safe."
"Well, yeah, that’s the right answer," I ground out. "I’ll be quick."
I couldn’t believe Dani’s ex had resurfaced. Asshole. I moved through her room, packing things I knew she’d need, then headed to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of bottles of her favorite wine. I had a feeling she’d need them.
Knight carried the stuff down to the truck while I made sure everything in her apartnt was locked up and turned off.
Knight
Unable to get the gorgeous brunette off my mind, I had bugged Dani for information on her best friend. I knew going to Booker or Mack would raise questions, and in the end, get nowhere, so Dani was my best bet and she didn’t disappoint. I’d cornered her two days after the honky-tonk when Dani and Booker had co by Blush to drop off paperwork Mack had asked for. Dani had given enough information for to put into motion my "get to know Kim plan."
One week after eting Kim, I walked into her bar. Mulligans’ was within walking distance from Blush, and the call of the pretty and feisty waitress couldn’t be ignored. Damn, she was gorgeous, not to ntion funny as hell, had a passion for horses that just might rival my own. Plus, she was protective of her friend... all qualities I felt were important.
She caught my eye and her smile widened as she set drinks on a table by the bar. I gave her a chin lift and headed to an open stool at the bar.
"What can I get you, handso?" soone asked, pulling my focus from Kim.
I turned my smile toward the pretty red-headed bartender waiting for my order. "Jack, neat."
"You got it." She grabbed a glass and a bottle of Jack Daniels, giving a little more than a pour. "Six bucks," she said with a wink. I dropped a ten on the bar and she bead when I refused change. "Thanks, honey."
I tipped my glass toward her and then sipped.
A gentle hand landed on my back. "Hey, Knight."
I turned to face Kim with a smile. "Hey, sugar."
"What are you doing here? Is everything okay with Dani?"
"You’d probably know more than ," I admitted.
"Oh, good, ’cause I just talked to her." Kim relaxed. "You scared a little."
"Sorry about that."
"So, if Dani’s good, what are you doing here?"
I grinned. "I’m here, ’cause you’re here."
"Oh, yeah?" she said. "Trying to steal away?"
I chuckled. "From Mack, yeah, from here, no. You’re too good for Blush."
"FYI, Mack doesn’t have , so I can’t be stolen from him, and I personally think the servers at Blush are really good."
Their ability to sling drinks wasn’t really what I was referring to. Blush was a favorite for escorts and johns, and as long as their activities didn’t draw negative attention for the Dogs, Mack and Booker allowed them to do business. "I’ll tell Booker you said so."
"Miss!" soone called, and Kim grimaced.
"I better get back to work," she said, but she seed reluctant to leave .
"I’m gonna finish my drink and do the sa. I’ll find you when I’m ready to go."
"Sounds good." Kim squeezed my arm and then headed back into the fray.
I finished my drink but couldn’t quite bring myself to leave, so I waited the two hours it took for Kim to finish her shift. I offered to walk her to her car, which she readily accepted. I held the door for her and followed her out the back.
"So, what’s a nice girl like you doing working for an asshole like Doug?" I asked.
Kim chuckled. "I needed sothing to do that would piss my parents off, but then I realized I actually really like the job. I need sothing to do with my days, and I’m not really the office worker type, you know? Plus, Doug’s not so bad. He pays us well and doesn’t give us grief when we need a day off."
We arrived at her rcedes and I opened her door for her. "I’m surprised you work at all."
Her expression turned guarded as she said, "I don’t like being lazy."
"Admirable," I said. "Drive safe, sugar."
"I will," she promised as she climbed in and took off.
I wondered how the hell I’d asure up to a woman who owned a rcedes and worked because she wanted to. She was out of my league, but, damn if it didn’t just make want her more. I had a feeling she’d be worth the risk of putting myself out there.
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