Knight (Unfinished Hero #1)(57)

Her voice held a smile when she said, “I already loved him for you. Now I love that he’s giving this to you and you like it. One of the things about that life, sex will never be boring. There’s a trust that’s built that’s a-freaking-mazing. Closeness comes from that. He builds that for you, I’ll love him forever. But it’s more. I never had anyone to talk to about this shit except my partners and that isn’t the same thing as having your girls. So he gave this to us too. So I’m thinking I’ll already love him forever.”

I had the scary, crazy thought that I might too.

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“You wanna talk to me about anything, I’m here. But more advice, you talk to him. He’s already laid this shit out so clearly he intends to be open and honest with you, you tell him where you’re at. What you liked, what you didn’t. Give him cues when you’re ready to go further. Then, I swear, babe, he’ll love you forever. A gorgeous bitch to class his act on his arm that makes him laugh, knows how to cook, understands the meaning of loyalty and who can get his rocks of just the way he likes it. Nothing better and he’ll know it too.”

I giggled again then stopped suddenly and whispered, “I’m glad he gave us this too, even though he didn’t know he was. I’m glad because you shared with me something about you and now you know no matter what, you can share anything with me, honey.”

It was her turn to say, “Yeah.”

I grinned.

Then I heard a faraway, indistinct sound echoing in Knight’s vast apartment like someone was coming in the front door.

My body jerked then my head went back to the clock.

Ten eighteen.

I listened to the noises.

Knight was home early. Or maybe he just came home to get something.

I listened for footsteps on the floor, didn’t hear them and wondered why he didn’t come see me as I pushed off the bed and said, “Knight’s home. Maybe he’s picking something up.”

“As you walk your round, white ass to wherever he is in that crib, wrack your brain about how you can be a bad girl then call me tomorrow and thank me.”

I smiled at the phone so I knew she heard it when I hit the hall and whispered, “Later, honey.”

“Bad girl, baby.”

“Right,” I muttered.

“Right,” she stated firmly then softly, “Later.”

Then she was gone and I was rounding the L of the hall.

The living room was dark as I left it since after talking with Viv, I was going to bed. But I saw a faint light coming from the hall to the front door.

I rounded the corner and saw the door in the hall that I’d never seen open, opened and light was pouring out.

“Honey, you needed something, I don’t usually go to sleep until eleven,” I called down the hall, still walking. “You could have phoned me. The club is a ten minute drive. I could have dropped it –”

I stopped in the door, stopped talking, saw it was an unsurprisingly very big, well-appointed, kickass study, though not in any way like the rest of the kickass but spare, colorless, stylized apartment but warm, masculine and lived in.

And last, Nick Sebring was squatting next to what looked like a safe set in a golden wood cabinet. The safe was unopened and his furious gaze was aimed at me.

“Take one step to me, Nick, I run to Knight’s room, lock myself in and I don’t call 911. I call Knight,” I warned as he straightened.

“Now I f**kin’ get it,” he whispered irately, his eyes on me burning with barely controlled fury.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, looking at the safe.

“Not dinner, not you,” he hissed. “That pu**y’s for sale.”

My eyes shot to him.

“Um… excuse me?”

He crossed his arms on his chest. “Disappointing. Thought you were a sweet piece. Worth it. Worth the work. The trouble. The kind that would make you wanna fix. Permanently. Shoulda known when you showed at that party here. Not your scene. But you wanted Knight, hoped he’d be here. And, congratulations, babe,” his eyes swept me in my PJs, “seems you got him.”

I sucked in breath and asked, “Nick, how did you get in here?”

His gaze swept me again and they were working. Then something shifted in his face, his eyes. Something ugly, calculating but I wasn’t certain I got it.

Then he spoke but not to answer my question.

“Head’s up, you don’t deserve it but you’re not the first.”

I sucked in another breath and informed him, “I know that.”

His head tipped to the side, he smiled a nasty smile and he asked, “So, you’re okay with the charity?” My body got tight. “’Course you are, baby.” He took a step toward me, I took a step into the hall, bracing for flight and he stopped. “Comes with the good shit. The apartment. He buy you clothes yet? A car?”

I stared at him as my heart started beating faster.

“No car,” he muttered, watching me closely. “Knight, he likes it like that. Sees the pretty ones with the cheap shoes and twenty dollar haircuts. Wantin’ more. Got a streak in him, acts on it. Shows ‘em good. Shows ‘em sweet. Steaks. Nice clothes. Satin sheets. Gets off on it. Advice? Hang on tight for the car, baby. He’ll let you keep it.”