Page 3 of Golden Knight

Mike not coming in today means I’m going to have to tend the bar. There goes my chance to catch up on paperwork. But what can I do about it?

Not a damn thing.

Let's hope tonight is a slow night. Sighing, I put away the clipboard I was using, grabbed my notepad and pen, and headed toward my only table. More people have joined him but their backs are to me as I approach. Feeling the danger in the air, I keep my gaze down not wanting to pique anyone's interest at the table.

“Sorry to interrupt but what can I….” My voice trails off as I make eye contact with a man I haven’t seen in a long time. I never thought I would see him again. What the hell is he doing here? I can’t seem to look away as I drown in his deep, brown eyes.

Someone clears their throat and I shake my head trying to clear the shock. When I go to open my mouth, the only words that come out are, “I’m sorry…I can’t.”

I can’t stay there any longer. I run hoping that he doesn’t follow me. I jog down the hallway toward my office when a deep growl comes from behind me. “Amber.”

I freeze. I don’t dare look at him. If I look at him, the walls that took me so long to build will fall and I need them to protect myself. Especially from him.

He sounds pissed at me, but I can’t fathom why.

I’m the one that endured.

I’m the one that was abandoned by everyone.

The one person I thought would come for me, never did.

Memories flood my mind. Memories that I’d buried long ago try to surface, but I can’t let them. My heart starts to race. My palms feel wet and sticky. Trying to stay calm, I whisper, “Jake.”

I reach for the knob, a large hand closes on mine, and he spins me around. His eyes are swimming with rage. He slams his hands against the wall, caging me. I stare into his eyes, trying to read his mind and understand his feelings. He dips his head down and growls in my ear, “Where have you been, sunshine?”

The nickname from long ago sends my body into a whirlwind. Goosebumps start to pebble my skin, my nipples spring to life, and my clit throbs. Shit. I didn’t even think I had it in me for my body to react like this. It always felt broken.

Ignoring my body and him, my gaze darts up and down the hallway. I don’t need or want anyone to hear this conversation. If Jake found me, then the Wolves could find me too. Looking back up at him, I try to turn to open the door. He relents and releases me, dropping his arms. I nod my head toward my office, “Let’s talk in here.”

Chapter two

Jake

I thought she was dead. After killing my way through The Wolves’ old guard and not being able to find her, I’d assumed she was dead. My mind spins with the fact that she’s not. I can’t believe it. I look her up and down. She’s still so fucking beautiful… and alive, in the flesh, standing in front of me. Disbelief clouds my mind as I sit in the booth staring at the girl who was stolen from me. Her long blonde hair is shorter than the last time I saw her, but man has she grown up. Her hips could tantalize any man. But I don’t dare move. If I do, she could disappear again.

“I’m sorry…I can’t,” she stammers, and it takes a minute before my brain catches up. She bolts. All I see is a blur of her signature golden blonde hair as she runs out of the room.

I can’t lose her again.

Getting out of the booth as fast as I can, I jog after her, leaving Zeev and Mikhail behind. My legs are longer than hers, allowing me to quickly catch up to her. I make sure to block the entrance of the hallway as I say her name. “Amber.”

She stops in her tracks. Her body already obeys me, knowing it belongs to me. My body yearns for her too. My feet move on their own accord, drifting toward her until I’m standing in front of her. “Jake,” she whispers.

The sound of my name on her lips has never sounded better. I force myself to not get too close. She seems skittish and I can’t scare her away. Not now when I just found her.

But now she’s here and her body is still listening to me. I just need to win her mind over and then her heart. Which I will do because I want all of her.

She won’t look at me. Her eyes stare down at the ground, avoiding eye contact with me, which is frankly pissing me off.

Amber makes a small move, opening the door to her office. My mind screams at me, you can’t let her get away again. I’m able to close the distance between us, I wrap my hand around her wrist, whipping her around. Forcing her to look right at me.

Looking deep into her eyes, fuck I could drown in the depths of her blue eyes. But I can’t yet. I need answers. Answers from her. I take in a deep breath and her scent fills my nostrils. They flare at the smell of lavender. Her doe eyes stare back at me, filled with so much sadness, so much fear. Is she scared of me?

My heart races at the thought of her being so scared. I will kill every demon she has, every man who’s ever hurt her. My gaze drops to her mouth, and all I want to do is kiss her, but I don’t. I need to regain her trust first.

I put my other hand up against the door caging her in, and the rage within me starts to seep out. “Where have you been, sunshine?”

She disappeared from my life, and I need to know why and what happened. One minute, she was the girl who lived across the street, the girl I grew up with, and then she was gone.

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