Page 57 of Knight

“No, do you want it?”

“You gotta eat.” They both say this at the same time and I look between them.

“You guys teaming up on me now?”

“Eat it, Rowland,” Damien glares at Christian before he returns his focus to me. “You’re withering away.”

“Please?” Christian finishes. “We don’t want you dying on us.”

They’re like “good cop - bad cop” and it kind of reminds me of those detectives. Or my mom and dad telling me to finish my carrots. The foster homes I was in before didn’t give a shit whether I had breakfast or dinner, so it’s a strange feeling to have Damien telling me to eat for my own good.

Damien reaches for the drawer next to him, pulling out a fork and sliding it across the island to me. “After last night, you’ll need your energy.” He comes closer, his elbows on the island, staring into my eyes and it makes my heart patter. “Now, eat that like I ate your—”

“Dude,” Christian pipes in. “I know I said I was cool but that doesn’t mean I wanna know.” He scrunches his mouth, shuddering. “Too late. Now all I can imagine is your dick swinging ‘round and ‘round …”

“Don’t make me feed it to you, Jo.” Damien ignores his friend as Christian tosses him a bottle of OJ. He catches it like they’re playing a casual game of football. “I know how much you like that.”

“Guys. C’mon,” Christian pipes in again.

“What about you?” I ask, my gaze on Damien. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

And of course, he changes the subject, turning to Christian. “Did you know Isaac’s fucking my aunt?”

A slice of bacon hangs off Christian’s lip, “What?” He pulls it out with a bite and I know he’s trying to hide his laugh when a smirk creeps across his face. He glances at both of us and that’s when a chuckle escapes, “Wait, for real?”

“I dunno what you’re finding so funny.” Damien takes a small sip of his juice, glaring at Christian over the top of the bottle. I’m already sliding him another container of food. When it flips open, he arches an eyebrow my way, but he knows what I’m suggesting.

“You eat,” I say. If I have to eat, he has to too. He meets my gaze, and we’re locked in a moment, that hungry look coming over him again. My thighs ache but I’m so ready for more, lost in that iron stare.

“Cute,” he says. “But we both know you can’t tell me what to do unless it’s to go harder.” My hair stands on edge when he says that and he doesn’t care if Christian hears it. But his friend is already lost in thought.

“Shit. Your aunt and Isaac?” Christian looks like he’s thinking about it again before he shakes his head. “Well, Marion is kinda—”

“Say it, Perez,” Damien warns. “I dare you.”

I snort and that makes Christian smile. Damien flips the lid closed, getting up from his seat. “I’m gonna take a shower. Can you make sure she eats?” Shit, now I’m imagining Damien in the shower and if Christian wasn’t here I’d race him up there.

“Fuck that.” My arms come across my chest. “If you’re not eating, I’m not eating.”

“It wasn’t a suggestion, Medusa,” Damien says from the bottom of the stairs. He looks over his shoulder. “Besides, we all know what I prefer to eat.

I catch Christian rolling his eyes as Damien heads towards the stairs.

DING-DONG!

Both our heads whip to the door, Damien stopping his climb to the second floor.

“That better not be Isaac,” he mutters, turning around.

With my head twisted in his direction, I watch him open the door, only to see those same detectives behind it. They’re dressed a little more casual than the last time I saw them, from what I can see anyway. Sunglasses on Branson’s face.

Damien’s body stiffens but he plays it off, leaning against the side of the door. “Gentlemen,” he says. “There better be a warrant in your hands.”

Branson tries to peek in but Damien moves in front of him, his height and broad build doing him a huge favour. “Is Joelle Rowland with you?”

Christian stops mid-reach for another slice of bacon, his brows knitting and I’m hoping my face isn’t as pale as it feels. Damien lowers his voice, muttering something to them as my heartbeat quickens. They nod and he reaches for a jacket off a nearby hook before all three of them step outside. The door closes behind them.

“What’s that about?” Christian asks.

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