Page 10 of Stay with Me

Suddenly, everything in the atmosphere shifted. Those blue eyes widened in alarm as he rushed toward me. A loud popping sound rung out at the same time. I fell to the ground and he fell on top of me.

Blood. There was blood. My heart raced as the reality of what was happening hit. More shots rang out and stone from the pillars exploded around us.

I turned my head to see two men in masks trying to aim for me. All the air left my lungs. Officer Moran’s heavy breathing became so loud in my ears.

“Stay down,” he commanded, lifting his body from mine to aim his gun and fire.

I shake the memories away as cold sweat breaks out across my back. I didn’t think I was going to survive that day. Those bullets were meant for me.

Knight and I have been bound to each other in some weird way since that day. I almost fell down the rabbit hole last night. That pull he has on me almost won out.

Thank God, his phone rang. It was like having cold water thrown on me. So many times, his phone went off in the middle of the night calling him to the streets.

Even though he wasn’t my boyfriend, I sat driving myself crazy, waiting for him to check in and let me know he was safe.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were thinking about me.”

I turn toward the deep voice to find Knight standing in the threshold of my office with a brown bag in his hand. He holds it up. I lift a brow.

“What are you doing here?”

“I went to your favorite place. I got you some Sushi,” he answers.

“Okay, but … why?”

“Because it’s been too long. I want to catch up, but you ran off last night before we could,” he says and shrugs, moving into my office.

He places the bag on my desk and starts to unpack it. I shake my head as my stomach gives me away. I should’ve had lunch an hour ago.

I move to my desk and sit. Closing the file in front of me, then I put it away. I refuse to acknowledge that he went to my favorite place. I’m also not going to acknowledge how good he looks, again.

I like the bulk he’s put on. It looks right on him. Not too much, but just enough to make you take a second look, whether out of fear or sexual curiosity.

“Bishop texted me pictures of the twins. Damn, they’re so big already. I feel like I’ve missed so much,” he says with a smile as he takes one of the seats in front of my desk.

“Yeah, but that comes with the job.”

He falls back in his seat. “I didn’t come here to start that. I’m on leave. I want to spend time with my family and those I care about. I need to reconnect with reality and my humanity. I … Look, can we just have lunch?”

I bite my lip. There’s so much emotion in his voice. I take a closer look, and there’s something different about him. It’s in his eyes.

I swallow my smart remark and open the platter he placed in front of me. “Thank you for lunch,” I say.

“You’re welcome.”

“The boys are so big now. They have so much personality.”

“Yeah, I bet. We were a handful when we were younger. Mom doesn’t let us forget it either.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t.” I grin at the mention of his mom. Mrs. Moran is a handful herself. I steer clear of that woman. “How is she? It’s been a while since I’ve seen her over at your brother’s.”

Something crosses his face. He looks like the bite he just took turned sour. I’m taken aback by the response. Last time Saga mentioned her in-laws she didn’t say anything about them not being well.

“Mom is a bit smothering at the moment,” he murmurs.

“Smothering?”

“Yeah, I can’t get too much into it but work sort of spooked her and dad. We haven’t told anyone else about it,” he replies without looking up at me.

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