Page 69 of The Knight

Abe gripped her shoulders, turning her to face him. She jerked away, but his fingers pressed into her skin—not hurting, just holding.

“This changes nothing, Freya.” There was a ragged edge to his voice she’d never heard before, and his eyes burned with a feverish intensity.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore.” The whispered confession escaped before she could stop it.

“Believe in this.” He leaned forward, his mouth touching hers with desperate gentleness. “I won’t be duped by some footage.” His lips trailed down the length of her neck to her collarbone, tracing fire in their wake. “You’re the one thing I believe in. Nothing can change that.”

He kissed her then. A hard, punishing kiss that left her breathless and clinging to his shoulders. When he pulled back,his eyes were dark with determination. “Now. You with me on this?”

The knot in her chest relaxed. She studied his face in the faint light—this man who could have let doubt poison everything between them. Instead, he was here, holding her like she was something precious and breakable and entirelyhis.

“I’m with you.” She brushed her word against his lips, the lift of his indomitable smile sending warmth spiraling through her chest. “Always.”

37

As their carinched closer to the Dorchester Hotel, Abe slid his hand into Freya’s. He laced his fingers through hers. The connection calmed him. No matter what lay ahead, they faced ittogether.

He wanted her to know that. Especially now.

If Raptor’s latest tactic was digging up dirt on Freya to discredit her, maybe they were running out of moves. Perhaps the tide was turning.

The Dorchester blazed with golden light, casting a warm glow over Park Lane. A long queue of luxury cars snaked toward the entrance, depositing London’s elite for the evening’s exclusive auction. The iconic façade shimmered beneath the night sky, its art déco grandeur amplified by polished brass railings and gleaming glass doors.

“Here we are, sir.” The driver’s voice pulled Abe from his thoughts.

The Jaguar halted at the foot of the Dorchester’s grand steps. A rich, crimson carpet stretched up to the polished entrance, with a pair of matching doormen.

This was another world.

He tugged at his collar. He wasn’t a tie man, and the tie seemed to know that, making it its life mission to choke him out before the night was over.

Freya gathered her purse, but Abe stilled her with a hand on her knee. The fabric of her gown felt cool and smooth beneath his fingers. “Tonight, after this is over, after we’ve secured your laptop or destroyed the damn thing, I’m going to strip this dress from you, inch by tempting inch.”

Her mouth fell open, soundless.

Damn. He liked that.

He gave her a sideways smile. “But not yet. There’s work to be done.”

“Yes.” Her voice was breathy.

“Let’s review. As guests of the duke and his fiancée, I’m the wealthy tech entrepreneur, and you?—”

“I’m your eye candy date.”

His lips curved. “Still can’t believe you agreed to that.”

“You are a very persuasive man.” She leaned close, palm grazing his cheek. Her perfume—floral, with a hint of spice—filled his senses as she brushed her lips against his in a featherlight kiss. The featherlight touch sent heat surging through his body.

Focus.

“We have comms for the entire team. Yours are in your earrings.” He touched her earlobe lightly, switching the unit on. “Comms check.”

One by one, everyone confirmed their comms.

“Fox appreciates the gifts to make a woman’s heart race. I hear you.” Freya grinned. “Comms in my ear too.”

“The auction’s under the radar. No one’s admitting what’s happening here. We’ll circulate, get the lay of the land before the auction starts at nine.”

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