Page 16 of I Am Lioness

A Knox selfie taken in the very same corridor I was currently standing in, the black and white zigzag carpet beneath my feet reflecting seamlessly off the mirrors around him. The same mirrors I’d passed when I had exited the elevators.

Oh my god.

The frantic beating in my chest amped up to a wildly thrashing rate. I could hear the blood roaring through my ears, feel it thrumming through my veins. Inhaling deeply, I took a shaky breath through my nose, then let it out between my lips, bracing myself as I turned my head to peer down the hallway.

And there he was, Knox Carr,standing tall in the middle of the elevator banks like he owned the damn place. Dressed in all black with full sleeves of tattoos on display and that make you weak in the knees smile spread on his fine face, he was impossibly more gorgeous than I remembered. My jaw nearly hit the floor.

Clear blue eyes pinned me in place as he sauntered down the hall, skittering heat over my skin. The closer he got, the harder my chest heaved. Knox burst right into my personal bubble and wrapped an arm around my waist, smashing our bodies together. He dipped his head low and kissed my cheek, his lips lingering against my skin.

“Surprise.” He purred. “You lookamazing.”

My cheeks flamed. I peeked up at him beneath blackened lashes to find him mid-peruse up the length of my body, the tip of his tongue trapped between his teeth. When our eyes met, he grinned like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Seriously, you’re stunning.”

Clenching his tee in my fist, I leaned into him and pressed my lips to the very corner of his mouth. “You're not so bad yourself, stud, but you know I have to ask...What are you doing here?”

“To see you.” He murmured, completely unabashed in his concession.

My heart almost burst through my chest. “You came all the way here to see me?”

“Absolutely.” He chuckled. “You act like Vegas is so far from home.”

“Well, I mean, I know it’s not, but…”

“Shhhh,” he cooed, wrapping me up in both arms. “Just accept it. I wanted to see you again before you were on the other side of the country, so Luis and I drove down for the weekend.”

A swarm of butterflies attacked me from the inside out in a way I hadn’t felt in so long. I couldn't hide the smile that split my face in two even if I wanted to.

“You make it really hard to resist you, you know that?” I admitted.

“So don’t resist me then, problem solved.”

“Jesus, Knox, let the girl breathe.” Reyna’s voice sounded off around us. From where I wasn’t sure. I hadn’t even heard the elevator ding.

She appeared beside us moments later with Luis at her side wearing identical smiles.

“I told you.” Luis snickered at his sister.

Reyna shook her head, giggling. “I legit thought you were exaggerating.”

He pointed a finger at her. “You owe me a drink.”

“And you owemea drink, asshole.” Knox interjected, unwinding his arms from around me.

“Being stuck in the car with you for almost four hours was fucking torture.”

“You’re the one that begged me to come with you like a dog begging at the table.”

“I thought you didn't beg…” I found myself saying before Knox had the opportunity to fire back at his friend.

Three sets of eyes latched onto me. Luis and Reyna were clearly amused and Knox, well, he seemed impressed, a wicked grin spreading his lips.

He shrugged and said, “I told you, I wanted to see you again before you were hundreds of miles away.”

Luis whipped his arm with the sound effect and all.

“Pussy whipped and he hasn’t even…”

Reyna gasped and shoved her brother, smacking him upside the head thereafter. “God, you are so rude! Do you not remember a damn thing Ma taught you?”

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