Page 17 of Mob Knight

He steps closer until I have to look up to keep seeing his face. He towers over me, and anyone else his size would likely intimidate me. I want to climb him like I’m a fucking koala and hold on.

“Joey, that’s what women, in particular, say when they’re covering up the real reason they get injured.”

I have nothing to say. I just look at him and blink. Words escape me until they come rushing back.

“Did Meredith suggest that? Are you here because you’re curious? Or are you trying to catch me in a lie? I’m certain you discussed me with Meredith.”

“She let me know you agreed to see her and that I didn’t need to push you about going to the ER or Urgent Care.”

“Then you discussed things that should have remained private between her and me. So much for HIPPA.”

“I don’t know the entirety of what you told her, but it was enough to worry her. Enough to make her ask me to check on you. Meredith doesn’t catastrophize. She doesn’t exaggerate either. If she’s concerned enough to say something, then the situation warrants it. I trust her.”

I know those three words are among the highest praise he probably gives based on his expression. We’re holding a pretty steady conversation, but I wouldn’t call him chatty. A man of few words would best describe him right now.

Now that I think about it, he didn’t even say that much to me yesterday. At least, not besides commanding me to hide and to go to the emergency room. I definitely feel like it’s still waters run deep. He may not be the most talkative man, but he’s clearly very observant, and I feel like he’s extremely astute. He reads people better than we want to be read.

As he watches me, it’s as though he can see into me, and I feel far too exposed by that. He’s gotten a little too close to the truth a few times already, but I don’t want to end the conversation either, which makes no sense since we have little to talk about. I wait to see if he will take the lead again, but he remains quiet until I look toward my car.

I think he realizes we’re running out of time to chat since the parking lot just keeps filling up more, and people are noticing us talking together.

“You said you called the police on Pablo all those years ago, but his brother took care of it. Why are you still concerned about Pablo seeing you around?”

My gaze locks with his as my mind scrambles for an explanation, but it’s not one I wish to give. It’s one I doubt Cormac would appreciate.

“Joey, I won’t get angry because of what you say. You can tell me. I just don’t get why you’d still be on his radar.”

I don’t know how to navigate this conversation. Most people don’t know how steadfastly I avoid being around Pablo. I make excuses if I know he’s coming or if he’s already somewhere. I don’t want to explain there’s more to it than accidentally calling the police.

“Joey, the longer you remain quiet, the longer you have to devise some story to try to appease me. But all it does is make me trust you less, which is the last thing I want. So, either tell me the truth, or tell me it’s none of my business, but I don’t want to hear excuses or lies.”

He is painfully blunt as he speaks. He’s not unkind. There’s no harshness to his tone, but he certainly isn’t interested in giving an inch because he fears I’ll take a mile.

“It’s just a feeling I get. Why do you call me Joey?”

“It just seems to fit.”

He watches me while I wait for him to say more. When I remain quiet, he shrugs. If I was being tightlipped, then he’s being taciturn.

“I know you have appointments to get to, so I don’t want to keep you. I wanted to check on you and make sure you don’t need anything else.”

“You wanted to know if I would admit I asked Meredith for help.”

He shrugs again. “If I didn’t think she could, I wouldn’t have given you her name. I’m glad she checked you out.”

We seem to spend most of this conversation staring at each other. I adjust my bag on my good shoulder and shift my gaze toward my car.

“It was nice meeting you, Jocelyn.”

Wait. Did he think I didn’t like the nickname?

“It’s Joey, and it was nice meeting you too—Cor.”

Estar hasta las narices.Up to the nostrils loses something in translation, but this is fucking overwhelming.

He’s the most alluring man I’ve ever seen, and when he grins. Fuck. I’m tempted to look at the ground to see if my panties are at my ankles. I’m definitely wet. I guess he liked me using a nickname for him.

I don’t want to leave, but I need to escape since I feel my cheeks burning. I head to my car, but I look back as I open the door. He’s not there anymore. I sweep my gaze over the parking lot. He couldn’t just vanish. I glimpse red hair before it disappears into what I think is a sedan. I plug my phone in and set my GPS to avoid roadwork. I wind up pulling out of the parking lot behind him. I don’t know tons about cars, but I’m certain the Audi Cormac drives costs about as much as I earn in two years.