Page 49 of My Knight

“Coming right up.”

She slipped toward the kitchen, and I watched her go. My hand lingered in the air where hers had been. She didn’t move like she was nervous, but I could see it in the way she kept touching her hair, her necklace, and rubbing her thumb across her palm as she waited for the coffee maker to be done with the next pot.

Everyone was feeling it.

I stepped toward Yarder. “How long?” As if I didn’t know.

He checked his watch. “It’s just after nine. They’ll be here by eleven. Maybe sooner. They said they’d text when they hit the county line.”

I nodded.

“You ready?” he asked.

I didn’t even hesitate. “Yeah.”

He gave me a short, satisfied nod. “Good. Because once this meeting starts, there’s no walking anything back. This is the last play we’ve got.”

I knew that.

We all knew that.

Saylor came back with two mugs and handed me one with a soft smile. “Made it how you like it.”

“Black?” I chuckled and lifted my coffee to my lips.

Saylor gave me a smug little smile. “Exactly.”

Yarder went back to his plate of breakfast with a small smile on his lips.

I took another sip of coffee—bitter, hot, and strong enough to slap me in the face. Just how I liked it.

*Knock. Knock. Knock.*

The entire room froze.

You could’ve heard a pin drop.

We all glanced at the clock.

9:15.

Almost two hours early.

Yarder had been clear—Leo and Brynn were going to call when they were near. No one was supposed to just show up unannounced. Not them. Not anyone.

Every single guy in the room went on alert.

Dice stood slowly from the stool he’d been perched on. Cue Ball’s hand dropped to his side instinctively. Smoke rose from his seat like a shadow, silent and steady. Compass’s entire stance shifted—like the gears in his head had already started spinning through backup plans. Throttle moved to the window and tilted the curtain just enough to peek out.

I didn’t even need to speak—my body was already moving. One step in front of Saylor, just in case.

The knock hadn’t come fast. It had been deliberate.

Confident.

That somehow made it worse.

Yarder set his fork down with a quiet clink, grabbed a napkin, and wiped his mouth. He didn’t rush. He didn’t speak. Just stood, pushed in his chair, and made his way toward the door.

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