Page 56 of My Knight

Leo glanced at her. “We need to be going.”

“Maybe next time,” Brynn added with a polite smile.

Adalee shook her head, flustered. “No, no. You can’t leave without eating.” She grabbed a plate from the top of the microwave and started moving toward them. “At least take some blueberry muffins with you.”

“Normally, I’d say no, but we missed breakfast,” Brynn said and stepped forward.

Adalee placed the plate in her hands.

“Thank you,” Brynn smiled.

“You have the world’s best muffins in your hands right now,” Sloane called from the couch. “Be prepared to have your socks blown off.”

Leo eyed the plate. “Be careful with those. If they’re as good as they say, Bristol’s going to quit.”

Brynn laughed. “I wouldn’t let her quit. If anything, we’ll just steal Adalee.”

Adalee’s jaw dropped. “I mean… well, that’s… very flattering, but… Who’s Bristol?”

“Our chef,” Leo replied. “She’s amazing.”

“Then you shouldn’t have to kidnap me…” Adalee trailed off.

Brynn laughed again, the sound smooth and rich. “Or you’ll just have to send us more.” She winked, then turned and handed the muffins to one of her men. “I know there are six there, Sig.”

The man—tall, dark, and deadly-looking—shrugged. “Two for you and Leo. The rest are for me and Murphy.”

Brynn rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. “We need to get back to Chicago.” She looked around the room and offered a softer smile. “It was nice meeting you all.”

We all murmured our goodbyes. Dove waved. Fallon gave a polite little bow. Sloane actually curtsied, which made Brynn laugh again. “I think you might be the Alice of the group,” she said.

And just like that, they were gone. Brynn and Leo walked out, their presence like a wave of authority that had swept through the room and left everything just slightly… off.

The door clicked shut behind them.

Silence stretched across the room.

We all looked at each other.

“I don’t think it’s a good sign the guys haven’t come out yet,” Olive finally said.

Yeah. I didn’t think so, either.

My stomach was in knots. Pirate hadn’t texted me or looked back when he went into church. Not because he was being cold—because he was focused. And now that Brynn and Leo were gone? He still wasn’t out here.

Something was wrong.

I leaned forward on the couch and rested my elbows on my knees. “Maybe they are just celebrating?”

“They just said they were done for today,” Fallon said. “That’s not code for everything’s fine.”

“They were too calm,” Poppy said and crossed her arms over her chest. “Especially Brynn.”

“Maybe that’s just who she is,” Dove offered.

“They looked like they were walking away from a crime scene,” Mac said flatly.

We all snapped to attention when the church door finally creaked open.

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