Page 37 of The Knight

"Nothing?" His voice goes low and still, and I feel my body respond to the implicit threat in it, my heart racing and my adrenaline pumping. "You stupid bitch.Thisis more important than anything you'll ever do with your pathetic life."

Grabbing her wrist, he yanks her and spins her so hard that she cries out. I go still and cold as he shoves her back, her stumbling steps bringing her closer and closer to my hiding spot by the second.

As he advances on her, he lectures her in a cold and condescending voice. "I brought you along because you wouldn't stop whining, but make no mistake, Georgia, I don't need you here." With a suddenness that shocks me, he raises his arm and backhands her across the face so hard evenmyteeth rattle. Then he grabs her elbow and yanks her close to him, his face inches away from her reddening cheek as he says, "If you don't behave yourself, I'll leave you behind in this airplane hanger overnight. Maybe a little exposure will give you the sense to leave well enough alone."

He pushes her, and as she falls down to the concrete ground her arms flail wildly, knocking aside one of the empty boxes protecting my left side from being seen. Eyes widening, I crouch down lower, heart racing wildly.

Georgia says, "Please don't leave me." Some part of me breaks for her, and I wonder if this is what it feels like to forgive a girl like me, a broken girl who does terrible things because she's hurting inside. "I promise I'll be good."

Towering over her, Hass looks down at Georgia like she's prey. He's so close that all he'll have to do is swing his head in my direction and I'll be spotted. I pray, for Georgia's sake and my own, that he's done letting out his rage on her.

"Make sure you keep that promise," he says, an almost gentle croon in his voice, "and I'll reward you. Now hush so I can finish this call. Wipe yourself off and wait in the car for me."

Turning on his heel, he paces out the hanger door and puts the cell phone back to his ear. I breathe out a sigh of relief that he didn't spot me, barely able to believe my own good luck.

Then Georgia stands up, sniffling, and reaches out to brace herself on one of the crates next to me. I startle, looking up, and meet her eyes.

For a long moment we stare at each other.

I can see her figure out that I saw what he did to her.

She looks at my face. At the camera. Back to my face again. I lick my lips, darting my eyes to Hass, wondering if I can say something to keep her quiet before she shouts out to him. Once he knows I'm here, I'm doomed.

Instead of saying something, though, Georgia straightens her little black dress, combs her hair back over her shoulder, and turns away from me. I watch her walk to the car. She only glances over her shoulder, once, from my hiding place to Hass, then climbs inside the car, silent as the grave.

It takes me a while to figure out that she's not going to tell him she saw me. She's going to keep my secret. And, I imagine, she expects me to keep hers too—or there'll be consequences. The thought of keeping what Hass did to myself makes my stomach churn, but as long as he gets arrested for what he's about to do on the other side of the plane, at least Georgia will be safe from him. Even if she doesn't know she needs protection, I plan on giving it to her.

Girls stick together.

Even when we loathe each other.

I just hope that I'm able to get a good angle on what's about to go down, one that will show quite clearly the criminals Hass is working with—and the terrible thing he's about to do. Switching my attention back to him, I watch as he finishes up his phone call and slips his cell back into his pocket. My eyes dart to the baggage cart I'll have to hide behind to get photos of him—getting there will mean crossing an open area with nothing to keep me from being spotted if he looks over his shoulder.

Raking his fingers through his golden blond hair, Hass paces towards the aircraft parked some distance from him. This is it—he's going towards the girls. It's now or never. Taking a deep breath, I wait until he's crossed in front of the baggage cart, then pace around the side of the crates and fast walk in a crouch.

As the wind whips around my hair and the sun sets in the distance, I feel like any moment this will all come crashing down around me. He'll turn and see me. Georgia will open up the car door and tauntingly announce my presence in an ultimate betrayal of what little faith I have in her. Blake will decide to save his own skin instead of remaining lookout for me.

I'm halfway to the baggage cart when I make a mistake.

Glancing over my shoulder, I look towards the parked sports car where Georgia is. She's not looking at me, though—she's staring into the passenger side mirror, delicately sponging a bruise forming on her cheek, one the shape and size of Hass's broad hand.

It's what I see past the car, out on the road, that makes me pause for a long moment, one in which anything could happen.

From a distance, the figure is nearly unrecognizable, unless, like me, you've been staring at him for months, hatred and lust alike churning inside you. Black hair, a naturally tan complexion paled by winter months spent studying, tall, broad shoulders with an impossibly expensive down-filled jacket draping them—Blake Lee is standing right in front of the trees, out in the open, abandoning his spot inside the car and the safety within.

Because from where he is, he can see me.

Can protect me if something goes wrong.

I can't see his eyes from here, but I can feel them on me. Watchful. Quiet. Ready to swoop in at any moment. Like a lighthouse on the shore or a distant sign pointing towards safety, he's there, and he's not going anywhere.

Until now, I didn't believe.

But it's really true.

Blake Lee is falling in love with me.

Chapter 16

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