Page 10 of Hide and Seek
Jonah smiles and shakes his head before throwing his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into his side. “We grew up together. You’d think we’d know how to act like normal fucking people around each other.”
“Never gonna happen.”
Jonah laughs and releases me before stepping up to the table and yanking out a chair, putting a single flaw in Mom’s perfectly set table, which is oddly satisfying. “Come on,” he says. “There’s a lot to catch up on. Sit down and fill me in on everything that’s happened in the world of Harper-Rayn Madden over the past two years.”
“Two years?” I laugh, taking my seat. “Where the fuck have you been? I haven’t seen you in three years.”
“Three?” he questions, as he becomes deep in thought. “No, that’s not possible. It’s only two. I saw you at that disastrous New Year’s Eve party at their old place.”
I nod, a smirk pulling at my lips. “Yeah,” I agree. “Three years ago.”
Confusion flashes in his eyes before understanding begins to dawn, and then he simply looks horrified. “Three fucking years, huh? Aren’t I a piece a shit?”
I scoff. “Couldn’t agree more, but if you’re a piece of shit, then I’m right there with you.”
Jonah laughs, but the sound is cut off by my mother’s shrill tone coming from the other room, sending a chill down my spine. Judging by the cringe on Jonah’s face, he’s feeling it too. “If I’m going to make it through this dinner, I’m going to need a stiff drink.”
“Make it two,” I tell him, both of us getting straight back to our feet. “And don’t even think about giving me some bullshit chick drink. I want the good stuff.”
“Just as well, I found Elias’ private stash earlier.”
“Now you’re talking.”
An hour later, Jonah and I are sitting at the grand dining table, surrounded by Mom’s closest friends. We cackle like a couple of high school cheerleaders, to my mother’s dismay, which only makes it better. I’ve really needed this time with my brother.
I ask him all about the twins and how they’re settling into preschool, and after covering the basics of his wife’s new job, he dives into the ins and outs of my life.
Elegantly dressed servers have descended upon the table with trays of dinner plates just as Elias stands at the head of the table. He opens his arms wide, and just when I think he’s about to give some long, drawn-out speech about how wonderful it is to be married to my mother, he turns his attention to the entrance of the dining room.
“Better late than never,” he booms as a smirk cuts across his face.
All eyes turn toward the newcomer, and my breath catches in my throat when I find Elias’ younger brother, Knight Slater.
Fuck me! Am I drooling? If he weren’t my step-uncle, I’d climb him like a goddamn tree.
He’s fucking gorgeous. At least six-foot-four with a body that could send any woman to an early grave. It’s clear he takes care of himself, and even through his black shirt, I can see the defined ridges of his abs and pecs. But all of that has got nothing on his face. His eyes are dark gray, and there’s something about them that draws me in. He holds my attention in a way no other man ever has. It’s dangerous.
Now, Laith is good in bed. Great actually. He knows how to get the job done, and apart from last night, he’s never let me down.But a man like Knight Slater? He doesn’t just get a pass mark. He carries himself with an air of dominance that makes me think he would tear a woman to shreds and not stop until she’s gasping for air on the ground. He seems like the type of man to throw a woman around, slam her up against the shower wall, and rail her until she comes apart.
The question is, how the hell is he still single?
A shit-eating grin pulls across his lips, lighting up his whole face, and while he’s the most attractive man I have ever laid eyes on, I can’t give myself even a moment to appreciate his smile. I’m too distracted by the way his tight black shirt fits around his strong body, the fabric straining over his bulging tattooed biceps. Fuck, what I wouldn’t give to sink my teeth into those.
I’m drooling in seconds. Perhaps taking shots with Jonah wasn’t a good idea after all. There’s no doubt about it; I’m going to make an ass of myself tonight. It’s one thing to laugh with Jonah about Mom’s flood of scathing stares, but to try and keep my cool around a man like Knight. I’m well and truly fucked.
Knight is a SWAT officer, and judging by the black tactical pants, boots, and lack of tie, I’d dare say he just got off work. I can only imagine the scowl on Mom’s face at his attire, but I can’t seem to tear my eyes off him to check.
“Brother,” he says, striding straight up to Elias and clapping him on the back before looking down the table and noticing how the food is just being served. “Looks like I arrived just in the nick of time.”
“Doesn’t sound like a coincidence at all,” Elias teases before nodding toward me. “There’s a space down beside Harper. Make yourself comfortable.”
My eyes widen in horror before my whole damn head swivels like a bobblehead doll to stare at the space beside me, and what would you know, the only available seat at the table is right here next to me.
Fuck. There’s no avoiding him now.
Knight makes his way along the table, stopping to greet my mother, and judging by the hostility in both of their eyes, there’s still no love there. Knight continues down the table, pausing by my brother. “How ya been, Jonah? Long time.”
“Yeah, good,” Jonah responds, twisting in his seat to shake Knight’s hand. The rest of the guests have turned their attention back to the servers, and every last person is completely oblivious to the way my palms have started to sweat.
