Page 28 of Knight

“Sorry to have offended you,” Ruby gives her a wave. “Please don’t hold it against me, I need the hit of caffeine I get in your shop every morning.”

“I won’t, your money spends just as good as anyone else’s.”

We laugh loudly, causing Mason and Caleb to stop what they’re doing and look back at us. “Are we boring you?”

Everyone is watching, and I feel a need to stake a claim on my husband in front of all these other ladies. “Slightly, maybe I can get a private lesson tonight?”

He gives me a shit-eating grin, knowing exactly what I’m doing. “That can be arranged, Rina. For now, keep it quiet for the rest of ‘em.”

“Will do, big guy.”

Epilogue

Madden

"If you need anything, don't be scared to call," Menace tells me as he finishes up with the pep talk he likes to give before the start of a shift. "I know this is the first time you and Donut don't have Ransom and Rambo to fall back on. Trust your training; I know Ransom gives you a hard time, but you two have done the hard work, and Donut is just as capable as Rambo."

"I know he is," I reach forward, rubbing his head. He's sitting and quiet as the two of us talk. "It's the fact they know what they're doing, they don't have to question themselves. I question myself a lot."

"That's understandable," Menace leans against the desk, crossing his ankles. "The more the two of you work together, the better you'll be able to work off each other. No one is expecting you to be perfect straight out of the gate. All we want you to do is work at it."

"Okay, I can do that."

"Believe in yourself, Madden. You can do this."

I nod, giving him a smile I don't feel completely confident in. "I can do this."

"You can, and I believe you can. Will you always be right? Hell no, none of us will be, but you'll be able to write a ticket or go after a runner without second-guessing yourself. I want you to be empowered to make your own decisions. If you've done something wrong, I'll tell you," Mason says, pushing himself off the desk.

"Okay, I'll do my best," I tell him. "I won't let you down."

“You don’t have to worry about letting me down, what you have to worry about is letting yourself down. We can do a lot in this line of work, one thing we can’t do is make you be cut out for it. Either you have it or you don't. You're going to know very quick if you have it or not. No one can answer that question, except for you. What is it you think?”

* * *

“I have it,” I answer without any kind of hesitation. “

* * *

“You do, my intuition is never wrong. When I saw your application, I knew there was something special about you. It’s a feeling I get. It’s never steered me wrong, and I don’t think it would start now. Although I have been wrong a few times. Are you going to be one of those anomalies?”

* * *

“No sir, I’m gonna make you proud.” I hope my voice doesn’t shake as I say the words. No one else has ever made me want to be proud of them like Mason has. I didn’t grow up in a household that encouraged pride, or pushed me to be a better person. When I became a cop, I found what I was looking for. The friends I didn’t have in high school, the family I’ve always wanted, but could never seem to hang on to, people who accepted me for who I am.

* * *

“Then I trust that you’re going to do just that. I have no issues with you and Donut. Don’t let Ransom get in your head.”

* * *

“Understood,” I watch as he leaves, holding on tightly to the leash.

* * *

“Can I pet him?” A soft voice asks.

* * *

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