The Knight (Stolen Duet 2)

“Angel!” She jumped into his arms, and he groaned from the weight of her body hitting his.

“Nice try. You can probably bench press a bull.”

“How’s it going, Tabitha?” He squeezed her before setting her on her feet, and we followed her inside. I looked back in time to see Angel’s small security detail posting around the yard. The door closed, leaving me trapped inside with Angel’s mysterious family.

“Well, Austin’s gone back to school, thank God. One more day with him and I’d have killed him.”

“Don’t let your mother hear you talk like that. She’ll be moving you out of the country next.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me, please. She nearly blew a vein when I told her I was thinking of asking you if I can throw a party at the estate.”

“I’m cool with it, but you and I know your parents will never be.” His voice was no longer gentle when he asked, “Where are they?”

“Dad’s office. I heard them say you were coming more than an hour ago before they disappeared in there.” Angel’s jaw tightened, and I was nervous all over again. This no longer seemed like a pleasant family visit. Angel never looked back as he prowled up the stairs without a word, leaving me alone with his bouncy cousin.

Our gazes met, and I found myself waving awkwardly. I felt extraterrestrial under her stare.

“Hi, I’m Tabitha, Angel’s cousin,” she finally introduced. I took her hand when she offered it but was afraid to do more than hold it. I was small by anyone’s standards, but even to me, she seemed so fragile.

“Mian, I’m Angel’s–” Captive? Lover? Wife? None of them seemed to fit. Red covered almost every inch of her cheeks as she giggled. “What?” I couldn’t stop my own smile from spreading.

“It’s just… you and my cousin really must be in love.”

I felt my smile fall. “Why do you say that?”

“You embraced his claim on you openly, which means you must have claimed him yourself. Angel would never let you unless he was in love.”

Something told me this girl spent her time lost in wonderland if she thought Angel and I were in love. “How old are you?”

“Fifteen. I turn sixteen in a few months. Why?”

It was weird seeing someone who was even more sheltered than I had been. “Angel and I aren’t in love.”

She didn’t seem upset by my honesty. Merely skeptical. “Are you sure?”

I fidgeted even though I had three years on this girl. With one question, she seemed more astute than I gave her credit. Or maybe I was just paranoid. “Why are you so sure? You’ve seen us together for five minutes.”

Her bright baby blues twinkled. “You’re forgetting the funeral.” She walked away, and I found myself following. When we ended up in the kitchen, I watched as she pulled open the refrigerator door littered with magnets and family photos and pulled out a bottle of water. Their home wasn’t the symbol of wealth and refine you’d expect from a Knight, and I loved it because it truly felt like a home. “Want one?”

“Sure.” I couldn’t explain why my mouth all of a sudden felt so dry. I took the bottle and downed a third of it before recapping. She seemed content with the silence while my heart pounded faster. I finally caved when she started humming. “What about the funeral?”

“He could barely keep his eyes off of you.”

Because I was his captive.

“Trust me, Tabitha, there was a reason for that, and it wasn’t love.”

She shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but I could tell by the twinkle in her eye that she didn’t believe me. “Where’s that cute little boy? He was so adorable. Is he your son?”

“Yes, he’s my son.”

“Is Angel…?”

I almost hated to tarnish the fantasy she was building in her head about her cousin and me. The stars in her eyes reminded me of myself three years ago. “Angel isn’t Caylen’s father.” I laughed at her pout.

“I suppose he wouldn’t be. We would have known about him. So where’s his father if you don’t mind me asking?”

The last thing I wanted to talk about was Aaron, but I didn’t want to be rude. “He didn’t want him,” I answered a little too bluntly.

The fierce look of anger and disgust that twisted Tabitha’s delicate features. She looked more related to Angel than ever. “Does Angel know? I bet he’ll kick his ass.” She stood from the bar stool she had been perched on and looked ready to demand Angel do just that when I grabbed her arm.

“Uhh, Tabitha?”

My touch seemed to bring her back from wherever she had gone. “Sorry,” she exhaled and offered and apologetic smile. “I just hate guys like that. They take what they want and leave their victims behind to deal with the consequences.” She then rushed to say, “Not that you’re a victim!”