Page 13 of Black Bay Enforcer (Beasts of Black Bay #3)

Katherine had eaten way too much but everything had tasted so good and she couldn’t have asked for a better dinner companion. Kong had told her some great stories – like the time he and some others had accidentally painted the general’s Jeep pink.

She’d hooted with laughter. “How was that accidental?”

Kong had just shrugged, a look of innocence on his face. “It was an honest mistake. Green, pink, they’re just so similar.”

Then there was the time that Kong was challenged to see how far he could go while carrying someone on his back.

It had started with one person, but more had piled on.

By the time he was done, five grown men were hanging off him.

He’d walked the full length of Black Bay, which was pretty damn impressive considering the size of the island.

“Speaking of challenges,” Kong said as he got up. He returned a moment later with the pan of brownies. “It’s your turn.”

Was he going to challenge her to see how many brownies she could eat? Katherine groaned. She was stuffed. She didn’t think she’d even be able to eat one. “I’m so full,” she protested.

“There’s always room for brownies.” He began cutting them into even squares. “But you promised me the best brownies I’ve ever eaten. Time to see if that’s true.”

He dug out a corner piece and took a bite. Katherine held her breath, waiting as he chewed. He closed his eyes, letting out a little mm of appreciation before he licked a stray crumb from his lip. He nodded. “Good, but I need another bite to be sure.”

That bite turned out to be the rest of the brownie. As it disappeared into his mouth, his head started bobbing again.

Katherine couldn’t take the suspense a moment longer. “Well?”

Swallowing, he looked at her with perfect seriousness. “I may need another before I can make an official ruling.”

She barked a laugh at his teasing. “Admit it,” she prodded. “They’re the best.”

“Okay. Yes. They’re the best.” He looked at the pan in front of him. “But I’m still going to have another.” Looking back up at her, he asked, “Do you want one?”

“I couldn’t possibly.”

“Sure you could.” Scooping out a square, he put it on a napkin and placed it in front of her. “Save it for later if you have to.”

When he demolished his second brownie, Katherine commented, “You have a sweet tooth.”

Kong nodded. “It started with a chocolate chip cookie. A nurse at Legratia gave me one.” His eyes grew distant. “She was nice to me. Sweets weren’t allowed so she had to smuggle them in.”

Smuggle them in? When he’d mentioned a nurse, she’d assumed Legratia was some sort of hospital. Was this a memory from his childhood? Back before he’d been freed? Katherine listened intently, not daring to say a word.

“Growing up in the lab, our diets were strictly regulated. It was the first taste of chocolate I’d ever had.

” He closed his eyes. “Sweet and delicious.” He shook his head.

“I’ll never forget what she said to me that day when she handed me the cookie.

She said, ‘Every child deserves a taste of happiness.’”

From what Katherine understood, any happiness was a rare occurrence for them growing up.

Kong took a deep breath. “Her name was Laura, and she was the one bright spot in that hellhole.”

Katherine didn’t want to tarnish the woman’s halo – Kong obviously held her in esteem.

The woman had done a nice thing for a child and that was great but she couldn’t help asking, “How could she work there? How could she see what was being done to you and not do something about it? Report it. Some thing?”

Wiping his fingers on a napkin, Kong nodded.

“I asked her that once. We kept in touch after the lab was shut down. She told me she didn’t know the full scope of what was going on down there before she took the job.

They told her they were running important experiments that would one day help change the world.

She knew it was all hush, hush – she’d had to sign a bunch of legal documents – but they didn’t give her specifics.

She thought they were curing cancer. Once she found out what was going on, she was horrified but she was locked in by the agreements she’d signed.

She still tried to report it anonymously – she was scared of what they might do to her family if they ever found out what she’d done – but nothing ever came of it.

Not until years later when the military shut it down. ”

“If she was so horrified, why didn’t she leave?” Katherine couldn’t hide the derision in her voice. Nothing would have kept her at a job where children were being abused.

“I asked her that too,” Kong said thoughtfully. “I couldn’t wrap my mind around why she stayed. But she told me it was because she knew that if she left, there would be no one there to help us. Even though she could only do small things, it was still something.”

Kong’s eyes met Katherine’s. “She was right.” His brown eyes hardened. “It was because of her that we understand compassion and empathy. Without her influence, we’d be very different Beasts.”

Without her, they might have turned into heartless monsters.

“Do you want to watch a movie?”

The subject change was so abrupt that Katherine probably looked like a befuddled owl. “Er… yes?”

“Great!” Kong rose from his seat. “I’ll make some popcorn.”

Katherine’s alarm clock went off and she groped for it blindly, slamming her hand down on the snooze button. Rolling over, she stared at the ceiling as memories from the night before flooded her brain. With a groan of shame, she pulled the pillow over her face. What must Kong think of her?

They’d chosen a comedy to watch, her favorite genre, so she should have had no problem staying awake, but Kong had dimmed the lights and because his big body took up so much space on the couch, she couldn’t help sitting right next to him so they were practically touching. He’d been so warm…

She was awoken by a gentle touch on her cheek and her name softly spoken in a deep voice.

The end credits of the movie were scrolling on the screen and Kong’s broad chest had been her pillow.

She’d fallen asleep. Once she’d realized what happened, she’d jerked her head up, embarrassed, only for her embarrassment to morph into pure mortification when she spotted a wet patch darkening his t-shirt from where she’d drooled on him.

She hadn’t been able to look at him, afraid of what she might see on his face. He’d offered to drive her home, and though the ride had been cold, she’d been grateful for the wind in her ears that made conversation almost impossible.

Then, to add insult to injury, when he’d stopped the Jeep outside of her building, she’d been in such a hurry to escape, she’d offered a hasty, “Thanks for tonight,” and nearly fell out of the vehicle. Her dignity might never recover.

She was just glad Kong hadn’t insisted on walking her to her room.

Someone knocked on her door. The sound was so unexpected that she pulled the pillow from her face and just stared. No one ever came to visit. If someone needed to see her for whatever reason, they had her come to them.

When the knock came again, she called, “Just a moment!”

Katherine bounded out of bed, nearly tripping as the sheets twisted around her legs. God. She was a walking disaster. Freeing herself, she hurried to the door and pulled it open.

Kong, dressed in a tan t-shirt that hugged his muscular torso tucked into a pair of camouflage pants, was standing on the other side with a big grin on his face.

“You forgot the brownies you made for the Resurrection soldiers, so I figured I’d bring them over along with breakfast.” He held up the large covered baking pan that was topped with a white bag from the mess hall.

In his other hand was a cardboard tray holding two to-go cups of coffee. “Coffee and breakfast burritos.”

She could smell the sausage and a smoky hint of bacon. Her stomach chose that moment to let out a loud growl and Kong’s grin widened even further. “It sounds like I came just in the nick of time.”

Not waiting for an invitation, he squeezed past her and entered her space.

Katherine’s eyes landed on the messy bed and she scurried over to quickly throw the covers back into some semblance of order.

That done, she looked around and saw her clothes from the night before in a pile on the floor.

On top, the pale color of her bra stood out starkly against the cranberry top.

Quickly, she kicked the mound under the bed.

Luckily for her, Kong wasn’t paying any attention.

He had deposited his burden on the desk that doubled as her table and was unloading the contents.

Turning, his eyes landed on her and swept down. Another wide smile lit up his face. “I like your jammies.”

Oh, good Lord, she’d forgotten that she was wearing Hello Kitty pajamas. She’d been awake for less than ten minutes and had already had enough for one day.

Kong turned his attention to her modest room. “Where’s your TV?”

Katherine cleared her throat. The way her luck was going, she’d end up squawking, bleating like a goat, or making some other ridiculous sound. “I’m thinking about getting one.”

Kong nodded. “I’ll have them put one in this afternoon.”

Before she could tell him he didn’t need to trouble himself, he asked, “How do you take your coffee? I brought plenty of creams and sugar.”

“Yes. Er… Cream and sugar.” With a grimace, she approached the desk. “I’ll fix it.”

He nodded absently, his eyes making another circuit around her room. “I’ll be right back.”

As soon as he left, Katherine nearly crumpled in on herself. Could she have five minutes where she didn’t embarrass herself? Please?

Kong returned carrying a chair he must have stolen from the break room next door. Setting it down next to the desk, he sat and motioned to the mountain of breakfast burritos. “Dig in.”

Katherine Knox was adorable. From her sleep-rumpled hair and rosy cheeks to her Hello Kitty pajamas and pink fuzzy socks.

He’d been so tempted to tuck her into his bed last night and let her sleep, but he’d been worried how she’d react, so he’d woken her up and driven her home instead. He would have liked to have walked her to her door and said good night properly but she’d been embarrassed, so he’d let her escape.

She’d fallen asleep on him. The memory had made him smile this morning and it had pretty much turned into a perma-grin.

It showed a level of trust from her he hadn’t expected so soon, especially after her reaction when they’d first met.

But she was relaxed enough around him now to be able to let her guard down, let herself be vulnerable.

That was a hell of a lot of progress and he was thrilled.

He liked her. A lot.

“Hey. Can you swim?” It was a spur-of-the-moment thought but he ran with it.

She stared at him with wide, unblinking eyes, a big mouthful of breakfast burrito making her cheeks puff out like a cute little chipmunk.

She probably wouldn’t appreciate the comparison and he probably should have waited for her to swallow before he tried to make conversation.

If Lark were here, she’d be rolling her eyes and shaking her head at him.

Chewing and swallowing, she wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. “Yes.”

“Do you want to go swimming?”

“I have to work today.”

“Tonight, I mean. After work.”

Her brow scrunched in a frown. “In the ocean?” She shook her head. “I’m not that strong of a swimmer.”

Nor would he recommend swimming anywhere near Black Bay for anyone but Mako. The water this far out, even in the summer, was icy cold, and brutal. If you couldn’t swim away from the island fast enough, you’d likely find yourself battered to a bloody pulp against the jagged rocks.

“There’s a pool.”

“Huh. I didn’t know that. Is it in the residential area?”

“In Mako’s lair.” Come to think of it, he probably should have cleared this with Mako first. Not to mention the general since down below was heavily restricted. Oh, well. Sometimes it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

She shook her head. “I don’t have a bathing suit.”

He waved away her concern. “Not a problem.”