Page 61 of Reckless Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 7)

“I’m not scared of you because you’re bigger than me,” I hiss, stuffing all my belongings back inside my bag.

“This could be a lot worse than just having to deal with me,” he mutters. “I’m more than happy to keep you here and call the police to investigate. I have to say though; the evidence is pretty damning.”

I want to stomp my foot like a toddler and demand he watch all the footage. But knowing he’ll only find other damning evidence of what I actually have been doing, I reluctantly decide against it.

“You’re making a mistake here, Matt,” I warn, holding my head up high and looking him dead in the eyes for five seconds.

When he doesn’t react, I barge past him with my pulse pounding in every inch of my body, but I refuse to cower. He’s pinned me as guilty and clearly isn’t listening to anything I have to say. I refuse to lower myself to begging any more than I already have.

“I’ll take this as your notice, effective immediately.”

“I’m destined for more than a fucking coffee shop, anyway,” I mutter mostly to myself as I march away from him, desperately trying to hold myself together as I storm through the door and out into the main shop.

The door slams back against the wall, turning everyone’s eyes my way. Huge mistake.

Emotion clogs my throat and tears burn red hot, threatening to spill before I escape.

“Jodie,” Trisha breathes, “are you okay?”

“I-I-I’m sorry,” I blurt before running for the door.

I’m instantly blasted by ice-cold air and rain that feels like tiny little knives as it hits my face.

Rushing around the side of the building, hiding behind one of the shop’s huge bins, I fall back against the wall and let everything I’ve held inside over the past few minutes free.

A sob rips past my lips as my tears finally fall.

Anger, frustration, disappointment all mingle with the grief that is always bubbling just under the surface, and I completely lose control.

My body trembles as my back slides down the rough wall until I’m in a heap on the soaking wet ground.

The rain continues to lash at me, the cold threatening to freeze me to the bone, but I barely feel any of it and unleash all of the pain inside me.

My frozen fingers hold onto my phone, the whole thing shaking violently in my grip as I lift it to my ear. But as much as I might want to fall apart alone—it’s exactly what I’d have done in the past—now, I don’t want to. I want warm, strong arms to wrap around me and for him to tell me that everything’s going to be okay. That he believes me, that he knows I’m not some cheapshot thief who’d risk her job over a few hundred quid.

“Hey, shouldn’t you be—” His deep voice washes over me and another ugly sob rips from deep in my throat, cutting off the end of his sentence. “Jodie?”

“I-I’m sorry. I just… can you—”

“Where are you?”

Sucking in a shaky breath, I squeeze my eyes shut and try to pull myself together.

“At work. B-but not at work. I’m around the back. T-Toby, I’ve been—”

“I’m coming. I’m coming right now. Don’t fucking go anywhere.”

I hear him moving down the line and relief washes through me.

“I’m ten minutes away, okay?”

“Y-yeah. I’m sor—”

“Don’t,” he barks. “Don’t fucking apologise for needing me.”

I gasp at his harsh tone, and another whimper falls from my lips.

“Shit, I’m sorry, baby.”