Page 63 of Reckless Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 7)

The tears that are still making tracks down my cheeks might be a result of losing my job, but in reality, I’m not too bothered about that. It’s just a job. Recent events have taught me that life is too precious to be this devastated about something like that. They’re more to do with my soul-deep exhaustion from everything since we discovered that Joe had been killed. My life has been one big roller coaster of grief and misery ever since, a roller coaster I don’t see coming to an end anytime soon despite the gut-wrenching pain that begs for it to stop.

“Did you have anywhere in mind?” he asks as if he’s actually entertaining my words.

“Anywhere that’s not here.”

“You wanna go home and get some stuff first?”

I turn to him in shock.

“You’re serious?” I ask, lifting my hand to wipe my cheek.

“Yeah. Why, aren’t you?”

My chin drops to tell him that I’m deadly serious about getting out of town, but something stops me.

“This is crazy, Toby. We can’t just get in your car and disappear.”

“Why can’t we? There’s nothing in my life that can’t wait a few days. Anything in yours?”

I think of Mum, who seems to be slowly putting herself back together again, of Bri, Sara, and Jesse. I’ve got no job. No one needs me.

“I guess not,” I say sadly.

“So… do you want to go and get some stuff? Tell your mum we’re heading off for a few days?”

I shake my head, not as a no, but just in total disbelief.

“Why are you so…”

“So?” he prompts when I trail off.

“Perfect,” I say, a little shyness edging into my tone.

“Trust me, Demon. I’m anything but that, but it’s nice to know I’ve tricked you,” he says lightly.

Pulling the visor down, I close my eyes and take a breath before I brave looking at myself in the little mirror.

“Holy shit,” I gasp when I finally take in my puffy, red-rimmed eyes.

“You look beautiful,” Toby offers beside me.

“It’s too early in our rel— whatever this is to lie to me,” I quip.

“I’m not. Although I must admit, I’d prefer if those tear tracks down your cheeks were because you were choking on my cock.”

“Jesus,” I baulk, damn near choking on my own breath.

I just catch Toby’s shrug as I look over at him. “What? You wanted the truth.”

Ignoring the heat his words stir within me, I swipe at the dark makeup lingering under my eyes and focus on the issue at hand.

“I’d love to go home and grab some stuff, tell Mum I’m gonna be gone for…”

“A long weekend.”

My eyes widen at his offer.

“Don’t you have work or…”

Toby reaches over and squeezes my thigh.

“I’m all yours, baby.”

A rush of excitement goes through me.

“So what are you waiting for, then?” I ask with a smirk, and he quickly delivers by pressing his foot to the accelerator and throwing me back in my seat.