Page 39 of Sunrise (Monarch Club #3)

“Which meant you had no way to call the cops,” Knox says cautiously.

“Correct.” Swallowing the lump in my throat is hard work.

“I pounded on my neighbor’s door, but no one answered.

It was only about eight at night, and they were out for dinner.

I didn’t get a chance to keep knocking on other doors, because he ran up the stairs to my apartment, screaming my name.

I hid between two washers in the laundry room down the hall. ”

“Jesus,” Vault whispers.

“Someone called the cops when they heard him trying to kick down my door.”

Coming to the end of this confession is like the last decent on a rollercoaster. My adrenaline starts to even out, even though my heart keeps racing.

“Testifying was a nightmare. He’d twisted everything around. Told them about our Dom/sub relationship and insisted it was all role play and that I’d consented to a primal chase. He even showed texts and pictures that I’d sent him in the past that confirmed our dynamic.”

“They didn’t believe he attacked you for real?” Vault’s voice is on the edge of violence.

“He was sentenced to prison for four years for violating his restraining order. Got out in less than two.”

“That’s it?” Knox sounds outraged.

I shrug one shoulder. “He had amazing lawyers.”

“Well, he’s about to have an amazing, unmarked grave,” Knox growls. “I’ll make sure of it.”

I think he’s being serious.

“I almost gave up everything after that. My career, my lifestyle, but I didn’t want to lose what I loved.

While he was locked up, I changed my name and moved.

I started over with everything, including where to go for my PhD.

” I swipe more tears from my face. “I joined the Monarch Club because it was the best in the city. I lied to Ryker when I started and told him I had no experience in BDSM but wanted to learn.” My chin trembles as fresh tears fill my eyes. “I lied to all of you.”

Vault drops to his knees in front of me. “It’s okay, baby.”

No, it’s not. “I hate myself. You all gave me so much and I…”

“Shhhh.” He brings me in and hugs me. “It’s okay.”

I look up at Knox while Vault holds me. “I’ve done so well up until recently.”

“When that douche canoe came into the club?” he asks.

I nod. “He tapped his thumb the same way.” There are nights when I close my eyes and see him on his hands and knees as my personal footstool, and he’d tap his thumb in that specific rhythm on the floor.

“I freaked out because I don’t know where that man is anymore.

I used to be afraid to look, as if googling him would somehow summon him to my door again.

I made the mistake of looking about two years ago, after a particularly bad nightmare, and couldn’t find him anywhere, not even the obituaries. ”

“And you started spending more and more time here?” Vault asks, making sense of my behavior.

“Yes.”

“And the locks at your house?”

“They’ve always been in place. Ever since he broke into my apartment and was waiting for me to get home from work, I’ve barricaded myself into wherever I’m living. My paranoia, however, has grown exponentially since he’s seemed to have vanished from the internet. ”

“What’s his name?” Vault asks in a thick, heavy tone.

“Christopher Rivetti.”

I’m sure Vault will look into him. It’s doubtful he’ll find anything, though. I’ve done my research and even with my security clearances and contacts in high places, I’ve been unsuccessful in finding anything about him since he got out of prison.

Vault wraps me into a tighter embrace. This might honestly be the first real hug I’ve ever gotten from him. He cages me, holding me close, and squeezes. One of us is shaking. I think it’s still me.

“I’m so sorry,” he says, like any of this is his fault.

“Are you mad at me for lying to you?”

“No, baby.” Vault kisses my head. “We would never be mad at you.”

“You didn’t lie,” Knox argues. “To us, you’ve always been Sophie. You’re not a liar for protecting your past and your peace.”

“It feels that way.” Rubbing my chest doesn’t ease the ache at all. “I’ve felt like an imposter this whole time.” Tears well again as guilt hits. “You all open your doors and arms to me. You’ve protected me since day one. I never told you why I needed it. It’s lying by omission.”

Knox scoffs. “We protect you because we care. It’s what family does for each other, Soph. And you’re fucking family.”

I cry harder. “Stop saying all the right things!”

“Fine. I’ll say wrong things.” Knox pulls me out of Vault’s hold. “You’re a terrible lay. Vault is hideous.” He wipes my wet cheeks with his thumbs. “I have a small dick and am the worst chef in the world.”

Smacking his arm, I huff. “Knock it off.”

“Hey, I’m just spitting wrong things since you don’t want to hear right ones.”

“Tell me right ones.” I’m so exhausted, my body weighs an extra hundred pounds.

“Hmmm. Let’s see…” Knox gets this playful smile as he sways me back and forth.

“You’re strong. Beautiful. Smart and a little salty.

” He holds me against his chest. “We’re crazy in love with you and will do anything for you.

” He keeps rocking us back and forth. “We’re going to have an epic happily ever after. ”

Vault snorts. “Says who?”

“Me, fucker.” Knox cups my face and makes me look at him. “I’ve got a sixth sense for this stuff and it’s never wrong. I’m telling you our story is going to be the stuff of legends.”

“I don’t want legendary love,” Vault argues.

“The fuck?” Knox glares at him. “Alexander Jones, I can’t believe you just said that. Legendary love is chef’s kiss. It’s the ultimate HEA.”

“I’d prefer a quiet one with very little drama.”

“You’re such a party pooper.”

A smile tries to break through my sadness. “How do you do it?”

Knox looks down at me. “Do what?”

“Make everything better?” My arms tighten around his middle.

“It’s one of my many magnificent talents. Just under mind-blowing orgasms given by my tongue and my beef wellington, which, by the way, doesn’t have a soggy bottom. It’s five-star beef.”

It must take me a lot longer than I realize for that string of words to penetrate my frazzled brain, because Knox looks confused. “Did you just short circuit on me, sweetheart?”

“Did you just talk about a soggy bottomed hunk of meat?” Vault asks.

“It’s more than a hunk of meat, you unrefined donkey. It’s—”

I smash my mouth to his, shutting him up. Knox groans, lifting me off the ground and I wrap my legs around his middle. He deepens the kiss until I have no idea who owns who. He literally possesses every single cell I’m made of.

“You’re coming home with me,” he says once we come up for air. “Fuck this club.”

“You have work at Midnight Run.”

He flips Vault the middle finger for reminding him. “I’m the boss. I can take off whenever I want.”

“And who’s cooking, Chef? Didn’t you say Tristan was out sick?”

“Fuck.” Knox deflates like someone just popped his balloon. “This sucks. Adulting is awful.”

“Relax.” Vault shakes his shoulder. “We’ll be waiting for you back at your place when you get off work. How’s that?”

“Not good enough.” Knox pouts. “Maybe I’ll just sell the club and be a kept man. You’re rich enough to support me.”

“Fine.” Vault squares off. “Quit. Sell the place. I’ve got enough in the bank to keep us rolling until my next royalty check comes through for K!nkLink, so long as you limit your book budget to—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, buddy.” He shoves a finger in Vault’s face. “The words book and budget will never be in the same sentence when you’re talking to me. That’s a hard limit. Non-negotiable.”

I have never seen them like this before. Obviously, it’s all an act, but it helps me tremendously. For the first time in forever, I can breathe without imposter syndrome choking me out.

Will there be more heavy discussions? Yes. Am I ready for that? No clue. For now, I have all I need to get through another night. Looking up at the camera, I tug on my earlobe to signal that I’m okay.

Even if I’m the only one who sees me do it.