Page 2 of The Stolen Dagger

CHAPTER ONE

A YEAR LATER

KATHERINE

S omeone was watching me.

Like ants crawling up my spine, tingles broke out along the back of my neck. I could feel someone’s heavy, lingering gaze.

Watching.

Waiting.

I told myself it was just a figment of my imagination. That after almost a year, the paranoia was to be expected—normal, even.

But that little voice in the back of my mind and in my gut told me it wasn’t just my imagination.

That little voice whispered the horrors of my past. The very things I’d tried to forget.

It told me he had found me.

It told me to run .

“Katherine!” someone yelled.

I jumped, dropping my dish rag on the floor behind the wooden counter of Jerry’s Bar and Grill .

The rush of the night had finally slowed, but there was always a possibility it could pick back up again. That was just one perk of working in a college town bar.

“Kat!” Sarah yelled again.

I spotted her in the crowd, dodging the few tables spaced around the dance floor as she made her way to the bar.

Her dark red hair fell over her shoulders in big, bouncy waves. She was a few years older than me but looked younger thanks to her round cheeks and the full-glam makeup she wore when she needed good tips.

“I need three beers at table five,” Sarah said as she cleared the empty bottles of her serving tray. “They want Coors Light.”

I retrieved the washrag, tossed it aside, and wiped my hands on the apron covering half of my jeans and black T-shirt with the bar’s logo on it. “Got it. Thanks.”

I slid open the large cooler that spanned a portion under the counter and grabbed three beer bottles.

“Oh, and they’re asking for you,” Sarah added over her shoulder as she sashayed her way back through the crowd to take more orders.

Envy stabbed through my chest. I used to be confident like that. I used to be blithe and fun before him , before I had to cut my hair and change my name just to hide from him.

Maybe if I hadn’t ?—

No. I wouldn’t think like that. I was alive. I was happy. I was right where I wanted to be. I just had to keep reminding myself of that.

Swiping the few shoulder-length hairs that had escaped their place behind my ear, I grabbed three beers, popped off the tabs, and made my way through the rustic, southern-themed bar to table five.

A band played on the stage at the north end of the bar, gathering a decent crowd for a Sunday night. Jerry’s Bar attracted the typical college crowd, being so close to the local campus, but it had a good number of regulars, too.

It was made up of brick walls adorned with minimal decoration. Only a few highway signs and college banners that Jerry, the owner, had collected over the years were displayed.

Under the yellowed, shaded lights that hung from the ceiling, I spotted table five and a familiar head of honey-blonde hair.

Leah sat at the round table next to her boyfriend, Tyler. As I approached, Leah turned with a gasp that startled even me, the one holding the opened beers.

“Kat!” Leah jumped up from her seat, towering over my five-five frame with wide-open arms.

Before I could utter any kind of greeting, she pulled me into a hug. I tensed in an attempt to save the beers, but it had little effect as they were practically crushed between us. I could only stand still and wait for the agony of Leah’s tight embrace to end.

“Easy, babe.” Tyler came up behind her, placed his large hands on her upper arms, and gently pulled her back. “You’re gonna crush her.”

Reluctantly, Leah released her hold and stepped back into her boyfriend’s wide chest. She flicked her bright green eyes up and over her shoulder at Tyler and gave him a small, grateful smile that he returned with an adoring look of his own.

Ugh. They were perfect for each other. It was almost irritating watching them together as someone with a dumpster fire love life.

“Sorry,” Leah mumbled, even though Tyler and I both knew she didn’t mean it. Hugs were her love language, and anyone on the receiving end of one was just as much a victim as they were an unwilling accomplice. “I just missed my best friend so much!”

I chuckled at her dramatics. “I literally saw you this morning.”

“So?” Leah propped her red-manicured hands on her hips and tilted her head slightly, causing her hair to swish over her shoulder and reach the middle of her curvy torso. “Can’t a girl see her bestie more than once a day?”

I couldn’t stop the warmth that blossomed in my chest. I’d never had friends like them before. It was nice to be around people I could depend on again.

I shook my head, smiling. “What are you guys doing here? I thought you were having dinner tonight with your family.”

Leah had a close relationship with her parents. They had made it a ritual to have family dinners at least once a week. I went to one of them after we first became friends, much to Leah’s insistence.

Her parents, Susan and Rob, were the most down-to-earth people I had ever met.

Just from that one dinner, they treated me as if I were one of their own.

Their open affection toward one another wasn’t very common where I came from, but I soon came to crave the attention and kindness Leah’s parents shared with me.

“We did, but we wanted to surprise you.” Tyler adjusted the square-framed glasses on the bridge of his straight nose and reached around Leah for the beers I was somehow still balancing in my arms. “Here, let me take those before she goes in for another one.”

I laughed, knowing that was a real possibility, but otherwise grateful for his help. “Thanks.”

He handed one beer to Leah, placed the other on the table, and took a swig of the third in his hand.

That was when my alarm bells went off.

“Who’s the extra beer for?” I asked, suspicious .

Leah turned to me with a sheepish grin.

Uh, oh. I know that look.

“Told you she’d figure it out.” Tyler ran a hand through his short auburn hair that looked darker under the bar’s lighting.

“Oh, quiet, you.” Leah turned and lightly slapped his shoulder.

I sighed.

One thing about Leah was she never stopped in trying to improve your life for the better in any way that she thought was needed.

In my case, it was a man.

“Don’t tell me you brought another one.” It was my turn to place my hands on my hips and give her my disapproving look. “You know I’m not interested in dating right now.”

“I know, I know.” Leah held her lithe hands out in front of her as if comforting a wild animal. “I already learned my lesson after the last one. At least for now.”

She mumbled that last part like I wouldn’t hear over the bar noise, but I did.

“No,” Leah continued, her voice sounding much more mischievous than I would have liked, “it’s actually for Drew.”

I stiffened at the mention of her older brother’s name. “Oh?”

Drew’s here?

“You know,” she started, taking a sip of her beer and narrowing her siren-like eyes at me, “Drew seemed excited, thrilled even, when I told him we were coming to surprise you. He practically insisted on coming along.”

If that were true, I’d have to have another talk with him. He knew I didn’t want to see him. I’d made that pretty clear the last time he’d just shown up by coincidence.

That was almost two weeks ago.

“Is there something going on between you two I should know about?” Leah asked. “You know, as your best friend and all.”

“What?” I reared back and scoffed. “No! I’m just surprised, is all. I haven’t seen him since …” I trailed off, hoping she’d drop it, and glanced at my watch. “Well, I have to get back to work, but I’ll see you both in class tomorrow?”

Leah’s grin widened. “Yeah, okay.”

Tyler gave me a departing nod. “Don’t work too hard, Kat.”

I smiled awkwardly and waved before making my way back to the bar. Once I was safely behind the confines of my workstation, I checked my watch.

I had about an hour and a half before my shift ended. I hoped that was enough time to avoid the man who made me feel things I had no right feeling.

With my back to the counter, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Trying to distract myself, I grabbed a wet wash rag and wiped down anything within arm’s reach, but it was hard to keep busy knowing Drew was somewhere close by.

I had met him and Leah in a self-defense class when I moved here about four months ago. He was handsome and charming and thoughtful. He hit all the right boxes, even though he flirted harder than anyone I had ever met.

Our attraction to one another was instant and undeniable. But nothing good could come of it, especially considering my past.

I wouldn’t make the same mistakes again.

I had tried to stay away from him for many reasons, one being he was a cop, but fate intervened when we had shared a heated kiss.

It was the hottest kiss of my life, and as we pulled away breathless, staring into each other’s eyes, I quickly realized two things:

One, I had intense feelings for the man, and two, because of those said feelings, I couldn’t have any kind of relationship with him.

So, I pushed him away. It was for his own good.

I could tell Drew was hurt by it, but he saw through my lies and told me as much.

But it had been months, and he still hadn’t given up. Despite the few encounters we’d had afterward, thanks to Leah, I’d been successful in avoiding him.

Until tonight.

Because, like a weed, Drew had a habit of popping up unexpectedly.

“There’s my favorite bartender,” a deep male voice said behind me.

Drew sat on the other side of the bar. His caramel-colored hair was styled in a perfect wave. He wore a dark blue shirt and a black bomber jacket that highlighted his broad shoulders.

He winked one of his green eyes, similar to Leah’s but darker, and flashed me a charming smile that softened his masculine facial features: straight nose, high cheekbones, strong, angled jaw.

He was the most attractive man I’d ever met.

Damn him.

Trying to remain unaffected, I crossed my arms over my chest as I turned to him.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. “I thought we agreed you wouldn’t come here, especially with Leah.”

He took in my stance, and his perfect lips turned up into a panty-dropping smile.

“If I remember correctly,” Drew said playfully, “I never agreed to that.” He shrugged. “And we haven’t talked in a while. I wanted to make sure you were okay. Leah said you seemed down. ”

I groaned. “Remind me to kill her,” I said under my breath.

“What was that, darlin’?” Drew asked knowingly.

The way he said “darling” made my stomach flutter, but I ignored it.

“I’m fine. In fact,” I raised my chin, “I met someone.” Lie.

“Oh, really?” Drew asked, a jealous edge to his voice. He leaned forward, his elbows on top of the bar. Under the dimmed lighting, his eyes were even more enchanting as they searched mine. “What’s he like?”

“He’s—well, he’s …” I trailed off, lost for what to say. “You know what? I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

“Yeah?” Drew licked his lips, making me realize I’d leaned in, too.

We were practically inches away from each other as he spoke softly, not having to yell over the bar noise.

“Well, I think there isn’t any guy, and if there was,” he paused and was so close I could feel his warm, minty breath on my lips, “I bet he couldn’t make you come as hard as I could if you gave me the chance.”

My face and body heated at his words. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, remembering the first time we kissed and how close we came to something more.

From the knowing look on his face, he seemed like he was reminiscing, too.

Damn it, Kat. Get a grip!

I backed away from him and clamped my hand over my torso as if to stop the incessant fluttering in my stomach as it traveled lower.

“I’m busy, Drew,” I said, trying to sound indifferent. “What do you really want?”

“You know what I want, Katherine,” he narrowed his eyes and wiggled his brows, “and it’s not on the menu. ”

I tried to keep my stoic mask in place, but it was hard when he said some cheesy innuendo like that.

My mouth pulled up into a smile. I couldn’t help it. He was charming, and he knew it.

“There it is.” Drew teased. “There’s that smile I’ve missed. I was starting to think I’d never see it again since you’ve been avoiding me.”

The smile fell from my lips as remorse ripped through me. I cared for Drew. I never wanted to hurt him, but it was for the best.

Drew reached out and lifted my chin up to meet his gaze. His heartbroken expression, with his knitted brows and pouty lips, caused the remorse inside me to swell.

“Why have you been avoiding me, Katherine?” he asked, his voice laced with desperation.

“You know why, Drew,” I said softly.

“Because of Leah? You know that’s a bullshit excuse.”

I did, because out of anyone, Leah was our biggest supporter. She’d been pushing for us to get together since that first day in self-defense class.

But I couldn’t tell Drew the truth. That was even worse.

“Please,” he continued, “just let me show you that?—”

I cut him off, already knowing where this was going. “We’ve gone over this, Drew. It won’t work.”

“Why not?” he asked simply. “I know you feel what I feel, Katherine.”

“It doesn’t matter if I do,” I whispered. “It’s not right.”

Drew grabbed my hand on top of the bar and threaded our fingers together. “What about this is wrong? Tell me, and I’ll walk away.”

“I just—” Even though it hurt, I pulled my hand back. “I can’t.”

“I need a straight answer, Katherine. Otherwise, I’m not going anywhere. ”

I wanted to tell him. I did. I’d been dying to since I first met him, but then I remembered that night and what he said he’d do if I ever told anyone what I saw.

No, it was better—for everyone—if Drew didn’t know.

“Because ...” I trailed off, thinking of a way around the truth. “I just?—”

“Kat?” Sarah approached the bar next to Drew. Her brown eyes shifted between us curiously before she handed me a folded piece of paper. “This is for you.”

Confused, I took the folded note. “From who?”

Sarah shrugged and tossed her wine-red hair over her shoulder. “Just some guy who said he knew you. I think his name was Adrian.”

My breath caught in my throat, and I froze. My heart beat wildly as the blood rushed to my ears and drowned out all other noise, leaving me with one terrifying thought.

He found me.