Page 22 of The Stolen Dagger

CHAPTER TWENTY

DREW

“ S he’s worried about you, Leah,” I said into my phone on my way out of work.

“I don’t care,” Leah said defiantly. “She’s been lying to us since the beginning. And if you would open your eyes and think with your head for one second instead of your dick, you’d see her for what she really is.”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed.

I had a good day. A great day, in fact. I’d been counting down the minutes until I’d be able to see, touch, and kiss Katherine again.

Leaving her that morning had been hard and more than tempting, but I had to figure out a way to solve the Adrian situation that kept Katherine safe and that was still legal.

I had just gotten to my truck to head home and change before I went to Jerry's when Leah called.

I loved Leah, but I could tell my sister was suffering from their fight just as much as Katherine was. It would all be much easier if she knew the truth about Katherine’s past, but I had to protect my baby sister.

It was safer that she didn’t know for just a few more days.

“Leah, as your brother, I’m only going to say this once,” I started.

“Katherine is your best friend. You love her. You don’t want to throw all that away because of this one thing.

You, of all people, know that sometimes it’s better to withhold things to keep other people safe.

Especially people you care for, like Katherine cares for you. ”

“But she?—”

“All I’m saying is Katherine may have a reason for not telling you whatever is going on, and I know you are just as worried for her as she is for you. When she’s ready to confide in us, she will. Just give her some time to work it out.”

I shifted in my seat behind the wheel of my black Chevy pickup, itching to turn the key in the ignition.

Instead, I placed my hand that wasn’t holding the phone on my bouncing leg and watched a few of my brothers-in-blue walk to their own trucks. The setting sun cast a golden glow that reflected off the west-facing windows of the precinct.

Finally, after a few moments of silence on the other end of the call, Leah sighed.

“Fine,” she grumbled. “But I should have known setting you two up would come back to bite me in the ass.”

I chuckled. “That’s what you get for playing matchmaker. Although, I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve always been a hopeless romantic, always rooting for true love.”

“Wait,” Leah’s voice screeched in my ear. “Did you say true love? Are you in love with Kat?”

I opened my mouth to deny it but hesitated. My grip on the phone loosened, and I leaned back in my seat.

Am I ?

The fact I couldn’t deny it and realized that I didn’t want to, made me think I might be. But what if Katherine didn’t feel the same?

I cherished our time together these last few days. Even though it was under less than desirable circumstances, I had realized just how much I’d missed her these past few months. I’d realized just how much of a gap had grown in my life—in my heart—without her.

And when the opportunity arose, I suggested she stay with me. At my apartment. In my bed.

I didn’t hesitate. I just wanted her close. I wanted to know she was safe.

But she didn’t stay with me because she wanted to be with me. She only did so because of Adrian.

If Kat hadn’t received that first note from Adrian in the bar, would she have come home with me? Would she have given me a chance, or would she still be ignoring me?

More importantly, would I have realized my feelings for her?

Yes, I would.

I smiled.

Despite every threat against us, I was falling in love with Katherine. That revelation made me even more eager to see her.

“I think I am,” I finally replied and started my truck, only to forget Leah was still on the phone as a giddy noise screeched through the speaker.

With a permanent smile etched on my face, I pulled in to my apartment complex and parked just outside.

After my call with Leah, I contemplated heading straight to the bar but decided to play it cool .

It would be best to wait until I knew for sure she felt the same. I didn’t want to overwhelm her. I wouldn’t risk losing her again.

Dialing Katherine’s number to check in one last time, I exited the truck but halted on the pavement when I noticed Katherine’s crappy Honda Civic just a few spots down. My grin dropped, and my brows scrunched.

Her shift isn’t over for another hour. What’s she doing here? Did she get off early? Why didn’t she call me?

I waited a few more seconds for the call to connect, but it never did. I pocketed my phone and took the stairs two at a time, hustling up to my apartment.

With the click of the latch, I entered slowly and shut the door behind me. It was dark and quiet. The setting sun provided ample light so I could see into the kitchen and across the hall. Nothing was out of place or pointed to her being there, but my guard was up all the same.

Maybe she’s in the bedroom.

“Katherine?” I called out, placing my hand on the firearm at my hip, and moved through the apartment to my bedroom. “Are you here?”

I tried to calm my racing heart and slowly opened the bedroom door. The lamp on the bedside table lit the room in a warm glow.

When my eyes adjusted, I saw Katherine. She stood a little hunched over at the foot of my bed, her body angled away from me. She still wore her work uniform, and her hair covered most of her face, but she didn’t look hurt.

“Oh, good.” I removed my hand from my weapon and ran my fingers through my hair with a sigh. “I came home to change, but I saw your car out front. Is everything all right? Did something happen?”

“I’m fine.” Katherine stood rigidly still with her head down. “I have to go. ”

I balked at her words. Go? What does she mean? She can’t leave.

I shifted my weight, still just inside the room, and placed my hands on my hips. I wanted to go to her, but her body language told me to stay where I was.

“What are you talking about?” My gaze shifted around her, thinking I might have missed something that would explain why she thought she needed to leave.

I suddenly noticed the duffle bag on the bed in front of her. Then my gaze traveled to her shaking hands hovering over it. Then up her arms where I saw faint red marks, bruises forming on her fair skin. Then higher to her face, which was covered by a few tresses of her dark hair.

The silence between us stretched wider. Katherine shifted as a result of it, and that’s when I saw more bruises.

There were large, dark marks across her neck, jaw, and cheek. Some marks were random splotches, but most of them were shaped like fingers, like someone had grabbed her—hurt her.

A phantom ache radiated along my body where those bruises were, as if I felt the damage of each mark myself. That ache soon morphed into a searing pain that centered in my chest, stealing the breath from my lungs.

Rage like I’d never felt before consumed me. My jaw clenched, and I ground my molars to an almost painful point, but I couldn’t feel the pain. I couldn’t feel anything beyond my wrath.

“What happened?” I asked in a low, deep voice.

Katherine didn’t respond. She kept her head down and angled away.

A part of my ire dissipated when she remained silent, but stayed just below the surface, brewing until I got an answer from her .

I took a deep breath, knowing it was best to remain calm and focused on her. She was more important than the fucker—the dead man walking—who hurt her.

Slowly, I approached Katherine. I wanted to reach out to her but kept my hands at my side in fear she’d shrink away.

“Who did this to you?” my voice trembled with unrestrained emotion.

Katherine shook her head. The movement was so slight, I almost missed it.

I longed for her to face me—to look in my eyes. I needed to see her; to truly know she was all right.

“Katherine?” I gently raised my hand and placed my thumb and forefinger on her chin, angling it up. “Please, just tell me what happened? Was it the man in the hood? Did he do this?”

Finally, her eyes met mine.

A stubborn line formed between her brows as tears filled her brown eyes. Her mouth parted on a breath, but no words came out.

That fiery, sharp pain in my chest turned into a fist that wrapped around my heart, squeezing and squeezing with each tear that fell down her cheeks.

“Please, baby,” I whispered, wiping her tears away with my thumb. “Let me in.”

“I just—” Katherine looked away and stepped back out of my grasp. “It’s not safe anymore. I need to go.”

She reached for her bag, but I stopped her.

“Please, Katherine.” I lowered my head to her level. “Just think about this for a minute. Is leaving really your best option? This isn’t like the time before. You’re not alone. You don’t have to solve this on your own. I’m here. I’m right here for you.”

Her shoulders curved in on themselves, and she pursed her lips. She looked tired. Tired of either my persistence or the situation she was in, but it looked like she was on the verge of breaking—giving up.

I had to keep her broken pieces together.

“I won’t let my past hurt anyone else,” she said firmly. “Not like last time.”

I respected her decision, but she had to know I’d sooner let harm come to me before ever letting it touch her. The fact that it already had enraged me. But not again. She might be willing to risk her own safety, but I wasn’t.

“Katherine,” I said softly and grasped both of her hands in mine. “The only person this is hurting is you.”

My words seemed to pull her out of whatever mental abyss she was in as her eyes closed and more tears spilled down her face. She choked on a sob.

“Let me help you,” I pleaded. “You have people here who care about you—who are desperate to help you. Let me help you. Trust me with this. Please, just let me in.”

I could see the internal conflict she was going through, as if it were written clearly across her face.

She was struggling, but she needed to know she didn’t have to fight this alone. I was here, willing to fight alongside her, if only she’d let me.

“I was so scared tonight,” Katherine admitted between sobs. “I almost didn’t get away. He almost?—"

She crumbled in on herself, and it broke my heart.

I pulled her to my chest, and she slumped against me. Her face pressed into my shoulder as I gently stroked my hands up and down her back to soothe her.

When my hand passed over the middle of her spine, she shuddered in pain and arched her back to get away from my hands.

“Ah,” Katherine cried out.

“Shit.” I dropped my hand immediately and withdrew from her, not wanting to cause her any more pain. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, but I wasn’t convinced. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” I said, plagued by the knowledge that whoever did this was still out there. “Please tell me what happened tonight. Who did this?”

She swiped away her tears and took a deep breath, as if to ready herself to tell the truth. “His name is Hunter. Adrian’s right hand.”

“He did this to you?” I asked, my voice hard as that dormant anger came back to the surface.

I dropped my hand from her face and stepped back, pacing a few feet away. My fists flexed at my sides.

“He’s the one who delivered the note from Adrian. He’s the one who trashed my apartment. He said he’s here to collect me and the dagger.”

“So, what?” I asked. “He’s been messing with you this whole time. Why hide behind a hood? Why send you those notes and threatening text messages?”

“Hunter is a sick lunatic who gets off on these kinds of games,” she said, her shaky voice hardening with her anger. “He cornered me at the bar tonight.”

I stopped pacing. “But you fought him. You got away.”

It wasn’t a question. I needed to reassure myself she was all right—that she was safe and here with me.

“Yeah,” Katherine said and grasped my hands, giving a little squeeze. “I got away. Otherwise, he would have knocked me out and taken me to Adrian or tortured me for the dagger. He said they knew I had it because Adrian gave it to me the night I ran away.”

“He said that?” I asked. “Specifically that Adrian gave it to you?”

“Yeah, but he had to be lying because I don’t have it. I … ”

She trailed off. Her brows pulled together, and she looked away as if in a daze.

Did she remember something?

I waited for her to piece together whatever it was.

Finally, after a few minutes, she whispered, “Son of a bitch.”