Page 47 of Wicked Knight

Kade rests a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. “Watch your back, man. I saw your father around.” He glances down the path leading to the locker rooms. I follow his gaze and spot Mackenzie waiting by the pillars. Waiting for me.

I look back at Kade and give him a curt nod. “I will.”

I make my way to Mackenzie. When she spots me approaching, she slips into the locker room, going into the section we use when we have a home game and need to accommodate the rival team.

The section is empty now, so I’m guessing she wants to talk here. Not at the Hollows.

I’m guessing she wants to try to get me to release her again.

That’s okay. My answer won’t change.

Chapter Ten

Mackenzie

I press my hand to the pillar next to me as if it can protect me from Dimitri's heated blue stare.

The moment he reached the door and looked at me, I recalled our last encounter in perfect clarity. My insides are still burning like I’ve been set on fire.

Dmitri walks in and closes the door behind him. His hair is slick with sweat, and he looks as daunting and formidable as he did on the field.

Every time I see him play, he seems to get better and better. More unstoppable. It’s like he’s fighting in a war he must win. Even during a practice session.

Those massive shoulders are as wide as a wall in his jersey. During the training, I watched the way he used them to eliminate anyone in his path.

Yet now he walks with an elegance I haven’t even seen in some dancers.

As he advances closer, he stares at me as if he can see straight through to the walls I've built to protect my heart. Maybe he can, and he’ll knock them down to get to me.

This isn’t where he told me to meet him, but I’m here because this is another attempt to reason with him about the contract.

I was already in a state of mindfuck from our encounter at the club. But after the way his father looked at me in the assembly meeting yesterday, I knew I had to do something. Something more to get out of the contract.

It’s not what I want. Against my better judgment, I still want to be with him. But I’m worried.

That dark uncertainty tightening slowly around my neck like a noose almost strangled me during the assembly. It’s back now, intensifying with his stare.

It’s a stare that’s just as sharp as the one his father gave me but less cold.

If looks could kill, yesterday would have been my last. And I'd be a distant memory in the dust.

There’s no telling what that man may do if he finds out about Dmitri and me.

Then everything will cause chaos again, like it did before. I’m worried he’ll try to do something to my family. To myfather.

Our fathers may hold the same rank in the Knights, but Maxim Valneko is ultimately more powerful with his connections than my father.

Dad is still in L.A., and this morning I saw on the news that a major investor who’d worked for Dad for over twenty years had pulled out of our company without giving a reason.

If that’s not weird, I don’t know what is. I don’t usually keep myself up to date with the company’s affairs, but it was on the news. There was no way I wouldn’t have seen it.

I don’t care how Mom tried to soothe me, but I know in my heart that something is going on. Now is not the time for me to make things worse.

“Spider.” Dimitri smiles, stopping by the pillar opposite me.

“Scorpion.” I’m so nervous there’s a noticeable quiver in my voice.

“Want to play a different game in here?” His smile takes on a dangerous edge that's as alluring as it is menacing.