Standing By: A Knight's Tale #2 (10 page)

“Classified information, Mitch.” Jake takes his industrial boots off the table and composes his posture. “Look I’m not trying to scare either one of you because I think we have this under control. Except, I want the two of you are aware of the situation.”

He stands up and begins to walk from one side to another, like a trapped animal about to be shot.

“Last year, remember the Malasya mission?”

“No.” Liam responds.

“The mission I headed about a year ago, after I ran away from Emma. Women traffickers cell, the one where I ended up killing one of the guys I caught because I was upset about Em? The other man escaped before we turned him over to the authorities.”

“The mission you used as excuse to stay away for months?” He glares at me and bares his teeth. “Yeah, I do. Li, remember his prophet beard; I sent you the picture. What’s up with that?”

“As I said, the other man escaped.” His voice appears between his clenched teeth, annoyed that I didn’t understand. “I didn’t turn in one of the men to the authorities and now we have a loose end.”

He stares at me, and his dilated pupils reveal he’s not worried but scared shitless and doesn’t want everyone else to know.

“Nothing we can’t take care of but be aware that I might have to send Em to our parents and you two have to watch over her.”

“Yada, yada, yada… Routine lecture,” Liam says as he rises and walks to the door, then, as if he remembered something, he pivots and arches an eyebrow. “Can I use your phone, Mitch? As in closing your office door with no interruptions?”

I agree, and he leaves.

“How bad Jacob?”

“Bad, asshole.” He responds. “If anything happens to me, take care of Emma.”

“Nothing will happen but you know I will.”

“My people will hunt down this trafficking cell before those fuckers hunt me and my people down.”

“Well then, let’s enjoy your last weekend as a single, probably alive man,” I grin, trying to erase the sour taste in my mouth. We almost lost him once; I don’t think we will be able handle it again. Or that Emma can possibly survive it after the loss of her parents… and Chloe.

“So… are you going to tell me where you were earlier?”

“I’m helping a friend with her business,” I finally tell him, because I know that no matter how much he begs or threatens me, there’s no way Hayley will make him the cake. She already booked her cake of the week—we need to fix that too. One cake a week isn’t enough. Hayley needs to hire someone to help her. I should add it in that
To-Do List
of hers—it becomes a rule, I think. “You know
Pieces of Heaven
?”

“Fuck, you asshole.” He stands up roaring. “You’re nailing the cake girl and denied us the favor?”

“First, don’t ever talk like that when you refer to Hayley.” I warn him between clenched teeth and a whole lot of restrain, as I’m seeing red. “Second, a cake to San Francisco won’t make it.”

Before Jake can say anything, Liam taps the door and signals with his hand that it’s time for us to leave. I’m relieved because defending Hayley felt wrong—and so right.

*

Day one in
Vegas so far had been perfect, we hiked, we raced boats, we bet—I won… but then as the clock hit five I suddenly find myself alone. Jake has work related issues that need to be addressed immediately. Hopefully nothing to do with the Malaysia case. Cade my cousin found a girl and Liam scheduled a meeting with a client. My only alternative is to head to the casino. I honestly fear that once I hit it, I’ll do something stupid; stupid Emma messed with my head. The memory from yesterday replays over and over,

“Get a room,” I said, when I reached the living room and found my brother and future sister-in-law slobbering—sickening was how Liam described them. Emma pulled at the hem of my brother’s shirt while he shook with laughter. The girl had an evil streak. “You begin that and I’ll start taping you, Emma Lilian.”

Magically they separated.

“Promise, you won’t come back married to some drunk girl, baby?” She touched her fiancé’s cheek. He shook his head and kissed her nose. Whipped. Then she looked at me. “He better come back in one piece and not hitched, Mitchel.”

“Emmy…” annoyed, I went to give her a side hug, “what gives you the idea that Vegas is a place where men do so many stupid things? Take a break from the television.”

My brother grinned and shook his head, snatching her from my arm and surrounding her with hugs. “I won’t do anything stupid, babe. Only miss you. If you want, you could come with me, and we can get hitched there.” He winked.

“Grandpa Judah might shoot you while Grampy takes you down with his golf clubs,” Emma said playfully and then kissed him again.

“Stop those PDAs,” Liam’s voice came from the front door. “We’re ready to go, Cade’s in the car waiting for us. It’s one weekend; he will be safe, I promise, Em.”

“Sahara Desert, Li.”

Jake and I look at each other trying to understand the sentence, but came up empty. Whatever they had going on wasn’t important. Emma had a great imagination, hence she might have thought about the ways her fiancé would come back with a new bride…or cold feet. The man had to beg her for the word yes. He proposed during Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas and New Year. Her ‘yes’ finally came when he decided to choose a non-holiday date. In three weeks, Emmy and Mom have planned a small wedding in San Francisco, along with the help of her two grandmothers.

Next week my brother would be the first and only Knight marrying. As for me and Liam, we decided to enjoy our twenties and thirties single. No girlfriends or other commitments.

“Babe, trust me and give me a call if you need me.” Emma nodded and gave him what I hoped was the last hug. “As for these two, I can’t promise they won’t come back hitched.” She began to laugh and stared at me.

“He’s going to come back hitched,” she pointed at me, “for laughing at me.”

“Want to take the bet?” I asked. Emma nodded. We shook hands, and that was the easiest favor I had gotten in the past months. “Eternal servitude, Anderson.”

“Anderson-Knight,” my brother growled.

“Whipped,” I said, taking my duffel bag and heading to the door. We had planned a weekend of Knight Fun.

“That bet is an easy win.” Liam stepped inside the elevator. “For Emma.”

“You’re the poster child of let’s do something stupid in Vegas—or anywhere for that matter, Mitchel,” Jake said as the elevator doors closed, and I decided to concentrate my attention somewhere else, like the white stain on the elevator’s carpet. How did everyone describe Vegas? Oh yeah: Sin City, The Gambling Capital of the World…what happened in Vegas, stayed in Vegas. It did, except when Jake liked to bring up the time he had to bail me out of jail. That’s when I confused a hot girl who was actually an undercover police officer portraying a whore—for a hooker. “You still owe me money from the bail I paid.”

That was one fucked up weekend I’d rather not discuss with anyone, not even myself.

“Drop it.” I warn them both. It was always fun and games until they ganged up on me, then I got pissed off way too soon. “The three of us had done things we regretted. That was potentially the worst and, therefore, the one we should seal and never speak of again.”

“Unless you end up marrying tonight.” Liam grinned.

Jake spoke right after, “Or tomorrow.”

“Shut up,” I growled.

“Just accept it; you’re jealous because I’m going to be the first Knight getting married.” Jake gloated, and I closed my eyes for a second. He was baiting me so I’d lose, a low blow. “I beat you to it.”

“Go to hell, Jake.”

However, my luck is shining upon me as usual. Right in front of me they’re carding a girl who is dressed in a small, tight, orange dress that barely covers her ass and gives a wide view of her cleavage. This causes every perverted asshole in the room to salivate. Every curve she possesses are perfectly delineated; those same exact curves she tries so damn hard to hide.

The dress isn’t her, nor all the amount of gunk covering her face, as opposed to her usual all natural with only a little shine on those heart shaped lips. My back stiffens and for some reason I can’t or don’t want to explain, I want to take my shirt off and put it on her. Hayley shouldn’t be dressed like she’s looking for trouble. The guys in the casino room who are close to her are salivating and getting ready to attack—not on my watch.

This is great; I’ll protect that innocent child that shouldn’t be here—damn she was really leaving New York for a change. I should’ve pressed her to tell me where she headed. Not that it matters anymore. She’s here, I’m here and she’ll keep me busy. I’ll show Emma that it is easy not to succumb to the powers of a drunk girl. Today and tomorrow, I’m flying with Miss Muffet. Stupid Emma, she’ll shine my shoes for the next hundred years.

Hayley

“I
D?” A man
wearing a black jacket and an earpiece on his left side asks as I cross the threshold of the casino. This drags the attention of everyone already inside the room my way; he should try to use his inside voice. This is the fourth time someone has carded me in the past two hours. One of them said earlier that everyone looks twenty-one in Vegas, but not everyone is twenty-one. A statement I have yet to understand. I wasn’t trying to look older; my sister tried hard to make me look like her friends. The tight skin dress, five-inch stilettos and pounds of makeup she forced me to wear, are over the top compared to what I wear on a daily basis.

Dad was right, I should’ve stayed home; the wedding is not until midnight and I’m trying to avoid the entire bridal party. They’re being a bunch of prissy snobs; their comments about how ridiculous I look in this dress or how I’m just the baker around the corner are getting on my nerves. Plus making me feel smaller in size than I already am.

Thank you, Parker, for abandoning me.

“Let me know if you need anything while you visit us, Mrs. Roth-Welsh.”

I want to correct him: it’s “Miss.” My parents couldn’t agree on which last name to give me, so they used both. The joy of having unmarried parents is they seldom agree with each other on what to do with me.

I head to the black jack tables; I think less while playing a game of cards. I promised myself not to count cards, getting kicked out wouldn’t be an issue but jail might present a huge problem. I’ll behave, playing a game or two should keep me awake, or I should go and drink one of those tall fruity alcoholic slushes. No wait, alcohol sedates me, coffee keeps me awake.

Let’s go for tequila and sleep through the ordeal.

“If it isn’t
my
Strawberry Shortcake,” the voice slices through my ears. Not today, not while I look like this. I try to ignore him, but he grabs my elbow. Of all places, I have to encounter him here.
Again, where is Parker?
Not here. I narrow my eyes and try to feel confident—which is close to impossible while I’m almost naked. “Yes, I know, you’re not wearing pink or weird stockings or have red hair, but let’s be honest. You could easily be part of an animated series, wearing your hats and looking all short and cute. What are you doing here?”

My eyes rake over the tall blond man who is wearing a devastatingly beautiful grin on those perfectly sculpted lips. I hear the breaks of my brain coming to a halt as I realize that my description of Mitch is all wrong.

Change gears, Hayley.

“I’m deciding if I’d rather spend time with you or celebrate my sister’s wedding,” I try to straighten my saggy shoulders—I need to compose myself. Try to look sophisticated and not in pain because these heels are breaking my spine. “Now I’m a cartoon,” What is wrong with him? “If given the option of eating a snake or dealing with you, the snake wins hands down but between you and the wedding, I can’t make up my mind.”

“As usual your words warm my heart, Parker’s little sister.” Mitch gives me that side grin that makes my legs a bit wobbly.

“Why can’t you call me by my name?” I poke his chest, as I work on releasing some of the anger I’m building. Not because of him but because this entire weekend is a bad idea, and this guy will become the cherry on top by teasing me. “Hayley, repeat after me, Hayley.”

“Now, Miss Muffet, how much fun would that be?”

He runs a hand through that shaggy, messy hair. His dark green eyes scan my body, and that glance makes my entire body shiver. I pay the scanning service with one of my own, and it occurs to me that hunky boy always wears that stubble, doesn’t he ever shave? I want to ask him why but desist and pray that he drifts away soon.

“You clean up well, Babe, now tell me about this wedding you talked about before. You never mentioned anything about it. Paige getting married?”

I nod and hold the: “
Duh, which other sister do you know I have?”