Page 20 of Relentless Knight

“Morning,” Killian says, his green eyes lighting up as soon as I enter.

My heart twists at the way his concern lines seem to soften on his face. I don’t like how worried I must have made him. “Morning,” I say with a sheepish grin. I nod to Natasha, then cast a shy glance in Lance’s direction.

Heat pools in my cheeks when I find him looking at me, his blue eyes pensive. But he doesn’t say a word. Just gives a subtle tip of the head before going back to his eggs.

Silence stretches in the room as I settle into my chair. Cheryl bustles in a moment later, beaming as she delivers my favorite—pancakes smothered in fresh berries. “Miss Quinn,” she says affectionately, beaming as she sets the plate before me.

“Thanks, Cheryl,” I murmur, the heat growing more intense with the realization that everyone around me seems to have been waiting with bated breath for me to get out of bed.

Everyone except Lance, of course, who seems steadily determined to clean his plate.

“I think I’ll start classes again on Monday,” I state when the silence becomes too painful.

He looks up from his food to study my face. “Are you sure? There’s nothing wrong with taking your time,” he insists.

“I’m sure,” I say.

He nods. “I figured you wouldn’t give me much of a break from worrying, so I’ve assigned Lance as your guard.”

My stomach does a nervous flip-flop, and I glance in Lance’s direction once more. “I?—”

“Before you can argue,” Killian cuts in, raising his hand, “this is non-negotiable. I don’t trust Lucian as far as I could throw him, and I’m not taking any more risks. So you either deal with having a bodyguard until this conflict is over, or you wait to go back to class. I’m fine with either of those options.”

My lips press closed, and I can’t help but smile at my brother’s protective stubbornness. I know I’ve argued with him endlessly over the years about having to drag guards around with me wherever I go. But this time, I don’t mind. After the dreams I keep having, in which Lucian’s men find me walking between classes, I’ve been debating whether I could find the courage to go back to school at all. In the end, I couldn’t let those men have the satisfaction of destroying my future.

And having Lance with me will be a massive comfort. I know he won’t let anything happen to me. Still, I feel my temperature rising just thinking about being in his proximity for an extended period like that. Again, I glance up at him from beneath my lashes and feel the blush turning me a deep shade of red when I find him watching me again.

“I wasn’t going to argue, actually,” I say, turning my gaze back to Killian before I keel over with embarrassment. “I was going to thank you. I know sparing Lance will be inconvenient.”

“Considering the number of times you’ve patched us all up, I assure you, it’s the least we could do to pay you back. And, Quinn, you’re my kid sister. All I want is for you to be safe and happy.”

My heart feels like it just might explode in my chest, and my eyes sting with unexpected tears. I love my brother so much, and I know he loves me too. But he doesn’t often say sweet thingslike that. And with how raw and emotional I’ve felt since my kidnapping, hearing it is almost enough to make me cry.

“I was thinking I could show you some self-defense moves as well, if you’re going to be out and about. They’ll help if you get caught in a tight spot again.” Natasha looks about as threatening as I feel sitting next to Killian, her petite frame slim and feminine. But her silver eyes shine with sincerity.

“You know some self-defense?” I ask, surprised.

Killian gives a slight snort, and Natasha sends him a narrow-eyed glare before turning back to me. “Yes, I’m happy to give you some pointers if you’d like.”

Something in my chest loosens at the idea of being able to defend myself. If, for instance, I could have known some way to get away from my captor before he took me. And gratitude eases the tension in my shoulders as my lips stretch into a sincere smile. “That would be wonderful, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. You feel good enough to get some practice in today?”

“Definitely,” I agree, nodding enthusiastically.

Within the next hour, I’m dressed in a sports bra, leggings, and running shoes, facing off with the petite Russian beauty in my brother’s home gym. Her thick burgundy hair is pulled back into a basic French braid. And dressed in formfitting workout apparel, Natasha looks far less fragile than she does in her typical feminine fashion.

In fact, she looks impressively fit and toned as she stands with her feet shoulder-width apart, her knees and hips slightly bent as if she’s ready to spring into action at any moment. And while her arms rest casually by her sides, I get the feeling no one could catch her unawares.

“I’ll teach you a few different ways to fend off an attacker based on how they come at you,” she starts, getting right down to business. “It’s safe to assume that you’ll likely be dealingwith someone larger than you, so rather than thinking about overpowering or outrunning an opponent, think about how to incapacitate them, right?”

“Okay?” I say tentatively. I don’t see how I’m going to incapacitate anybody—especially if they’re bigger than me. But she’s right. Killian doesn’t have many female enemies, as far as I’m aware, and I’m considerably smaller than most men.

“That means your greatest asset will be staying on your guard and being ready for them at all times. If they can’t catch you by surprise, you’re already one step ahead.”

“I think that was my biggest mistake when I was taken. I was so distracted about being late, I literally walked right into the guy.”

Natasha nods, her silver eyes flashing. “That’s a good way to throw you off-balance. Create a collision that will make you feel responsible. Let’s talk about how to handle it if someone comes at you from the front.”

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