Page 44 of Brutal Knight

Raul.

He was Abuelo’s brother and right-hand man, chosen for his lack of empathy to carry out the more deadly aspects of their dark world. He was well over six feet, with a wide, flared nose, and dark mahogany skin that matched Abuelo’s. His eyes were dark and stoic as obsidian stone, and now, I avoided his gaze. I tried to steer clear of the man’s notice—he gave me the heebie-jeebies.

"Tati," Knight's low voice filled my ears, surprising me. I hadn't expected it to be so low, to sound somature.

I didn't look at him, even though he pushed Valentina aside and stood up.

"I just came to see if you needed anything else from my father," I lied to Abuelo, unable to look at Knight. My heart was pounding, and tears burned at the back of my eyes. If I looked at him, I wouldn’t be able to hold them back.

I could tell by Abuelo's reaction that he knew I was lying. He glanced at Knight, who was walking towards me, then back at me, his expression sympathetic. Somehow that was worse.

He shook his head, a soft smile on his face. "He's done for the night. Tell him Pedro will meet him tomorrow, as usual."

“I don’t understand, I’ve already spoken to him,” Pedro, who was also in the room, commented.

Abuelo waved him off. “It’s fine.” He turned towards a man I didn’t recognize. “Manuel, this is Bogdan’s daughter, one of the men who works for me.”

“Good evening.” Manuel said, turning to stare at me. He wore black pants and a crisp, black, button-up shirt. The left side of his face was twisted—like melted candle wax. The scar was large enough to stand out against his dark, bronze skin, visible even from where I stood in the shadows.

It wasn’t the scar that made my words die in my throat, but the look in his eyes.

It was…intense. Focused.On me.

“Her father works for you?” I didn’t like his voice. It was cold, and tinged with cruelty. And he was staringatme but talkedaboutme as if I wasn’t even in the room.He thinks you’re a nobody, just like everyone else.

I took a step back, shaking my head, and he gave a displeased click of his tongue, then turned away, dismissing me. “What’s her name?”

I took another step back, then another…and another and another until the back of my ankles hit the stairs and I fell on my ass. Shame marked my face, although the men already had gone back to their talking.

Everyone, except for Knight and Valentina.

"Tati, you came.” Knight squatted down in front of me.

"Hi." I stared down at the floor, not wanting him to see how ashamed I felt.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Knight glance towards the room.Was he signaling to Valentina that he’d be back with her soon?

I followed his gaze. Valentina, who was now sitting in the seat Knight had emptied, stared daggers at me. But Knight wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he was glancing nervously at the table.

I suddenly realized for the first time that there were stacks of money piled up on the table.

Shit.

I probably wasn't supposed to see that.

Embarrassed and nervous that I was going to be in trouble, I turned and ran up the stairs.

"Tati," Knight followed after me, quickly catching up. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up the stairs and to his room. He slumped down on his bed, but I didn't sit, instead staring out the window, wishing I could disappear.

"Why are you just standing there? Sit down."

Anger surged through me, and my face snapped back to him. "Why should I? I just came to see if Abuelo--"

"Cut the bullshit."

My lips parted in surprise at his tone; Knight never talked to me like that. He looked tired and yet, so grown up at the same time.

He'd changed. He didn't look like a fourteen year old, but a young man.

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