Page 1 of Tamed By A Knight

1

HUSH

“Getting those factory rats hooked on our product was a stroke of genius.” Talon offers his excitement to Knight in the form of a hard pat on the shoulder. “Boulder hasn’t been this quiet since before they arrived. Looks like the Knight Riders are back on top.”

We’re sitting in Knight’s office, a museum of triumphs throughout his career as Boulder’s biggest badass. Guns line the walls, with the most important mounted on a wooden frame with a plaque commemorating the day it was used. Standing shelves and display cabinets have ornaments scattered across them, from MC badges and motorcycle parts to a set of bronze boxing gloves and bullet casings. He’s a hoarder of mementos honoring the past.

“We never left the top, Talon.” Knight’s smirk, enhanced by the side-eye glance he’s giving Talon, shows the pride he has for what’s been accomplished. “Boulder’s ours, always was, always will be. Now and then, we’ve just gotta remind folks of the fact.”

Knight walks over to the chest of drawers on the far end of his desk and grabs three glasses out of it. Bottles clink together as he searches for the one he wants to commemorate our success, before returning with all of them. He knocks over a fat stack of cash with one hand to clear room for the glasses.

But all of this begs the question—why am I here?

It’s hard not to get nervous when our commander and his second in command ask for a sit-down meeting unprovoked, and when word came through the grapevine, I started making peace with the idea of becoming another trinket on Knight’s shelves. No reason for those thoughts, of course. I do what I’m told and don’t ask any questions. A job’s a job, and that’s that.

However, if I were called in here under some false narrative, my chances of arguing a case for innocence would be futile. Loyalty is all that keeps these insane men from tearing your head off and feeding it to the wolves. And once there’s any inclination of someone doing bad, they’re as good as dead.

Still, I can’t do anything but sit here and accept whatever fate has in store for me. Share a drink with my boss and my captain. Hope I don’t wind up in a shallow grave outside.

“And tonight, we celebrate.” Knight pours two fingers of whiskey, unknown in origin, with his hand covering the label, and passes them around. “To the good work we’ve done, both lining our pockets and protecting our people.”

We raise our glasses and clink. Both my superiors suck back their drinks in a swallow, but I only take a sip. Hard liquor isn’t my style. I like a beer, mellow and easy, rarely going for a second.

Gotta keep my wits sharp.

“Don’t think we haven’t noticed what you’ve been doing for us, Hush.” Knight’s attention falls firmly on me. “Strong silent type like you, probably don’t even realize it yourself.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” Embarrassed to admit it, I shift my gaze to the whiskey tumbler in my hands.

“Fuck, the modesty on this guy.” Talon jumps in, making Knight chuckle. “Without you on the streets, dishing out ass beatings and making deals run smooth, this would’ve flopped. Big time.”

Doubt it. All the Knight Riders are capable of handling their own, but I’ll take the praise where it’s offered.

“Big time,” Knight parrots, “and that’s why we brought you here, maybe a little unceremoniously. Credit where it’s due, that’s how we make sure our ship stays afloat, and you deserve a whole bag of it all to yourself.”

“Thank you, but?—”

“I know what you’re gonna say, Hush, and I’m gonna stop you right there,” Knight cuts me off, pouring another round for Talon and himself. “Everyone else will get their share of the pie, but this one’s for you. A pre-celebration, if you will. We know the spotlight isn’t your thing, and want to extend our appreciation in a way you’ll receive it best.”

Knight turns to Talon, whose eyes shift to a clasped box on the desk. Cautiously, as if handling pure gold, he slides it closer to me.

“And it would be an honor if you accepted our gratitude in the form of a promotion.” While Knight speaks, Talon lifts the top of the box, exposing a new patch for my left shoulder.

The patch is in the shape of a teardrop. Below the peak is the signature Knight Riders emblem, a skull wearing a medieval-looking helmet, with “Hush” and “S.a.T.” below it.

Sergeant at Arms? Me? Seems so out of place, all things considered. Yet, my cheeks are burning from a smile I can’t seem to shake, and my mind’s racing with all the possibilities of what my future with the Knight Riders could hold.

Shit, and all this started with me thinking I was gonna get my ass handed to me by the big boss himself.

“I don’t know what to say.” My eyes hastily shift from the patch to Knight and back again.

“I’ll do the speaking for you then.” Talon stands upright, accepting the glass of whiskey Knight’s holding out to him. “Thanks, Knight, and yes, I’d be happy to move on up in the world.”

I repeat those words exactly.

They laugh, we clink glasses, and somehow the whiskey goes down a whole lot smoother this time.

Ten minutes go by, with celebratory jokes and Knight and Talon gulping down half a bottle of whiskey, when a buzzing in my pocket brings me back down to earth. Checking the face, ‘Tara’is displayed on the caller ID, and if I thought my smiling was a problem before, it’s a killer now.

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