Page 12 of Sunrise

“Gotta keep them scared of you, so they listen.” He winks at Sophie. “Except you. You, I’ll forever be sweet to you because you always listen.”

She smiles like a devil. “What about Vault? He listens.”

“Mmm.” Knox side-eyes me. “He likes me violent sometimes.”

“When have I ever—”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to admit it. But I know my unhingery is a turn on.” He sits back and crosses his arms. “Classic dark romance trope. No one says no to a hot guy who’s a little fucked in the head.”

“You’re not fucked in the head,” Sophie argues humorously.

“Baby, if I play my cards right, I’d like to get head fucked. My mouth works great, don’t you think?Gotta pretty sweet ass, too.” He waggles his brows at her.

Kill me now.

“And don’t even try to deny this jawline.” He tips his head to the side and runs the back of his hand along his razor-sharp jawbone.

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.” Soph rests her elbows on the table and props her chin on her hand and bats her lashes at him. “It is unbelievably sexy. Don’t you agree, Vault?”

What the hell is happening here?

Knox slowly turns his gaze towards me. Am I actually supposed to answer that? My throat’s tight and palms are clammy. “It’s average.”

Knox cracks a laugh so loud half the restaurant turns and stares at us.

The server soon comes out with our food, and Knox personally inspects each dish. It’s not unnoticed that Tristan’s peeking out to check if our food passes Knox’s specifications. Once Knox nods, the poor kid’s shoulders slump in relief and he hides back in the kitchen again.

“You’re going to give that poor boy an ulcer before he’s thirty.”

“Meh, he’ll survive.” Knox cuts into Sophie’s steak and feeds it to her. “At least he’ll never burn garlic again.”

Her pretty lips wrap around the fork he holds out for her, and she groans when the flavor hits her tongue. “God, that’s good.”

Knox shakes the fork at her. “Don’t call Tristan God. He’ll get a complex like me and there can only be one of us.”

My steak bursts in my mouth with a buttery flavor that’s got a hint of pepper and garlic. “Damn,this is amazing.” I go for a potato next.

“May I try one?” Sophie asks.

“Absolutely.” I poke one of the fingerlings and feed it to her. “I thought you hated potatoes?”

“I do… but I wanted you to feed me.” She chews it and swallows.

Knox slides her a glass of water. “Drink.”

We take turns feeding her the entire meal and clean our plates, too. Satisfied, I lean back and hide a yawn. With a full belly, Sophie acting better, and the tension between Knox and I somehow lessened, I’m fucking exhausted.

“Want dessert?” he asks.

“Not for me.”

“What about you, Soph? I got a Guinness chocolate torte with raspberry coulis. Want some?”

She bites her bottom lip and looks at me for a long moment. I have no idea what’s going through her mind, but I have a feeling I’m not going to like it.

Sophie tips her head and looks at Knox. “What if what I want is something that’s not on the menu?”

Knox rubs his hands together. “Oh, a challenge. I’m down. What is it?”

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