Page 85 of Sacrifice the Knight (Checkmate 6)

“Cap. You’re up.” The sky outside is already turning dark when Riley rushes through our office with a hitch to his step but a smooth glide, considering he’s working on a new prosthetic. He drops down at his desk with a relieved grunt, fires up his computer and reads for a moment, then he hits print and sends sheets of paper spitting from the printer just two feet from where I sit.

Frowning, I click out of the screen I’m working on and turn to him. “What’s going on?”

“Criminal trespass and misdemeanor assault.”

“The fuck?” I whip the paper from the printer and shoot to my feet on a roar. “What the fuck? Katrina?” Out of habit and a billion years of training, I reach to my hip to make sure my sidearm is in place, then I sprint around my desk, only to be stopped when Kane appears out of nowhere and slams his hands onto my shoulders.

“Slow it down.”

“Assault!” I thrust the paper in his face. “Assault, Bishop!”

“Misdemeanor,” he returns. “I just left the cop shop. I saw her; she’s fine; the kid is fine. Everyone is fine.”

“Assault!”

Instead of backing away, my friend rolls his eyes and points at Riley. “Cop! He uses the big boy words, because that’s technically what this is, but she is absolutely not hurt. Zeke Douglas dropped by her place today–”

“Fucking Zeke!” Blood roars in my ears, thrums and pulses loudly. “Fuckin’ Zeke. I called it. I knew he was gonna be trouble!”

“He came by their place, wanted to come inside. Kat’s statement says–”

“Katrina,” I interrupt. “Her name is Katrina. She doesn’t like Kat.”

“Okay.” He releases my shoulder when I no longer push against him and relaxes back against my desk. “Zeke wanted in; she said no. He wanted to talk; she said no again. Their kid walked up on the situation after school and told Zeke to go fuck a fire hydrant; Zeke lost his mind and started demanding loyalty. Katrina got the kid inside, tried to slam the door, but Zeke put his boot in and busted it up.”

A billion scenarios race through my mind, but their faces blur. Gemma, Katrina. Gemma, Katrina. Did Gemma try to slam the door, too? Did she stand in front of Callie and try to shut Derrick’s people out? Did they put their boot through my front door and terrify my family? My stomach lurches at the very thought. “Did Zeke hurt her?”

“Nope. He literally didn’t touch her once. He got in her face, screamed so loud she’s struggling to get the buzzing out of her ears, crowded her against the wall, then her kid went to town and knocked the fucker out.”

“He… What?!”

“That kid has gotcajones.” Jay walks into the office and sets a bag on Riley’s desk. Looking up to find the three of us watching him, he lifts a brow as though impressed with his audience. “That Mac is a wily little fucker; he’s kinda big for his age, but he’s still a kid, right? Zeke’s got twelve inches and a hundred pounds on him, but the police reports mention how much he fucked that prick up.”

S’okay, don’t be scared, Mommy.“He fucked him up?”

“Well, I mean, he didn’t cut his nut sack out or squeeze his cock in a pair of pliers,” Jay laughs. “But he took care of business. Katrina was shielding Mac, holding him back, squished him between her and the wall.”

“She was gonna sacrifice herself for her kid.” My throat tightens and makes it hard to breathe. “She was taking the fall.”

“Yeah, well, he wasn’t having it,” Jay scoffs. “He slipped out from behind her, let her bounce back into the space where he was, then a fast one-two landed the prick flat on his back with a busted coffee table beneath him.”

“Police report has been made,” Kane continues. “Zeke was checked over by unsympathetic EMTs then put into Turner’s cage. The dude literally got outta lockup this morning for some other bullshit. Now he’s back in. Judge won’t be so cool about this tomorrow.”

“Is Mac okay?”

Jay shrugs. “Hurt his hand a little. Not broken or anything, just a little achy. Might have to wrap it for a couple days, but that gym he goes to, the fighters, they’re taking care of it. They’ve got a no fighting rule outside gym time. Poor little dude freaked that he’ll be banned for life.”

I’m probably gonna be world champion. I’m gonna take care of my mom.

“Is he banned?”

“Fuck no!” Kane snaps. “They’re throwing him a pizza party and having Andi work on his hand. Zeke’s in lockup; Katrina’s with her kid; he won’t take his eyes off her; she won’t take her eyes off him. Now they’re eating pizza and telling war stories at the gym.”

“So what am I up for?” I turn to Riley and find him with his whole fucking leg off. He plays with the mechanics around the ankle, his brows pulling close as he inspects whatever he’s inspecting, and when he notices the quiet in the office, his gaze comes back up.

“Huh?”

“What the fuck are you doin’?” Jay snaps. “You need a minute in private?”

---