Knight Read Online Free Page A

hovered somewhere between medically induced coma and suicide, but the biker might have stood a chance, had he rolled the right way.
    I pretended not to notice the sudden bump from the back left tire.
    Temple didn’t learn from their mistakes. The second rider burst upon the driver’s side door. Gunfire cracked through Luke’s window, and he shouted. Blood poured from a cut to his cheek and ear.
    “Hold on!” He swore, twisting the wheel.
    I regretted not wearing my seatbelt. I bounced against him and crashed into the console as he rutted the truck into the biker. Luke wiped the blood from his eyes just before we careened off the road and into the dry gully running alongside the pavement.
    Luke was hurt, and rattling inside the cabin didn’t feel too good on me either. I held the wheel as he dug the glass from his cheek. It wasn’t bad. He didn’t need medical attention, but it didn’t help our escape. Another blast of gunfire from the remaining biker was as unwelcomed as it was accurate.
    A bullet tore through the undercarriage. It didn’t need to strike the tire, only the components that helped maneuver it. The Coup raced forward, but Luke lost control of the truck. He slowed, opening us to an attack from my side.
    I hated to do it.
    I hated the thought of something so pretty, so expensive, and so new lost to sand and motor oil.
    I armed myself with the only weapon I had and rolled down the window. My shoe had a four inch heal, was crafted from perfect Italian leather, and glistened a feisty and confident red.
    At least it wouldn’t show blood.
    My family enrolled me in ballet instead of softball, but I had decent aim. I lurched out the window as Luke yelled. I pitched the shoe. It spun once before slamming into the biker’s face.
    Heel first.
    The bike crashed.
    Luke hauled me into my seat. I held up the remaining shoe with a scowl. “You owe me five hundred dollars.”
    “You’re an expensive fucking rescue.”
    “This isn’t a rescue.”
    Luke straightened the wheel and slowed to where the truck didn’t shudder, shake, and smoke. “Give me more lip, and I’ll take you back to Temple.”
    “They’ll find us anyway.”
    “Just let me fucking save you.”
    “Stop being so valiant, Luke. This isn’t a rescue. This is you fixing your goddamned mistake.”
    “ My mistake?” His voice edged with a profanity he’d never aim at me. “I was fucking blindsided. I didn’t even know Blade was dead.”
    I did. “No, but you’ve been working with Temple for a year. You sleep in the bed you made.”
    “I’ve slept with one eye open thanks to Temple. I don’t need you judging me for what I did. I had a plan that would’ve helped us all.”
    “Funny how all your plans end up the same. Men are dead. Guns are aimed at me. At least you didn’t burn Sorceress down this time.”
    I crossed my arms. That only pushed my chest higher. The lacy bra already revealed enough of my girls. What should’ve been a thousand dollar dance jiggled for free in a goddamned biker parade down the deserted highway. I wasn’t ashamed of my body, but now I realized what nearly happened.
    Temple wasn’t just dealing drugs. They dealt in women. And while my worst experience with traffic was getting caught on the 9 during rush hour, men like Temple would have made my life…harder.
    I shivered. Luke shuffled out of his jacket. He tossed it at me.
    It smelled like him—of leather and cedar and a million different shattered memories and abandoned fantasies. I had a bad enough day without facing that misery. I pushed the jacket away and hardened my voice.
    “Come on, Luke. You think I haven’t been naked before?”
    “Think you probably don’t want to be half-naked now.”
    He was right. “I’ll survive.”
    “I’m taking you to the garage.”
    Damn it. First kidnapped by Temple and then dragged to The Coup’s chosen safe ground.
    I zipped the jacket over me.
    “Haven’t flirted with death enough today?” I