Page 82 of Knox's Boy

"Why would I be mad that someone loves you enough to worry?" He set his wine down and moved closer. "I would be more concerned if your friends were blindly encouraging you to jump into a situation they didn't understand just because there was money involved."

I let out a breath, leaning back against the island. "She really grilled me. She asked if I had a savings account. She asked what happens if I say 'no'."

"And what did you tell her?"

"I told her I trust you," I said, meeting his eyes.

Knox's expression softened, tenderness entering his dark eyes. He reached out, his thumb brushing a stray lock of hair from my forehead. "I'm glad you defended us. But words often fail to convey the reality of a dynamic like ours. People fear what they can't see." He paused. "Why don't you invite her over? For dinner. We could do it Friday night."

"Have her here?" I squeaked. The image of Luna, with her combat boots and anti-establishment t-shirts, sitting in Knox's pristine dining room was almost impossible. "Daddy, she called this place a fortress. She threatened to burn it down if you hurt me."

Knox laughed. "I'd like to meet the arsonist. Seriously, Florian. If she's your best friend, she's a significant part of your life. I don't want to be a separate silo. I want to bridge that gap."

"She's… she's a lot," I warned him. "She doesn't care about politeness if she thinks something is wrong. She's my only real friend. Everyone else from high school just sort of drifted away or got hooked on stuff, or we just had nothing in common anymore. Luna stuck around when I had nothing. She'd buy me lunch at the grocery store shifts when I couldn't afford it."

Knox listened, his focus entirely on me, making me feel like my rambling explanation was the most important briefing he'd received all week.

"Then I owe her gratitude," he said simply. "Invite her. Friday. I'll make something approachable. We'll show her, not just tell her, that you are safe."

"You really want to do that?" I asked, searching his face.

"I want to know the people who matter to you," he said. "Because you matter to me."

He kissed me, soft and slow. His lips tasted of the crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc he'd been cooking with. When he pulled back, I felt dizzy.

"Okay," I whispered. "I'll text her."

"Good boy," he murmured, giving my hip a squeeze before turning back to his scallops. "Now, finish those tomatoes. We're on a schedule."

I chuckled and picked up the knife.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, baby?” he asked with a smile, not looking away from the food.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

Chapter 35. Florian

I paced the length of the marble entryway, checking my watch every thirty seconds, smoothing the front of my shirt. Knox appeared from the living room, looking infuriatingly calm in a green sweater and dark jeans, an outfit chosen, I suspected, to look less like a corporate overlord and more like a human being.

"You're going to wear a hole in the rug," he noted, amused.

"She's going to be aggressive," I warned him for the tenth time. "She enters rooms like she's looking for a fight."

"I have negotiated mergers with men who wanted to destroy my company for sport," Knox said dryly. His lips curved into a half-smile. "I've faced down corporate sharks who would devour their own children for profit. Your friend's loyalty doesn't frighten me."

“But it should,” I protested. He simply chuckled again.

The doorbell rang. The sound echoed through the high ceilings.

I jumped, then rushed to the door. I took a deep breath, plastered a smile on my face, and pulled it open.

Luna stood on the porch. She had compromised, I saw. She was wearing black slacks and a structured blazer, but underneath was a t-shirt featuring a skeletal hand holding a rose, and her feet were in her favorite combat boots.

"Be nice," I whispered, pulling her into a quick hug.