Free Pride & Pleasure (The KNIGHT Brothers Book 1) by Rhonda Lee Carver Page B

never been affected by a man this way, not even her high school crush. She didn’t want to humiliate herself, which meant she had to keep a tight rein on her thoughts and feelings.
    “Here we are.” He stopped at a closed door on the opposite end of the hall from where her suite was located.
    She nervously moistened her lips. His gaze fell to that spot and she could have sworn she heard him suck in a deep breath. “I’m nervous,” she admitted.
    A half-smile carved his lips. “No need to be. She’s much kinder and welcoming than I am.” His gaze twinkled.
    “Or maybe she gives better first impressions?”
    “Does that mean I might be changing your impression of me?” he asked softly.
    “Let’s take it minute by minute.” She couldn’t hold back the smile that needed freedom.
    “Let’s do this, shall we?” He pushed open the door and they stepped into a dimly lit suite.
    Avary darted a quick glance around, then focused on the pale blue cloth dividing part of the room. The curtain moved, then slid open and a woman dressed in scrubs stepped out. “Mr. Knight, Miss Pine. Angelina has been anticipating your visit.”
    “How does she know me?” Avary whispered to Victor.
    “I forewarned her that we’d be up to see Angelina,” he whispered back. “Hello, Sandy. How is she doing this evening?”
    “She was tired, but looking forward to having company. I think she’s tired of seeing this old mug of mine.” Sandy motioned for them to follow her and she pulled back the curtain the rest of the way.
    Avary sucked in a breath, but quickly controlled herself. In the hospital bed, surrounded by IV and medical equipment, was a too-skinny woman with long red hair fanned out over a white pillow. Her eyes were closed.
    Victor approached the side and touched her slender hand. “Angelina,” he whispered.
    Her eyes fluttered open and a small smile soon followed. “Vic.” Her voice rattled. “Have you brought my visitor?”
    “Yes, indeed, I have.” He motioned for Avary to come closer. “Just as you had said, Ang. She looks much different in person.” He waved Avary even closer.
    She swallowed against the constriction in her throat as she stepped next to the bed, a strong odor of medicine reaching her nostrils. Angelina had big green eyes and even the dark smears lining her lids and the milky shade of her transparent skin didn’t hide the fact that she was once a beautiful woman. The sheet was pulled high on her chest, but an odd looking gadget stuck out from the V of her shirt.
    “Miss Avary Pine. I warned my brother that you are captivating…and those eyes. Bluer than the clean water off the dock.”
    Avary’s cheeks burned. She lifted her gaze and met Victor’s. He smiled and stepped back, reading the chart hanging on the end of the bed. She brought her attention back to Angelina. “Thank you for asking me to come here. I do hope I will have the honor of playing for you.”
    Angelina’s smile made it easy to ignore all of the tubes coming and going from her frail body. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t join you for dinner, but I’m resting up tonight so that I can manage making an appearance tomorrow evening at the dinner party. I wouldn’t miss your performance for anything, not even cancer.”
    “I’m very honored that you admire my music, but I must say I’m quite surprised I still have a fan.”
    Angelina laughed and it was melodic. Some of the paleness of her face was exchanged for a rosy hue. “You can’t get rid of me that easy, right Vic? He’s been expecting me to kick the bucket any day now.”
    “Don’t be silly.” Victor replaced the chart and offered Angelina a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You’ll probably outlast us all.”
    “The only chance of that is if an apocalypse occurs. Or maybe even a zombie apocalypse like in that show we watch every Saturday. Vic hates it, but he humors me.”
    “Now that, I can’t deny.” Avary hadn’t realized he was standing so