Free Knight-in-Arms - Secrets: (BWWM Interracial Paranormal Shifter Romance Part One) by Athena Dore Page B
Authors: Athena Dore
you’d moved in”.
She held up the package like a peace offering. Mr Knight opened the door a bit further and reached forward to take the box. His eyes glistened briefly in the watery sun.
“Thanks” he said. He tucked the box under his arm and went to close the door.
“Wait!” Rochelle cried, pushing the door. Mr Knight stopped accordingly.
“Sorry, I’ve locked myself out. Would you mind if I used your phone?”
He looked at her, unblinking. It was a penetrating, analysing look, and though it lasted only a second, it felt as though he was deciding whether or not to let her in based on what she was wearing, her hairstyle, eye colour, height.
Whatever it was he was screening her for, she passed. He opened the door further and stepped aside to let her in.
It was dark inside. As soon as she stepped in, she spotted a large, alert collie sitting impatiently just behind the door. Its eyes darted back and forth, as though subjecting her to a second screening. It let out an excitable bark and stood up, taking a few steps towards Rochelle.
“Mindy, sit” Mr Knight ordered. Mindy looked as though she would rather do anything but sit. However, she obediently sat down again, her tail swishing and her tongue lolling before her.
Rochelle stroked her. She was glad to have something to do. She couldn’t deny she was feeling slightly awkward in Mr Knight’s house.
“She’s a bit excited”, said Mr Knight, “We don’t often get visitors”.
“That’s a shame” said Rochelle. Mr Knight didn’t seem to think so.
“The phone’s in here” he said, leading her into the living room. Rochelle looked around. The room was immaculate. A large window, nearly the same height as the room, overlooked the garden. At the far side, by the window, a glossy black grand piano reflected little bits of the greenery outside, mixed with the brooding, overcast sky.
Immediately before her, the cushions were arranged perfectly on the sofa, and on a small table beside it, under a lamp, was the telephone.
The only thing out of place was a thick hardback book on the glass coffee table in front of the sofa. Rochelle suspected he’d been reading before she had come and disturbed him.
Mindy stalked into the room, obviously unable to sit any longer.
“Here you go” Mr Knight said, gesturing towards the phone.
“Thanks” said Rochelle.
Mr Knight withdrew from the room.
“Mindy!” he called. Mindy trotted after her master.
Alone, Rochelle felt a bit relieved. She went over to the table, picked up the phone and called Nico.
“Hello?”
“Hi”, said Rochelle, “It’s me. Look, where are you?”
“I’m on my way home. Just stopped off at Sainsbury’s. Do you want anything?” There were several things Rochelle wanted, like going to swim with dolphins, or taking a hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings, but sadly, neither was easily bought from a supermarket.
“No, I’m all right. How long do you think you’ll be? I’ve locked myself out”.
“Typical, isn’t it?” said Nico. Rochelle could almost hear him rolling his eyes over the phone.
“Probably about half an hour”.
“Well, when you get home, can you come and get me? I’m at Number 11”.
“What, the creepy man with the dog? Chelle, get out of there”.
“I can’t; I’m using his phone”.
“What, seriously, Rochelle?”
“I left mine at home…”
“Be careful – I’ve heard some dodgy things about him”.
“Like what?” Rochelle asked. She tried to keep her voice casual but a slight pressure started welling in her chest. It wasn’t fear; not yet. It was more like foreboding, uncertainty…
“People have heard things in the night…banging, cries, that sort of thing. Some people say he’s got his wife locked away somewhere”.
“Um…” It all sounded a bit far-fetched.
Just get
She held up the package like a peace offering. Mr Knight opened the door a bit further and reached forward to take the box. His eyes glistened briefly in the watery sun.
“Thanks” he said. He tucked the box under his arm and went to close the door.
“Wait!” Rochelle cried, pushing the door. Mr Knight stopped accordingly.
“Sorry, I’ve locked myself out. Would you mind if I used your phone?”
He looked at her, unblinking. It was a penetrating, analysing look, and though it lasted only a second, it felt as though he was deciding whether or not to let her in based on what she was wearing, her hairstyle, eye colour, height.
Whatever it was he was screening her for, she passed. He opened the door further and stepped aside to let her in.
It was dark inside. As soon as she stepped in, she spotted a large, alert collie sitting impatiently just behind the door. Its eyes darted back and forth, as though subjecting her to a second screening. It let out an excitable bark and stood up, taking a few steps towards Rochelle.
“Mindy, sit” Mr Knight ordered. Mindy looked as though she would rather do anything but sit. However, she obediently sat down again, her tail swishing and her tongue lolling before her.
Rochelle stroked her. She was glad to have something to do. She couldn’t deny she was feeling slightly awkward in Mr Knight’s house.
“She’s a bit excited”, said Mr Knight, “We don’t often get visitors”.
“That’s a shame” said Rochelle. Mr Knight didn’t seem to think so.
“The phone’s in here” he said, leading her into the living room. Rochelle looked around. The room was immaculate. A large window, nearly the same height as the room, overlooked the garden. At the far side, by the window, a glossy black grand piano reflected little bits of the greenery outside, mixed with the brooding, overcast sky.
Immediately before her, the cushions were arranged perfectly on the sofa, and on a small table beside it, under a lamp, was the telephone.
The only thing out of place was a thick hardback book on the glass coffee table in front of the sofa. Rochelle suspected he’d been reading before she had come and disturbed him.
Mindy stalked into the room, obviously unable to sit any longer.
“Here you go” Mr Knight said, gesturing towards the phone.
“Thanks” said Rochelle.
Mr Knight withdrew from the room.
“Mindy!” he called. Mindy trotted after her master.
Alone, Rochelle felt a bit relieved. She went over to the table, picked up the phone and called Nico.
“Hello?”
“Hi”, said Rochelle, “It’s me. Look, where are you?”
“I’m on my way home. Just stopped off at Sainsbury’s. Do you want anything?” There were several things Rochelle wanted, like going to swim with dolphins, or taking a hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings, but sadly, neither was easily bought from a supermarket.
“No, I’m all right. How long do you think you’ll be? I’ve locked myself out”.
“Typical, isn’t it?” said Nico. Rochelle could almost hear him rolling his eyes over the phone.
“Probably about half an hour”.
“Well, when you get home, can you come and get me? I’m at Number 11”.
“What, the creepy man with the dog? Chelle, get out of there”.
“I can’t; I’m using his phone”.
“What, seriously, Rochelle?”
“I left mine at home…”
“Be careful – I’ve heard some dodgy things about him”.
“Like what?” Rochelle asked. She tried to keep her voice casual but a slight pressure started welling in her chest. It wasn’t fear; not yet. It was more like foreboding, uncertainty…
“People have heard things in the night…banging, cries, that sort of thing. Some people say he’s got his wife locked away somewhere”.
“Um…” It all sounded a bit far-fetched.
Just get
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