Doug shook his head with a tired laugh. “You’re still an asshole.”
Monica laughed too, then looked down at Knox. “Guess it’s just you and me, buddy.”
Knox stretched dramatically, letting out a groan that made her smile. She sank deeper into the chair, the fire warming her as her thoughts drifted the way they’d been drifting all day...straight to Kane.
Her gaze slid to the empty chair he’d been sitting in earlier, and she felt that stupid pinch in her chest. God help her, she actually missed him. A few times, she’d thought she heard a motorcycle, sending her heart pounding. And that swirling-in-her-stomachthing? Yeah. Still happening every damn time she thought of him or he was near.
The first time she’d ever seen him, when he’d ticked her off so bad she’d wanted to smack his handsome face, she’d felt it too. That spark...that impossible, maddening awareness that refused to back off.
He irritated the hell out of her, and yet she trusted him with her life. She pulled her knees in tighter, eyes drifting back to the flames.
What scared her wasn’t the danger looming over her. It was how easily this man was starting to slip past every wall she’d ever built and how a part of her didn’t want to rebuild those walls.
Knox’s low growl yanked her straight out of her thoughts. Without moving her head, Monica glanced down. He was still lying there, completely still, but his eyes were wide open and locked onto the darkness like something out there had his full attention.
“What is it, boy?” she whispered, barely moving her lips.
Knox suddenly sat up, growl deepening, turning more aggressive.
Shit.
Maybe she should’ve gone inside with Doug. She was seriously rethinking her brilliant decision to “sit with the fire for a bit” as Knox slowly stood, ears pinned back, hackles up, with that low rumbling warning vibrating out of him.
Her eyes darted around, searching for anything she could use as a weapon. Nothing. Absolutely nothing but the oversized stick Doug had been using to poke at the fire. Great.
Monica stood slowly and yanked the stick from the flames.
“What do you see, Knox?” she whispered, squinting uselessly into the darkness. She couldn’t see a damn thing. “I swear, if it’s a rabbit, I’m going to be pissed.”
Knox started creeping forward, head low.
“Don’t you dare leave me, Knox.”
Naturally, he ignored her. He stalked farther out into the yard until he stopped, circling something, nose working overtime with his ears still flat.
Monica tightened her grip on the stick that was still burning at one end and moved closer, trying to make out what in the hell Knox had locked onto.
“Shoo.” A man’s voice came out of nowhere.
Monica stumbled backward so fast she almost took herself out. “Who’s there?” She tried to sound tough, but it came out like a terrified squeak.
Knox was now growling and snapping atnothing. Absolutely nothing. What in the actual hell?
Her heart hammered as she pinched her own arm, hard, wondering if she’d fallen asleep outside and was dreaming.
“Dammit—stop biting,” the male voice growled, right as Knox yelped and fell back like he’d been kicked.
“Oh, hell no,” Monica snapped. She launched forward, swinging the burning stick like she was going for a grand slam. Whatever in the hell was going on, she didn’t care because no one kicked Knox.
Suddenly, the stick exploded as it struck something solid, sending sparks and splinters of wood into the air.
“Fuck! I’m a friend!” the male voice shouted.
Monica didn’t comprehend a word of it. She screamed louder than she’d ever screamed in her entire damn life, scrambled back straight toward the fire pit without realizing it.
Her leg hit the rim, and she pitched backwards toward the flames. Before her body hit the fire, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her back, lifting her clean off her feet.
“Are you okay?” Kane’s voice, tight and full of concern. He looked her over quickly, then whipped his head toward the yard. “Knox!”