When the World Comes Knocking
2129 Words
Chapter 14: When the World Comes Knocking
They stay in the office for a while after the kiss. Not talking. Just existing in the same space, breathing the same air, letting the weight of what just happened settle between them.
Maya's back is against the door again, but this time it's different. This time, Knox is standing close enough that her knees keep brushing his. His hand is on her hip — not grabbing, just resting there, like he's reminding himself she's real.
"So," she says.
"So."
"That was..."
"Yeah."
She laughs. It's nervous and giddy and completely inappropriate given the circumstances. "We're really bad at this, aren't we?"
"At what?"
"Talking. Communicating. Using words."
Knox's mouth twitches. "I'm better with actions."
"I noticed."
His hand tightens on her hip. Just a fraction. Just enough to make her stomach flip. "We should probably go back out there. Before Jesse breaks the door down."
"He's not going to break the door down."
"He's going to try."
Maya doesn't want to go back out there. She wants to stay in this tiny office with this complicated man and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist. But the rest of the world does exist. And part of it wants to hurt her.
She takes a breath. "Okay. Let's go."
Knox opens the door. Jesse is leaning against the wall across the hallway, arms crossed, grin so wide it looks painful.
"Finally," he says. "I was starting to think you'd died in there. Or worse — started having feelings."
"Shut up, Jesse."
"Make me."
Knox walks past him without a word. Jesse falls into step behind him, still grinning. Maya brings up the rear, face hot, heart still pounding.
The bar is busier than she expected. The lunch crowd has arrived — a handful of locals, a few truckers, a family passing through who clearly didn't read the reviews. Tank is working the grill in the kitchen. Ghost is at his booth, watching. Everything looks normal.
But something feels off.
Maya can't put her finger on it at first. Then she sees him. A man sitting at the end of the bar, nursing a beer, wearing a leather jacket that's too new for this place. He's not a local. Not a trucker. Not a tourist.
He's one of Cole's.
She knows it the way prey knows a predator. The set of his shoulders. The way his eyes scan the room. The subtle bulge under his jacket that might be a gun or might just be his wallet, but she's not willing to bet on wallet.
Knox sees him too. His whole body goes still. "Jesse," he says, low. "Who's the guy at the end of the bar?"
Jesse follows his gaze. His smile disappears. "Not one of ours."
"Get Tank."
Jesse disappears into the kitchen. A moment later, Tank emerges, wiping his hands on a towel. He looks at the man. His expression doesn't change, but his shoulders widen. He moves to stand near the door.
The man at the bar finishes his beer. Sets the glass down. Looks up.
Straight at Maya.
"Can I help you?" Knox asks. His voice is calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that comes right before violence.
The man smiles. It's not a friendly smile. "Just having a drink. That allowed?"
"Depends who's buying."
"Cole sends his regards." The man stands up. Slow. Easy. Hands visible. "He wants to talk. Says there's no need for things to get... complicated."
"Things are already complicated."
"They don't have to be." The man looks at Maya again. "She's the reason, isn't she? The girl. Cole heard she's special."
Knox steps between them. Blocks the man's view. "She's none of Cole's business."
"Everything in your territory is Cole's business. You know that." The man reaches into his jacket. Maya's breath catches. But he only pulls out a business card. Holds it out. "He wants to meet. Tomorrow. Neutral ground. Just to talk."
Knox takes the card. Doesn't look at it. "Tell Cole I'll think about it."
"Don't think too long." The man walks to the door. Pauses. Looks back at Maya. "You've got a lot of people worried about you, sweetheart. Must be nice."
Then he's gone.
The bar exhales.
Tank locks the door behind him. Jesse lets out a string of curses. Ghost stands up from his booth — actually stands, which almost never happens — and walks to the window, watching the man drive away.
Maya's legs are shaking. She didn't notice until now.
Knox turns to her. His face is hard, but his eyes are soft. "You okay?"
"No."
"Fair enough."
He puts a hand on her back. Guides her to a stool. Pushes her onto it. Then he crouches in front of her, just like he did last night, and waits.
"Who was that?" she asks.
"One of Cole's lieutenants. Name's Marcus. He's the muscle."
"And he came here to deliver a message."
"He came here to scare you." Knox's jaw tightens. "Cole knows about you. I don't know how, but he knows. And he's using you to get to me."
"Why would he want to get to you?"
"Because I have something he wants." Knox looks down at his hands. "The Reapers. Our territory. Our connections. Cole thinks he can take it back."
"By threatening me?"
"By threatening anyone I care about."
The word care hangs in the air between them. He said it. Out loud. In front of Jesse and Tank and Ghost.
Maya's heart does something complicated.
"So what do we do?" she asks.
Knox stands up. Looks around the bar — at his brothers, his home, his family. "We prepare. And we don't let him win."
He walks to the office. Starts making calls.
Jesse slides onto the stool next to Maya. "You okay?"
"I keep asking myself that. The answer keeps being no."
"Yeah, well." Jesse shrugs. "Welcome to the Reapers. We're all a little broken here."
Maya looks at the door. At the business card on the bar. At the world that keeps trying to pull her under.
She thinks about running. About getting in a car — any car — and driving until she can't drive anymore. Disappearing again. Starting over somewhere else.
But she's tired of running.
And Knox is in the office, making calls, fighting for her.
She picks up the business card. Flips it over. There's a handwritten note on the back.
Tell the girl: Derek says hello.
Her blood turns to ice.
"Jesse," she says. Her voice is barely a whisper. "Jesse, look."
He reads the note. His face goes pale. "Knox!" he yells. "Knox, get out here!"
Knox comes running. Takes the card. Reads it.
His expression doesn't change. But his hands shake.
"Derek is working with Cole," Maya says. "It's not a coincidence. They found me together."
Knox looks at her. "Then we handle them together."
"How?"
He doesn't answer. But his hand finds hers. Squeezes.
And for a moment — just a moment — Maya believes they might actually survive this.
End of Chapter 14
- Writer
